Interior odour that would gag a maggot

[Automan]

Hi,

I have a 2011 GU Patrol ST wagon. I purchased it new and I am vigilant about no food or drinks being open in the car. Since new, it has developed an odour that takes your breath away. It is nearly impossible to locate, but may be in the mouldings around the wheel wells or rear carpet - it's definitely not the seats or the AC. At first, it smelled a little like diesel spilt onto new upholstery and has gotten worse with time. I tried to raise the issue with the dealer, but was told there is no history of smells developing.

The car has not been wet, nor has it carried pets. I have tried deodorisers, steam cleaning and even domestic deodorisers like febreese.

I am one step away from dismantling the car a section at a time to see if I can eliminate the smell.

Has anyone had similar issues? Or........ how do I remove the upholstery clips to remove the interior.

Thanks

[BillsGU]

Beware: You are about to be bombarded with lots of cut and paste comments!!!!

In the meantime, it could be a snake that has crawled into a cavity and died. They smell bad and the smell lasts for a long time.

[threedogs]

Ring the previous owner
But Pop over to the intros and tell us a bit about yourself and your Patrol.
Just something the forum asks of us all, polite and all

[BillsGU]

Ring the previous owner

I think he says he purchased it new TD.

[4bye4]

Ask an auto detailer. My son is a detailer and they have quite a bit of experience in identifying odors and whre they are coming from. I mean an experienced detailer, not Fred's car wash at the local shops.

[Clunk]

Ring the previous owner
But Pop over to the intros and tell us a bit about yourself and your Patrol.
Just something the forum asks of us all, polite and all

OP states he bought from new TD.

[threedogs]

Its taken 3 year to smell ??
where are you? as in what state

[Stropp]

i would be checking as previously advised the wheel arches and stick your nose in and if it stinks remove the inners to see if something has died, also crawl under and check on top of the chassis and gearbox etc.

[Automan]

Sorry Threedogs - My manners are poor - Intro completed.

Stropp - It's definately inside the car - No smell outside. The trimmed wheel arch covers inside that the carpet butts up to seem to be quite smelly.

[Automan]

Im in Brisbane. The smell has 'developed' At first I thought that the diesel filler neck was spilling into the cabin ever so slightly, but the smell has just gotten worse. Given that there are some replies and no one has gone - "Oh yeah - they all do that", I think it might be time to do some investigative work and remove some of the rear interior. It doesn't smell like rats and doesn't seem to be in the headliner. Definitely nothing dead either.