Strange Smell inside Car! Is it a mechanical Problem?

For the last few days I have noticed a strong strawberry smell inside
my car - it seems to be most noticiable when I have left it alone over
night or for an hour and its been standing still.

I have not had anything that would smell like that in the car so I am
at a loss as to what it could be! I am concerned its a smell from a
mechanical part of the car!? what could it be?

I read that a egg smell is a faulty catalytic converter? I don't know
if I have one in my car and it smells like strawberry to me but I just
wanted to know if anyone had any ideas what it could be- assuming its
more serious than something smelly in my car!

it does not seem to blow out of the air con as when it is on I can't
smell anything - it only seems to be there if I have no air movement
in the car!

But there is NOTHING in the car to make any smell - so it must be
coming from the car? but what could possibly make a smell like that
inside the car but not get worse with the air con/heater on? I cannot
smell anything when outside the car as well and the smell seems to be
coming from the drivers side where I sit at the front - but there is
nothing there that could smell! (of course it may be coming from
somewhere else in the car but I can't really be sure as when I open
the door the smell disapears!

 

Could it be a smell of ketones? I've noticed it in several company trucks
I've had, always on significant hill climbs at high speed. Even my current
diesel truck treats me to the smell sometimes. Darned if I can figure out
where it comes from.

Mike

 

If you mean is it the smell of fuel inside my car? then it is not
that.

I can only smell it if the car is left for at least half an hour with
the door closed while I am away and then
it seems to go almost immediately.

It is most noticiable like I said when I park my car overnight - its a
strong smell but as I said it does
not get worse when driving in anyway - although the smell does come
back if I have the doors closed and no air con
on but I suppose that is the same situation as leaving the car
standing overnight!

The most likely cause as far as I can think is something that smells
in the car or on the car mats - but as I said
I have cleaned the car out I can't smell anything from anywhere!

 

I associate strawberries with a sweetish smell, and that could mean
coolant leaking from a heater core.

 

Wouldnt that be something I would smell more when I turn the heater
on?

Because its freezing cold and the heater has not smelled any worse!

However, if it is what you suggest what does that mean will happen?
The heater won't work when the coolant is out?

 

Coolant circulates from the engine through the heater core inside the
dashboard and back to the engine again, so if the heater runs out of
coolant the engine is out too. It doesn't take much of a leak to
create the unmistakbly sweet smell of coolant. You might want to have
a reliable mechanic check out the source of the smell. It may be
something as simple as an old strawberry under the floormat...and it
might be someting a little more serious too.

 

So whats the worst case scenario if it is that?

what would happen if it runs out while im driving?

and like I said before if its a smell coming from the engine and
cycling around then
surely it should be noticable when driving as it will be moving around
and not when stationary?

 

In my experience IF the core is leaking it will gradually get worse.
It doesn't take much coolant for you to be able to notice it. I would
have a mechanic take a look and verify whether you have a problem or
not.

In my experience it will not all suddenly run out. But you should
check the coolant level regularly.

 

I checked the engine coolant level and its at the maximum line
(assuming that is what you meant when you said the coolant)

so it does not appear to be leaking based on its level not going down
at all! also the smell seems to be less noticiable today,
common sense would lead me to think that maybe there was something
that smelt bad on the floor or on my shoe and that
when I cleaned my car out the otherday whatever it was that smelled
bad was taken out and any remaining smell is just the
lingering stale air and will pass with time!

But that would be foolish to assume that when it could be far worse!
better to assume the worst than best!

 

I located what I believe is the cause of the smell - the rear
passenger footwell is soaked on both sides!

It was under the mats I have so I didn't notice until I lifted them
up.

Is there anything in that area that could leak through and drench the
footwells pre-installed carpet on both
sides? Or do I have a door leak somewhere which is letting lots of
rain water into my car?

I mean its really wet down there - we are talking wet enough to mop it
up! What could it be?

I would guess thats not coolant as you mentioned before now?

 

Probably not given the location. The odor may be mildew. Assuming
this is not an old car with a rotted floor the water is coming in
through a door or sunroof seal, or possible from a window being left
open.

 

Not coolant... is the trunk dry? That's a common leak area.

Mike

 

Actually now you mention the trunk - I had a big accident before
Christmas, badly damaged my rear bodywork - I had
it repaired but for 3 weeks I could not close my boot all the way! I
suppose the water could have been collecting since then
and the dampness smell has taken a while to get bad enough for me to
notice.

The car has done 156,000 miles but its a 98 S40 so it shouldn't be
rotting anywhere yet! I take it there are no pipes
containing any liquids that could leak out in that area and go through
the car floor?

IF its water from outside then I can live with that - my main concern
was that something mechanical was damaged and
chemicals or something were leaking out - I guess we have ruled that
out now?

Thanks for everyones input so far!