Main IndexAuto Repair Home Search Posts SEARCH
POSTS
Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN









Search Auto Parts

Interior car smells horrendous after repair. What are my options?


  Email This Post



bsideindy
Novice

Sep 20, 2011, 7:51 PM

Post #1 of 7 (4769 views)
  post locked   post icon Interior car smells horrendous after repair. What are my options?  

Summary: After a U joint repair to my 2007 Honda CRV/75,000m by a local auto repair shop, a residual chemical oil/sweat like smell is embedded in the upholstery and carpets. The smell is disgusting and my passengers are complaining. The repair man said that they needed to burn rubber for some reason during the repair and that the car interior was "smoked out". It has been a couple months and the smell has not dissipated, instead has gotten worse after a recent carpet shampooing. I'm not sure what to do! The repair shop has admitted that the smell is because of the smoking out during the repair. They offered to give me a carpet shampooing "at cost" $55. I really don't think this is going to do anything since I've already shampooed once.
What are my options here? I think the next step is to get full upholstery replacement. How do I file a claim against the repair shop's insurance? I think they should pay for this. I called my own auto insurance and they said that there is really no damage, just a smell, so nothing they can do. Is this something I can take to small claims court? If the shampooing then upholstery replacement does not work, I will need to sell the car but who would buy a car that smells this bad. I feel that their substandard work has killed the value of my car.
Here are the details:
A couple months ago I had my car repaired at the local shop. They did something to fix a vibration, had to replace a U joint or something. It was very frustrating process and took many trips and attempts for them to diagnose and finally get the vibration fixed. After the repair, I got in the car and there was a chemically oil/locker room sweat smell. It seemed to be worse when turning on the AC. I assumed this would just clear up over time.
A couple weeks went by and the smell from the AC seemed to clear up okay. There was still some residual chemical smell, but it was summer and I would just open the windows. I got the car detailed and the carpets were not dried completely and the rubber mats were replaced. The smell got progressively worse over the next few days, until I realized what was going on and remove the mats and dried the car out by leaving the windows open. After drying, the smell is still there and it's worse than ever before. It is really intense, passengers are complaining of chemical induced headaches. I left a backpack on the floor and brought into my house and the smell is now on the backpack. I had to put the backpack out on the back deck and it still smells. It is a contagious smell just like the Seinfeld episode.
I discussed the issue with the repair shop. They said that during the repair they had to "burn rubber" and that the car was smoked out during the process. They are willing to give me a carpet cleaning "at cost" for my troubles. I really don't think that any sort of carpet shampooing is going to fix this. I don't even know if replacing the upholstery will fix this.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 21, 2011, 3:13 AM

Post #2 of 7 (4731 views)
  post locked   Re: Interior car smells horrendous after repair. What are my options?  

Go buy an air freshener if it bothers you that much.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



bsideindy
Novice

Sep 21, 2011, 7:18 AM

Post #3 of 7 (4723 views)
  post locked   Re: Interior car smells horrendous after repair. What are my options?  


In Reply To
Go buy an air freshener if it bothers you that much.



bsideindy
Novice

Sep 21, 2011, 7:22 AM

Post #4 of 7 (4718 views)
  post locked   Re: Interior car smells horrendous after repair. What are my options?  

what a worthless response.

You're saying I should use some cheap fragrance to cover up a smell of a chemical saturation of my car's interior?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 21, 2011, 8:09 AM

Post #5 of 7 (4712 views)
  post locked   Re: Interior car smells horrendous after repair. What are my options?  

You could also replace the carpet if you really think it's that bad. If you left your carpet wet, now you have mildew soaked into them. You can replace them or stop complaining.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



re-tired
Veteran / Moderator
re-tired profile image

Sep 21, 2011, 8:45 AM

Post #6 of 7 (4707 views)
  post locked   Re: Interior car smells horrendous after repair. What are my options?  

This is a catch 22. You have become sensitive to the odor. No matter how much you clean the car you will smell it even if others cant. I'm not saying its you that is the problem ,its just a fact. In my opinion court is going to be a waste of your time and money. You cant prove how it smelled before . And how could you put a value on the odor. If the car is worth it your best bet is to replace the carpet AND the padding. Shampoo the seats and panels....give the interior a heavy spraying of FEBREEZE. Spray down the a/c ducts . If you have a cabin air filter ,replace it. Btw, you might find a carpet and padding in good condition at a salvage yard . GOOD LUCK


LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH


bsideindy
Novice

Sep 21, 2011, 9:08 AM

Post #7 of 7 (4705 views)
  post locked   Re: Interior car smells horrendous after repair. What are my options?  

thanks for the replies guys.






  Email This Post
 
 


Feed Button




Search for (options) Privacy Sitemap