Car smells of puke - but nobody's been sick in it

Just in the last 3 days, I've started getting this horrible smell. I don't get it when I get into the car, but shortly after I start the engine. Have torn the inside asunder to see if somebody left anything that's gone off, but found nothing.

Any ideas?

Rotten egg smell perhaps? Think it has something to do with catalytic converter, but could be wrong. You should have it looked at.

The "rotten eggs" smell from the catalytic convertor is mentioned in another recent thread in case that is of any use. If I recall correctly once the cat is run in it should disappear but I could be wrong.

Thanks, but it's definitely not the cat, I'm familiar with that smell, and would far prefer it to the puke smell!

Cat = catalytic convertor.

ClubMan said:

Cat = catalytic convertor.

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Don't worry, I do know that I was referring to where you said "once the cat is run in"

In fact, my preference of smells would likely be catalytic converter, puke then cat. Cats of the animal variety are not my thing!

Something in the air system?

Spilled milk/baby's bottle?Can be very pungent!! It could be the heater matrix leaking into the heating system although that smells more like urine.Are you losing any coolant?

Had spilt milk in my car a few years ago - the smell was truely awful.

I rubbed some bread soda on it, this removed the smell very successfully

I spilled some sauce from a Chinese down the air vents of a friend's car and the smell stayed in the car until he sold it many years after. It wasn't an unpleasant smell, it's just that he was always hungry whenever he drove.

So maybe one of your passengers spilled something down the air vent?

Brendan

caff said:

Spilled milk/baby's bottle?Can be very pungent!! It could be the heater matrix leaking into the heating system although that smells more like urine.Are you losing any coolant?

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Don't know about losing coolant, will have someone see for me. It's definitely not spilled milk/baby's bottle - long past that stage - but it does seem as if it may be something coming through the air vents.

I've had the car since last October - it's a 2005 reg - and this only started last Sunday. We'd been away in it over the Bank Hol, but I'm not aware of any spillages happening.

TreeTiger said:

Don't worry, I do know that I was referring to where you said "once the cat is run in"

In fact, my preference of smells would likely be catalytic converter, puke then cat. Cats of the animal variety are not my thing!

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Speaking of Cats, have you checked under the bonnet?? Sometimes cats sneek in there from under the car to get a bit of heat from the engine. Could be a fried feline??

Ac?

Animals under the bonnet is a common problem, usually cats or kittens in the towns and cars that come from the coutry, we would find mice etc.
Check for hair etc under the bonnet and usually they will eat throught a lot of wiring while under there.

Have you removed the pollen filter to see if there is anything there?

Smelly Ghost?

Cud be cats pee too, rotten stink out of it

You may have driven over something, or into some smelly puddle. Have you been in the country lately? Sliage effluent etc is a very persistent odour.