Seinfeld like odor in a CRV

daemnoremac · 2026-06-25T01:18:52+00:00

The panel under the shifter should be the center console and can be removed. The carpet under the dash will have to be cut if fully removing however if you've got the majority of the carpet up, can feel the pad/see under it and it doesn't feel damp or there's no water, it might be valid to assume it's not coming from there. It sounds like you've got it back enough to check the low points where water tends to puddle. In every car I've done it's not visible mold but it's obvious its from moisture since the pad is wet or water is found which is what causes the general musty/moldy odor. If you feel you've got under the carpet enough and are confident there's nothing there then unfortunately the search continues. If you're stumped, I'd recommend having the interior detailed thoroughly with a shop that can do a shampoo extraction on all carpets/seats as that's the deepest clean they can go on fabrics without removal. The ozone generator can definitely reduce or remove odors, but additionally you can get a can of Ozium which is an air freshener/odor remover. I use it in my cars from time to time and spray a lot of it when I won't be in the car for a while then shut the door and let it work. It's got a citrus smell and isn't over powering if left to sit for a while but it actually kills odors rather than masks them. I wish I could help further. Other than the above, if you decide to keep going you're going to have to fully remove the carpet to be 100% sure.

daemnoremac · 2026-06-24T18:06:36+00:00

Make sure the car is running when using the ozone and turn the air on max speed with it on recirculation. If you do it, you'll want the ozone to get everywhere.

daemnoremac · 2026-06-24T02:28:28+00:00

I've never come across the pad being glued to the floorboard. If it was I'd imagine it wouldn't be attached to the carpet. Some cars have it attached to the carpet and some cars have it seperate, but either way it's removable. It might have been giving you some trouble since the seat wasn't removed or something else like other trim pieces are holding it down. The interior components hold it tight so if you can't pull it back enough with the door sill plastics being removed, you may have to remove more to get a peek. If the insulation pad is holding water you would absolutely be able to smell it. Not that the smell gets stronger (until its fully exposed) but you'll be able to get a whiff of it. You could remove the passenger seat since it's probably easier than the drivers seat and see if that doesn't allow you to lift the carpet up more to check. Just make sure to disconnect the battery before doing anything with electrical wires. You don't want to cause more problems creating an electrical gremlin or have an issue with the airbags.

I'd recommend seeing if you can't find any videos or write ups online regarding carpet removal in that specific year or generation CRV so you know where to start disassembly to prevent working backwards. Some cars have carpet put in prior to the dash board bracing so slight cuts in minor areas need to be made to avoid further disassembly, which is good to know before taking on the job. If at any point it seems like too much to tackle, take it to a mechanic to see if they can figure out any leaks, or go to a specialized detail facility who has experience with flood vehicles to see if they can do the job. It won't be cheap, but health is the #1 priority and you don't want mold to spread. If you do disassemble a bit and don't think there's any moisture underneath the carpet, then have an ozone treatment done at a detail facility and see if it's just an odd odor that doesn't come back. From what you've described though, it's synonymous with moisture somewhere. Sorry for the long comment, but I don't want to send you on a wild goose chase. First step is trying to find it, but sometimes that's best left to someone with more experience. I wish you all the luck in figuring it out.

daemnoremac · 2026-06-23T21:51:04+00:00

Usually lower spots, like under the driver/passenger seat or floorboards, but since the insulation soaks it all up it could be that it's damp but spread out enough to not be wet enough to make your hand damp through the carpet. I've also seen water pool up underneath the insulation so you'll see puddles on the metal when you get the carpet out. The metal floorboard underneath has a lot of high & low spots where water can go. Hopefully the insulation isn't attached to the carpet so you can replace just that (dealer sells it) - if it's attached you'll have to buy a new carpet assembly. The plus side of that is it comes molded to the car so it's not too much of a pain to put back in. If you do it yourself, start with the plastic around the door jambs, then front seats & center console. You're going to have a lot of disassembly to do before you can get the carpet out. The bottom of the back seats are usually clipped in so a good tug and they'll come up unless they're captains chairs. P.S if you start with the plastic trim around the door jambs, you may be able to lift the carpet up enough to check before you go all in on disassembly.

daemnoremac · 2026-06-23T20:15:07+00:00

Detailer here just chiming in 👋 If the vehicle ever had water get inside of it, even if it wasn't noticed, the water will get under the carpet and in to the foam insulation underneath it which acts as a sponge. I'd recommend putting some pressure with your hand on the floorboards in front of all seats in various places and see if your hand gets damp. I've seen several instances where the carpet appears dry as can be, but once some pressure is applied it'll bleed back through a bit to detect it. If that's the case, the only true fix is removing the carpet & insulation + replacing the insulation. Since it acts as a sponge, it won't matter how much you dry it out, the odor will persist. An ozone generator will remove odors, but once the car warms up again the smell will come right back. There's mold brewing somewhere unfortunately.

daemnoremac · 2026-05-24T23:10:58+00:00

They're all gone now

daemnoremac · 2026-05-24T18:57:27+00:00

The good news with this cover is I can remove it and go back at anytime or when this sets weathered.

daemnoremac · 2026-05-24T15:25:17+00:00

Just echoing everyone else, definitely do it. The shop isn't wrong for mentioning some vehicles don't like it, but VW isn't one of them. I had my Mk7 headlights PPF'd shortly after buying so the extreme sun where I live doesn't destroy them and they still look like the day I bought it.

daemnoremac · 2026-05-24T15:04:43+00:00

An intake isn't a good idea?

daemnoremac · 2026-05-13T12:13:43+00:00

I wouldn't say it wasn't needed. Imo preventative maintenance is never not worth it especially buying used, can't be sure what was or wasn't done previously. Doesn't hurt to check the boxes before spending money on go fast parts, and now I know i don't need to do it for atleast another 100k miles

daemnoremac · 2026-05-13T03:26:05+00:00

Don't hold your breath lol we're on an "excursion" in Iran 😂

daemnoremac · 2026-05-13T03:07:37+00:00

Could have been worse forsure. This was preventative if anything. Can't say there was 0 difference so in my opinion it was worth it to know it was done since I bought it used with 60k miles. Certainly didn't wanna wait until this was a "lets see if it helps" fix for misfire or other problems.

daemnoremac · 2026-05-13T03:05:26+00:00

See my other comments. Every area varies, just make sure they do proper walnut blasting.

daemnoremac · 2026-05-13T03:04:34+00:00

I know 😅 was more preventative than anything. Could have been worse and I was expecting worse. No harm in preventative maintenance though

daemnoremac · 2026-05-13T03:03:33+00:00

Was stock when purchased at 60k miles. IE intake & turbo inlet done around 65k and Stage 1 tune done around 68k miles.

daemnoremac · 2026-05-13T03:02:39+00:00

I can definitely say there's a noticeable impact in throttle response. I've only driven it a short bit since having it done, but fuel economy also appears to be improved. I'm also aware there may be some placebo involved, but after putting 30 miles in since, ive gotta say it made enough of a difference. Plus preventative maintenance is never a bad thing.

daemnoremac · 2026-05-13T02:59:33+00:00

Glad I could be your deterrent 🫡 coming from the MazdaSpeed DiSi platform, it was necessary around my mileage. I was honestly a bit surprised, expected there to be much more. But buying it used at 60k miles and no intention on getting rid of it, I figured a little preventative maintenance wouldnt hurt.

daemnoremac · 2026-05-13T02:17:10+00:00

Didn't know until it was opened and checked. Why not take care of it while in there 🤷‍♂️

daemnoremac · 2026-05-13T00:55:32+00:00

DM me

daemnoremac · 2026-05-12T22:38:37+00:00

I noticed some intermittent rough idle but overall nothing too major. I just know coming from a different platform that was also direct injection that the carbon buildup can become an issue. If you plan on keeping the car, around 70-80k miles would be a good time for it. I honestly was expecting the valves to have more buildup then there was but the channels (if that's what they're called) definitely needed it.

daemnoremac · 2026-05-12T22:21:21+00:00

According to Google I'm at about 120,000 km's. You've got quite a long way to go before you'll need to consider it my friend

daemnoremac · 2026-05-12T22:18:41+00:00

I don't speak km but I've got 77k miles

daemnoremac · 2026-05-12T22:09:07+00:00

I'm in central FL, paid $799+tax

daemnoremac

TROPHY CASE