Cabin odor

[Adl.42375]

For some reason when I open the door to get in my truck.. there is a strong cat urine odor.. inside.. we don't have a cat nor has one been inside. I read it could be from filter or a leak or clogged drain in sunroof? It's 22 with 8k on it.. the odor goes away after a few minutes.. weird.

 

[Darksteel165]

Check your cabin air filter first

 

[Ulster]

I would also check for a rodent nest somewhere under the hood. If you find signs of nesting, best to get on that right away.

 

[Jtr]

For some reason when I open the door to get in my truck.. there is a strong cat urine odor.. inside.. we don't have a cat nor has one been inside. I read it could be from filter or a leak or clogged drain in sunroof? It's 22 with 8k on it.. the odor goes away after a few minutes.. weird.

Glad you posted this. I’ve got a 22 as well and it looks like I will need a water pump replacement by the sound coming from the engine bay. I’ve got the same urine smell and it is brief upon getting in or opening windows while driving so I’m curious what you found out about this.

 

[RamCares]

Glad you posted this. I’ve got a 22 as well and it looks like I will need a water pump replacement by the sound coming from the engine bay. I’ve got the same urine smell and it is brief upon getting in or opening windows while driving so I’m curious what you found out about this.

If you're in need of assistance with diagnosing your vehicle, please reach out to us. We'd be happy to get you some help.

Callie
Ram Cares

 

[DL3Greyghost]

If you're in need of assistance with diagnosing your vehicle, please reach out to us. We'd be happy to get you some help.

Callie
Ram Cares

Sitting at the dealership now waiting on a diagnostic test to be done so they can send a report to the Recall team at Chrysler customer service…same issue as described in this post and others…burnt, nasty smell that started a few weeks ago almost overnight…2022 Big Horn with barely $50K miles
First dealership gave me the typical..” we’ve never heard of this before” ..even though I showed them these similar posts about it being a known issue…decided to go to a reputable automotive repair shop that didn’t have any skin in the game or was trying to sell me a ton of service fees to some uneducated schmuck…he was even curious about it and dug into the research with me…long story longer, he did a complete coolant flush in both directions through the heater core and replaced with the Valvoline coolant and not the Dexcool stuff that a lot of people are saying is potentially the problem because it’s reacting with the hoses and crystallized in the system….all I know is…I have a barely 3 year old vehicle that is making me and my wife sick to even be in and it’s not “normal” or “typical “. If you’re a Ram or Chrysler tech or customer service person on here…please comment and help all of us get a recall or fix for this problem

 

[dajogejr]

Interesting… I found this thread by chance.
Cat urine is exactly I smelled. Cleaned my K&N Cabin filter, it was a little dusty, but not horrible.
I even sprayed a little new car smell air freshener on it.
I still catch a whiff of it now and then. No cats, nothing nested underneath, nothing under the hood, truck gets driven very regularly and doesn’t sit.
Next time into the dealer for maintenance, I’ll ask them to take a look….see what they say.

 

[Jtr]

I finally figured out where the cat pee, mildew, musty smell was coming from. It was in my pano sunroof run off track and the wind deflector just sits there soaked after rain and mildew and mold grow. I cleaned it out with water and vinegar real good (also cleaning the deflector) and made sure that the sunroof drain tubes weren't plugged. When you are cleaning with a 50/50 water vinegar solution it should drain out the tubes near the area between each front door and the wheel well. If you don't see draining, run some weed wacker string through the drain tubes located near the front of the doors (about midway up the doors, just open the doors and you should see them on the panel with a flashlight).

 

[dajogejr]

Thanks JTR… will have to take a look.

 

[dajogejr]

Cabin Air Filter

tried that. Cleaned out the K&N filter, put a little air freshener in it.. still there.
It was the first thing I tried. I haven’t checked my drains…need to do so.
Appreciate Jtr’s idea.

 

[dajogejr]

I finally figured out where the cat pee, mildew, musty smell was coming from. It was in my pano sunroof run off track and the wind deflector just sits there soaked after rain and mildew and mold grow.

You were right. I opened it up for a vent the other day. Decided to open the pano.
Damp moisture had the smell on the screen..so I’ll be cleaning it this weekend as well as cleaning out the drain tubes as well..

Thanks again Jtr….

 

[MotorcycleBoy]

It happened to me too and in my case it was enough to always keep the air conditioning on (winter and summer). no humidity is deposited in the air filter and therefore there are never bad smells.

 

[Jtr]

You were right. I opened it up for a vent the other day. Decided to open the pano.
Damp moisture had the smell on the screen..so I’ll be cleaning it this weekend as well as cleaning out the drain tubes as well..

Thanks again Jtr….

Glad I could help! I have noticed I have to stay on top of it or the smell comes back!

 

[DL3Greyghost]

I finally figured out where the cat pee, mildew, musty smell was coming from. It was in my pano sunroof run off track and the wind deflector just sits there soaked after rain and mildew and mold grow. I cleaned it out with water and vinegar real good (also cleaning the deflector) and made sure that the sunroof drain tubes weren't plugged. When you are cleaning with a 50/50 water vinegar solution it should drain out the tubes near the area between each front door and the wheel well. If you don't see draining, run some weed wacker string through the drain tubes located near the front of the doors (about midway up the doors, just open the doors and you should see them on the panel with a flashlight).

Do you have a pic showing this? I don’t see anything but I also don’t have a sunroof…is there still a drain for water that comes from the top and down the doors? Still have a nasty smell that seems to be worse right around the driver side

 

[Jtr]

Do you have a pic showing this? I don’t see anything but I also don’t have a sunroof…is there still a drain for water that comes from the top and down the doors? Still have a nasty smell that seems to be worse right around the driver side

If you don't have the pano you won't have the drains that I was referencing. It could be a leak from a crack in a weld, I think I recall some water coming in that way other guy's trucks. Have you smelled around the carpet?

 

[DL3Greyghost]

If you don't have the pano you won't have the drains that I was referencing. It could be a leak from a crack in a weld, I think I recall some water coming in that way other guy's trucks. Have you smelled around the carpet?

I have smelled around the carpet…I don’t think it’s the water under there even though it was leaking The back glass and 3rd break light are now sealed as well so no more water will be getting in…it’s not a mold or mildew smell…it’s a burnt smell