When I use the Windshield Wiper fluid, I notice a foul smell in the cabin. It smells like a dirty mop. The smell emanates from the air vent on the passengers side.
I presumed that dirty windshield wiper fluid was used to top off the resolver during my last service at a local Dealer earlier this year.
Fast forward months later to today's service at a different local Dealer. The car just needed an oil & filter change, 40 pt inspection, tire rotation and..... troubleshoot the foul smell in the cabin that consistently occurs when the windshield wiper fluid is engaged. When the Service Advisor turned the car over to me, I was told that the wiper fluid was drained and refilled. I tested the wiper fluid before leaving the Dealer. There was that foul smell. The Service Advisor took the car back to the shop floor. I was called back 20-40 minutes later. The mechanic had the Cowl off and a camera running into an open drain vent on the driver's side of the vehicle. I was told that a dead frog is lodged in the left front frame of the vehicle. The video showed a green blob of something decomposing. I was told that wiper fluid runoff spills into this area under the Cowl and hits the dead frog which produces the odor that emanates back towards the passengers side air vent. I was told that there is no way to remove the dead frog. I have to wait it out until it fully decomposes.
This has raised several questions:
- The frog is on the driver side. Why is the smell not coming in through the vent on the drivers side?
- Why does the smell only get triggered when I activate the Windshield Wiper Fluid?
- If the fluid is house in a sealed reservoir, how does runoff compromise the fluid in the reservoir?
- Couldn't a water hose be used to flush out the frog's body fluids?
A few noteworthy facts:
- Car has low mileage (37,000) and is now 5 years old
- Car is garaged and not left parked outside
- The Dealer provides a mechanics video as part of the service. I was able to view the video this evening. The mechanics did a walk though of his 40 pt inspection. In the video he shows the wiper fluid reservoir and says that he topped it off. This contradicts the Service Advisor's saying that they drained and filled the windshield wiper fluid reservoir. Would this have made a difference? I'm not sure.
My take-a-way after pondering today's events is that this does not make sense. I would appreciate your thoughts
The runoff passes through the Cowl area to the drain vent and down to the left side frame of the car where the carcass is located.
I guess it's still close enough that the odor gets into the intake.
BUT why doesn't this smell occur when it rains?
Maybe something in the washing fluid reacts with the carcass.
If you direct me I will upload the pics.
You can use any image hosting service. imgur.com for example. Copy+paste the "direct link" and the image will be embedded right into your post. There's a forum guide posted on our front page.
Hello MountManJoe,
Thank you for the tip regarding image imbedding. It is my first time using this forum.
I may have resolved the fowl smell! I shared the problem with my network of friends and family. The common question was, "if it is due to the dead frog, why does it only occur when engaging the wiper fluid?" Since the dealer did not drain out the old wiper fluid, this was recommended as the first step in isolating the problem.
I engaged the wiper fluid until the reservoir was completely empty. I repeated this step with water before returning the vehicle to the garage. Both the car and garage reeked for sometime after. I was not equipped to access the drain plug at the bottom of the reservoir so this was the only other way.
The next day I drove the car in heavy rain using the wiper blades and air vents. No smell. That night I filled the reservoir with Rainx: windshield wiper fluid. Scotty recommended this product in a video. I engaged the wiper fluid system the next day. What did I smell in the cabin of the car? Windshield wiper fluid. No foul smell.
Hopefully this truly has resolved the original problem. As for the frog, I may have an autobody mechanic use a power washer as you described to push out the sludge that has settled in the path (in the left side frame) of the drainage system.
Thank you for your comments. 🙂
Update: it's been nearly 2 months since my last post. The fowl odor never returned. It was the fluid.
The frog is on the driver side. Why is the smell not coming in through the vent on the drivers side?
air for all the vents is drawn from one inlet, which in the cowl area where the frog is.
Why does the smell only get triggered when I activate the Windshield Wiper Fluid?
I agree with the service advisor. The runoff from your windshield is moistening your frog "potpourri", which activates the smell. Same as when you pour water over dry coffee or tea.
If the fluid is house in a sealed reservoir, how does runoff compromise the fluid in the reservoir?
it doesn't. Your reservoir is fine. The runoff goes into the cowl and then drains onto the road.
Couldn't a water hose be used to flush out the frog's body fluids?
somewhat. I think a pressure washer with a bent nozzle would work better. I would have expected the dealer to take care of that for you while he had the cowl off. But maybe it's in a very inaccessible area. I don't know I haven't seen it and you didn't provide pictures or video.
In the video he shows the wiper fluid reservoir and says that he topped it off. This contradicts the Service Advisor's saying that they drained and filled the windshield wiper fluid reservoir.
they drained it and refilled it. How does that contradict anything?
I'm actually very impressed they went to all that trouble to locate the smell.
Would this have made a difference?
none
A few noteworthy facts:
- Car has low mileage (37,000) and is now 5 years old
- Car is garaged and not left parked outside
why is it noteworthy?
Maybe the frog crawled in there while you were in the supermarket.
Q: The frog is on the driver side. Why is the smell not coming in through the vent on the drivers side?
A: "air for all the vents is drawn from one inlet, which in the cowl area where the frog is."
A: "I agree with the service advisor. The runoff from your windshield is moistening your frog "potpourri", which activates the smell. Same as when you pour water over dry coffee or tea."
Response: So the odor is activated when runoff from the windshield wets the "potpourri" and emanates back up through the only inlet under the Cowl which is located on the passenger side? This makes sense.
But to be clear, the frog is not in Cowl area. Rather the frog is located in the frame of the car. On the driver side. The runoff passes through the Cowl area to the drain vent and down to the left side frame of the car where the carcass is located. I am told they cannot access this area of the car.
Q: If the fluid is house in a sealed reservoir, how does runoff compromise the fluid in the reservoir?
A: it doesn't. Your reservoir is fine. The runoff goes into the cowl and then drains onto the road.
Response:
BUT why doesn't this smell occur when it rains? Water is running off the windshield same as when wiper fluid runs off the windshield. The runoff follows the same drain path does it not?
Q: In the video he shows the wiper fluid reservoir and says that he topped it off. This contradicts the Service Advisor's saying that they drained and filled the windshield wiper fluid reservoir.
A: they drained it and refilled it. How does that contradict anything?
Response: They did not drain and refill the reservoir even though the Front desk Service Advisor said that this was done. The mechanic who actually serviced the car did not do this. He just topped it off. This is why I said that the Service Advisor and mechanic contradicted one another.
So if the fluid was contaminated, it is still contaminated. However changing the fluid would as you stated not have made a difference.
Q: Couldn't a water hose be used to flush out the frog's body fluids?
A: somewhat. I think a pressure washer with a bent nozzle would work better. I would have expected the dealer to take care of that for you while he had the cowl off. But maybe it's in a very inaccessible area. I don't know I haven't seen it and you didn't provide pictures or video.
Response: I actually looked for a way to upload the pictures but could not see a button to upload pictures on this post. If you direct me I will upload the pics. I am thinking a garden hose press up against the drain slots located on the driver side might force some of the sludge out of the car.
I appreciate the detailed response that you have made. I hope to see your additional comments.