I recently bought a used 2021 Subaru Outback Limited with 35K miles. Bought it in on a cold day. After taking it home and parking it in my garage I noticed a clear but not strong cow manure smell when walking in front of the car. I didn't grow up on a farm but the smell reminded me of my grandfather's farm and his barn with cows and also the smell of fertilizer in the fields here in corn and soybean country in Illinois. The smell dissipated after a bit when the temp was still in 30's or colder. Now that it's getting warmer, the smell is getting stronger and lingers longer in garage. The smell is NOT in the cabin, fortunately, even when running the heater or a/c. I ran the car through an automated car wash - the premium wash and also took it to a wash bay and did my best to get the undercarriage, the front grill, and wheel wells. I have NOT attempted to wash the engine. None of that washing helped to get rid of or reduce the odor. Any ideas on how to remove the odor? Thanks for your time.
Never honk your horn if you are behind a farmer's manure spreader. That's probably what the previous owner did. It gets into everything. The washing or spraying might cause more harm then good with the electronics. If there are plastic covers on the undercarriage you might drop them down and take look. Take it from someone who lived in Morrisville New York. One of two things will happen. The smell will dissipate or you will get used to it.
Subaru is a good car. Good luck with it.
Sadly, no go. Thanks for the advice, MrBob, and the note about the plastic cover on the undercarriage - an engine shield Subaru calls it. Indeed, the Outback did have one. I took to the dealer and they dropped it, cleaned it, used an air hose to try reach nooks and crannies underneath, even cleaned the engine. But no go, the odor is still there. The only other thing I can can think of is that the plastic/fiber glass engine shield has soaked in the odor. As you wrote: "It gets into everything."
I respect farmers and the odor is not repulsive if only for that reason, but I will admit I do wish I didn't have the smell in my garage every morning. C'est la vie. Thanks, again.
are you sure it isn't coming out of the exhaust pipe?
