2006 CTS odd interior smell

ctscaddygirl · July 2007

My CTS has a strange odor in the interior. It's not the leather, it almost smells like a petroleum smell. The dealer inspected all connections and hoses and cleaned the leather, but the problem still exists. My clothing and hair have this smell (it is faint, but still there) after short or long drives. I've disliked this car from day one! Does anyone else have this problem?

jennyt · October 2007

I have a 2005 1/2 Jetta- the new model... I am dealing with the SAME EXACT problem. It is horrible. I have had the car to the VW dealership 3 times. They recognize the odor, but say something was "spilled on the leather". That never happened. I can no longer drive the car- my husband does. It is so bad, it gives both of us headaches. I just got a call from the dealership today, with them telling me the above. They drove the car for 1 1/2 weeks. I have had many little quirks with the car, but nothing this bad. It all started about 2 years after I leased it- brand new! Please let me know if you have resolved anything, and I will do the same. :mad:

ctscaddygirl · October 2007

The problem was resolved! My husband noticed some leakage on the garage floor (he actually slipped on it) and it was clear. It was towards the back of my car. I took it to the dealer and the differential was leaking and dripping on something and thus the interior smell. So, I spend all that money on a vehicle and it's leaking from day one :mad: I asked the tech if this problem had gone on so long, could it have caused any damage. Of course he told me it would not. Anyway, give that a shot! One more thing, the interior still does not have the same pleasant new leather smell as my husband's vehicle, but it's so much better than before. I'm interested in hearing what you find out. Good luck!

pao · October 2007

the differential leak in the CTS has been a known problem for some time....how long have you had the car....and how long has the smell be evident?.....the odor is probably coming from the dif fluid hitting the hot exhaust as you drive.....it appears by the date stamp on the messages it has been leaking about 3 months...

depending on how low the fliud level was at the time and how long you had been driving it low....it will may certainly cause damage...dont let the tech blow smoke.....the dif leak issue is a well documented fact on the CTSs.....

ctscaddygirl · October 2007

I've had the car since 04/06 and the leak was just fixed this summer. The smell has been in the car since day one. My husband noticed a small blurb in our local paper mentioning the well known differential problem. Why can't these things be brought to greater attention? We're dealing with dangerous machines! :confuse: Thanks for your info.

jennyt · November 2007

No hope for the VW Jetta, as of now. VW returned the car to us with paperwork stating there is "No Odd Odor..." then it goes on to say "leather conditioner smell coming from leather". It's crazy! The car sits, because it smells so awful and VW will do nothing about it. I have been driving the car for 2 1/2 years when the problem started suddenly. Very odd. We are at a loss, very frustrated. I will look into the differential leak, but there has never been anything leaking from the car. Thanks! :lemon:

pao · November 2007

th dif leak problem was specific to the early CTSs....

ctscaddygirl · November 2007

I, too, was told no one could smell anything. I actually had them smell my hair as every time I got out of the vehicle, my hair had the smell! Of course, they said they didn't smell anything. I called the leather manufacturer to ask about any leather conditioner or solvent that was used to process the car interior. They were taken aback that a consumer was calling and told me to call the dealer (which, of course, I had already done).

We didn't see anything leaking either. However, my husband slipped on this clear fluid in our garage. Let me know what you find out! Good luck, I know how frustrating and disappointing it is!

jennyt · November 2007

Interestingly, I have been talking to lots of people about this problem, as well as some forums and good ol' google. I have found that VW has a problem with cars smelling of fumes. I found a great guy to detail my car, and he called his mechanic, who told him this is a LONG going problem with all VW's but the dealerships push people away, telling them they spilled something or it is the leather. I think I have found the root, now it's taking action for a resolution- which I KNOW will not be easy. The problem seems to be a chemical coming off the engine and dripping through the manifold (sorry, I'm no mechanic)... it goes under the carpets/floorboards and sits and creates this smell. It's hard to prove, and the process of repair is outstandingly high for VW, so they take no recognition of it. Apparently, people give up on lawsuits and other pursuits because of the time/energy/costs involved. This mechanic said he has known of others letting their cars sit in the driveway for well over a year, until their leases expire. Lucky for me, it is a lease, and I do not own. I am now pursuing "Lemon Law Attorneys" as well as having filed a formal complaint with NHTSA http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/ If others do the same for the VW issue, it would be helpful. This is the site that helps determine and mandate safety recalls Another forum member urged me to do this, and yet another urged me to pursue the safety aspect of the problem... since the smell gives a headache and makes you feel dizzy. The dealership also assured me they would drive my car for a week while I was away, but the paperwork from them shows the same mileage for bringing it in, as when it went out. Pretty sad that they are so good at lying. This was not even the dealership, but the "Corporate VW Representative" for the area. Obviously, he knows the problem, and knew his "diagnosis". I will be sure to post updates!

2006 CTS odd interior smell

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