Vinegar Smell...Please HELP!!!

[CJ2019Ram]

I have a 2019 Ram 1500 that has a very distinct vinegar smell coming from the vents. Smells is so pungent that its like someone left a jug of opened vinegar in front of the vents. I am concerned because I have two toddlers and am not sure what they have been breathing. This has been going on for months and has been at the dealership multiple times before Ram Customer Care got involved.

Ram Customer Care has been nice on the phone, but not really too much help. I have been working with Ram Customer Care for a for a few months to get it resolved with no luck. They just keep telling me they have their technicians are working on it. Before they got involved, I have changed the cabin filter, the dealership ran cameras through vents showing nothing and have sprayed a cleaner multiple times that just seems to cover up the smell for a few days before the vinegar smell returns. Once Ram Customer Care got involved, the truck has been "getting fixed" multiple times but never really gets fixed...just something else sprayed into the vents. Last time, it was at the dealership for 8 days before I called to go pick it up. The only thing they did was spray two cans of cleaner into the vents and ran ionizer the first day they had it because they said it was from something possibly spilled in the vehicle (which they now have stated that wasn't the case but they needed to do it before proceeding further).

Also, the smell is not consistent at all. Some days the smell is so strong that you can smell it from outside the vehicle while windows are opened and smells continuously while driving. Other days, the smell dissipates a few seconds after starting the vehicle, and there are also days there is no smell at all. (Sometimes it can be very strong then later that day or next day it will have no smell at all.)

PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[CheechDogg.0n37s]

Did you have your truck detailed recently by a detailer or the dealer ...

 

[crash68]

Have to wonder if it's an emissions/exhaust leak.

 

[JohnnyMac]

Most everything I've ever read about vinegar smells from the vents is mold in them. If the interior of the vents is black plastic, I'm guessing they wouldn't be able to see the mold with a camera. If the cleaners they used don't kill mold spores, I'd have them use something that does. Not good for kids to be breathing that stuff. You may have already seen this page, but gives a couple bits of info.

[Solved] Why Does My Car Ac Smell Like Vinegar - Mildew In Car AC

Asking why does my car ac smell like vinegar? Bacteria or Fungus can be the answer. Simple car cleaning products or sprays works. If not?

carmodnerd.com

 

[Bigs]

Yeah there's a lot of info online to get this resolved. Basically happened in every car I have owned that has A/C.

If I'm not mistaken, if you leave the A/C on recirculate, then it just recirculates the air inside the cabin including your bacteria which then causes this.

 

[Regcabguy]

I have a Mopar tech friend who told me to do this procedure. Close the windows,turn the fan on high and on re-circulation. A/C on. Spray Ozium under the dash on the passenger side holding your breath. Let it idle 15 minutes and redo the procedure two more times. It got rid of my old gym sock smell for years now.

 

[CJ2019Ram]

Thank you all for your posts. To answer a few questions...

I have not had the vehicle detailed recently. The vehicle did have an exhaust leak because of a broken bracket that was repaired by the dealership under warranty but this smell is a very strong vinegar smell that comes through the vents. The dealership has used a spray that they ordered to kill mold with no luck. The next step they are planning to pull the dash to look for leaks in hoses. They ran an ionizer in the entire vehicle overnight and sprayed the passenger side under the dash with the mold-killing spray....but the smell came back within a few days. I have tried using the A/c various ways. With the re-circulation on, without the re-circulution on, etc. No difference. The smell comes through the front vents and the rear vents as well. Thank you all again for the posts. I really appreciate any info.

 

[Ram1958]

What are you using for windshield wash fluid?

 

[GTyankee]

some of that windshield washer fluid does smell like Vinegar

Anyone remember when the radiator & heater hoses were made in China & there was a terrible stink.
Several people got sick from that smell

 

[Denny B]

Here is a few bits of info I Googled...

windshield washer that smells like vinegar - Google Search

 

[usmc1217]

I had the same issue. I got my 2021 limited in March and about two days after I started to smell the vinegar smell. Took it to dodge and they said I needed to pay to fix it. After speaking not so politely to the service tech he decided to throw in a new cabin filter and sprayed it with some sort of treatment. My truck smelled good for a about a week before the smell came back. I checked the ac intake vent (where the wipers are) and they were unobstructed. Recently as of about three weeks ago I swapped out the cabin filter with new hepa rated Bosch filters and the smell is non existent.
Part number is 6090C and will for your year as well

 

[CJ2019Ram]

Thank you. Currently I have a loaner vehicle from the dealership. Apparently they cannot figure it out either. Have tried swapping out with different filters with no luck. That was one of the first things the dealer checked was for clogged vents. I wish it was that simple but they were clear. I dropped it off on Monday. RamCares contacted the dealership yesterday and they said they weren't able to look at it until today. Ram is supposed to call me back on Tuesday with an update.

 

[CJ2019Ram]

Thank you. I smelled the stuff I am using (both in jug and in truck) and it doesn't smell anything like what is coming from the vents. It also happens randomly so it can smell fine then the next day smell like strong vinegar. I have been trying to narrow it down. It seems to be stronger after a rain but sometimes it will rain and no smell at all.

 

[GTyankee]

some years back, FCA bought radiator hoses from China
When those hoses reached high temperature, they gave off an odor that made several people very ill, vomiting, etc.
That smell came through the vents also

Right under the right rear corner of the hood is the inlet where the cabin air comes from, it is called the Circulation door
If you close off the Circulation Door, no smells from the engine compartment should enter the cab

 

[kayjo]

I have had field mice get into both my air ducts and cabin filters and even engine air filter and start nesting there in several different vehicles. their spray, whether ***** or other, is very pungent, and could be possibly considered a vinegar smell. And it is really nasty to breathe. I would use a chlorine dioxide sachet or ( pool tablet ) to deoderize the vents and ducts. These use to be available years ago, I have not found them on the market since a person that I know sold their license( to manufacturer the car deodorizer ) to the orange glo people back in 2001 in effort for a solution to the anthrax in the mail.

I ended just using a solution of about 1:4 bleach/water in a spray bottle and slowly sprayed through the system before the fan, did f up the fan a bit. but took care of the odor. Chlorine dioxide is more of gas but still needs humidity to work , I guess if you had good humidity ( rainy day ) you could put a pool tablet in your cabin filter box and let thing run for a good long 3 hours or so.

UPDATE: I have found the chlorine dioxide sachets available on ebay ( from china ) but not sure you want to wait 3-6 weeks for epacket. SO odd you have to order something like this from china, My guess is someone is sitting on this licensing here and doesnt have a clue what to do with it.

 

[Timsdually]

Sounds like somebody didn't want to get caught eating an Italian hoagie on the assembly line so they stashed it when the supervisor was coming.
Sorry couldn't resist.

On a side note, back in the late '60's early '70's cars coming from assembly line in Delaware used to have beer bottles and other food wrappers found in door panels etc.

 

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

I read somewhere on here that the plastic radiator fan shroud had this smell of vinegar I know the outside air intake is on the passenger side could some of the air from engine compartment make its way into the air intake?

 

[GTyankee]

Just within this last month, i also read about the dealership that was waiting on a part or chemical or something

the customer had a stinky smelling plastic radiator fan shroud

I wonder if someone used a Heat Gun on some things, they could discover the source of the smell

 

[Armkb]

some of that windshield washer fluid does smell like Vinegar

Anyone remember when the radiator & heater hoses were made in China & there was a terrible stink.
Several people got sick from that smell

I picked up a new Elantra in 2013 and kept smelling coolant. Turns out the factory uses windshield washer fluid that contains glycol.

Also had a Tacoma that I installed an oil catch can. Bought hoses from local auto parts store. Must have been of chinese origin. Man they stunk when motor came to temp!!

 

[GTyankee]

Back in 2009 - 2012 time period

I recall there were a few batches of hoses that were put in Rams that came from China
Those Rams used HOAT anti freeze

HOAT & the Chinese Hoses caused a bad smell that entered the cabs & made people feel very ill