1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Smell inside doors

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by Friar Tuck, May 29, 2010.

  1. Aug 17, 2014 at 1:05 PM
    #21
    TacoLlama

    TacoLlama Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2014
    Member:
    #132919
    Messages:
    195
    Gender:
    Male
    R.I.
    Vehicle:
    2019 SR5 DCSB
    I just buried my big old nose in all kinds of interior.Could not pin point the funk.Definitely smell it more around the middle of the doors near that fabric armrest area.Will have to investigate the rubber strips near the window next.My neighbors must think I am lunatic.
     
  2. Aug 17, 2014 at 1:28 PM
    #22
    Canufixit

    Canufixit Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2012
    Member:
    #84402
    Messages:
    2,044
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    People ask me "CANUFIXIT"!
    New England
    Vehicle:
    2020 Red SR 4x4 Taco
    "Access" Tonneau cover. Bed Mat. Hitch, Timbren SES

    Is that the Left Armrest Armpit ???

    Try some Left Guard ?



    :rofl:
     
  3. Aug 17, 2014 at 2:47 PM
    #23
    joedirt

    joedirt Hallow

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2008
    Member:
    #4365
    Messages:
    1,411
    Gender:
    Male
    Ploeśti
    Vehicle:
    2005 Tacoma
    Sir,

    Someone hath stolen the insides of your truck..
     
  4. Apr 10, 2015 at 5:41 AM
    #24
    jcwilliamson

    jcwilliamson JW

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2012
    Member:
    #81827
    Messages:
    2
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    John
    Newton NC
    Vehicle:
    Mica Gray Tacoma Double Cab 4x4
    265/70/16 Nitto Terra Grapplers, led interior lights, underhood LED lights, Redline Tuning hood lifters, shorty antena, LED Light Bar below tailgate, weathertechs, moved backup camera display from mirror to radio, upgraded backup camera to one with parking lines.
    Have the same issue with my 2013 double cab. Tried cleaning window strip with Tilex and Lysol. Does not take smell away !! Taking to dealer next week. Still under warrenty i am sure the dealer will say this is "normal".
     
  5. Apr 10, 2015 at 7:27 AM
    #25
    Canufixit

    Canufixit Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2012
    Member:
    #84402
    Messages:
    2,044
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    People ask me "CANUFIXIT"!
    New England
    Vehicle:
    2020 Red SR 4x4 Taco
    "Access" Tonneau cover. Bed Mat. Hitch, Timbren SES
    I believe it is possible, when the window is not fully up and especially when the window is fully down, that fluids and debris can fall into the door. Sometimes leaf/pine needle/oak stringies, etc can get in and collect at the bottom and react/rot/smell. Did you check/smell in the bottom door weep holes ??
     
  6. Jun 9, 2016 at 9:44 AM
    #26
    Reef Runner

    Reef Runner Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2016
    Member:
    #176428
    Messages:
    135
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nick
    John H Kerr Reservoir, NC
    Vehicle:
    ‘18 Super White 4x4 TRD Off Road with Dbl Cab & Long Bed
    I think you are correct. What did you do, and did it correct the problem....?
     
  7. Jun 9, 2016 at 9:48 AM
    #27
    Reef Runner

    Reef Runner Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2016
    Member:
    #176428
    Messages:
    135
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nick
    John H Kerr Reservoir, NC
    Vehicle:
    ‘18 Super White 4x4 TRD Off Road with Dbl Cab & Long Bed
    I have checked for that. I removed the interior door panel. It's clean as can be. I removed the large speaker so I could see inside the door. Nothing - clean like new. No gunk, no leaves, no pine needles, no nothing in there. I sprayed inside with Lysol till it ran out the drain holes. I still got the odor. I think that F1Fan is correct and has ID'd the problem. I wonder if that strip is replaceable ?
     
    Last edited: Jul 30, 2016
  8. Jul 29, 2016 at 2:35 PM
    #28
    kevtal

    kevtal New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2016
    Member:
    #193214
    Messages:
    1
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Kevin
    Vehicle:
    2011 silver Tacoma
    I have the same problem, when the window is down the smell is very bad. It seems to be coming from the rubber molding at the bottom of the window opening. There are spots that also appear on the outside of the rubber molding which I think is where mold is growing. I'm not sure what could be causing this other than manufacturing process and not sure what to do about it except replace it. I hope someone can suggest a solution.
     
  9. Jul 29, 2016 at 3:42 PM
    #29
    Reef Runner

    Reef Runner Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2016
    Member:
    #176428
    Messages:
    135
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nick
    John H Kerr Reservoir, NC
    Vehicle:
    ‘18 Super White 4x4 TRD Off Road with Dbl Cab & Long Bed
    Funny thing, and as I read in another similar thread, or maybe this one - I was at the dealership yesterday, to get a state safety inspection. While there, I mentioned this situation to the service manager (window strips & mildew smell), and how so many people were experiencing this problem. Right on cue, and pretty much as expected, he immediately replied, "Well, I'll be. I have never, in all my life, heard of anything like that". Yeah, I bet not !
     
    Last edited: Jul 30, 2016
  10. Aug 6, 2018 at 2:06 PM
    #30
    Iamasmoker

    Iamasmoker Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2016
    Member:
    #191682
    Messages:
    22
    Vehicle:
    2015 Tacoma
    I have the same smell in my 15 whenever I role the windows down. Has anyone succeeded in resolving the issue?
     
  11. Aug 6, 2018 at 2:49 PM
    #31
    casey2012

    casey2012 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2018
    Member:
    #256088
    Messages:
    445
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    mark
    Vehicle:
    yota
    none
    put some dog shit in console you wont smell it anymore
     
  12. Aug 7, 2018 at 11:15 AM
    #32
    Iamasmoker

    Iamasmoker Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2016
    Member:
    #191682
    Messages:
    22
    Vehicle:
    2015 Tacoma
  13. Jun 10, 2019 at 8:18 AM
    #33
    Luna3

    Luna3 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2014
    Member:
    #127561
    Messages:
    70
    Gender:
    Male
    Democratic Socialist State of New Yorkistan
    Now this is funny. My 2014 Tacoma has this very issue, my wife tracked it down. I pulled the door apart also and found nothing stinky inside, but that fuzzy strip of weather seal smells bad. My guess is that sun and heat breaks the material down and starts to give off that really musty dead sneaker odor.
     
    Biscuits likes this.
  14. Jun 10, 2019 at 9:13 AM
    #34
    Collins

    Collins Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2009
    Member:
    #24013
    Messages:
    314
    Gender:
    Male
    North Carolina
    Vehicle:
    09' Tacoma, 2.7L, 5spd, 4x4
    I've got it on my 2009. I bought it new. I have had rain guards on there for a few years...they do help some.
    After a rainy day, move the window fully down and then move it up about 3/4 ways and you'll see moisture droplets on the glass from
    that rubber strip. I had the door innards open to replace the window actuator and fully inspected the door...no trapped debris, no anything,
    just a funky dank smell. That rubber or whatever material it is? must be too absorbent and doesn't allow the water to escape
    very well? Open Cell verses Closed Cell material maybe?

    So no real solution other than to move the windows up and down a few times after a rain and because i have the rain guards, I leave the windows cracked a couple inches and that helps with air flow. The smell is still kinda there, but i guess i'm going nose blind to it.
     
  15. Jun 11, 2019 at 3:52 AM
    #35
    Luna3

    Luna3 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2014
    Member:
    #127561
    Messages:
    70
    Gender:
    Male
    Democratic Socialist State of New Yorkistan
    I went to the Rock Auto site and it looks like the window seals/gaskets/wipers....whatever the hell these things are called, are available. I can't figure out which part though. When the door panel is off they look easily replaced. I'm going to visit the dealership and get a the part numbers, maybe even order them, they can't be that pricey. Man, they do stink.
     
  16. Jun 11, 2019 at 3:57 AM
    #36
    Luna3

    Luna3 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2014
    Member:
    #127561
    Messages:
    70
    Gender:
    Male
    Democratic Socialist State of New Yorkistan
    You got it....
     
    scottalot likes this.
  17. Jun 19, 2019 at 9:56 AM
    #37
    Luna3

    Luna3 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2014
    Member:
    #127561
    Messages:
    70
    Gender:
    Male
    Democratic Socialist State of New Yorkistan
    I went to the dealer and ordered the window weatherstrips. Not cheap. Probably be into it for 200 all said and done. Had to. Sucks.
     
  18. Jun 23, 2019 at 4:34 AM
    #38
    Luna3

    Luna3 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2014
    Member:
    #127561
    Messages:
    70
    Gender:
    Male
    Democratic Socialist State of New Yorkistan
    The deed is done. About $180 for all four pieces of weather stripping. It took about 45 minutes to get the door panels off and change the strips. Very easy to do. It seemed to my nose that the outer strips were the really smelly ones. The inner ones attached to the door card were not that bad. I could probably have saved a few buck and returned them. I think the problem is solved.

    Today is 7/6/19....smell IS gone.
     
    Last edited: Jul 6, 2019
    Skyway and tcjacado like this.
  19. Jul 28, 2022 at 8:26 AM
    #39
    FishTaco143

    FishTaco143 New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2021
    Member:
    #373688
    Messages:
    2
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jasper
    Vehicle:
    2008 Silver Tacoma DCSB
    YO YO - I've got the solution. My 2008 taco had the same stink as you guys! Here's what I did:
    1. Roll window all the way down
    2. Pull door panel off
    3. Use a toothbrush and some BLEACH cleaner (generic bathroom or kitchen cleaner spray bottle) and scrub the heck out of the OUTTER rubber/furry window seal strip. The one that is attached the sheet metal. Get as much scrubbing as you can. There is a tight channel part of the strip that's important to scrub. It should be turning your toothbrush a gross green/black.
    4. Wipe the excess bleach, making sure to soak up what is left in the little channel. I used a few cotton swabs to get the channel cleaned - it was disgusting and definitely the source of the mildew/mold smell.
    5. Repeat the tooth brush scrubbing with some Dawn dish soap and water
    6. Dry with paper towels and then let it sit outside and get some air for a day or so
    7. Re-attach door panel and enjoy having your window down in the summer!

    From what I saw while cleaning, the culprit is the small channel within little felt strip. It collects moisture and has nowhere to go. It was pretty nasty coming out but did the trick!

    Hope this helps.
     
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2022
  20. Jul 28, 2022 at 9:02 AM
    #40
    Jimmyh

    Jimmyh Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 16, 2012
    Member:
    #78991
    Messages:
    13,751
    Gender:
    Male
    SC
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prerunner SR5
    This site contains affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
    #40
    TnShooter likes this.

Products Discussed in

To Top