Truck smells like farts in the morning

[RoadHoe]

Got a 2013 Tahoe with 119k miles. The last few days I’ve gotten in in the mornings to go to work, the inside smells like farts. But it quickly dissipates when I start driving. Gauges read normal, no warning lights. I don’t recall ripping one so bad recently that it would linger for days. Can anyone think of what the issue could be?

 

[Geotrash]

Got a 2013 Tahoe with 119k miles. The last few days I’ve gotten in in the mornings to go to work, the inside smells like farts. But it quickly dissipates when I start driving. Gauges read normal, no warning lights. I don’t recall ripping one so bad recently that it would linger for days. Can anyone think of what the issue could be?

I used to have a Subaru like that. Velour seats. I'd rip a paint-blistering fart pulling into the garage and my ex-wife would complain the next morning when it puffed out of the seat when she sat down. I kid you not. I always wondered why that marriage didn't work out until just this moment.

On these, it could be anything from a water leak to a dead mouse. None of the construction materials are particularly farty.

 

[gooffeyguy]

Bad catalytic converter?

 

[Geotrash]

Bad catalytic converter?

This is a good call. A rotten egg smell at startup is a telltale sign of emissions system indigestion.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

As @Geotrash suggested, don't fart before you get out of the truck in the evening.

 

[George B]

As @Geotrash suggested, don't fart before you get out of the truck in the evening.

I used to work with a guy that would do that to customer cars before getting out.

 

[mattbta]

i have bamboo charcoal bags in all vehicles to eliminate lingering farts or takeout smells.

but yeah - is it sulfuric smell?

 

[petethepug]

It’s time to add the aftermarket charcoal hvac filter kit under the dash. Sounds like delicious condensation water and dust is fermenting overnight.

When you cut out the factory access panel you can clean it if dirty

 

[j91z28d1]

It’s time to add the aftermarket charcoal hvac filter kit under the dash. Sounds like delicious condensation water and dust is fermenting overnight.

When you cut out the factory access panel you can clean it if dirty

this and maybe turn on afterblow?

mine sits on a incline driveway and if I forget to turn the ac button off a few blocks before the house. the amount of water that pours out when I back out in the morning is crazy. during the less dry days it can smell too. I guess the drain is in the front of the box, unless I back in it holds what looks like a half gal of water in the box.

 

[RichardCranium]

With a name like RoadHoe, one could guess what might contribute to the smells......

Quite a variance in what it could be, as you see from the drastically different replies here (beyond washing your backside). To me, I read this as a stagnant odor in the interior. Meaning you open the door and get in (without the vehicle running at all), and you get the sense you've 'dutch ovened' yourself. If I'm reading your description correctly, it could be something as simple as a clogged drain for your evap box. If that gets clogged, it will pool moisture and end up smelling like the 2girls1cup video inside. And its only going to get worse as the temperatures go up (if this is your culprit). Fairly easy diagnosis, or a quick check anyways. Just let your truck idle with the AC on, and check to see the evap is draining properly (that infamous dripping, clear liquid you always see underneath a ridling vehicle in the summer).

If it is a clogged drain, you might need to douche the evap box to sterilize that RoadHoe, in a sorts to get rid of the evidence you had the clap. There are some fogging machines out there that will help a lot, for a simple attempt to fix it. We often drilled holes in evap boxes and used a pressurized spray can, filled with diluted Mr. Clean (we used a plug to seal it when done). Several ways to clean the scabies....