The Lemon IndexA musty smell usually means moisture, often in the AC system or under wet carpet.
Get it checked. Fine to drive, but find the water source. Mold can affect breathing.
Mold on the AC evaporator. Then: a clogged AC drain; a wet carpet from a water leak.
Owners describe this in 1,052 complaints to the U.S. government, most often on the Toyota Camry.
Cars owners report it on most
Complaints describing this symptom, by model, all years. Raw counts, not a failure rate: popular models get more complaints.
Model years that report it most
| Model year | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 Toyota Camry | 16 | 3% |
| 2016 Chevrolet Malibu | 12 | 1% |
| 2003 Ford Taurus | 9 | 0.7% |
| 2007 Honda Fit | 9 | 2% |
| 2013 Ford Explorer | 9 | 0.4% |
| 2014 Chevrolet Impala | 8 | 1% |
| 2019 Ram pickup | 8 | 0.4% |
| 2006 Ford Mustang | 7 | 1% |
| 2005 Chevrolet Equinox | 6 | 0.9% |
| 2007 Toyota Camry | 6 | 0.2% |
| 2007 Chevrolet Equinox | 6 | 0.9% |
| 2008 GMC Acadia | 6 | 0.7% |
Each row is that model year's record in NHTSA complaints, not the history of any one car. Share = complaints describing this symptom out of every complaint we hold for that model year (shown when the year has 50+ complaints).
Where it makes up the biggest share
2014 Toyota Camry · 3% 2016 Chevrolet Malibu · 1%
Model years with 150+ complaints in our data and 10+ describing this symptom, ranked by share. A high share means owners of that year who complained often mentioned it.
The details
Common causes of mold or musty smell in car
- Mold on the AC evaporator
- A clogged AC drain
- A wet carpet from a water leak
- A dirty or missing cabin air filter
- A clogged sunroof or cowl drain
General causes, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause with tests before replacing parts.
Is it safe to drive with a musty smell in the car?
Get it checked. Fine to drive, but find the water source. Mold can affect breathing.
Get help right away if anyone feels unwell in the car.
Of the 1,052 complaints describing it, 3% report an injury.
What the complaints show
The parts owners filed these complaints under: structure (38%), electrical system (14%), visibility (12%), equipment (12%). A complaint can list more than one.
Median odometer reading when owners reported it: 34,000 miles.
Most reports by make: Ford (184), Toyota (139), Chevrolet (131), Honda (51), Jeep (50).
Related symptoms
Water leaking inside car AC blowing warm air Car heater not working Sunroof shattered Fuel gauge not working
Quick answers
What causes mold or musty smell in car?
A musty smell usually means moisture, often in the AC system or under wet carpet. Common causes: mold on the AC evaporator; a clogged AC drain; a wet carpet from a water leak; a dirty or missing cabin air filter; a clogged sunroof or cowl drain.
Is it safe to drive with a musty smell in the car?
Get it checked. Fine to drive, but find the water source. Mold can affect breathing.
Which cars have this problem most?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners describe it most on the Toyota Camry, Ford F-Series and Ford Explorer. These are raw counts, so popular models rank higher; complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Counts: NHTSA owner complaints whose text describes this symptom (we matched owners' own wording, then read samples to check the matches). A complaint is an owner's report, not a diagnosis or proof of a defect. Causes and advice are general information in our own words, not repair advice for your car. Every symptom · Engine code lookup