My '05 has recently started smelling like cigarettes. At first it was intermittent, and relatively minor. I figured that somebody must have smoked near the car, and I was smelling it secondhand.

Next I thought maybe a cigarette got sucked in a window while I was on the highway or something. Or, maybe under the carpet, from the factory? I vacuumed the car VERY thoroughly and never found anything, and the smell would go away for a little while after cleaning. But maybe that's my imagination.

Lately the smell is much stronger, and happens 100% of the time. We leave it parked outside with the windows open to air it out, and this smell just emanates from the car - you can smell it from 20 feet away easily. I could smell it over the cut grass smell when I mowed the lawn. Inside the car, the smell is so strong it is nauseating and dizzying.

So, something is definitely wrong, and it is getting worse.

Has anybody else had this issue?

Last summer it was fine, so I don't think it is heat related. The car is parked outside. It is only driven occasionally, and has 3800 miles on it. It is a Sonic Blue '05 GT Coupe. Purchased in August, but probably a ~June build (I will have to check that).

Any info or help would be appreciated.

 

I'd be a little worried about an exposed wire burning something. You may want to take it to the dealership and have it checked out.

 

Dealer found something wrong with the A/C compressor, and said that freon was leaking, somehow causing the smell...

New compressor pump and A/C recharge, and a freshly deodorized interior, ready for pickup today.

I'll wait an see if it really fixed the problem.

 

and I thought of saying I told her you can't smoke in this guy's car when we were joyriding ! while they were asleep , I hope thats its ok now ? and the freon stuff they use now is not toxic to youse .

 

Thats good it was the freon. I was thinking you had a tumor affecting your sense of smell.