I only drive my Audi A3 2.0 TDI of a weekend, i do not touch it during the week because i only have a 10 minute walk to work. When it comes to me driving home of a weekend, i get in and it smells weird inside, like a damp/fishy smell. The carpets/interior does not seem wet to the touch, not even damp. Also the power steering / airbag light is on for a while until it has warmed up. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks very much.

 

Does your car have the climate control? if so this smell could be the evap coil in the aircon system. It can get mould grow on it and when the fans kick in it sends the smell round the car on start up!! however the smell does go once the coil either cools with the aircon or heats from the heater system.
Easy fix is go to halfords and they sell a can of aircon cleaner(about £12) which you place behind the passenger seat and you activate it and turn the aircon on full power with the doors shut!! leave the car running until the can is emty and about another 10mins to circulate the spray!!
This will deodorise your interior as well so all smells should go leave a fresh smell inside.
I had this problem in my Saab and this resolved it.

Hope this helps?

Thanks
Gary

 

I'll also add that if it's parked outside, leaves can get in and rot. This is a problem with my truck that I use occaisionaly and park under oak trees. Also don't forget to check the inside air cleaners they can get moldy and stink too.

 

ok mate, thanks very much i will try the can idea!
yeah i have already looked to see if there was any foreign objects in there but i could not see anything.
Thanks for giving me a few options!

 

Change the cabin air filter. I bought my A3 used and had similar foul smells coming out of the HVAC when first starting up the car. After changing the cabin air filter as part of normal service visit, smells disappeared... the filter can get nasty over time.

 

Are you quite sure the car carpet mats did not get wet at some stage. A wet carpet at this time of year is unlikely to dry out till spring?
Take front mats out--wash them thoroughly--then dry them , brush them and cover them with bicarb of soda for 48 hrs--then brush off.