QuestionI recently bought a 1997 Jetta TDi... it has a strong solvent odor in the trunk which I thougt was from whatever cleaning/detailing solution might have been used pre-sale...
After removing the trunk liner it appears that the previous owner spilled a significant amount of what appears to be gasoline in the trunk...
normally this would require nothing more than an annoying clean-up job... HOWEVER,
the gasoline has been absorbed by the material that is bonded to the car frame (soundproofing?) to the point that it is soft to the touch and can be easily scraped off with a finger...
The only solutions I can come up with are to:
A) scrape all of the affected material off the frame and re-paint/prime the interior of the trunk, or
B) wait and hope that the solvent evaporates out of the material...
Any ideas?
AnswerHi Colin,
Did you buy it from a private party or a dealership?
If it is indeed gasoline, EVERYTHING has to come out, as it is a fire hazard. Even when scraping/cleaning, you need to have a fire extinguisher handy should a scrape cause a spark.
Also,
Check where the fuel door is. See if you can see the tube area where it goes down into the tank. (it's in the trunk).
You want to first make sure there is not a tear/leak in the fuel hose going from the filler nozzle, down to the tank. It could very well be each time you load up the tank, some drips into the trunk.
If all that is ok, you need to remove everything, as stated earlier. Scrub down the entire trunk, paint with a primer/rust inhibitor, and try some Jetta sites on the web, they most likely sell that special foam/insulation/rug that goes back there.
It sounds like the previous owner tried to cover up the smell, probably not realizing it can put you in danger.
I'd advise not to drive it until the odor is a) diagnosed as not leaking from the filler nozzle and b) the trunk is scrubbed free of any foam/glue, rug, etc..
It only takes one little spark or static electricity.
PLEASE let me know how you make out, and don't ignore this!
Ron
