I bought my Volvo S40 and everything was okay. I left the windows down one night and it rained, leaving a musty smell that my parents and friends notice but I do not notice it at all.

I put vinegar in a cloth and let it soak so that it would "soak it up" but it did not work. I also used an air freshner that blows through my air conditioner but that does not work. Does anybody have any ideas to get the smell out of my car?

 

Shampoo (rent a steamer) the carpets and use Fabreeze on the interior.

I had this issue with my C70 convertible when I bough it. This seemed to clear it up.

 

Find someone in your area that has a EcoQuest Fresh Air Machine. I use the machine to get rid of odors once and for all in cars, houses, etc. You may be able to rent one for $50 per day. I would rent mine for that.

 

My used '07 C70 smelled like a locker room. Although the car was immaculate when I bought it, I scrubbed the floor mats anyway. The smell was more noticeable when the AC was on. The dealer took it twice to "ionize" it. They gave me new mats. Still smells, but slightly less. The dealer said some cars coming from the US south where it is humid, that mold grows in AC units. Another thread suggests checking for an anti-freeze leak. It's the only bad thing about the car. I could see someone trading it in for this reason.

 

That's bull about the south. I have never had a problem with mold smell. One car I purchased did have a modly smell, it had a water leak problem and was closed up for a few months. That will do it. Other than that, if there is a clogged AC drained it can cause water to sit in the AC and cause moldy smell or mold formation. It needs to be killed and removed or it will smell forever.