53 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCH996 Mold Solution
Leading reported evidence
Clean behind the dash will be the hardest part
Suggestion or failed attempt
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
Cleaning behind the dash will be the hardest part.
Leading evidence: 'Clean behind the dash will be the hardest part' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Clean behind the dash will be the hardest part' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
2) Clean the interior the best you can using rags soaked in white vinegar (be sure to wear a mask!)
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
You really should rip out the carpets - all of them- and clean under there too.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
Then clean with soap and water and dehumidify it again.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
Did you run the AC and made the car really cold and then left the window open when it was real humid....The surfaces had to have gotten wet somehow....only way is if the temperature of the surfaces are below the dewpoint.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
53 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261027T051247Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Before being garaged for caliper rebuild/powder coat.
Had my 00 C2 996 sitting in the garage waiting to complete another project. We evaced for hurricane recently but within 13 days my car exploded with mold. Im in Eastern NC and not sure if this can be fixed by myself. Ive been doing some research but repairs to home will come first. Looking for any info, professional services recommendations and or specialty products recommendations. Love this car, afraid insurance may total it out. Initials thoughts attempt to clean myself and then file a claim if cleanup fails.
*windows were slighly open
Man that looks gross. I'm not sure I would want to spend much time in a cabin that had been infested like that personally.
Was the car underwater or was it just being in such a wet environment?
If I were in your situation I would do the following:
1) Get the car into an area where it can properly air out
2) Clean the interior the best you can using rags soaked in white vinegar (be sure to wear a mask!)
3) You may need to do a couple rounds of the vinegar cleaning, but it should kill the majority of the mold
4) Have the car professionally detailed to remove what's left of the damage
Again, be sure to wear at least an N95 mask when you're doing this, mold can be nasty stuff and you don't want to inhale it.
Remove the interior and clean it outside the car. Use a dehumidifier inside the stripped car to get out the residual humidity. Inside the car wipe down the stripped interior with diluted bleach, diluted vinegar, or some other substance to remove the mold smells. Then clean with soap and water and dehumidify it again.
Ya perhaps both of those .... and if you're going to tackle it, I will bet theres mold under the carpets you cant see. You really should rip out the carpets - all of them- and clean under there too. And I'd get some of that air vent cleaner fog-stuff at the very least, to clean it and see if theres more mold in there. Really sorry to hear this and good luck!
My garage did not flood. It was on jackstands. The humidity was pretty bad last couple of weeks. Everything else is good with the car only 51k miles. The interior was immaculate.
I picked up a respirator to gut the 2 rooms upstairs where ceiling came in. I think I may use your recommendation and the other where I should pull everything out. Thanks!
File a claim.
If they total it, buy it back for a severely reduced amount... pennies on the dollar.
Then try every method or professional service to get rid of the mold.
But I suspect it will be difficult if not impossible to fully remove the mold and smell of mold without replacing the whole interior. I would hate for you to try and remove it, be unsuccessful in fully doing so and then miss out on being able to file your claim and get full market value.
I also would file a claim and buy it back (if they total it), if that's what you want to do. To really get it clean, you will have to remove the interior, including seats, carpet, all the panels, possibly headliner, etc. Cleaning behind the dash will be the hardest part. You are looking at many hours of work.
One problem is that you will have to let it sit while you file the claim. I would get it in an enclosed area and run a dehumidifier to slow down the growth of the mold.
I agree with first trying to make it the insurance company's problem. Adjusters usually are quick but after the storm there is a good wait. West marine makes two products for this as it is a common problem on stored boats. Boat Bling and the aptly named Mildew Stain Remover. are the products.Glove and mask up! Good luck.
Yikes! My condolences! Don't touch it, file a claim and get another car. I've heard many a horror story about mold, you may clean it up but it will come back.
I'm from eastern NC (washington) so I know how it can get out there. Your car is a rare color, and has some nice mk1 aero kit too. Is it a '99 model year?
Regardless, I think filing a claim and then buying it back and trying to sort it yourself is a pretty good option. I would definitely remove the seats, center console, steering wheel, door cards, all of it. You may be able to just gut the car and sell it whole as a roller to someone who wants a track build. Find a wrecked roller with a good interior and swap the pieces over. 996 parts aren't so hard to come by that you need to try and save these. Your car, in that color especially, is worth saving though. If it was arctic silver or black I'd say just let the insurance company have it.
That gorgeous Arena Red with aerokit is worth saving! COMPLETELY gut the car (after insurance claim) dashboard and all. Going to weeks of work but as knfeparty stated it is worth it for that car! Silver or black let them have have it. Heck Ild buy it and restore it!
This reminds me of the CoPart cars from the recent flooding down in Texas. Looks like you had some serious water ingress into the cabin of the car and over time the mold bred and spread like crazy. Very dangerous stuff if inhaled into your lungs. I wouldn't get near it unless I had the proper hazmat suit and respirator. I would start off by drying it out completely. Use a good dehumidifier and get it out in the sun. Mold needs high humidity environments to survive. Of course you can't use bleach products in this situation, but you'll need lots of vinegar and Lysol. Getting it vacated out of the ducts is going to be difficult.
Thanks Dranon. I filed a claim today. Just waiting on the adjuster. I plan on keeping regardless of what they do for me and slowly restoring it. I loved it the minute I saw it and bought it. Funny how the new Chevy and Dodges are coming with a similiar color.
No water got in. Just built up moisture from the humidity. You're absolutely right about the ducts. Everything I cant get to concerns me but heard theres a fogger system they use to kill spores in ducts.
Its a 00 and I filed a claim today. Im down in (Jville) So we'll see what the adjuster says. I plan on keeping it. Im sure theres a way to properly kill all the mold within the car. May have to get it professionally done. Then I would remove everything and replace piece by piece.
I am trying to figure out how that happened....perhaps you used a product on the interior that fed the mold....My thinking is that moisture needs to condense on the surfaces for the mold to grow. Did you run the AC and made the car really cold and then left the window open when it was real humid....The surfaces had to have gotten wet somehow....only way is if the temperature of the surfaces are below the dewpoint.
Really sorry about this happening to such a beautiful car.
It's just very warm and humid down here. I live in South Carolina and I am always battling mold at one if my houses. It is closely surrounded by large oaks and other trees. Lots of greenery including ferns. Always humid from April to November. I recently built an enclosed steel shed with a plywood floor. Within days there was mold growing on the plywood. I sprayed it down with Tilex. That seems to work for a while. Sometimes I feel like I am living in a rain forest.
While my car was laid up, I hung a dehumidifying/moisture catcher in the car. I was amazed at how much water was pulled out of the cabin while sitting in the warehouse for a month.
Based on the pictures, I think most people are greatly overblowing the amount of "damage" to the car. The mold is clearly a surface mold and has not been present long enough to become "one" with the car. The car will most likely be good as new once you air it out and get it properly detailed.
I tend to agree with this.
Have you tried to just wipe the mold off and see how deep it is? I would start from there, then, take out the front seats, leave a dehumidifying device inside for a couple of days, and proceed detailing the leather and plastics with good products (first clean, then treat)
No I haven't attempted to clean the mold yet. I was waiting for the adjuster to come out. Regardless of what they say, I plan on keeping it/restoring it.
You should do it
Your car looks great, and I think you can fix the aesthetic problem by yourself. The only concern, is the effect that the mold could have had on the interior of the panels, electronics and so. That is why you should leave an dehumidifier inside the car for a couple of days.
My advice would be in the meantime to take lots of high resolution photographs and document everything. Then, as you're awaiting a resolution from the insurance company, I would at least put a dehumidifier in the car to begin the process of drying it out. Good luck!
Good idea. I will. The car has been drying out. Haven't attempted to mess with the mold until I finalize everything with the insurance company. Luckily we've had surprisingly great weather.
Wow. Yeah, I thought mine was bad. Mines not even close. Insurance doesnt want the liability with mine. Just waiting for their offer. Im keeping and restoring it. May need help from a shop like in the link just to clear any mold spores in vents.
After Harvey I saw several cars that looked like that.
They started out looking like grus's car and within a week or so looked like the one in the link above.
I also met someone who bought one from Copart that looked about like grus's and he cleaned it thoroughly...only to have it grow back a few weeks later.
You have to remove and discard anything porous.
All the other surfaces can be cleaned.
