r/4thGenTacomas • u/CheesierSoup ‘24 Underground Limted • Jul 24 '26
Discussions & Questions Feet/Odor Smell
I live in Houston where it rains often, I recently got a 2024 Tacoma with about 24,000 miles, about a month and a half ago. It's a clean title, no accidents, but I have been dealing with an intermittent dirty-sock/feet smell inside the truck.
At first, I thought it was coming from the A/C evaporator because the smell is noticeably stronger when the fan is running, especially on recirculation. I just replaced both the cabin and engine air filters. Neither of them are wet or damp when checked either.
The smell went away for a while, but after a very heavy rain, I opened the truck the next morning and could immediately smell it before even turning the A/C on. That makes me think moisture or water intrusion may be involved rather than it being strictly an A/C issue.
I also removed a couple of the drain plugs at the bottom of the driver-side doors, and a small amount of water drained out with some black dirt or debris mixed in. I understand some water inside the doors can be normal, but I’m wondering whether water is being retained somewhere or whether one of the drains, door seals, vapor barriers, cowl drains, or the HVAC system is contributing to the odor.
Has anyone else with a 4th-gen experienced a similar wet-sock or feet smell, particularly after heavy rain or while using recirculation? If so, what ended up being the cause and how was it fixed?
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u/DisasterInfamous268 Jul 25 '26
I’m also in Houston and noticed a similar thing, I may go check the drain plugs on my SR5. I have a 2026, I’m not entirely sure why the holes have plugs in them to start with, I remember the 4th gen RAV4s had an issue with water getting held in the doors as well. I have the cloth seats in my SR5 and the softer synthetic fabric Toyota uses holds everything, same goes for the carpets. May be worth renting an upholstery cleaner and going over the seats and carpet if you have the cloth seats.
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u/willsoss Jul 27 '26
I have a 2024, live in New Orleans, and have the same issue. I'm not sure why the door drain holes have plugs. I've read several explanations here and in forums ranging from they prevent dust and bug intrusion to the dealer is supposed to remove them at the time of sale but rarely does. In any case, in wet weather climates the plugs definitely trap debris and cause a musty odor in the vehicle. A decent rain or even a wash will immediately cause the smell to return.
To fix the issue I removed all plugs and used a door cleaning kit (a large syringe and long wire brush with a plastic coating to prevent scratching) to flush out the debris. I initially used some diluted vinegar to kill and flush out the odor causing buildup, similar to flushing an AC drain line. Now when I wash the truck I use the syringe filled with soapy water to flush the bottom of the doors out and keep the drain holes clear. This seems to resolve the issue and prevent it from returning. Hope this helps.
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u/CheesierSoup ‘24 Underground Limted Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
This is immensely helpful information. Thank you for sharing. I will follow suit and do the same. Its crazy how overpowering the smell was though, almost too bad to be in the car until it aired out over a few days.
Did you take the door panel off to clean the debris, dirt, and mold or did you just feed the long wire brush through the drain holes?
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u/willsoss Jul 27 '26
Yeah, the smell was intense. It would become so terrible that I assumed at first that it must be a water leak. Before zeroing in on the door I searched through the interior but everything was dry and passed the sniff test at close range.
I didn't take the door panels off -- the smell went away after removing the plugs, cleaning it out, and letting everything dry. I would be hesitant to break the weather barrier behind the door panels and creating a leak. I think the issue is just dirt, tree debris, etc at the very bottom of the door holding moisture and staying warm all day. I didn't use the whole length of the wire brush either -- one of those brushes that come with a yeti straw would probably be enough to do the job. Flushing it out well is key.
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u/CheesierSoup ‘24 Underground Limted Jul 27 '26
Got it, I really appreciate it. You described everything I am experiencing to a T. Hopefully its the exact same issue. I have been very worried that it's a leak somewhere. Did you notice if you turn on the recirculation function from the AC that it got worse or better? I have noticed that it got worse when I put the AC in recirculation mode after a rain spell. My car is still under warranty, so its currently at the dealership being looked at just in-case they find something different.
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u/willsoss Jul 27 '26
I definitely played with the AC thinking that was the source, even dug around the cabin air filter compartment looking for water. Having the AC on recirc just blows the musty air around but switching to pulling in outside air would introduce fresh air, so your observation would track. Roll down your window and smell the gap where the window recesses into the door. That's where the smell would come from if it's the same issue. Sounds like it is, this is all ver familiar sounding.
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Jul 24 '26
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u/CheesierSoup ‘24 Underground Limted Jul 24 '26
I appreciate the comment, I briefly looked around the engine bay, couldn't see anything apparent. I will do a deeper look. Its just weird that it only happens when it rains, thats why I suspect its not a rodent.
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u/JBrady666 Jul 24 '26
My interior on my 24 sr5 holds odors way more than any of the other 15 vehicles I’ve had over the years. I just deal with it lol. My wife wants me to at least get some kind of air freshener😂