Look closely at the kick panels in the front seat. Water and silt have a tendency to collect in those areas. Sometimes flooded cars are totaled by an insurance company, sold through auto-salvage auctions, shipped hundreds of miles away, and cleaned up by dealers for resale. It doesn't take a trained nose to recognize a flood-damaged car. If the car doors have been closed and the car has been sitting out in the sun, the interior will have a strong musty odor.
Bad odors are mainly due to moisture-laden carpet padding.
Unless the carpet is removed and shampooed, the musty smell will never fully disappear. However, not all flood cars reveal their true nature by aroma. If that's the case, warning bells should sound in your head and you should look for other signs of water damage. Problems imminent with flood cars A flood-damaged car doesn't always reveal its shortcomings right away. If the car was totally submerged, it is wise to walk away from it.