I have a 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan and the window wells in the front doors smell like stagnated water. There is no water collecting anywhere I can find. I can shake the door back and forth and if there were water in there, I should hear it.

It is just not this van either. A friend has a 2005 Chrystler Town & Country (basically the identical van) and has the same problem. I have smelled several other vans and 3 out of 5 had the same problem.

I do not smell it when the window is up, but when its down, the wind brings the smell in to the van. Before I start drilling holes, I thought I should ask.

Thanks!

 

This may help. If you have sulfur smell for the exhaust and with the windows down you can smell the sulfur from the exhuast, Then you may want to switch to a higher grade fuel. The sulfur smell will go away with two or three tanks.

 

Sitting water like that wouldn't usually stink as if it gets in there like that, it would continue to drain out old an bring in new, or it would fill up really full!

However if it drains out right after filling, that little bit left over can get bacteria in it, and that's likely what you smell. Here is what I would do: Go to an auto parts store and look for the stuff you spray into the air ducts to eliminate smell. It has some kind of mold killing stuff in it. With the windows up, spray it down into the door toward the bottom and use it liberally. Then let it air out before using the vehicle as that stuff can stink for a while.

Don't drill any holes as it's just asking for rust to start in those spots after a few months. Even if it's not from water, that spray should kill the smell as it even works for dead animals. The main use is to spray it in the cowl when running the fan on high, because all kinds of crap ends up in the cowl like mice and rotting leaves and gets into the ductwork. I think it will work fine for you.

 

That sounds good to me, I will give it a shot. Thanks for the tip!