looking@audi

Sorry to hear about your milk fiasco.

However, I find it difficult to believe that the dealer (or someone else) couldn't sufficiently clean the carpet to remove the smell.

Ophthoman

Even after having the entire carpet cleaned and detailed with the console out, sitting all weekend with coffe beans in the car, it still smelled. I checked it out myself before changing the carpet. I guess it just got on the underside that they couldn't get it out. It definitely smells much better now! Certainly not a made up story and I don't think the dealer was trying to make an extra buck off me. I must admit, I would have found it hard to believe myself. Maybe it is just because of the location where the milk drained??? I would hope that just spilling milk onto the carpet, like from the backseat, wouldn't cause such a problem. I definitely would recommend cleaning it immediately though! My problem was there wasn't any milk to be seen until days later.

snagitseven

Anything organic and acidic like milk, if left for awhile to spoil, will bond in the carpet backing and the smell will be almost impossible to get completely out. In a confined space like a car, it's a miserable situation like the OP discovered.

looking@audi

Spilled milk (and worse) happens in cars all the time. When my kids were young enough to use car seats they spilled milk, formula, applesauce and countless other things in my BMW and Lexus. A quick rug shampoo always took car of the problem.

I can't imagine what is spilled in a typical American minivan.

IMO the original poster had a VERY unusual situation. Glad he got it resolved.

snagitseven

The key word is "quick". Left alone for several days, as I said in my post, will provide a different result..

looking@audi

I said quick rug shampoo - as in the amount of time devoted to actually cleaning the rug - not in the time between spilt milk and cleaning.

I'm sure there were occasions where the milk sat for days.

But whatever - the OP had a problem and got it fixed.

snagitseven

Obviously, that didn't work for the OP.

jperryrocks

I found out the hard way as well in my a6 that the cup holders aren't sealed on the bottom.

I had a coke in a stryo cup and wondered where the liquid was going. A hole was on the bottom and it drained on the side of my carpet just beside the console. I caught it quickly and was able to get most of it up.

I have no idea why the cup-holders would drain and not hold any liquid in case of minor puncture.

Most cupholders are sealed on the bottom to hold the liquid in case of a minor spill or puncture in a cup.

snagitseven

I agree. (See my post #4 in the thread). Place a piece of duct tape over the holes underneath the rubber inserts. Leak problem solved (at least through the holes).

chirf4

think this is a systemic problem with european cars, Audi in particular. I've been warned about the same for my Q7. The center console cup holder is directly above MMI computer stuff. I was told if I spill ANYTHING in there, expect at least a 1k bill to replace the parts and clean/dry it out. we do not use our armrest cup holder for any liquids.

Audi's doing this probably comes from German culture. They typically dont do drinks while driving. They'd rather pull over and enjoy coffee at a rest stop.

I've been here, in Germany, for more than 10 years and hardly ever see a German driver with a cup of anything while driving.