The 'new car smell' is caused by chemicals linked to cancer, study finds

• Levels of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, was 35 percent above China's limit
• Acetaldehyde, another possible cancer-causing chemical, was 61 percent higher
• US is facing a 'historical' shortage of life-saving cancer drugs, doctors warn

Ford filed a patent application for an odor-removal process. Ford's solution was to bake the smell out by parking the car in the sun, rolling down the windows and firing up the engine, heater and fan until the smell is gone.

The famous smell is caused by volatile organic compounds given off by leather, plastic and vinyl.

Chemicals used to attach and seal car parts may also contribute to the odor.

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Article

Observation, prediction, and risk assessment of volatile organic compounds in a vehicle cabin environment

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666386423001431#fig1