Man buys used Ram truck. Then a smell sends him right back to the dealership: ‘Freaking soaking wet’

Moisture and odor issues in used pickup trucks have long been a complaint among some owners across brands, including Ford F-Series trucks, where forum reports and service bulletins have occasionally pointed to rear window seals, sunroof drains, and cab leaks as potential sources of damp carpeting and mildew smells.

While not universal, these kinds of hidden problems can be difficult to detect during a standard used-vehicle inspection. A recent viral TikTok shows one Ford Ram truck buyer dealing with exactly that kind of situation shortly after purchasing a used pickup. The video, posted by THATSLOW5.9 (@thatslowg56), documents how a faint smell turned into a major discovery involving saturated interior carpet padding.

What’s that mildew smell?

In the video, the buyer explains that both he and his wife initially noticed a light, mildew odor inside the truck. At first, he assumed it might be something minor, such as a window left slightly open or residual dampness from detailing. He admits he did not initially think much of it, saying he “just liked the truck a lot,” and therefore brushed off the early warning signs while continuing to use the vehicle.

That changed once he began removing items from the cabin and inspecting the flooring more closely. What appeared to be a dry interior at first glance turned out to be something much more serious beneath the surface. “The whole back carpet is freaking soaking wet, dude,” he said.

He added, “You can’t feel it from the top. You can only feel it from the bottom,” describing that the upper carpet layer felt normal, while the underlying padding was fully saturated. In his account, the moisture was so extensive it was not apparent at first glance and only became clear once he physically lifted the carpet and inspected the padding underneath.

He also outlines possible entry points for water, suggesting that the leak may be coming from either the rear window or a sunroof system. However, he notes that the front floorboards remained dry, which led him to suspect a rear source rather than a front cabin leak. “That pad that’s underneath there is sopped. I’m leaning towards the back window, cause the front floorboards seem to be dry.”

From mildew smell to dealership issues

After discovering the issue, the buyer contacted the dealership. “I called the dealership. They, after putting up a little bit of a fight, are willing to take the truck back and just basically tear up the contract,” he said.

He adds that while the dealership offered to reverse the sale, they declined to repair the vehicle if he chose to keep it. Instead, he says he was told he would have to accept the truck in its current condition if he decided to retain it.

The buyer also claims he had text message exchanges with the salesman in which the vehicle’s condition was represented as having no leak issues, which he believes influenced the dealership’s decision to accept the return.

In a follow-up post, he later indicated that he ultimately decided not to return the truck. Instead, he chose to keep it and deal with the issue himself, despite expressing frustration about the extent of the water damage and uncertainty about the source of the leak.

Common causes of hidden moisture in pickup trucks include failed rear window seals, clogged sunroof drain tubes, or compromised cab seams, all of which allow water to seep in gradually and saturate insulation beneath the carpet without any visible signs on the surface.

On comment suggested, “It’s coming from the rear cabin vents. That’s [where] mine came from. Also I replaced the 3rd brake light gasket. Check out Detroit muscle technologies. Make sure to order the right one 1500s are different and the one with the camera is different. Pick the cabin vents up at the dealership they are cheap.”