That new-car smell is one of the joys of purchasing a vehicle. It’s hard to define, but one thing is for sure: it isn’t supposed to remind you of a dead body.

Margarita Salais from Michigan says that’s exactly what her SUV smelled like, and she’s now suing the dealership with help from State Farm for her money back.

Salais bought a 2006 Ford Expedition earlier this year. Everything seemed fine until spring rolled around, bringing with it warmer temperatures that amplified the odors in the car, which unfortunately included the unmistakable stench of rotting flesh.

After the dealer refused to help her, she filed a claim with State Farm, and that’s when insurance investigators discovered the car had quite a colorful past. Not only had it been used as a rental, it had been stolen three times and may have once contained a dead body. As a result, Salais is now suing the dealership for $25,000 plus court costs.

Her attorney concedes the cold weather when the car was bought may have masked the odor from even the dealership, but asserts it still had an obligation to tell her client about the rest of the car’s history.

Dead body is definitely one of those smells no amount of pine-scented deodorizer can ever erase.

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