Mechanic finds 'breathing' fungus that shoots spores in old Volvo showing why you shouldn't eat in your car

A mechanic investigating an old Volvo made a discovery that looked more like something from a horror film than a routine inspection – a ‘breathing’ fungus.

The car had been sitting untouched for a while, but what was growing inside was disturbingly alive.

When sunlight hit it, the strange mass released a visible cloud into the air.

The moment has gone viral and is serving as a reminder of what can happen when food and moisture mix inside a forgotten vehicle.

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Mechanic finds ‘breathing’ fungus in an old Volvo

The video, originally shared on r/justrolledintotheshop, shows the inside of the parked Volvo car, where a bizarre orange growth had taken over part of the interior.

At first glance, it looked almost organic in the wrong way, with a texture that made people squirm.

In the Reddit post, the mechanic explained they leaned in close, expecting nothing more than a dusty old cabin.

Instead, they realized their face was only a foot away from what looked like a living creature.

“This s**t was alive,” they said.

“In all my years I’ve never seen such a monstrosity.“

They said they had gone into the car to grab a few loose coins, only to find themselves inches from the strange growth.

And then it got worse.

As soon as the fungus was exposed to sunlight and the air, it began releasing a thick cloud that looked like steam, believed to be spores bursting out into the air.

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You should never eat in your car

The mechanic suggested the Volvo’s former driver may have spent so much time eating inside the vehicle that it became the perfect breeding ground for fungal growth.

“Driver lived in the car for a long time, dropped food constantly, mostly from Ivar’s, that’s about it,” the mechanic wrote to Supercar Blondie.

Over time, that combination of organic material, damp conditions, and lack of ventilation can create the ideal environment for mold and fungi to thrive.

A car interior might seem harmless, but when it becomes sealed for months or years, it can turn into its own ecosystem.

The strangest part is what happened next: when the mechanic returned a week later, the ‘breathing’ fungus had completely vanished without a trace.

Later, the Reddit post was updated with an identification: orange peel fungus.

Still gross, still unsettling, and still a warning that eating in your car can sometimes leave behind more than just bad smells.

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