Over the last couple of days when ever I have used the screen wash there is a smell like rotten eggs comes from the vents, I have emptied the washer bottle and just refilled with plain water but its still coming through any ideas what could the problem be???

Over the last couple of days when ever I have used the screen wash there is a smell like rotten eggs comes from the vents, I have emptied the washer bottle and just refilled with plain water but its still coming through any ideas what could the problem be???

Our work vehicles stink like that all the time, I think it is just the water getting stagnant and the heat doesn't help, empty your bottle out and load it up with screen wash that should do the trick.

I had this on one of my old cars (non VAG) i drained the washer bottle, rinsed through with hot soapy water and a hose for a bit of pressure, also there was a filter to clean out that was coated in slime.

Perhaps there is a filter somewhere near the pump on your screen wash bottle that maybe needs a clean?

Edited 21 August, 201015 yr by Jon.etheridge

Pop a few drops of bleach into clean water (no more than 12), so the solution is really dilute, the run it through the system until empty, then put more fresh clean (nothing added), then run again until empty to ensure there's no bleach solution left. Then refill with the recommended mix of water & screen was or ready mixed screen wash.

Edited 21 August, 201015 yr by Evening Star

Mine did the same and I put a bit of bleach in as has been said, works great never happend again.

Been a bit about this in the national news recently and why we should always use screen wash.

Plain water goes stagnant, add a bit of warmth from the engine and it's all the ingredients for Legionaires Disease. I gather it's a horrible pnuemonia type disease that causes death in quite a high percentage of cases.

The infected water gets drawn into the car in a mist thru the vents and inhaled by the car occupants. The medical people have only recently made the connection.

Screen wash kills the bugs.

A frequent water change in the washer, will avoid 'Legionnaire's disease, because of stagnant water???

Warm (20-40 degrees C) stagnant water + sludge + inhalation from the water aerosol = a nice breeding ground for Legionella Pneumopilia.

Even if the bug is breeding there is still a very low risk of actually getting really ill from it despite what you read in the media so no need to panic, more often than not it will feel like a heavy cold or a dose of flu. It's quite rare for it to cause full blown Pneumonia or worse.

Either way, a nice shot of Sodium Hypochlorite kills it very quickly

My screenwash smells strong (in a good way as screenwash goes). Now I switch on aircon recirculation, during squirting, that stops the smell getting into the car !...

Drain and make a diluted mix of warm water and either bleach or babies bottle sterilising solution. Refill bottle with mix and in 3 second bursts activate the washers, including tailgate.

Repeat and then flush with clean water. Refill with washer fluid diluted to recommended amount and activate washers to prime system.

Finally rinse/wash all traces of bleach solution off.

Agree with above answers, although a less potentiall abrasive and more eco-friendly method would be to use white venegar instead of bleach - it will kill germs and bacteria, clean and disinfect and won't leave a smell as long as you remember to use the white stuff and not the brown version you put on your chips

That could be a chipper idea...

I'd stand by to spray with a running hose if any strong chemicals were being pumped on to the paintwork.

Keep a good concentration of screenwash at all times. I reduce to about 10% in the summer and go to 25% Halfords in the winter.Cheaper than the silly 1 litre at a time Skoda stuff, especially with the 2 for 3 offers. Never had the pong and the fan type washers are kept clear.

milton works a treat to clean out the mucky smelly.

Edited 22 November, 201114 yr by cheezemonkhai

Change your pollen filter and all will be OK

Change your pollen filter and all will be OK

Depends if it's the filter or if it's the screenwash that's damp and full of bacteria no?