What is the best way to freshen the air con system in the Octy please? Mine doesn't smell too good after months of it not being needed (its been on auto but today was the first time in ages it was warm enough for the fans to get up to any kind of speed).

Thanks

Adam

I asked my dealer and they can freshen the air on system for a small fee, I asked how it works and its basically an antibacterial spray which is circulated around the cabin and all the vent ducting. It was something like £30.

I didn't have the time to drop the car in so I fitted a new pollen filter and bought a can of that air con freshner from halfords, just press the button, leave it in the car for a couple mins with fans on max

However as you are noticing the smell because temps are creeping above 4 degrees which is the shut off temp for the air con I am starting to smell it again so it might be worth getting it to a specialist or dealer, dare I say it even kwik fit?

The dealers use a antibac cannister made by carplan iirc, can be done DIY as instructions are on can. Some dealwrs sell them for ?£15 but are a lot cheaper on fleabay

I've tried a couple of these 'grenade' canisters where you set it going and leave it in the car whilst the ac is going. Tbh, I didn't rate the ones I used. As an alternative, I emptied half a can of disinfectant spray into the car through the intake on the outside of the car (under the bottom of the windscreen between the wiper arms) whilst the engine and ac was running. I did this with the pollen filter removed prior to replacement.

For under a fiver, I found this method works fine.

Definitely replace the pollen filter as other have said. Yes the smell is caused by bacteria, and to be honest the "gas cans" you can buy from accessory shops just don't cut it, and can stain some fabrics.

Ive used a professional auto aircon service ever since my first car with A/C. They use both internal "gas" generator and disinfectant spray to get at both sides of the ventilation system.

Key thing to keep it fresh, is to use it all year round, or at least turn it on once every few weeks. If you do this, you should not need to disinfect it as often.

Ooops sorry double post

Slightly worryingly I have changed the pollen filter quite recently and its been on auto all winter. But thanks guys a lot of food for thought there and will look into it.

Thanks

Adam

Just following up on this, I have tried a few things, including changing the pollen filter, putting an air freshener behind the pollen filter and a couple of the air bomb things to make it fresher.  It worked temporarily but the smell won't go away.  I've noticed lately on a couple of longer drives that the smell gets more noticeable immediately after I take a sharper bend, as if I am disturbing something by swinging the car around slightly. 

 

Does this make any sense to anyone and point to anything I can look into please.

 

Thanks in advance

Adam

What sort of smell is it? I had a vague sick smell in mine and got a can of anti bacterial spray from eurocarparts. Sprayed it in all the vents, took the pollen filter out and sprayed all in the ducting there and it seems to have done the trick.

Quite possibly a similar smell as my missus asked what was the sick smell, but I'd have said more like a mustiness.

we once had a Corsa and that smelt like sweaty feet

General consensus from this forum and people in the know seems to go with those sprays only mask it, albeit sometimes for quite a while, cos it is a bacterial problem and they can't kill them off properly. I think the only proper way to do it is to go to a specialist who'll hook it into their system/machine, shut the windows & other air outlets and basically fumigate the whole system over the course of an hour or so. Not as expensive as you think, but actually supposed to do the trick.

I might look into that thanks.  It is odd in my case, however, that the smell seems to be most noticeable after a sharper bend.  It makes me think there is a rotten object trapped somewhere being disturbed as it is moved around by the cornering forces...

Depending on how your vents are set, the change in smell on bends seems logical.

I myself feel the moving air currents on sharp turns when the passenger side is using a different temperature setting.

This is normal and it may highlight the smell you notice but had become accustomed to during driving, perhaps indicating a problem in a specific vent rather than in the system as a whole.

I'm going to do the pollen filter on the works car for this very reason.

Thanks for your input guys, think I will just have to get it fumigated and hope that cures it as it is quite unpleasant at times.