From time to time, whether im using the air con or the heating, the air smells. Its smells of public toilets, At first i thought it was me lol, but it kept happening when i would turn on the climate control. Can anyone help me eliminate the odour, it really is taking the p**s.

Muchos love

Maj

Something like this?

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-accessories/car-cleaning-accessories/car-interior-cleaners/air-con-cleaner/?NOR2897300100&0&cc5_101

I did the same on the weekend with a can of 99p Dettol air freshener with antibac in it.

Just put the aircon on, recirc, and sprayed the whole can into passenger footwell area, then shut the door and let it circulate for 10 mins!

Steve

TBH, it might be worth paying a bit more and getting a full clean/service and gas refil, if you've not had it done in the last 3 to 5 years

^^^^^ What he said!

A few years ago air-con in my 4yr old Octy started smelling like a heap of wet rotting wood. Dealer had offer of full air-con service for £35 if done with a service.

Smell disappeared and air-con was MUCH colder.

Hmmm thanks for the suggestion guys. Y'all are great bunch. Ill get back to you on how i get on.

Maj

Yeah, a lot of experienced people in the field say that the sprays and bombs will work but only mask it for a certain amount of time. It's bacteria in the system which builds up giving the 'foot' smell, but they need to be killed off, not covered. This is only really done by giving it a full plugged in screening wash throughout, as it were.

One bonus to the octy is that the aircon is permanently turning, even when not being used, so there's less chance of bacteria forming than a lot of other cars as they don't have time to settle in one area.

Reminds me, mine doesn't stink yet, but it could do with a service!

we have a strange smell if we decide to go from using the Aircon to switching off the AC but keeping the blowers going . would it be the same problem?

we have a strange smell if we decide to go from using the Aircon to switching off the AC but keeping the blowers going . would it be the same problem?

I get this too:

Air con switched on -no smell

Normal air -no smell

Run air con then switch to normal air -damp leaves smell for a little while which disappears after a few minutes.

I've heard it said that you really should run air con at full blast maximum cold once a week to kill off any bacteria

I get this too:

Air con switched on -no smell

Normal air -no smell

Run air con then switch to normal air -damp leaves smell for a little while which disappears after a few minutes.

I've heard it said that you really should run air con at full blast maximum cold once a week to kill off any bacteria

That's what I meant about the system runs 24/7: you shouldn't need to do this cos it's never settled, but I'm only going on what I've read and been told.

I wonder if the antibacterial (dettol) sprays mentioned above would really work??? Mine were both serviced and regassed last year, but the "freshness" didn't last long, and soon started smelling like SWMBO'S (or is it my?) sweaty feet. I blame it on the dogs in the car!

Mike

I was also told that once the smell is set in, it's tricky to get out regardless of what you do, so although I've heard the sprays & bombs are really a load of old tosh that just mask the odour, the full blown specialist nuclear assault on one's aircon might not fix it permanently, but it'll certainly give the nasties a hammering!

Try one of the sprays first. Worth a shot as they're cheap.

we have a strange smell if we decide to go from using the Aircon to switching off the AC but keeping the blowers going . would it be the same problem?

Think that's normal.

We have a '62 plate Ibiza FR courtesy car with 3000 miles on the clock and it happens in that.

Never noticed in the Octy... come to think of it I don't think I've ever turned "Econ" mode on so that might be why.

Phil

An aircon engineer in Spain told me to spray any antibacterial cleaning product into the units in my house when they are running with the fans set to high speed every time I clean the filters, which is about every two months.

After five years they are still fresh as a daisy.

He said that the aircon cleansing products available to the public are not worth the money

Regards all

Juan

Sent from my iPhone using my thumbs

And put a magic tree air freshener against the pollen filter, between pollen filter and the heater inlet inside of the car (not on the outside side)

I regularly use the Comma air con cleaner "bomb", just set the aerosol off in the car with the air con on full and on recirc for a few minutes until the can is empty. Works a treat.

It certainly needs doing, as the smell is a build up of bacteria in the air con system, and is not very nice if you're breathing it in.

Mike

@Mike

Sounds like a good idea. Do you mean slide it up behind the filter as you access it after pulling the cover off?

Thanks

Adam

Is there a risk of legionnaires building in a car aircon?

I hope not! Never heard of it, but I suppose it's feasible, as it harbours in building air con systems.

Mike

I think the bacteria needs to live in water and the risk comes from it becoming aerosolised and people breathing it in. If I'm right then no risk with the air con system in a car. IIRC they are also quite fussy on the temperature range they need, I think its low forties / high thirties, which doesn't match with cooling function of air con.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Is there a risk of legionnaires building in a car aircon?

Can happen in screen wash I believe but not heard of it in air con.

Thanks mike will give it a go

Adam

I've heard it said that you really should run air con at full blast maximum cold once a week to kill off any bacteria

Cold temperatures *don't* kill bacteria, otherwise re-freezing ice cream would be OK... The purpose of running it regularly is to help maintain the system.

I have one of those air con bombs - but it only works for a few days,

then smell comes back.

My experience is really to pay for a proper clean,

and then keep air con on auto mode.

Which is the intake for spraying with bacterial spray?

Dettol, just normal kitchen spray.

Spray it all over the pollen filter and run it on hot for a bit. Spray it into the vents and up the air intake with it on recirculate.

Otherwise something like the neutradol sprays at the air intake will have an effect.

Edited 16 June, 201313 yr by cheezemonkhai

Where is the intake?

To lessen the chance of damp smell, I do the same thing like when I got home tonight, I turned the climate to econ, turned up full heat and directed it through all vents to dry out the moisture and let it run for a minute or so. It seems to work, The system is 6 yrs old and had a service about 2 yrs ago.