car smells bad after rain :(

[slump]

My car smells bad after rain, like a bit wet-doggish or mouldy, clears after twenty minutes or so of driving. So my first thought is that there's rain getting in somewhere, but I can't find anything damp - checked footwells, bootspace, etc.

 

Next thought is that either there's something manky in the air intakes to the passenger compartment, or that there's water collecting in the doors somehow ( the rubber seals on my front windows have never looked like they're sitting quite right ). But no Haynes ... how to check ? Should I post this in the Fabia MkII forum too ?

 

Any thoughts appreciated

 

PS ... not usualy a problem ... I keep it in a garage during the week !

[Robjon]

I noticed a vaguely similar smell in mine from new.  

The smell disappeared after the the pollen filter was changed during annual service.

I haven't changed the pollen filter myself, but I believe it is a fairly easy task.

Try a search in the Roomster and Fabia threads.

[slump]

Good thought. The Pollen filter turns out to be dead easy to get to  (  instructions here http://skoda.workshop-manuals.com/fabia-mk2/index.php?id=1565 ), so I had a look. Mine's filthy and contained some rotting leaf matter, so I'm guessing the garage missed it last service :( I've given it a rough clean and ordered a replacement filter; if it fixes the problem, I'll post here for the benefit of anyone who arrives here by google with a similar problem.

[RichardatWakefield]

Hi Slump,

Or is your aircon in need of a refresh? Mine smelled stale-sweaty when I bought it 6 weeks ago, got the Skoda aircon refresh done for £29, pretty much cured it.  But thanks for alerting me, will now take a look at the cabin pollen filter...!

 

Richard

[bryanb]

I've got the same smell in my 1.6 CR tdi. hopefully it is the pollen filter, but the link doesn't tell you where to find it. Can anyone point me to the right area please? I guess somewhere around passenger side/under glovebox area? It's raining/cold outside at the moment so I'm reluctant to go out and search for it.

[slump]

You've got it right; access to the pollen filter is from passenger footwell, underside of the glovebox. You may need to remove a bit of foam baffling to get to it properly, this just pops out if you bend it carefully.

 

Your legs will be sticking out of the car while you do this, unless you're a professional contortionist :p so wait till it stops raining !

[slump]

Oh - one other thing bryanb, on mine the filter fits inside a plastic frame but I hear ( although that cannot confirm ) that on newer models the filter sits inside the housing without a separate frame ... so you may find that on yours.

[bryanb]

Many thanks Slump, It has stopped raining and the sun is out, wife has gone out in the car though so I'll continue waiting!

[MozzieOwner]

Can I also suggest you put something in the car when you not using it to absorb any niffs or moisture.

 

You can use the caravan moisture traps or non-scented cat litter (in the tray).

 

This will absorb the smell and suck up any moisture in the car as well.

[slump]

Richard and Mozzie, thanks for the suggestions ... if I can't sort if out with the cabin filter, I will try both of those ! The cat-litter is particularly inventive

[Robjon]

Also have a look at Damo's thread in the Citigo section 

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/294457-window-misting-problem-solved/

[slump]

I've changed the filter ... now if it rains over the weekend I'll see if it makes any difference.

I also put in philips x-treme H7 headlight bulbs, ready to try out for tonight's 170 mile commute. They didn't look that much brighter in the garage, but out on the road is the real test.

[slump]

The car finally got rained on properly ... and I can confirm that changing the cabin filter has solved the problem

I also notice that the car doesn't steam up, so I don't think I have any leaks to deal with, thankfuly.

 

The Philips X-Treme lights are nice, and neither better nor worse than the osram nightbreakers that I've used in the past ( on a fiesta ) - defo a step up over 'standard' ( e.g Halfords ) H7s.