When i start the car with the aircon on, there is a whiff that smells like what I can only describe as wet dog or damp smelly clothes. Really musty stale odour coming through the vents for about 30 seconds then it goes away.

 

Tried turning the aircon off then the smell comes back.  Goes away with the aircon back on.

 

This has only started in the last few days and the weather has been very warm and humid here.   

 

I know that aircons can get bacteria growth so that sounds like what is happening.   Anyone else had this and if so what's the best fix?

 

Cheers

 

I usually turn it off a few minutes before parking up. That seems to alleviate the latent damp and the smell.

Never had the issue myself but I never turn the systems off on any car.  It makes such a small difference to modern cars, unlike systems from twenty years ago.  The current refrigerants need to be kept circulating to prevent premature seal failure.

 

You will probably need the filter replacing and a sanitising clean done by a specialist or dealer.

48 minutes ago, FelisBengalensis said:

Never had the issue myself but I never turn the systems off on any car.  It makes such a small difference to modern cars, unlike systems from twenty years ago.  The current refrigerants need to be kept circulating to prevent premature seal failure.

 

You will probably need the filter replacing and a sanitising clean done by a specialist or dealer.

Is the filter easy enough to replace? 

 

Also I see Halfords do an a/c clean for 20 quid.  Seem decent??

15 hours ago, unclerichy said:

I usually turn it off a few minutes before parking up. That seems to alleviate the latent damp and the smell.

Tried that this morning and the smell was worse!

 

 

Not experienced this, but have you checked for water ingress? It almost sounds from the symptoms that the smell is inside the car (carpet?) and the aircon is taking it away. Apologies if I am way off the mark.

Think of it this way.

People who do not clean their bathrooms thoroughly and even those who do but use poor cleaning materials, (lack of ventilation) in a regular pattern end up with mould on the silicon sealant. Given time that mould smells. Your cars air ducts are no different.

The one thing that is key to both is lots of fresh air and constant use. 

Just my thoughts.

 

Btw I do not have mould in my bathroom.

7 minutes ago, BriskodaJeff said:

Not experienced this, but have you checked for water ingress? It almost sounds from the symptoms that the smell is inside the car (carpet?) and the aircon is taking it away. Apologies if I am way off the mark.

Thanks for the reply Jeff.  Don't think it's water ingress, everything seems dry.  

Car smelled fine when I got in it this morning then once the fans came on the smell returned.  Goes away after a bit, just on start up.  Then as said above I turned the aircon off and it returned.  

4 minutes ago, Danny 57 said:

Think of it this way.

People who do not clean their bathrooms thoroughly and even those who do but use poor cleaning materials, (lack of ventilation) in a regular pattern end up with mould on the silicon sealant. Given time that mould smells. Your cars air ducts are no different.

The one thing that is key to both is lots of fresh air and constant use. 

Just my thoughts.

 

Btw I do not have mould in my bathroom.

Thanks Danny.  I always have the aircon on, never turn it off even during winter.   

Mickey43, and then some people are just going to be unlucky. Hope you sincerely did not think I was implying that you were one of those who were the "unwashed" .

This is totally normal after some time,  I just got our Octavia III with only 12k miles on it rinsed. In our case it´s driving the car during winter in -15 degrees and below in to a garage with +15-20 degrees.

 

After some time bacteria will grow in the A/C duct, this due to weather changes and air humidity. Get an AC service and the smell disappears. 

Edited 11 June, 20188 yr by BGB

8 minutes ago, Danny 57 said:

Mickey43, and then some people are just going to be unlucky. Hope you sincerely did not think I was implying that you were one of those who were the "unwashed" .

Ha not at all!   

Has anyone managed to get the pollen filter cover off?  

 

This youtube vid is good, but it's done on a left hand drive car and the configuration of the cover is a bit different - much more awkward to get at the clip covers.

 

 

It's usually not the pollen filter to blame.

 

A/c smells are due to growth of bacteria and mould on the evaporator. This get saturated with water due to condensation during normal operation (like fridge walls) and any passing bacterial detritus sticks there. When switched off the evaporator becomes warm and damp, ideal for mould and bacteria to grow.

This bacteria gets in via recirculation mode which the air doesn't go via the pollen filter.

 

Good practice is to turn off the a/c for a good few minutes before turning the engine off with fan going to dry the evaporator out.

 

Try this solution to clear the smells.

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

 

An air con bomb will work, friends have used them in the past, but then they were obsessed with "turning it off when I don't need it".

 

Never had the problem in any of my a/c equipped cars, but then I just let it do its thing.

Its just moisture on the evaporator. Anything you try and do to stop it isn't going to work for long. Just run the blower for a  while without the air con on and it will dry out and won't smell anymore. In my experience you either have to run the air con all the time or not at all. Its the transition between that creates a smell.

Run for 5 minutes as hot as the controls will go (yes in this weather) then 5 minutes on as cold as it will go occasionally.

 

Never had the problem, don't use aircon all the time and longest I have had an aircon car was 4 years.

On 11/06/2018 at 21:39, SuperbTWM said:

Its just moisture on the evaporator. Anything you try and do to stop it isn't going to work for long. Just run the blower for a  while without the air con on and it will dry out and won't smell anymore. In my experience you either have to run the air con all the time or not at all. Its the transition between that creates a smell.

 

 

Tried this on an hour's drive yesterday, just the blower on with the air con turned off, cranked up the heat too. Had to have all the windows down on the motorway as the car ended up like a sauna! 

 

 

Got into the car this morning, put the aircon on as normal and the stinking smell is gone.   It's still a little musty for a few seconds (not nearly as bad as before) but then it smells quite fresh.  Seems to have "dried it up" as you suggested; thanks for the advice. 

Got it booked into my local Skoda service centre (not a dealer) next week for a full a/c check and a/c clean.... think i will still do this as I don't want that whiff back!    

Edited 13 June, 20188 yr by Mickey43

Cheap farts way of fixing it.

 

Remove the pollen filter, spray in detol spray etc witht he a/c on and then after a bit turn it up to hot for 10 minutes to dry it all out.

 

put a clean pollen filter in if you fancy or the old one smells/isn’t clean/is due a change.

 

 

Edited 13 June, 20188 yr by cheezemonkhai

7 minutes ago, cheezemonkhai said:

Cheap farts way of fixing it.

 

Remove the pollen filter, spray in detol spray etc witht he a/c on and then after a bit turn it up to hot for 10 minutes to dry it all out.

 

put a clean pollen filter in if you fancy or the old one smells/isn’t clean/is due a change.

 

 

I would, but cannot work out how to get that cover off (see youtube vid and comment above)

6 hours ago, cheezemonkhai said:

Cheap farts way of fixing it.

 

Remove the pollen filter, spray in detol spray etc witht he a/c on and then after a bit turn it up to hot for 10 minutes to dry it all out.

 

put a clean pollen filter in if you fancy or the old one smells/isn’t clean/is due a change.

 

 

 

The pollen filter is before the evaporator and the heater matrix so having the heating on or air con would make no difference to drying it out, I'm not even sure if recirculated air passes over the pollen filter.

Edited 13 June, 20188 yr by SuperbTWM

1 hour ago, SuperbTWM said:

 

The pollen filter is before the evaporator and the heater matrix so having the heating on or air con would make no difference to drying it out, I'm not even sure if recirculated air passes over the pollen filter.

 

Who said anything about recirc?

 

if you spray detail into the empty housing, the retrial gets sucked in and onto the evaporator surface.

 

Thus killing bacteria on the surface.

 

 

2 minutes ago, cheezemonkhai said:

 

Who said anything about recirc?

 

if you spray detail into the empty housing, the retrial gets sucked in and onto the evaporator surface.

 

Thus killing bacteria on the surface.

 

 

Sorry, thought you were on about drying the filter out. My Bad. 

Just my opinion.

 

Using a spray, the problem is to get the antibac/antimould spray onto the evaporator and soak those nasty bacteria/mould.....and keep it there long enough to do it's stuff. So if using spray, spray with a low fan for a few secs to suck it in until its in the area of the evaporator. Then fan off. No a/c (we don't want more water to save the bacteria). No heater, its after the evaporator anyway and any residual heat will evaporate the anti bac spray. Leave for at least 10 minutes, and probably repeat a couple of times.

 

I suppose that's why the bomb is the preferred method, less faff and more likely to work.

1 hour ago, SuperbTWM said:

Sorry, thought you were on about drying the filter out. My Bad. 

No worries, it’s easy to do on the internet and i’ve done it myself enough.

 

re the detol, most people have it in the cupboard, so it’s basically free.

Edited 13 June, 20188 yr by cheezemonkhai