Bit of a weird one - no adverse smells whatsoever until this weekend just gone. Driving along the countryside near to where I live; took a trip with the dogs down the beach then across to my grandparents for a BBQ... I digress.

 

There was a strong smell of manure, which isn't uncommon, along one portion of the country roads (which you get used to, trust me). Windows up, air con on and recirc. internally, abated the issue for the most part.

 

However, later on during the same trip, in an area which DIDN'T smell of manure, there was a smell of feet/halitosis/similar (i.e. unpleasant) which I've noticed a few times since. It only really occurs when fan speed is relatively low, regardless of recirc. or from external draw, or whether AC is on or off, and far more prevalent with lower driving speeds also...

 

This begs the question 'where is air being drawn from?'. To me, it would stand to reason that the cause of the smell, considering it's recurrence, is from something stuck somewhere inside/outside the car. Thoughts? I've used no air fresheners, not spilled any milk, dogs haven't sharted (that's **** + farted, for those who are uninformed) in the car... so I'm at a loss! Or do I just buy an air freshener in a desperate attempt to mask it? Anyone else with the same issue?

When last did you flush the "beasties" in the air box with a detergent "bomb" - if not for a while, maybe start with doing that ECP etc sell these pressurised cans that you place in the car, recirc on windows up set bomb off and close doors. Return "some time later" after the bomb has completed its task.

 

Edit:- seeing your other posting wrt fuel economy, it seems that your car is a 19 plate one, so a bit early to have acquired lots of nasty beaties in the air box, but what else could it be?

Edited 16 May, 20197 yr by rum4mo

Check the build date of the car, and then you know when First Registered.

Was it a 'Bunkered car' waiting someplace in or near the Czech Republic for Skoda to get WLTP approval then import it, and for how long?

Maybe have a sniff of the windscreen washer bottle in case there is a nasty problem in there caused, it seems by people mixing some washer concentrates that don't like being mixed.

Thanks for the responses, guys. I'll have a whiff around the carpets again tomorrow, as well as trying to figure out where the air draw is. I've fitted wind deflectors tonight so hopefully that'll help with a bit of residual airflow.

Tempted to give the old 'air freshener in the air-in pipe' trick a go and see how that fares. Otherwise, it'll be a Mr Zoggs Coconut Sex Wax air freshener as both my other half and myself like them. :) 

Change the pollen filter, might be worth a go 

 

I'd second the air con bombs they worked a treat on my mrs. car 

Edited 16 May, 20197 yr by Gissin

I would have thought it a bit early to be considering changing pollen filters and air con bombing my car to be honest. I'm only just shy of 3,200 into it... 

Air con bombs are £7 and a pollen filter is £10 ( 2 min job) start small and cheap and go from there.

I agree shouldn't we any weird smells so soon.

Do you have it on cold air con and switch it straight off ? Could be some condensation in the pipes that's sat for a while ?? 

 

Also, if Skoda are operating like VW, then the pollen filter fitted can be improved on, VW with auto AC fit a filter with an odour adsorbing coating "carbon dusted" and a plain filter to cars with manual AC, places like ECP sell the Frecious version of these Mann manufactured pollen filters, and they are a lot better at trapping odours and pollens etc than either of the lesser ones, if you do change to a Frecious filter, make sure your servicing dealership does not bin it at the 2 year service point though!

As Gissin has said and I hinted at earlier, it might just be the way that you are using the chiller and that it is always leaving too much moisture in the air box and "beasties" are liking that - though making sure that you are not using washer fluids that do not agree with each other by smelling the washer bottle is an easy task to check for what seems to be a known problem for some people - not me though luckily!

Is your car diesel. Some one else asked about smells a sugestion was possibly the particulate filter cleaning its self Joe

Smelly fans.........................Just take some deodorant with you to the match.

 

Give em a crafty spray Lol.

Gave the air-con a thorough blasting on my way home from work yesterday (approx 1.5 hours) and no issues whatsoever. I did also wash the car on Saturday so I'm guessing if there was any bird poo near the inlet vents, which may have contributed to bad smell, this would have now been washed away. I'll keep y'all posted but a good outing with the air con was probably beneficial.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to answer.