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Air conditioner smell

Skylarking

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Where else have you been sticking your Endoscope? o_O
Hm, me, i was thinking of lots of other mechanical, engineering and other uses ;) You know, like checking serial numbers, internal cylinder condition, close ups of electronics and maybe even home plumbing issues (the kind where plumbers charge $$ to unblock drains) :) Such devices would not be hygenic for home proctology :confused:

Maybe it's the emojis that confused the message o_O Or it could simply be some peoples minds may wander to implication that seem a little crass :eek: if not simply crass humor o_O
 

tommy_z

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Just revisiting this..

I had a very mouldy smell coming from the AC over the past month each time I start up, regardless of whether it was recirculate or air in. Would disappear after a few minutes.

When I removed my cabin air filter, it was seemingly clean and had been there for a year. No obvious smell coming from it. Was thinking of doing a Glen20 spray onto the fan and letting the air blow for 10 mins as suggested here and what I had done previous, but then thought not to bother for the moment and just see what the smell was with the fan on. No smell at all.

Placed a fresh Ryco Microshield filter in and again no smell from the aircon. So all I can deduce is that the cabin air filter is the one causing the smell. Looking at its proximity to a large drain hole for the windscreen, it seems that any stagnant water or moisture or indeed just water passing through it is absorbed slightly by the cabin air filter because of the proximity and over time it grows into a mould, causing the odour.

Now since the change two weeks ago, I haven’t had the smell return since.

Moral of the story is to just change that filter once a year (at service) and the odour hopefully will not reappear!

I also removed the cabin air filter sticker from the trim cover under the bonnet which reminds the stealerships to check during service schedules. Seeing the number of marks made where they’ve tried to pop up those trim holders on the plastic, I’ll do this job myself, thank you very much!
 

3rspecB

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Just revisiting this..
I had a very mouldy smell coming from the AC over the past month each time I start up, regardless of whether it was recirculate or air in. Would disappear after a few minutes.
When I removed my cabin air filter, it was seemingly clean and had been there for a year. No obvious smell coming from it. Was thinking of doing a Glen20 spray onto the fan and letting the air blow for 10 mins as suggested here and what I had done previous, but then thought not to bother for the moment and just see what the smell was with the fan on. No smell at all.
Placed a fresh Ryco Microshield filter in and again no smell from the aircon. So all I can deduce is that the cabin air filter is the one causing the smell. Looking at its proximity to a large drain hole for the windscreen, it seems that any stagnant water or moisture or indeed just water passing through it is absorbed slightly by the cabin air filter because of the proximity and over time it grows into a mould, causing the odour.
Now since the change two weeks ago, I haven’t had the smell return since.
Moral of the story is to just change that filter once a year (at service) and the odour hopefully will not reappear!
I also removed the cabin air filter sticker from the trim cover under the bonnet which reminds the stealerships to check during service schedules. Seeing the number of marks made where they’ve tried to pop up those trim holders on the plastic, I’ll do this job myself, thank you very much!

If you haven't had "Afterblow" enabled, next time you at the dealer, ask them to enable "afterblow". Afterblow runs the fans for a pre determined time to blow air into the hvac ducts when the car is switched off to help remove moisture.

Ever since I had that enabled, I have no more bad smell from my air con. I also change my cabin filter at every service interval.
 

_R_J_K_

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Surprised nobody has mentioned bicarb or baking soda, surprised how well it worked after somebody threw up in my car. You can just leave it in a cup or spread it over a patch if there's a specific place you know where the smell is coming from (spill, sick etc...). Cheap, easily available, it actually soaks up smell instead of masking it, easy to vacuum up, and you're not pumping the car full of aerosol.

Won't fix vents but might help you narrow down where the issue is if it's not as simple as a filter swap.
 

tommy_z

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If you haven't had "Afterblow" enabled, next time you at the dealer, ask them to enable "afterblow". Afterblow runs the fans for a pre determined time to blow air into the hvac ducts when the car is switched off to help remove moisture.

Ever since I had that enabled, I have no more bad smell from my air con. I also change my cabin filter at every service interval.
Mine is MY17 and the afterblower is definitely on - can hear it each time I enter and exit the vehicle!
If every service interval = 9 months, then yes should be no smell. I’ve been guilty of leaving my filter in there for just over a year!
 

Forg

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I worked in the filter factory on Production Line 1 (of 4) back when I was very much enjoying my onion & baked-bean & anchovy sandwiches for breakfast.

I think you'll find 1/4 of the filters out there have an unpleasant smell.
 

[paradox]

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If you haven't had "Afterblow" enabled, next time you at the dealer, ask them to enable "afterblow".
yeah im thinking i might do this next time i have the unfortunate time of booking into a dealer.
have been getting a smell the last month or so, literally lasts like 5 seconds when the car first turns on.
Its not a bad smell, but it wasnt there previously.
 

chrisp

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yeah im thinking i might do this next time i have the unfortunate time of booking into a dealer.
have been getting a smell the last month or so, literally lasts like 5 seconds when the car first turns on.
Its not a bad smell, but it wasnt there previously.

That was my recollection too, then I had the afterblow enabled. It’s now much better.
 
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