330i Smell of Urine !

[Robk]

Hi

I picked up my 2003 330i Touring the week before Christmas and I am happy with the car, although the sport suspension can be a bit wearing at times through town.
Anyway, I turned the A/C on lastnight to quickly demist the windows and was greeted to a strong smell of urine !! After many failed attemps to clear the smell (and also checking the outside of the car to make sure someone hadnt used it as a target to pi55 against when I popped into the shops) its still lingering…
Is this a common problem ? Bacteria on the A/C evaporator ? Is there anything I can do to erradicate the vile smell ??

Cheers !

[cptsideways]

Get some aircon deoderisor or get the garage to do it if it was a retail sale

[Fezzaman]

Did it smell as soon as you turned the aircon on? Because on our '03 E39 i know that this horrid smell comes as soon as you turn it off, it's fixed (for a while!) by that aircon service or something that dealers do.

[Robk]

It appreared after the a/c had been on for a short while before i got to the shop. As soon as i got back into the car and turned on the fan it came through thick and strong.. pure urine !

[belleair302]

Comma (Oil) sell a deodoriser in Halford, omline, local motor factor etc which will clean out your a/c / heating system. If the car has sat for some time or the condenser have not benn used you can get an odour.

Try this first, costs around 8 quid and may just solve the problem.

[Junior Mint]

In this weather have you been using your screenwash a lot?

I had the same smell (like cat pee) and my screenwash had gone off (I think the time before I had topped it up with rain water from my water butt). I washed out with a hose and some mild bleach and it was fine after that. May be worth checking before you go the expensive option.

[bull996]

Switching A/C on and off all the time is not good. Really its designed to be on all the time-then there will be no bacteria build up.

I was told that if it smells, switch the A/C on and then tuirn the heat up full blast and just leave it for half an hour on full heat and fan.

Then dont turn it off again!

[Petrol_fumes]

My previous Mk5 golf had a similar problem - I just kept the A/C on and the smell went after a while....

very weird though!

[splitpin]

Robk said:

Hi

I picked up my 2003 330i Touring the week before Christmas and I am happy with the car, although the sport suspension can be a bit wearing at times through town.
Anyway, I turned the A/C on lastnight to quickly demist the windows and was greeted to a strong smell of urine !! After many failed attemps to clear the smell (and also checking the outside of the car to make sure someone hadnt used it as a target to pi55 against when I popped into the shops) its still lingering…
Is this a common problem ? Bacteria on the A/C evaporator ? Is there anything I can do to erradicate the vile smell ??

Cheers !

Might it actually be the Big P? I'll set aside the possibility of a disgruntled 4 day week BMW Technician making a silent protest(!), but might a cat have taken a momentary break from sleeping on a nice warm bonnet- they are very partial to it at this time of year. And boy oh boy, does Cat P 'linger'!