Air con- has yours always ponged?

[Leicesterdave]

Mine has from new and 11 months on is shocking. Have done all the right things, used it constantly even through winter, warm setting on for 10 mns to clear bacteria etc but nothing has helped.
Is this normal?? And if not would they clean it under warranty?

[ymwoods]

Mine has always been fine mate, always freezing cold and does not smell at all when switched on for the first time after a long cold winter. I don't have mine on THAT often however as with mine being such a little engined car, you can feel it stealing most of my 60 horses!

Have had for 3 years now and is an 02 reg car so do not know if this will make any difference to your conclusion?

Edited by ymwoods on Wednesday 14th April 06:32

[miniman]

http://is.gd/brUOu

[Motown Junk]

miniman said:

http://is.gd/brUOu

Used that last week, seems to work but don't breath in or have your eyes near it when it goes off....

[uuf361]

None of mine have ever been smelly - might be something up with yours......

[ROB 100]

Change the pollen/cabin filter,

[Leicesterdave]

It started smelling when the car was only 3 months old!! Now only 11 months old- surely should be ok!
I'll give this comma thingy a go- seems quite easy to use and cheap enough.

[madrob6]

Got a 2008 Passat and the aircon has no smell to it. Has a 98 car before it which had a slight smell to it but not an unpleasant one or even noticable enough to call it a pong.

See if you can blag a free aircon service

[mr_tony]

Yes, always had a distinctive smell, like a vintage (looking) car should.
Leather, wood with a slight tang of engine oil.
Whats not to like?

[agxster]

Mine started stinking last September when the car car was 1.5 years old. I then used some air con cleaner stuff and it's been fine since. I used Carplan Kleen Air, although there are many others on sale, check online etc:

http://www.carplan.co.uk/index.cfm?product=242

[Leicesterdave]

That car plan is the biggest load of rubbish I've ever bought. It wrecked the leather spitting everywhere, and hasn't really helped at all.

[Dogwatch]

ROB 100 said:

Change the pollen/cabin filter,

[Leicesterdave]

Dogwatch said:

ROB 100 said:

Change the pollen/cabin filter,

But it started smelling when the car was 3 months old- it's less than a year old now, a bit premature surely?

[Zed Ed]

Not followed any instuctions in my year old ac.

Stinks too, but it probably hides the smell of my farts.

[obscene]

MINI right ? If it's anything like my BMW it don't half pong like crayons and staleness. Changing the cabin filter did nothing and the air con refresher from Halfords only lasted a week. Apparently the smell is from built up bacteria in the air con, so try whacking it on full heat for 10/15 mins and see if it removes the smell.

[ROB 100]

Leicesterdave said:

Dogwatch said:

ROB 100 said:

Change the pollen/cabin filter,

But it started smelling when the car was 3 months old- it's less than a year old now, a bit premature surely?

No thats not right at 3months
i just think its better to change the filter thats about the same price as the air freshner stuff,
without all the bugs living in it,
if it pong was air con gas it would have stoped getting cold long ago, so it has to be the filter, does the screen mist up bad when cold or raining & fans not clear it quick?

[Leicesterdave]

ROB 100 said:

Leicesterdave said:

Dogwatch said:

ROB 100 said:

Change the pollen/cabin filter,

But it started smelling when the car was 3 months old- it's less than a year old now, a bit premature surely?

No thats not right at 3months
i just think its better to change the filter thats about the same price as the air freshner stuff,
without all the bugs living in it,
if it pong was air con gas it would have stoped getting cold long ago, so it has to be the filter, does the screen mist up bad when cold or raining & fans not clear it quick?

Not really no- I guess the filter is the way to go!

[spikeyhead]

The air con cleaner does a very similar job to Oust or other antibacterial sprays. Turn aircon to recirculate, warmish and dump a load in. Let it run for 15 mins when you're not in the car then ventilate it properly.

Much cheaper than the proprietry stuff.

[ctallchris]

This tends to be caused by damp components in most systems. It will go away if you do the following.

a minute or two before you arrive at your destination turn the air con off. This will give the system a chance to turn off propperly and the heat of the engine will help to dry the system out. a couple of people i worked with have had this problem on fairly new air con systems (really bad mildew smell) and turning the system off early seemed to solve it (without changing anything)

[to3m]

I've got a 8yo BMW 320d, bought 3 years ago, and there's no offensive smell from the aircon. It definitely smells "new" come spring, and it smokes a bit (!) at the end of autumn, suggesting that some seasonal variation is to be expected, but it's never smelt even remotely bad.

I leave it on all year round, in the hope that constant use will inhibit growth of any foul-smelling bacteria. Seems to have worked so far.