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Smelly vents


rtbiscuit

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i am noticing a bad odour in my car, and no its not me. :dry:

 

if i run the aircon its fine, and if i run any heat its ok,

 

but if i run the vents on normal but cold, i get a kind of damp stale smell through the vents,

 

is this curable or will i smell for ever :blush:

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I smell too :thumbdown:

 

I have tried the comma air con cleaner which made it smell sweet for 2 days and then I began to stink again (must wash more often).

 

I have now put a smelly in the car and the Z smells sweet again every morning :thumbs:

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The answer that I came up with while searching :)

 

 

It turns out it's fairly common problem, which in the vast majority of instances stems from using the HVAC "recirculation" mode. In this mode--put as an option on cars so that if you are stopped behind a bus the AC won't suck in the noxious exhaust fumes--the system doesn't draw in outside air, but recirculates the air in the car.

 

If you keep the recirculation button on for a long period of time it causes condensation build up in the system, particularly the filter, which produces a nasty smelling mold. I have heard horror stories that once the mold builds up, you have to replace the entire system.

 

In my case, I simply remembered to keep the recirculation button off, and it went away in a few days. I might also have run the car one night with the heat on to help dry it out and kill any molds. In any case, the problem has never returned.

 

edit. Or a mouldy marathon bar in the cubby :p

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have only noticed it since the hot weather has started and i've been running the cold blower no AC.

 

so maybe running the hot blower for an evening might kill it all off.

 

very rairly run the recuirculation, only tend to use normal.

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have only noticed it since the hot weather has started and i've been running the cold blower no AC.

 

so maybe running the hot blower for an evening might kill it all off.

 

very rairly run the recuirculation, only tend to use normal.

 

you've had hot weather?

:dry:

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have only noticed it since the hot weather has started and i've been running the cold blower no AC.

 

so maybe running the hot blower for an evening might kill it all off.

 

very rairly run the recuirculation, only tend to use normal.

 

you've had hot weather?

:dry:

Where've you been mate? The summer has been and gone :lol:

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have only noticed it since the hot weather has started and i've been running the cold blower no AC.

 

so maybe running the hot blower for an evening might kill it all off.

 

very rairly run the recuirculation, only tend to use normal.

 

 

Bear in mind my Z came from Lithunia and I :drive1 it back in January in all the snow and :cold: freezing fog in Europe and I am a WHIMP I had the heating on MAX while driving it back over 2 days to the UK. I noticed the smell as soon as I got the car back to the UK, so the heat did not kill the pong and have not used the recuirc button.

 

So where did I leave those 4 week old socks now :doh:

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have run my car for about 2 hours today and have been driving with the window down and the heaters on full. and about an hour ago i flicked the switch back over to cold and no odour or smell at all. i haven't run the AC yet so that might put moisture back into the system.

 

but it looks like as long as you regularly heat out your vents it should keep it under control. will keep an eye on it and see how it goes.

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I'm not sure which button is the re-circulation button. Can anyone point out which one it is as I know there are two? However I only ever notice the smell if the air con has been on and then after it is turned off the smell appears. So I would assume it is something directly related to the air con but only appears after it has been turned off. We get it at work occasionally with the air con in the ceiling.

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I think it's on the middlw one.

 

Around one LED it has a pic of a car with circular air....

 

Around the other it has a flowing arrow.....

 

 

 

It's standard symbols that are on *most* cars......

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  • 1 month later...

The A/C is system is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria (prob spelt wrong) and mould alike. It is stronly advised to 'service' the A/C system at the same time as a normal service which involves usind an Air con Purge.

It is also advised to replace the particle filter anually or every 2 years.

 

The process of carrying out this purge varies but the norm and what i do is the following.

 

Start engine and put A/C on full blast, Cold and Recirc place activate the purge can and place in the centre of the vehicle and leave once all the can has emptied leave the car for a further 10 mins. At this point i hold my breath and change the setting i.e face vents and feet. i then leave it for 2 mins on each once you have done them all switch the car off and leave for and hour as it is really strong smelling and will send you off your t**s. :p

 

We used to do this at nissan on every major service loads of companies do these A/c purges e.g. Forte.

 

New filter (if poss)

Purge

 

Job done

 

My 350z smells all good and so have all my cars, i belive do to this process.

 

http://www.forteuk.co.uk/Air_conditioner.htm

 

Or type Bacteria in car air con into google and see what comes up!!!

 

hope this helps

coops :drive1

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My son also had a similar problem. Turned out it was something growing in the washer reservoir, drifting out through the washer jets and being sucked in to the car.

 

Finally tracked it down by taking off the washer filler cap and sniffing - pheurrrrrrr.

 

Cured by a small amount of bleach (capful) and then topping up with water. All is sweet now!

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I too have bought the COMMA AC cleaner from Halfords for over a TENNER a pop :scare: .

 

If you have a branch of INSTORE near you, pop in and go to the auto section.

Carpride's version of the AC spray/bomb only £2.99 :D

.....says tested to meet BS EN 1276, but hey, it's 1/4 the price of the Comma one. VERGING ON FREENESS :teeth:

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