Bad Aircon Smell

[jooneth]

Is anyone having issues with smelly aircon air? Mine smells terrible and I can't stand it.

I think I did everything I could do to try and remove the odour. I replaced the pollen filter, I've sprayed anti-bateria spray everywhere in the aircon vent, and also sprayed the vent outside the car where the air is coming in, and let turned on the fan (A/C off and set the mode to outside air) to the max with max temp. This seemed to have resolve the issue for a couple of weeks, but recently, the smell came back.

I really don't know what else to do. Can anyone please help me?

[curik]

What kind of smell are you getting? Is it organic or chemical? Something (bugs, etc) might be stuck inside.

[80057]

i think honda can do some type of flush to the air con system, as previously posted, to lessen the risk of fungi or other nasties growing in air con vents, turn of the air con and keep the fan blowing for about 1 min before you stop your engine. this will ensure no air con air, which goes stale and attracts nasties stays in your vent.

[Dru42]

i got my filter replaced and flushed out the system, its good now, i used to have like a piss/ toilet smell, it made me sick!!

[jooneth]

Just like Dru42 said, it smells like a piss..... or sometimes smells like sweat. Really bad.....

[jooneth]

Dru42, did you go to the dealer and flushed out the system? How much did it cost you? Also, do you know what is involved in the process of flushing the system?

[tron07]

Try this, full blast the fan with air vents open on a hot dry day to dry up system, you can leave the compressor on or off... up to you.

[EuroAccord13]

Try this, full blast the fan with air vents open on a hot dry day to dry up system, you can leave the compressor on or off... up to you.

Leaving the compressor on will only build up more moisture.

[aaronng]

Moisture builds up when you have warm air coming into contact with the cold aircon system. So turn the compressor off, turn the heat to max temperature and full blast, then cycle through all the different vents for about 10 minutes each.

[clayton4115]

i have the same stinky smell when i put off my aircon after use, i have a 7th Gen Civic.

[Dru42]

Dru42, did you go to the dealer and flushed out the system? How much did it cost you? Also, do you know what is involved in the process of flushing the system?

i got my machanic to do it, as i had to replace the whole a/c system due to the compressor sh*tting itself...:( i asked him to replace the filter too it was black!!

[siknis]

pull the filter and spray a little bit of glen 20 or somthing similar so it is sucked through, compressor on. then flush the system compressor off on hot... thats how ive cleaned up the a/c on any car ive had. works perfect and the shit pine smell wears off after a day or two :)

[EuroDude]

Glen 20 would only cover the smell, its better to use a proper de-odorizer

[TRaNz]

Mmmmm...old thread bump/rezz.


Moisture builds up when you have warm air coming into contact with the cold aircon system. So turn the compressor off, turn the heat to max temperature and full blast, then cycle through all the different vents for about 10 minutes each.

Now, would this technique sort of reduce the foul smell?

[Crapdaz]

i have moisture smell every so often but i use fresh air most times, unless i am in tunnels.

you need to have your air vents running on fresh air during dry days until smells go away.

on wet days you can keep it open or closed but once it smells you need to do ^ above again.

[TRaNz]

mines like a pissy smell after i use the A/C and go back to fan/vent/AC off......LOL
Fail i know.

[unity]

I had the A/C deodorised by the dealer on an old Civic last year and I think from memory it cost $50. The smell was nice and fresh afterwards. It's worth paying the money if it resolves your problem.

[TRaNz]

mmmm, prob will do that, always though them sorta dealer things would be like a couple-o-hundred bucks.

[unity]

I'msure if you rang 3 different dealers you would get 3 different quotes. Just take the time to enquire at a few places and save yourself a few dollars.

[nxn75u]

I used to havee the same problem with my FD last time. Took it to the dealer and they spray anti bacterial solutions. It was good a few weeks. After that the smell came back. I went back again and the same thing happens.

[rambohung]

Mmmmm...old thread bump/rezz.



Now, would this technique sort of reduce the foul smell?

Is going to be a hot day at NSW tomorrow, park under the sun from midday and then will be great time to heat blast all your vent. Fry an egg on your bonnet while you wait lol

[Crapdaz]

Is going to be a hot day at NSW tomorrow, park under the sun from midday and then will be great time to heat blast all your vent. Fry an egg on your bonnet while you wait lol
today is meant to be 40deg but thunderstorm in the arvo.

[unity]

I used to havee the same problem with my FD last time. Took it to the dealer and they spray anti bacterial solutions. It was good a few weeks. After that the smell came back. I went back again and the same thing happens.

We sold the Civic a few weeks after the A/C was treated so can't comment on the smell coming back. That would be a dissappointing result.

[tony1234]

When possible i turn the AC off for a minute or so before i park the car and let normal fresh air blow.My car is an 06 and i have no AC smell.

[tron07]

I used to havee the same problem with my FD last time. Took it to the dealer and they spray anti bacterial solutions. It was good a few weeks. After that the smell came back. I went back again and the same thing happens.

I wonder if it helps if we spray stuffs like glen-20 :p

Its also some anti bactrial solution and the one I have currently smells quite nice. The old glen-20 smells sucks

[tony1234]

I wonder if it helps if we spray stuffs like glen-20 :p

Its also some anti bactrial solution and the one I have currently smells quite nice. The old glen-20 smells sucks
Wouldn't hurt to try.

[TRaNz]

mmm, nub question, but where would you spray it?

[yourfather]

When possible i turn the AC off for a minute or so before i park the car and let normal fresh air blow.My car is an 06 and i have no AC smell.


WINRAR!!!! this is how you avoid the smell

[Crapdaz]

WINRAR!!!! this is how you avoid the smell
agreed but my method is with last 5km of driving my aircon is switched off + running fresh air.

[tron07]

mmm, nub question, but where would you spray it?

I would try the filter, and the "hole" and inlets. Not sure if the spary will damage the paint or other surface or not so I would becareful where to spray.

[unity]

Glen 20 contains 66% ethanol so just make sure no components will be damaged by a strong alcohol solvent

[max9907.0422]

Hey guys.when i still work in honda and customer complain about the smell,we will put some air-con system cleaner in it,like a spraycan.just turn on to max of air-con,take off your pollen filter and spary to the righthand side and u will see the gas or bubble will suck in,later you will smell whatever the smell was from sparycan through the air-vent then jobs done.dont ask me where u can get them cos i dont know,but they call M1 air-care.

[SPQR]

I don't suppose anyone smokes in their cars anymore.

[unity]

I don't suppose anyone smokes in their cars anymore.

No way never. I think it would make it much harder to sell your car if it had a lingering smoke smell. You as a smoker get used to it but others notice it immediately.

[furythree]

what is this compressor everyone speaks of

[aaronng]

Compressor just refers to the aircon compressor. Press the A/C button and you should see A/C off displayed on the console and that means the compressor is off.

[androo]

Hey guys, you can buy a can of the aircon cleaners at Supercheap, Repco, etc. They're about $12-$15 each and it's the same process as what Honda does (and charges you $50-$80). My mum went to service the Jazz and it had this issue and they charged us $80. Later on my friend who works for a dealer for VW and told me about the can and what they do.

[tron07]

The air cond cleaner thingy, is it you press and it release the entire content in the car with the car and air cond running, then let the car air cond clear the mist?



what is this compressor everyone speaks of

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vmQyzuAbUBU/TURQtdcpqVI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/3zgAczXbMWI/s1600/Car%252BAir%252BConditioning%252BSystems.jpg

[trism]

Yeah but you put it on the passenger floor and aim it up under/behind the glove box. This is where the inlet is for when you have it set on recirculate. So it'll get sucked straight up into the vent system

Sent from my custard cannon like Peter North.

[SPQR]

I don't suppose anyone smokes in their cars anymore.


No way never. I think it would make it much harder to sell your car if it had a lingering smoke smell. You as a smoker get used to it but others notice it immediately.

Hmmmm. Maybe there should be mandatory disclosure legislation on the "smoked-in" status of a car before it can be sold: So that a potential purchaser of a used car can then choose whether to proceed and purchase a "smoked-in" car. It could be by statutory declaration with a penalty like a mandatory refund, a humble apology and compensation of $10,000 should it be discovered after purchase that the car had been "smoked-in" after all.

It reminds me of a time I bought a well-detailed car; but after two weeks, the chemical odours wore out and the foul stench of a dying-man's breath blasted out of the air vents instead.

There might be side benefits like parents not smoking in their cars with children present because of the reduced resale value of their car; not because they are killing their kids.

[trism]

pfft, 95% of smokers smoke in their cars

[SPQR]

pfft, 95% of smokers smoke in their cars

Makes one want to only buy new cars!