[Iccz]

Just coming home from work I noticed a horrible smell from my AC, almost like cat poop...

I turned the AC off and rolled down the windows and the smell quickly went.

Being a total car idiot, what should I be looking at and trying to find the cause of this problem?

When the AC is off the fans dont blow the smell around so I assume it's to do with the AC...

Ideas?

[hornydragon]

You can get bacteria build up in the ducts whiuch cause the smell its either a full a/C service £50-70 or a can of cleaner you pump down the vents Car Air Con Cleaner - Wynns Airco Fresh

[charlene265]

Originally Posted by hornydragon

You can get bacteria build up in the ducts whiuch cause the smell its either a full a/C service £50-70 or a can of cleaner you pump down the vents Car Air Con Cleaner - Wynns Airco Fresh

I have a weird smell too...not just from air con from heaters. Someone said to me to turn it on cold for 5 mins, then hot for 5 mins and it kills all the bacteria. Havent tried it myself yet

[Synax_Injector]

Originally Posted by charlene265

I have a weird smell too...not just from air con from heaters. Someone said to me to turn it on cold for 5 mins, then hot for 5 mins and it kills all the bacteria. Havent tried it myself yet

Um, no.

No where near hot or cold enough.

[charlene265]

Originally Posted by Synax_Injector

Um, no.

No where near hot or cold enough.

didnt think it would work, someone mentioned it to me - I think I will get some of the air con cleaner they sell in halfords and see if that works for me

[Iccz]

Well this morning I braved the smell while I cranked the AC up to 4 for the drive to work, the smell was strong at first then slowly died down, I got to work and it's pretty much gone, might go get some cleaner this weekend and just give it a clean anyways, cheers for the replies

[Razor]

Originally Posted by Iccz

Well this morning I braved the smell while I cranked the AC up to 4 for the drive to work, the smell was strong at first then slowly died down, I got to work and it's pretty much gone, might go get some cleaner this weekend and just give it a clean anyways, cheers for the replies

Excellent. I bought the same stuff when I read this thread yesterday. Hopefully my can should arrive in a day or so and I will give it a go.

[Dony]

To prevent my air con from becoming stale, I will have it on at least once a week (normally more often), and for at least an hour throughout the year (not just in the summer).

So far I've had no problems.

[Iccz]

Originally Posted by Dony

To prevent my air con from becoming stale, I will have it on at least once a week (normally more often), and for at least an hour throughout the year (not just in the summer).

So far I've had no problems.

Yeah I use mine a lot - i'm always too warm
But even in winter I had it on a lot - found it helped the windows from steaming up; even though I've got rainex antimist stuff , so I don't think it's from lack of use.

[WillieCocker]

Ah the old smell of cats urine.
Those anti bacterial sprays do work.

[Iccz]

Originally Posted by WillieCocker

Ah the old smell of cats urine.
Those anti bacterial sprays do work.

Maybe it's all the cats i've been running over getting up into my AC?

[Razor]

Originally Posted by Iccz

Maybe it's all the cats i've been running over getting up into my AC?

LMAO....

I think it smells more of stale socks or vomit. I also find it smells stronger when I first turn off the Aircon after it has been running.

Either way its not nice.

[WillieCocker]

Originally Posted by Iccz

Maybe it's all the cats i've been running over getting up into my AC?

It should be a sport eh?

[Ayub]

Originally Posted by charlene265

didnt think it would work, someone mentioned it to me - I think I will get some of the air con cleaner they sell in halfords and see if that works for me

It was moi

[KelvinS1965]

With my last company car (VW Passat) I use to turn the AC to 'Econ' mode ie the compressor is off, as I kept getting a sore throat. When I did turn on the AC to normal mode it would smell for 5 minutes then clear, intially. The longer I have the car the longer it took for the smell to go (95,000 miles at 3 years old). I've been leaving the AC on all the time with my new car (Audi A4 Avant) and so far no funny smells (it's only 3 months and 8,000 miles old though).

[abdus]

try changing your pollen filter. Might be a good chance of it being damp or dirty.

Then can one of these aircon cleaning cans. The smell is also due to bacteria in the system.

Get a Forte Aircon Treatment can.

I used it last year and never had any smell again.

Cleaning car air con units