sandradee

I have noticed that whenever I turn the aircon on in the car, it stinks, and does so for a few minutes, is there anything I can do to combat this problem. The car is new, so I doubt its a problem with the car, and as many friends also mention the same thing to me, its obviously a common problem.

Phoenixuk2oz

It's a well known fact that when the aircon comes on....someone breaks wind [they think the aircon will circulate the air and no one will guess it's them ]

If I were you, I'd draw up a list of people in the car and do a Miss Marple investigation

BTW. You mentioned your friends mentioned the same thing to you? Maybe you're the culprit eh...come on...own up

Quinkana

You can have the evaporator (cooling coil) washed or just leave it on for a while until the condensation washes it.

Phoenixuk2oz

On a more serious note: Whenever I've bought a brand new car, same thing happens. It will go away eventually

GCS15

Umm you guys are trying to tell me that you don't know what that smell is? It's the vapours from the plastic! Not good for you at all.

I know an vietnam vet who has a huge chip on his shoulder (I like him). Anyhow he used to work for the govt providing the new cars for pollies and senior beurocrats. He loved the idea of them sitting in that toxic environment. As I said. He had a mean streak a mile wide.

Best of luck with that new car smell. you can have it. :scared:

sandradee

Thanks for the input, but it isnt that smell. Its the same smell as when you dont dry an item of clothing properly, or a towel, then put it in the cupboard, and the moisture sort of festers, we call it the 'water smell' similar smell to a wet dog, again connected to moisture. It is probably stale water in the unit or something similar. I thought there may be some fluid you could add to it, to make it smell better.

jinxnkay

my car smells like this too when i use AC it smells like mouldy wet clothes. i dont know if the smell has worn off or i dont notice it anymore. my car isnt new.

fair_dinkum

Try wiping over the vents with a few drops of essential oil like lavender or lemongrass or orange etc ... when the airconditioner is turned on the smell will waft through your car.

fair_dinkum

Quinkana

Precisely what it is. Have it washed or run it until condensation washes the biofilm away.

Wol

It's common with car a/c systems, especially when they are not used very often. It's a peculiar mouldy, fuggy, doggy smell. Use the a/c every day and put a smell sachet next to the air inlet, or go the whole hog and disinfect the whole system - probably screwing something up and rendering the thing useless!

The Bloke

Sandradee, as your car has probably not been opened or run for months, it is probably the gas has settled and when you bought it and turned on the a/c, it stirs it up.

Have always been able to smell the difference between the old and fresh gas after the a/c has been serviced and regassed. Rog, told by techy bloke years ago that car a/c's should be run at frequently even in winter, to keep the gas circulated and to cut down on service costs on moving parts.

worzel

LOL! He who smelt it dealt it.

I always think the air con in my car smells somewhere between tobacco (fresh not ashtrays) and a damp mouldy smell.