How to stop Smelly air-con

[grahamfromoldham]

I can't take the praise for this one as such, although mine is slightly different to the how to guide available elsewhere on the Internet.

Here goes: For a few months I have had a bad smell from the air con after it has been turned off, especially the day after. I understand this to be a build up of bacteria within the system, but I hadn't realised how cheap and easy it is to resolve.

Firstly, buy a can of this [ATTACH=CONFIG]242[/ATTACH] which cost me £3 from Asda. I understand it has been spotted in pound shops so it may be worth checking around. Sadly in Winsford, there aren't any.

1, Turn your engine on and start the air-con on full power at the maximum fan speed. Open all 4 dashboard vents and ensure air con is set to come through them i.e. not pointing at windscreen or feet.

2, Open all 4 windows.

3, On the outside of the car near the windscreen wipers is the air intake vent. You now need to spray approx two thirds of the can into the mesh, spraying evenly across the length of the whole vent.

4, Keep air con running for a good five minutes after you have stopped spraying.

5, Turn engine off, remove glovebox and remove pollen filter.

6, Again, engine back on with air con on full power spray the rest of the can into the pollen filter housing.

7, refit pollen filter and glovebox. Job done.

Please note this spray may be harmful to health and so its vital you leave windows open to allow car to vent.

There is a Youtube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrVc_FXrbHY

[cornishtaz]

Nice write up might be worth giving this a go on a regular basis

[grahamfromoldham]

I think for £3 Taz its worth it. Even a couple of days afterwards, I can still smell the Dettol spray which isn't a bad smell I must add so it is obviously still in the system.

[J1ODYA]

In the past I've bought air con bombs which you put air con on, turn on the spray and leave it to do its thing... they pop up occasionally at aldi for £1 but worth looking out for as work real well.

No need to remove filters etc

[grahamfromoldham]

The above Dettol spray is currently on offer for £2.29 in Aldi, having seen it today. Air con is still spot on after doing the above 'how to' above.

[Rusty2009]

Thanks mate I've told the wife to get me some tomorrow.

[tucpal]

job for the weekend then :cool

[grahamfromoldham]

Update on this guide....six months later and the bad odour still hasn't returned so this is one repair worth doing even perhaps if your air con system isn't yet giving off smells. Prevention is better than cure as my dad would say.

[Rusty2009]

Going to do this tomorrow get the car nice and fresh for it's MOT on Monday.

[Jj0063]

Going to do this tomorrow get the car nice and fresh for it's MOT on Monday.

I doubt it'll fail on smelly air con if not

[Rusty2009]

No but A nice well prestented car helps plus it needs a fresh smell air fresheners last a week if your luckily.

[bhalay207]

Your not kidding. I have a Richmond one which about blew my head off 2 weeks ago, now i cant smell anything!

[Lewis6317]

I deffo need to give this ago, I seem to only get a smell when I turn aircon off and the smell lasts for about 2-3minutes

[Rusty2009]

I did it last night in the end, the car stank of dettol but can only smell it now if I put the air con on.

[tucpal]

It goes after a few days but at first the smell is strong

[Rusty2009]

I made the mistake of putting my face in front the vent while spraying it in got a gob full of it haha.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bhalay207]

You must have Mr Tickle arms haha

Sent from my LG G4 using Tapatalk

[Rusty2009]

No just lifted my head to breathe lol quite confined head in footwell.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[moxol]

Is it really necessary to remove pollen filter?