[zenx]

Numerous studies have also shown that in the thick of traffic, the ambient air quality inside cars is usually worse than the air surrounding it. Yes the "visible" fumes etc do not get to you, but its not really better, and possibly worse!

www.icta.org/doc/In-car%20pollution%20report.pdf
Toxic Air Pollution
ET 9/99: Pollution inside your car?
Toxic at Any Speed - Indoor Air Pollution Inside Your Car

Hmm, not surprised I feel fresher on my cycle these days

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by zenx

Numerous studies have also shown that in the thick of traffic, the ambient air quality inside cars is usually worse than the air surrounding it. Yes the "visible" fumes etc do not get to you, but its not really better, and possibly worse!

I'd rather wait for a study conducted in the thick of traffic in Delhi or Bangalore! The situation in our country is difficult to compare with what these studies have been studying!

[zenx]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

I'd rather wait for a study conducted in the thick of traffic in Delhi or Bangalore! The situation in our country is difficult to compare with what these studies have been studying!

Actually the pollution levels in downtown London, Houston, and numerous other places are comparable! Its not just the visible parts, you know. Moreover, the studies highlight the relative levels because of the mechanics of air flow etc involved - not just the absolute numbers.

I would say I've gotten a mild headache inside my car more often than on the mobike or cycle.

[Jaggu]

Anybody has service manual for swift's blower assembly? scan would be really appreciated. Guess some leaves and twigs have gone inside mine and i hear some noises coming out, if i get the manual planning on DIY.

[devrajman]

I received this mail as forward, thought of posting it here.

Does any one has any idea on the authenticity of the information??


Please do not turn on A/C immediately as soon as you enter the car.
Open the windows after you enter your car and turn ON the air-conditioning after a couple of minutes.
According to a research done, the car dashboard, sofa, air freshener emits Benzene, a Cancer causing toxin (carcinogen - take note of theheated plastic Smell in your car). In addition to causing cancer, it poisons your bones, causes anemia, and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure will cause Leukemia,increasing the risk of cancer. May also cause miscarriage.

Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50 mg per sq. ft... A car parked indoors with the windows closed will contain 400-800 mg of Benzene. If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60 degrees F, the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000 mg, 40 times the acceptable level... & the people inside the car will inevitably inhale an excess amount of the toxins.

It is recommended that you open the windows and door to give time for the interior to air out before you enter. Benzene is a toxin that affects your kidney and liver, and is very difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff.

[TRAUMASURG]

There are two types of cooling units in cars.
1.climate control usually seen in expensive cars.they have activated charcoal and temperature setting that you select.it will automatically switch on and off fresh air as the sensor demands.next is manual fresh air recirculate if you want to cool fast but the climate control unit after 15 minutes will automatically switch back to fresh air so you dont develop condensation or collect stale air inside the cabin.
2.Air conditioning.It is like home window unit.close all the windows and doors to cool the room quickly.Same principal close the fresh air entry by pressing recirculate the air gets cooler faster.then remember there is no outside airmixture coming through the vent.The a/c unit is recirculating the cabin air again and again.Air can get stale in this scenario.regarding the odor inside one needs to replace cabin filter and this may solve the problem.regarding the CO leakage in the cabin it is secondary to gasket leak at the exhaust manifold.this is common and deadly.CO2 gas toxicity will cause narcosis,a sedation like effect whereas CO poisoning will cause headache ,nausea,vomiting and death

[ImmortalZ]

Cars cause cancer - snopes.com

Snopes thread on that e-mail forward. Make of it what you will. As for me, I've received so many e-mail forwards which are just stories that I don't believe any of them unless they show their sources. In this case, this so called "research".

[pedrolourenco]

It's always advisable to use recirc mode. The AC has to run longer as fresh air is warmer than the recirc air.
To get rid of smell in the car keep a solution of Soda bicarbonate in the car. You can use an old air freshner bottle.

[ram_hyundai]

This is one subject which i talk on every day.The car perfumes would be the first thing i would love to avoid.
This story starts while i was owning my santro.While getting inside the car i found a foul smell inside especially while the car is in the sun.I found that if the A/C is not turned on then there is no issues.So the culprit was the A/C or the system involved.Then i gave the car for a service and asked the guys to look into the filter and the ducts.After this excersis there was no foul smell,but again after a week or so it started of .This time i was convinced about the issue and wanted to see the cleaning myself.There was an oily substance inside the ducts and even after giving lots of thoughts i could not understand how it came in the duct.Then i thought of discarding the car perfume.After that and after one last cleaning the issue never came again.
from that day onwards i always say -NO TO CAR FRESHNERS .
ram

[wildon]

I got this through email, and sharing it to you guys

Be Alert...

Do not turn on A/C immediately as soon as you enter the car...!!!

Please open the windows after you enter your car and do not turn ON the air-conditioning immediately. According to a research done, the car dashboard, sofa, air freshener emits Benzene, a Cancer causing toxin (carcinogen- take note of the heated plastic smell in your car). In addition to causing cancer, it poisons your bones, causes anemia, and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure will cause Leukemia, increasing the risk of cancer may also cause miscarriage.


Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50 mg per sq. ft. A car parked indoors with the windows closed will contain 400-800 mg of Benzene. If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60 degrees F, the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000 mg, 40 times the acceptable level... & the people inside the car will inevitably inhale an excess amount of the toxins.


It is recommended that you open the windows and door to give time for the interior to air out before you enter. Benzene is a toxin that affects your kidney and liver, and is very difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff.


"When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others"

[mnhegde]

@ wildon : Thanks for the information and a good pictorial explanation. Is the source of this information mentioned in the email you received??

[invincible7]

Today we got the mail through our organisational announcements part.

Good explanation.

[Somu2009]

Hello Team,

Got this information as an email so thought will share it with everyone. Don't know how true it is but I do follow it. Moderators, I don't know if someone has already started a thread on this, if so please merge it. Thank You.

Do not turn on the AC as soon as you enter the car.



Please open the windows after you enter your car and do not turn ON the air-conditioning immediately. According to a research done, the car dashboard, sofa, air freshener emits Benzene, a Cancer causing toxin (carcinogen- take note of the heated plastic smell in your car). In addition to causing cancer, it poisons your bones, causes anemia, and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure will cause Leukemia, increasing the risk of cancer may also cause miscarriage.



Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50 mg per sq. ft. A car parked indoors with the windows closed will contain 400-800 mg of Benzene. If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60 degrees F, the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000 mg, 40 times the acceptable level & the people inside the car will inevitably inhale an excess amount of the toxins.



It is recommended that you open the windows and door to give time for
the interior to air out before you enter. Benzene is a toxin that affects your kidney and liver, and is very difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff.

SOURCE: Forwarded E-mail.

Note from Team-BHP Support : Thread MERGED. Please use the search feature before creating a new thread on a topic that might already exist. Please continue your discussion in an existing thread. This will keep all the relevant information in one place and make it easier for readers in the future.

[abhik]

Thanks for sharing the info but i really found the pics irrelavant as they depict the working of the HVAC system, instead a link to the above research would have been useful.

[Somu2009]

Originally Posted by abhik

Thanks for sharing the info but i really found the pics irrelavant as they depict the working of the HVAC system, instead a link to the above research would have been useful.

I know actually even I found the pictures irrelevant, but like I mentioned I just got it as a forwarded e-mail, and I don't know much about it. Just thought it'll be nice to share and hence gather some more information on the same by fellow members. But now that you've mentioned I would certainly try to do some online research and pictures for the same.

And in case if you also find some info then please do share.