Foul Smell from Blower / Fan / HVAC

Vid6639 · 17th December 2006, 20:14

You can go to the service centre and get the AC vents disinfected to remove the bacteria which causes the odour.
I got it done for my lancer for free. You must be getting a stale type of smell. Bacteria is the cause and can be removed by spraying the disinfectant.

angelfire · 18th December 2006, 08:57

@theMAG

id check out for rodents...but that wil give out an unbearable stink i guess...so ruled out..
@ajmat:Wil try running the AC in full hot...If that doesnt work...then i`d be headin to a service centre....
Thanks all you guys for the instant replies....
rgrds,
angelfire

Godfather · 18th December 2006, 09:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by theMAG

Sure no rodent has expired in your engine bay?

expired....hahahaha.....MAG..u crack me up sometimes..

Godfather

esteem_lover · 18th December 2006, 10:47

is the smell there only for a short while after switching on your ac or is it there all the time

angelfire · 18th December 2006, 11:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

is the smell there only for a short while after switching on your ac or is it there all the time

It stays for few minutes and goes off...but if i turn off the AC for some time nd turn it on agian..the same thing repeats..Any such experiences estem_lover??

sandeep108 · 18th December 2006, 12:08

I had the same problem in my OHC. It sort of went away after some time, but I felt it was the water pipe which collects water and then some sort of fungus/bacteria growth that takes place. Let me know how the suggestion of blowing hot air for some time worked or not.

dmitri · 18th December 2006, 13:56

I had the same problem using the room freshener inside my esteem. Got solved by buying a car perfume and sticking it to the a/c vent.

Hope this helps.

sumitdongerkery · 18th December 2006, 15:55

Hey Bro!!!!!

I remember some years back you had done the same with your house AC..

.. But don't worry.. I guess hot air trick should work...

Cheers..

angelfire · 18th December 2006, 16:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by sumitdongerkery

Hey Bro!!!!!

I remember some years back you had done the same with your house AC..

.. But don't worry.. I guess hot air trick should work...

Cheers..

Hey....You remember that.?

...Yup that time it was me...now my bro...

...The hot AIR method did reduce the stink a lot.....wil try it one more time tom...

gbpscars · 18th December 2006, 20:24

This is obviously due to the slow decomposition (not necessarily decay) of the ingredients of a body spray!!! One might have noticed this happening sometimes if one tries to spray body deodarants directly on the suction vanes of a room AC too.

Tips (may sound funny, but will surely work)
- cut a lemon in half and leave it in the car (works better with the fresh air mode) and dont believe in voodoo

and replace with a new lemon in a day.
- baking soda spread on a plate (remember to remove the plate before you go to office)
- commonly available refrigerator deodarants will also work for sure.
- if you have leather seats, clean them with a good leather deodorizer and cleaner (good ones available at most $ stores)

Use a strong smelling freshner for sometime.

NEVER use sprays - there is a reason why freshners meant for closed spaces like a car cabins are always use slow-dissipating / evaporating methods rather than the spraying method.

esteem_lover · 21st December 2006, 12:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by angelfire

It stays for few minutes and goes off...but if i turn off the AC for some time nd turn it on agian..the same thing repeats..Any such experiences estem_lover??

when the car has been with the mechanic for a few days & comes back to me, i get that stale smell from the initial blow which lasts a few seconds. After that there is no such smell. this hapens for a couple of days. i have not tried anything. i direct the vents downward for those few seconds. i have not yet tried the hot air method. will try that & see what happens next time.

wolfinstein · 1st February 2007, 21:19

I'm now having a similar issue on my 6 month old XETA, I have tried the Hot blower method and it works for a few trips or so..! But the issue is that in Delhi Winters I usually do have the blower on always to warm up the cabin, and after 10-15 min its stinks a little, then goes normal...!
Also, even though the Blower is off, At speeds of 40-60 Air flows from the vent, I don't think thats normal is it, Since my lancer never does that, But my cousins Old VTEC does..!

aah78 · 1st February 2007, 22:57

try the method in this link: 10% bleach solution - spray into air intake doors - The 7 Series (E38) Message Board

it's been described for an e38 BMW but it should work on any car - just locate the air vents.

navin · 19th July 2007, 11:21

A very close friend of mine (we've been neighbours for 40 years and she happens to be my wife's cousin and also my dentist) bought a Honda Civic 8 months ago.

Since it was delivered the she gets a bad smell (fishy-farty) when she uses the blower. When the A/C compressor is ON the smell is less but when the thermostat cuts off and it is only the blower is ON the smell is intolerable.

The car has gone back and forth to Arya Honda 6-7 times. They admit that there is a foul smell in the car. They have even diagnosed this smell to be some fungal smell. They have claimed to have cleaned the AC pipes etc. but the smell refuses to go. They have removed the carpets, the dash, etc.. but have been unable to locate thse source of the smell.

The past few times we have contacted them, Arya Honda seems to have given up on the car; but my friend still has to live with it! Their "service" is now to accept the car and keep it for a few days and return it with the problem not addressed.

It has gotten so irritating that my friend has even asked Arya Honda to take the car back and return her money or supply her with another car which does not have this foul smell.

My friend's fear is that Arya Honda is just biding time until the car's warranty expires and then they can wash their hands of the car.

We would like to escalte this to Honda HO. But we need the name of a responsive person we can talk to there. Can anyone help.

msdivy · 19th July 2007, 11:30

navin, check this thread: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...hc-2004-a.html

17th December 2006, 20:14	#16
Vid6639 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,730 Thanked: 43,470 Times View My Garage	You can go to the service centre and get the AC vents disinfected to remove the bacteria which causes the odour. I got it done for my lancer for free. You must be getting a stale type of smell. Bacteria is the cause and can be removed by spraying the disinfectant.
	() Thanks

18th December 2006, 08:57	#17
angelfire BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Mangalore/Chicago Posts: 251 Thanked: Once View My Garage	@theMAGid check out for rodents...but that wil give out an unbearable stink i guess...so ruled out.. @ajmat:Wil try running the AC in full hot...If that doesnt work...then i`d be headin to a service centre.... Thanks all you guys for the instant replies.... rgrds, angelfire
	() Thanks

18th December 2006, 10:47	#19
esteem_lover Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Madras/Py Posts: 7,556 Thanked: 502 Times View My Garage	is the smell there only for a short while after switching on your ac or is it there all the time
	() Thanks

18th December 2006, 12:08	#21
sandeep108 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,050 Thanked: 302 Times	I had the same problem in my OHC. It sort of went away after some time, but I felt it was the water pipe which collects water and then some sort of fungus/bacteria growth that takes place. Let me know how the suggestion of blowing hot air for some time worked or not.
	() Thanks

18th December 2006, 13:56	#22
dmitri BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 74 Thanked: 0 Times View My Garage	I had the same problem using the room freshener inside my esteem. Got solved by buying a car perfume and sticking it to the a/c vent. Hope this helps.
	() Thanks

18th December 2006, 15:55	#23
sumitdongerkery BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 166 Thanked: 82 Times View My Garage	Hey Bro!!!!! I remember some years back you had done the same with your house AC.. .. But don't worry.. I guess hot air trick should work... Cheers..
	() Thanks

18th December 2006, 20:24	#25
gbpscars BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Navi Mumbai Posts: 402 Thanked: 5 Times	This is obviously due to the slow decomposition (not necessarily decay) of the ingredients of a body spray!!! One might have noticed this happening sometimes if one tries to spray body deodarants directly on the suction vanes of a room AC too. Tips (may sound funny, but will surely work) - cut a lemon in half and leave it in the car (works better with the fresh air mode) and dont believe in voodoo and replace with a new lemon in a day. - baking soda spread on a plate (remember to remove the plate before you go to office) - commonly available refrigerator deodarants will also work for sure. - if you have leather seats, clean them with a good leather deodorizer and cleaner (good ones available at most $ stores) Use a strong smelling freshner for sometime. NEVER use sprays - there is a reason why freshners meant for closed spaces like a car cabins are always use slow-dissipating / evaporating methods rather than the spraying method. Last edited by gbpscars : 18th December 2006 at 20:25.
	() Thanks

1st February 2007, 21:19	#27
wolfinstein BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 994 Thanked: 20 Times	I'm now having a similar issue on my 6 month old XETA, I have tried the Hot blower method and it works for a few trips or so..! But the issue is that in Delhi Winters I usually do have the blower on always to warm up the cabin, and after 10-15 min its stinks a little, then goes normal...! Also, even though the Blower is off, At speeds of 40-60 Air flows from the vent, I don't think thats normal is it, Since my lancer never does that, But my cousins Old VTEC does..!
	() Thanks

1st February 2007, 22:57	#28
aah78 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: NYC / BOM Posts: 4,662 Thanked: 3,257 Times View My Garage	try the method in this link: 10% bleach solution - spray into air intake doors - The 7 Series (E38) Message Board it's been described for an e38 BMW but it should work on any car - just locate the air vents.
	() Thanks

19th July 2007, 11:21	#29
navin Team-BHP Support Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 25,196 Thanked: 9,296 Times	Foul Smell from Blower / Fan / HVAC A very close friend of mine (we've been neighbours for 40 years and she happens to be my wife's cousin and also my dentist) bought a Honda Civic 8 months ago. Since it was delivered the she gets a bad smell (fishy-farty) when she uses the blower. When the A/C compressor is ON the smell is less but when the thermostat cuts off and it is only the blower is ON the smell is intolerable. The car has gone back and forth to Arya Honda 6-7 times. They admit that there is a foul smell in the car. They have even diagnosed this smell to be some fungal smell. They have claimed to have cleaned the AC pipes etc. but the smell refuses to go. They have removed the carpets, the dash, etc.. but have been unable to locate thse source of the smell. The past few times we have contacted them, Arya Honda seems to have given up on the car; but my friend still has to live with it! Their "service" is now to accept the car and keep it for a few days and return it with the problem not addressed. It has gotten so irritating that my friend has even asked Arya Honda to take the car back and return her money or supply her with another car which does not have this foul smell. My friend's fear is that Arya Honda is just biding time until the car's warranty expires and then they can wash their hands of the car. We would like to escalte this to Honda HO. But we need the name of a responsive person we can talk to there. Can anyone help.
	() Thanks

19th July 2007, 11:30	#30
msdivy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,815 Thanked: 2,826 Times	navin, check this thread: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...hc-2004-a.html
	() Thanks