A/C smells like ass

[Lakaiguy]

It never did it until about a week ago. The pollin filter is good, and I never use the econ always outside air. WTF it stinks like 2 year old moldy gym socks soaked in mayonaise fresh out of the microwave.

[btlfed]

I thought that the econ just turned off the A/C Compressor. I can't see that making any difference in smell

[axonal]

Out of curiosity, how do you know what 2 year old moldy gym socks soaked in mayo fresh out of the microwave would smell like?

Either way, I think they make some sort of scent stuff you can dangle down you vent to make it sound better, there was also a thread somewhere that talked about scented pollen filters.

[Lakaiguy]

Im sorry I meant recurculating not econ. Either way its always outside air so its not just stale recurculating air. Anyways it ****in stinks, and I never have smelt 2 year old gym socks soaked in mayo fresh out the microwave, but I have smelt 1 day old gym socks and Im assuming after 729 more days and a good mayo bath along with some quality time in the microwave you'd be left with a smell similar to the one coming out of my A/C vents. Thank you

[Lakaiguy]

whoa online sensors cool, ****ing shit.

[SAlNlDllvllAlNl]

I'm sure its just moisture collecting in your vents and of course drys out and gives that rotten water smell. Someone told me a while back just turn your a/c off for the last few minutes of the ride home or where ever your destination is so it airs out.

[Lakaiguy]

I dont even use it that often, 80% of the time I have all 5 windows open. So theres plenty of airing out goin on.

[turbow8]

sounds to me like you pissed some one off, look around in weird places in your car for missed placed fish/gym socks. like under the dash or seats. this is not a normal thing that I know of.

[Lakaiguy]

I can smell it coming out of the A/C vent not just in the car. When the a/c is off the car smells great.

[Big_Fern]

Do you smoke in your car? I was told this was the reason my girls car smelled like shit when we turned on the AC

[Ptwiggens]

Well... I am here to say that I'm also experiencing the rancid smelly A/C problem. I've had this happen in a few cars... the other day my dad gets in my car and I turn on the A/C and he says "So your A/C smells like shit too?" His car is a 05 X5 so there is something wrong here. Mine only started doing this a couple weeks ago also.

[axonal]

Sounds like you all need to put some Beano in your cars.

[Lakaiguy]

Originally posted by Big_Fern
Do you smoke in your car? I was told this was the reason my girls car smelled like shit when we turned on the AC

nope dont smoke, this is a very sour rotten smell, you can tell when its cig smoke

[Lakaiguy]

Originally posted by axonal
Sounds like you all need to put some Beano in your cars.

First of all what the hell is beano?
Second of all how much is it and where can I get it?

No but really it ****ing stinks dude

[Howard Hughes]

This happends to my friends Jetta aswell, I believe it does have something to do with moisture collecting in the vents.

I read somewhere that turning the heat on full blast for awhile helps dry it out a bit and gets rid of some of the smell.

[Mark]

moisture on the condensors . . . run econ mode for the last minute or so of the drive and turn the car off. should help a little bit. the moisture in the system can have mold grow which stinks.

[099-RBN]

Stinky A/C is almost always caused by MOLD growing in the evaporator core. There is lots of moisture from the normal operation of the A/C, and molds live ware there is plenty of water. Make sure the A/C housing drain in not plugged up. If you run the A/C for a while with the windows down, a puddle of water should appear on the ground under the car. Several products are available to kill the mold. With the pollen filter removed, try spraying lots of Lysol into the air intake duct with the A/C running. You will need to re-treat the problem as needed.

[AudiA4Style]

Its prob what everyone else is saying: MOLD built up on the condensor.

If that is indeed the case, you can easily fix it by turning your heater on full blast, open your hood and spray some Lysol anti-bacterial on air intake.

This whole process should only take about 5 min and your call will be smelling so fresh and so clean clean.

[TheBlueMartin]

There is a Tech Bulletin that dealers can get to solve the problem on B6's for mold in the vent system, so if your under warranty, hit them up. If not, read above...

[copkilla1.8t]

yea take it to the dealer and be like WTF? but my 240 does that form time to time and i just let it run w/ the windows down and it will go away after a few minutes.

[Lakaiguy]

Originally posted by TheBlueMartin
There is a Tech Bulletin that dealers can get to solve the problem on B6's for mold in the vent system, so if your under warranty, hit them up. If not, read above...

Is this a bulletin we could read and fix ourselves?

[Lakaiguy]

I took out the pollin filter just now and it actually smelled a little like mold. I couldnt tell but it looked like there was another filter below the pollin filter, could that be a problem? I ran the heater for a minute and now I'm gonna go try the lysol trick.

Oh yeah and when I spray the lysol do I run the heater or A/C. thanks

[foofighter]

also something to remember...dont always use the recirc because it sometimes traps nasty things and can cause illness...i'm sure you heard of sick buildings well you could potentially have that in your car as well with mold and other nasty sh1t growing in there.

[Ptwiggens]

Well...after my post earlier I realized I had been living with it too long...so I drove down to the dealer and they sprayed something called Frigi-Fresh into it. They didn't charge me anything...good times.

[DELUX]

Originally posted by Big_Fern
Do you smoke in your car? I was told this was the reason my girls car smelled like shit when we turned on the AC

My A4 is doing this, My mom's 02 X5 is also doing this. Nobody in my family smokes. WTF! This mold explanation makes sense as I'm often sneezing in my car as I'm allergic to molds...

I'll see if my warranty can do something about this.

[Ptwiggens]

My dealership...who is anal about warranty...did it for free...took about 20 minutes. They really didn't give me any trouble, which I was very happy about considering I'm no longer under warranty. Just drive over there and tell them what's going on...they should have a quick fix.

[ImaVunDerBrah]

Mine smells too. It was parked for a week and now smells f-ing nasty whenever I drive it. ew

[martini]

i slipped a goldfish in your ac vent the other day....its probably just rotting away...

no biggie

[Awadd9]

Originally posted by 02audiA4ny
i slipped a goldfish in your ac vent the other day....its probably just rotting away...

no biggie

I like to lay the Chilean Sea Bass on my pollen filter

AMW

[Lakaiguy]

Well I sprayed some Lysol anti-bacterial stuff last night but I think it might not of worked. I didnt really attempt to turn it on this morning, I dont really attempt anything at all on my zombie like drive to work.

[techson]

The only time that has ever happend to me is when there is high level of water on the streets and i drive through it. I think the water gets into places underneath the car and then produces a musty odor after a day or so. It s not from the a/c, but from driving through a lot of water. try to think back when your car started smelling and you will notice that it was after you drove through a bunch of water.

[robots_are_neon]

some days it smells woese than others

[TheBlueMartin]

Originally posted by Lakaiguy
Is this a bulletin we could read and fix ourselves?

Yeah, I dont remember what all it said, but Ill have someone look it up this week if I find time to call over there.
Its just taking the cabin filter out, covering all the internal ducts with a cloth/paper to catch the crap, then blowing some liquid through the fan. Give me a couple of days and Ill get back to ya...

[Lakaiguy]

thanks

[DELUX]

where is the cabin air intake? i'm gonna try spraying some lysol in there but i wanna be sure I'm spraying it in the right spot.

[Jet Jockey]

Stop shitting in your car and deselect the recycle button on your A/C.

[Lakaiguy]

Well I never use the recycle feature, I prefer not to marinate in my own brew.

I think I made a huge discovery, my air freshner was making my car smell worse. The ass smell coming out of my vents was just a stale air freshner smell. That's why the smell went away after a bit.

[Feeesh]

you idiot :)

[nitetimea4]

Originally posted by Ptwiggens
Well...after my post earlier I realized I had been living with it too long...so I drove down to the dealer and they sprayed something called Frigi-Fresh into it. They didn't charge me anything...good times.

I have had the frigi fresh treatment. It works for two days and then comes back. I've been living with this stank a/c for a while. now dealer tells me there is nothing they can do. I work for MB as a service advisor and I know that is bull shit. we have the same problem with 211 e-class (03-present). Mercedes actually came out with an updated evaporator with a special finish that would not allow the mold to grow on it. They got sick of paying all the warranty claims(20 hour job to replace an evap on a benz) that they came out with the Wynns treatment. Just to let you know
neither of the fixes have worked. not even replacing the evaporator core, so I know i will just have to live with the smell and treat it through fresh air intake periodically. I think of it as maintenance now! good luck.

[nitetimea4]

Originally posted by dELuX-A4
where is the cabin air intake? i'm gonna try spraying some lysol in there but i wanna be sure I'm spraying it in the right spot.

it is right underneath the hood on passenger side, right by windshield. take off plastic cover and filter and you will see it. it will suck in the lysol as long as you have it set to take in air.