Bad smell from aircon

[Mick_STX]

Hey guys, can anyone shed any light on this.

My air con smells really bad almost like curry powder. If I turn it off I still get the smell coming through and it really unpleasant. I get the smell start as soon as I turn it on, any ideas?

Its a 2010 D40 STX and it just started smelling the other day its not something that has slowly been getting worse.

Cheers

 

[4BYFOR]

Sounds like you may have a leak.. Or maybe something has died in the vents lol.. Either way you might be smelling the ac gas coming through I don't see it being anything else... Does it do it when the heater is on or ac is not engaged?

 

[JPMC]

I second that it could be a leak or it could also be bacteria growing in the system.
You can get anti-bacteria sprays for them if that's the cause.

 

[bsp]

I have the same issue although mine smells more like a musty smell.
I had the air con drain through the firewall checked and there was no moisture there. Apparently they have seal issues around this point. Might be worth checking, including moisture in the passenger foot well.

Keen to sort mine out! Been an issue for a year or so.

 

[bsp]

Ps mine is a 2010 Thai built ST.

 

[Mick_STX]

I have not tried the heater but when I turn the air con off and put all the window down I can still smell it. Also if I have the window up then everything fogs up

 

[Aussie Frontier]

Mick
To me it sounds like your possibly smelling coolant .Check to see if your coolant level is dropping.It could be a leak near the top grill where the air is all sucked in.The fact the screens all fog up as soon as you close the windows would indicate you have a moisture issue and a leak close to the intakes from under the bonnet could do it. Or worst case scenario it could be a leak in the heater core .Hopefull neither but might be worth checking

BSP your AC is being turned off with moisture in the system. I had same in my dads crumpledore.I got some BiCarb and put it in a small box on the passengers floor till it sucked up all the smell
As to keeping it gone try turning the AC off at least 5 minutes before shutting the car off.
In the US they have a product called Sea Foam that apparently takes care of just that issue. Basically it smells like mould growing happily inside your heater box.

 

[rabbit-chop]

Cats pissing down the scuttle vent?

 

[Harry 1960]

Hey Mick
Had the same smell in my Landrover but it was when the heater was put on.
Aussie Frontier said coolant and I would look at that as not long after the heater core went.

Harry

 

[mancini]

Had this problem since i bought car second hand from Northside Nissan Perth, mentioned it to them and you guessed it they couldnt smell it so nothing was done. I dont think it is a leak on mine as coolant doesnt go down, more like the bacteria theory i think, mine only smells at certain times and then goes away, strange but true.

 

[NAV2795]

spray some glen20 in the air intake (generally under the glove box), might just have a bad smell in the system. Worked for me once before

 

[Pete22]

Might be worthwhile to check your in-cabin pollen filters (there are 2 in a slot located behind the lower glove compartment). Any contaminants should be trapped here.

I just replaced mine again after my Cape York trip last year....and lots of dust and they were totally blocked with crap. Remember that filter elements are now available from Repco.....and about a quarter of the cost of the OEM filters from Nissan.

 

[siringo]

Yep pollen filters are also available from sydney filters services. It's not a dead mouse? It's getting colder and mice crawl in anywhere to get warm at night.

With your windows fogging up, mine only do that when I have the air on recirculate. Can you detect a change in the air when you let in fresh, then go to recirculated air?

 

[Mick_STX]

I checked the filters there was not much crap in them but ill go get some new ones anyway, and ill try getting some spray to see if that works.

I have tried all the different setting on the air con, fresh, recirculated and heater and they all smell really bad. I have closed all the vents and that is the only way I can drive it at the moment.

 

[4BYFOR]

I checked the filters there was not much crap in them but ill go get some new ones anyway, and ill try getting some spray to see if that works.

I have tried all the different setting on the air con, fresh, recirculated and heater and they all smell really bad. I have closed all the vents and that is the only way I can drive it at the moment.

Lol sorry to laugh but that's got to suck! You may need to spray the system with some deodorizer and see if it helps.

 

[steve1961]

I had that problem once as well , got rid of the misses , problem solved , the whining noise vanished too :-D :-D

 

[bsp]

Mick
To me it sounds like your possibly smelling coolant .Check to see if your coolant level is dropping.It could be a leak near the top grill where the air is all sucked in.The fact the screens all fog up as soon as you close the windows would indicate you have a moisture issue and a leak close to the intakes from under the bonnet could do it. Or worst case scenario it could be a leak in the heater core .Hopefull neither but might be worth checking

BSP your AC is being turned off with moisture in the system. I had same in my dads crumpledore.I got some BiCarb and put it in a small box on the passengers floor till it sucked up all the smell
As to keeping it gone try turning the AC off at least 5 minutes before shutting the car off.
In the US they have a product called Sea Foam that apparently takes care of just that issue. Basically it smells like mould growing happily inside your heater box.

I tried your suggestions and so far they seem to be working (particularly the bicarb). Thanks!!