Awkward smell from air-con

Any bros out there experience an awkward smell coming from ur a/c each time to start ur car?
I first started to have this problem once I installed the 3Acarmat. For few weeks, I always get this strong rubber smell from the a/c each time I start. Put lotsa air freshener liao. Then last week the problem seems to be going away. But over the weekend, after DIY-ing my a/c nsulation (dunno whether it is the cause), I experience the awkward smell coming from the a/c again. But this time its a different smell.
Sianz, I got to open my door/windows for 15over seconds every morning when I start my car. If not can faint from the smell.
Please help!!

Is it that you did not change the air-con from circulating outside air to recirculating internal air?

I noted that by default, the air-con is always set to circulating outside air when we switch it on.

when u press off, its auto set to outside air, but when u press the air-con (A/C on) button & not the increase fan button, the auto default is room circulation.

Most brudders give the same reply it seems. But my fault for not being clear. The AC is at internal circulation, the situation is at start up of car, and the surrounding of the car is normal. If somebody cud enlighten would be appreciated. Meanwhile just have to rely on more air freshener.

IMHO, do not use air freshener to mask the smell. Instead I recommend you to buy ionizer and remove any air freshener inside your car cause it could not differentiate between good and bad smell. I'm using Maier brand, solar operated. Hope this will help you to get rid of the smell.

http://www.maier.com.sg/pdts_ap_cd115.html

Another way is to take out your air-con filter and see whether is there any dead things stuck on it?

charcoal may work $2 from daiso

Are you able to describe the smell?
Is it sourish?
If it is, it's probably your liquid or gel-based freshener. Change to non liquid based.

hmm. Thanks for all the good advise.

I'll def look for the ionizer eventually. Have been using a charcoal based freshener leh. But it works well except when the first gust of air from the car in the morning.

Wah, check air con filter ah? Not sure how to do that. Will refer to manual tonight.

duncton wrote:hmm. Thanks for all the good advise.

I'll def look for the ionizer eventually. Have been using a charcoal based freshener leh. But it works well except when the first gust of air from the car in the morning.

Wah, check air con filter ah? Not sure how to do that. Will refer to manual tonight.

there's another method: turn on ur air-con & switch to "heater" mode... the heat will help to remove the smell...

learnt this trick from renault

Thanks for the tip bro! I can do that real quick. It should not harm the ac system by doing so I hope. Never done that in local conditions before. Sauna? Haha...

Need to turn heater on for how long ah?

try for about 5 mins... if still smells, then must check air con liao... scare got dead animals...

If I were you, I will go back to C&C and ask them to fix it for me.

Wah, I also scared its some dead animal lor. But after the first 15 or so seconds, the smell goes away liao leh. Car smell nice and fresh from the charcoal air freshener leh.

And sending to CnC is one way, but going by the problem I face, I think smell will not be there when I send it in. So knowing CnC, if they cannot simulate the problem, they might just say no problem.

Let me try the above few methods see how.

Hey Duncton bro..... I face the same problem as you...... it like for the first 15 - 30 secs......smell like still air like tat...... The smell is stronger if you start the car on a hot afternoon........

Eh? That's quite the same problem I have now. U call it stale air, but I think it just smells really weird.

Did u get it solved? Or u just whack more charcoal air freshnener? Haha...

Nah...... I thought it was normal...... but I did put a air fresherner in front of the air con and the smell was worst...... stale air + perfume air = yucks....... hehehehe...... maybe will check wif tech when next servicing.....

Ic... I've tried to blast the heater just now for 5 mins as suggested by kysoong bro. Monitor for one day.

hi, just some suggestion, is your a/c still cold..? cos.. if pipe starts leaking will cause bad smell too... and gradually (depending on the leak) a/c will turn to hot air...

The ac piping just got insulated 2weeks ago. So the aircon is cooler than before. No lah, I dun suspect leak. But I'll keep a look out for what u suggest. Thanks.

duncton wrote:The ac piping just got insulated 2weeks ago. So the aircon is cooler than before. No lah, I dun suspect leak. But I'll keep a look out for what u suggest. Thanks.

Ok bro duncton, one more observation underneath your car near to the air-con condenser area. Any water dripping after a long drive to your office on a normal day. if no, then something must be wrong some where. Please Check again.

Thanks uncle andi, but I dunno where is this place u are suggesting that I look. Will try.

duncton wrote:Thanks uncle andi, but I dunno where is this place u are suggesting that I look. Will try.

Try looking underneath the passenger side from outside, just below the passenger's feet and that's where the water will drip.
If no water is dripping, then your condenser drip pipe is stuck and stagnant water will create dampness thus the foul smell emits inside the blower unit. Even if there's a minor water leak inside the unit, the same will happen.

ooh... I see. I shall take note tomorro. thanks! If really, then I got to send to CnC no choice liao lor.

do update us.. of the cause..ya? thanks in advance....

duncton wrote:ooh... I see. I shall take note tomorro. thanks! If really, then I got to send to CnC no choice liao lor.

Hey duncton, why don't we meet up during the day since you are staying in the east. I am around Ford road area. See if I can ratify the foul smell problem for you. Don't wait too long!

duncton wrote:Ic... I've tried to blast the heater just now for 5 mins as suggested by kysoong bro. Monitor for one day.

after heater still got smell? if yes, have to let C&C check liao...

oh.. so.. our car got heater too...? ahh... they never customize to our local weather..

andikong wrote:

duncton wrote:ooh... I see. I shall take note tomorro. thanks! If really, then I got to send to CnC no choice liao lor.

Hey duncton, why don't we meet up during the day since you are staying in the east. I am around Ford road area. See if I can ratify the foul smell problem for you. Don't wait too long!

Wah, thanks... would really appreciate your expert opinion. Day time got to work leh. Maybe I see you at the meetup and you can help me troubleshoot the problem?

duncton wrote:

andikong wrote:

duncton wrote:ooh... I see. I shall take note tomorro. thanks! If really, then I got to send to CnC no choice liao lor.

Hey duncton, why don't we meet up during the day since you are staying in the east. I am around Ford road area. See if I can ratify the foul smell problem for you. Don't wait too long!

Wah, thanks... would really appreciate your expert opinion. Day time got to work leh. Maybe I see you at the meetup and you can help me troubleshoot the problem?

OK right, see you at the sunday MU.

onz! thanks for ur help, Andi...

Bro duncton,im suffering e exact same thing right now....u & bro andi found a solution?.....really cannot tahan e smell....im working in Jurong island so many gas smell...den inside car also got foul smell...buay tahan liao..

All those peepz getting foul smell....
Can i ask a couple of questions?
Does all those with foul smell park in open air carpark?
If above Qn is yes, Where u work? How many hours under the sun?

Those without smell parking is shelter or not (be it home or @ work)?

ano57 wrote:All those peepz getting foul smell....
Can i ask a couple of questions?
Does all those with foul smell park in open air carpark?
If above Qn is yes, Where u work? How many hours under the sun?

Those without smell parking is shelter or not (be it home or @ work)?

No smell... parked in shelter, both home and office.

Bro ano57,
My carpark is always sheltered. Again, surrounding quite ok, no smell unlike what rockstar mention about his workplace.

So far, I have done some checks and actions such as heating the car a few times, each abt 5-10mins. And the aircon condensation drainage seems working too.

I'm researching on something to do with engine oil too. Share with all when I have something concrete.

Nope2 my car rarely moves...as im driving company's kangoo...
park at sheltered carpark...

Many possible reasons

Environment plays a part
If you workin near Tuas where flower, coffee, etc type of smell is often felt. That contributes too

Open air heat exposure plays a part
When heat is introducted to cheap plastic material Amazing chemical reason occurs thus the funny smell

Snr Ducton,
If EO is concern with smell, i think the engine compartment should be leacking. It should be sealed in the engine thus should not have any smell.
I realise there were thick thick layer of gum or adhesive being used to stick some part of the bonnet and boot. Maybe is that thing being heated up and vaporised causing the smell?

New car should not have deposit the emits funny smell.
At least running for 2 yrs and depending on where u have went.

Here's some info to share. There are other smiliar products in the market like OWS

Below is how it is being applied.
If you have the cleaning product.. should be applied in similiar way.
REM WHEN U ON THE AIRCON>> DO NOT BE INSIDE to breath the air.
Its only good for ya aircon ducts and vents, NOT FOR ya bronchus

thanks for the advise/recommendation. I'll look out for it.... Sigh... this problem is really making me feel so sianz...

btw, paiseh...dun call me "snr" leh... firstly I not much older than you... more importantly, we're all brudders and friends here... not what snr or not.... haha...

hi Guys.

For those experiencing foul smell from your air-con, it is deal to your air-freshener, sweat and perfume from our body. Food brought into the car is another culprit. Dirty and wet shoes that dirty the mats too. The air in the car is being circulated again and again, leaving all these small particulars on the air vent and valve, thus creating creating these foul smell after some time.

To avoid these, dun use air-freshener, especially. It smells good initially, but actually, gives u these problem later. Furthermore, these air-freshener may cause CANCER! Especially the very strong ones. Imaging u are breathing it in every second when u are driving!

If u get the smell when u start your air-con. This is what u should do:

Turn the air-con to the heater or hot setting, let it blow with the strongest fan setting for about 5 mins. At the same time, wind down all windows. After that, turn it back to normal and let it run for 5 min, with window down too.

Once a while, when driving in area that are not so dirty and light traffic, wind down the windows with the air-con on for 3 mins. U can also it before u stop the car.

For those with the new floor mats, use the charcoal gel or the charcoal to remove the smell, and if possible, let in some fresh air if possible. The smell should go off in a couple of days. I have done this and it works.

Remember to brush your teeth too!

Bigbull,
Thanks for ur contribution, but I think if u read clearly on the whole thread,
u wud not see that the issue is not due to any of the above in our case. Quite sure.

But maybe ur post maybe useful for cases specific to ur description.

duncton wrote: thanks for the advise/recommendation. I'll look out for it.... Sigh... this problem is really making me feel so sianz...

btw, paiseh...dun call me "snr" leh... firstly I not much older than you... more importantly, we're all brudders and friends here... not what snr or not.... haha...

eh.. u my band snr ma... hahaah

the rubber smell of the mat will take some times to clear off...used to kana on our old rides with those cheong 3M mats, so now using original 3M mats instead....

hmm... it could be. when I first put in the 3A carmat, the smell was unbearably terrible.

ppl who wants to get the 3A car matbetter consider carefully

Ok, just an update for what I've done so far. Quite long one but bear with me if you wish to know how to deal with this problem.

I've brought the car down to Autobac for troubleshooting. The mechanic was great. He took out the a/c filters and we agreed it is not from the filter. There's no smell and the dirtiness is not so serious. The reason might be more related to condensation and moisture trapped within the aircon system. Causing bacteria growth and thus giving out a bad odour. Furthermore, there was no parts available for the filter. FYI, they cost $80!!!

So I was not keen to change it as I wanted to look for other options available. The above was all FOC.

After that, I decided to remove my 3A carmat to monitor. Will put it back after confirming if its not contributing to this issue. Think baking it under the sun might help eliminate any remnant smell. Will do that before putting it back in my car.

Further troubleshooting when I got back. I realized my wife always says she could not smell anything foul on her side. True enough, I have confirmed that the smell is coming only from the driver side vent. Folks with this problem might want to check it out.

My search led me to wanna try something as described by ano57 bro. "Airsept" and some other similar kind of treatment was offered by the mechanic at Autobac. But the cost is between $100 - $120. But he cannot guarantee me that the smell will go away. Not positive. So I found this other product in Giant (Tampines).

OWS 889 NANO CABIN & AC FRESH –
Its basically an extremely powerful cabin disinfectant using the latest OWS nanotechnology to kill bacteria/ viruses. Claims it can protect your car for 6 months and works 24/7 to remove foul odors and protect the occupants.

What the heck, I tried on Saturday night. All you need to do is wack aircon to highest fan and select recirculation with windows up. Place under glove compartment where the a/c system take in recirculated air. Press and the button should hold and continue releasing the chemical. Close door and wait for 15mins. After that, the car did not have any more bad smell. (smell more like a hospital initially).

So far 3 days already, the smell has not come back each time I start the car. I'll update this space again if the smell does come back. Looks like it is working.

I have a honda jazz fren oso encounter this problem and used similar product like this.. thk he mentioned it works.. will ask him next time i see him whether the smell come back..

Anyway, jus 2 share, many yrs ago i read from somewhere, there is a simple yet effective way to prevent bad smell from car air-con.. tat is to switch off ur air-con off 3-5 mins b4 reaching ur destination but leave the fan on (can turn to higher level oso).. this way it will reduce the moisture content accumulated in ur aircon system which i believe is the source of awkward moist smell.. i have been doing this whenever possible and from my last ride till the new forte.. i dun encounter any funny smell.. so far so good..

I also encounter the awkward smell from the air-con.... bro duncton, is ur promblem solved?

Hmmm.. I knw there is a few washing car service centers at JB offers nano mist (removing smell, de-fugi etc).. So far I saw one at holiday plaza carpark, one at along the way from holiday plaza to tmn seri tebrau (Using meguire brand to wash car)...

They basically put box-like thingy inside your car and "smoke" your car for entire 10mins or more with your car air con switch on to circulating mode.

i did mine at the later yesterday only, costing RM$25 (nano mist) + RM9 (carwash)...

The problem has so far not returned. I think the nano spray thing has been working so far.

I use to have this pungent awkward smell from the air-con also and until recently, I tried to on the front vent for around 2 to 3 mins thinking if it will get rid of this smell and thereafter, to my surprise the next day and thereafter, when I start the engine, the air-con did not come out this awkward smell anymore.

I tried this before.... washing your car mat after a while. It works for my previous car. Gathered i must have stepped on something.