AC smells funny?

[jimrobbington]

Air conditioning smells funny. Only when on cold air. Smells normal on bypass and heat. Does this have anything to do with the cabin filter, or is there somewhere else I should be looking?

[chrislane31]

Have you ever changed the pollen filter? I change mine every 6 months and run the charcoal filter.

[jimrobbington]

I think it's been changed once in the 3years I've owned it? That's what I meant by cabin filter. The one above the stock airbox, opposite the ECU under the hood. I was thinking of going to the dealer to get one tomorrow if that would help.

[chrislane31]

Yes that could help, but you can get the charcoal aftermarket ones for $15-20

[jimrobbington]

The OEM ones aren't charcoal?

[wootwoot]

Jim you need to turn off your AC a few minutes before you shut your car off. The rotten egg smell is notorious with the B7. There are also air freshener kits that kill the mold that grows in your AC as well. It kills me here in Phoenix where we have to run the AC like crazy and I'm already getting the smell.

[jimrobbington]

I try to. I turn the ac off, but blow all the cold air out until its wam again when I can.

[wootwoot]

If you run the heat full blast for 30 minutes it should clean out any bad smell. Obviously that isn't the easiest thing to do when it is burning hot outside.

[jimrobbington]

Really? I got time tomorrow, I'll give it a shot.

[Ramathorn]

Does the smell go away after running the AC for a few minutes, if so there is mold on your condenser... I had a similar problem with my old GTI.

VW/Audi makes a special cleaning kit for it, or if you are still under warranty/certified they will clean it for free. There may be an aftermarket kit that is cheaper too.

[B-Time]

[Coderedpl]

I think I might have to do that klima-cleaner thing. I've smelled some weird stuff in the past few days too.....at first I thought it was just the food i ate -_-

[jimrobbington]

Can you get stuff like that from like auto zone, or internet only?

[mr_esmit]

Remove the cabin/ pollen filter and spray some lysol disinfectant spray down there. While doning this put your AC on heater at full blast for about 10 to 15 minutes. Should do the trick. Bad news is you'll have to do this about once every 6 months due to the infamous mould build up in our AC systems.... The upside is the car smells great every time you tun on the AC.

[beantown]

Can you get stuff like that from like auto zone, or internet only?

It's made by the German-based company, 1Z. They make incredibly good products btw. You can pick some up from Detailer's Domain: http://www.detailersdomain.com/carca...maCleaner.html

[jimrobbington]

I'm changing the pollen filter and trying out the lysol method since I am impatient. If that doesn't work, I'll be ordering the crazy german shit next.

[beantown]

I'm changing the pollen filter and trying out the lysol method since I am impatient. If that doesn't work, I'll be ordering the crazy german shit next.

You're probably better off installing an OEM charcoal-lined filter. Although more expensive, the purpose of them are to eliminate odor causing particles.

Another link for ya Jim: http://audi.bernardiparts.com/Produc...819-439-C.aspx

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

Remove the cabin/ pollen filter and spray some lysol disinfectant spray down there. While doning this put your AC on heater at full blast for about 10 to 15 minutes. Should do the trick. Bad news is you'll have to do this about once every 6 months due to the infamous mould build up in our AC systems.... The upside is the car smells great every time you tun on the AC.

^^ This

Along with changing the cabin filter regularly.

We have them available below.

Click HERE to order or for more information.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Jason

[jimrobbington]

How often should this filter be changed?

[chrislane31]

I dont know what they recommend, but right at 6 month is where I can tell it smells different. I normally change it now in late Spring/Early summer and early Winter.

[9Hooker]

bought the klima cleaner on ebay for $13.00 shipped.

Detailers domain wants $14.99 plus $12.00 shipping. No thanks.

[b7kevin]

Literally was googling this today at work!

Also a good idea is to check the ac drain for a plug. If you do not see a puddle of water under the car after running the ac for a period of time this indicates a plugged drain.

That backed up water festers in the car causing it to smell. I haven't found any b7 specific threads but its more or less unanimous that the drain tube is located on the passenger side foot well. Its a black tube connected to a small box.

[Coderedpl]

Charcoal filter on amazon for 15.51 with free super saver shipping:
Clicky
(same mfg# as on Europa Parts)

I saw my car pissing on the ground the other day so I would guess my drain plug is fine lol

[wootwoot]

Charcoal filter on amazon for 15.51 with free super saver shipping:
Clicky
(same mfg# as on Europa Parts)

I saw my car pissing on the ground the other day so I would guess my drain plug is fine lol

Thx for the link. Getting one myself.

[9Hooker]

Literally was googling this today at work!

Also a good idea is to check the ac drain for a plug. If you do not see a puddle of water under the car after running the ac for a period of time this indicates a plugged drain.

That backed up water festers in the car causing it to smell. I haven't found any b7 specific threads but its more or less unanimous that the drain tube is located on the passenger side foot well. Its a black tube connected to a small box.

good idea to check it. does anyone know exactly where it is?

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

I think the recommended replacement interval is 15k miles.

Jason

[Dirtyylicous]

OK so I have a bad smell coming through the vents but it isn't only when its on ac but also when the heat is on

I've done the following
Cabin filter
Lysol down where the cabin filter is
Klima klean (twice)
A HVAC cleaner from advance auto parts

I let the car run with the ac on and checked 10 min later and there was liquid under the car so there isn't any clogs.

If anyone has any ideas thatll help please let me know. Its disgusting and embarrassing with passengers

[Obsidian]

OK so I have a bad smell coming through the vents but it isn't only when its on ac but also when the heat is on

I've done the following
Cabin filter
Lysol down where the cabin filter is
Klima klean (twice)
A HVAC cleaner from advance auto parts

I let the car run with the ac on and checked 10 min later and there was liquid under the car so there isn't any clogs.

If anyone has any ideas thatll help please let me know. Its disgusting and embarrassing with passengers

Use Lysol or Ozium and spray into the outside air intake with the heat on high. The hot air will help kill the bacteria which is causing the smell. Make sure you roll down the windows and run it for about 20 min and then spray some more if there is still an odor. Do this until you have "fresh" air coming out the vents. BTW on the second dose spray and then put on the recirculation mode. This will circulate the Lysol back through the inner intake vents too.

[Dirtyylicous]

Obsidian, I did what you said with Lysol 3 different it days.

It works while you do it, the heat or ac smells like and fresh but the next day or later on that day when I start my car it'll smell again.

I tried hurting econ 5 min before I reach my destination and even tried blasting the heat to dry everything up but nothing seems to work because next time I start the car it will stink for the first couple min of driving

[Obsidian]

Obsidian, I did what you said with Lysol 3 different it days.

It works while you do it, the heat or ac smells like and fresh but the next day or later on that day when I start my car it'll smell again.

I tried hurting econ 5 min before I reach my destination and even tried blasting the heat to dry everything up but nothing seems to work because next time I start the car it will stink for the first couple min of driving

So you sprayed both in the outside intake under the hood and into the blower? To spray into the blower u need to drop the glove box. I would try with some Ozium if you used Lysol first. I used Ozium and it worked for me without having to use Lysol. You can pick Ozium up at ur local Walgreens. Try that and see what happens.

[Dirtyylicous]

I'll give it a try tmrw, I sprayed under the hood but didn't spray in the glove box. I have sprayed into the vent with kilma klean tho. Thanks

[Obsidian]

I'll give it a try tmrw, I sprayed under the hood but didn't spray in the glove box. I have sprayed into the vent with kilma klean tho. Thanks

Keep the AC off. You want to run full heat when you are spraying it. Take out the cabin air filter and spray into the intake. After you have sprayed quite a bit in there turn on the recirculation button to cycle the interior air. This will close the butterflies where the cabin air filter is. Let that run on full heat for about 15-20 min and windows down. If you are still having the smell I would check your EVAP drain hose, that may be clogged and causing the smell. Good luck!

[aaron1085]

forgive me.....where is the cabin air filter to blow the lysol in to?

[Coderedpl]

forgive me.....where is the cabin air filter to blow the lysol in to?

Cabin filter is:
Passenger side, under the battery tray cover thing (if you have one)
And then there is a plastic cover with two clips I believe. Pull up and out and the filter is there.

[CorneliusRox]

Keep the AC off. You want to run full heat when you are spraying it. Take out the cabin air filter and spray into the intake. After you have sprayed quite a bit in there turn on the recirculation button to cycle the interior air. This will close the butterflies where the cabin air filter is. Let that run on full heat for about 15-20 min and windows down. If you are still having the smell I would check your EVAP drain hose, that may be clogged and causing the smell. Good luck!

Where is the drain tube? Mine might be clogged

Cabin filter is:
Passenger side, under the battery tray cover thing (if you have one)
And then there is a plastic cover with two clips I believe. Pull up and out and the filter is there.

Mine doesnt have two clips but just sits held in place by the weather strip. And it is between the 1st and second firewall all the way on the pass side.

[typeslone]

Does the smell go away after running the AC for a few minutes, if so there is mold on your condenser... I had a similar problem with my old GTI.

VW/Audi makes a special cleaning kit for it, or if you are still under warranty/certified they will clean it for free. There may be an aftermarket kit that is cheaper too.

We call the special cleaning kit a mist service, mist is the name of the company that makes the tool. It works pretty good actually.

I always recommend to everyone to change their cabin filter and wiper blades every 6 months. Always use the charcoal filter if its available, some of the older vw and audi's didn't have charcoal filters, it was just a plain filter.

Jimrobbington, if you have a shop near you that sells BG products, you can see if they will sell you a can of frigi-fresh. It is a hvac deodorizer that BG makes, you spray it in the fresh air vent and run your system on full blast, then change the cabin filter. It smells pretty decent and does an ok job at cleaning the system for a while. If you have access to a dealer that will do the mist service for cheap, I recommend that though, it is much more effective. Any car we get in at the dealer for musty/moldy smell from the vents gets a mist cleaning service and a new pollen filter.

Also always make sure your cowl is clean of debris, overtime that stuff has a tendency to smell. Once a crab apple somehow got stuck under the cowl covers right by the cabin filter housing, man did that thing smell after a week. Even with the full length cowl/battery covers it somehow made its way in.

[mr shickadance]

OK so I have a bad smell coming through the vents but it isn't only when its on ac but also when the heat is on

I've done the following
Cabin filter
Lysol down where the cabin filter is
Klima klean (twice)
A HVAC cleaner from advance auto parts

I let the car run with the ac on and checked 10 min later and there was liquid under the car so there isn't any clogs.

If anyone has any ideas thatll help please let me know. Its disgusting and embarrassing with passengers

can you describe the smell? is it a bit sour? almost rotten?

you can change the filters, and lysol until your blue in the face but if you have a dead mouse or family of mouses, that smell is not going to go away until you remove said mouses. (i know it;s mice btw)


ask yourself if your car has been sitting for a week or so?

given that you have lysol'd, klima kleaned, changed the filter, etc. AND the smell is still coming through with heat on, i am guessing you have a critter problem.

[Dirtyylicous]

Damn, I never thought about that... Hmm

[Hugh@EuropaParts]

there are two different filters to choose from... paper and charcoal...

Cabin Filter (Paper)



Cabin Filter (Charcoal)

[shiro1745]

Air conditioning smells funny. Only when on cold air. Smells normal on bypass and heat. Does this have anything to do with the cabin filter, or is there somewhere else I should be looking?

Why you want to fix it? You're in a good mood while driving and if it becomes so funny that sometimes it makes you laugh, even better