Smelly air con

CaliforniaBen · Sep 16, 2015

Our air con smells of rotten eggs, it is still nice and cold but just a horrible smell.

I notice you can buy products to run through the system, do any of these work?

MattBW · Sep 16, 2015

I can only speak from using one with my Alfa, but although it did freshen it slightly it didn't get rid of it entirely. The alfa had internal and external air circulation and when this switched the smell would return, probably in the pollen filter or similar? So although it can work there may be other areas that need a clean that the spray can't get?

AlanC · Sep 16, 2015

Same here, was improved but still just there. A new pollen filter has improved things a little more.

Best solution apparently, is to run the air con all the time so there is no build up of the bacteria that causes the smell.

Alan

treecity · Sep 16, 2015

AlanC said:
Best solution apparently, is to run the air con all the time so there is no build up of the bacteria that causes the smell.

We have run our cars with Air Con like this for years and they never get "smelly".

WelshGas · Sep 16, 2015

There are companies that can decontaminate the system. I've used these systems myself though with good effect but you must change the Pollen Filter and follow the instructions to the letter.
I found it best to chuck the old filter and not fit the new filter until the system has been treated twice, waiting 24 hrs between treatments and then re-fit a new filter.
If you want to avoid this problem in the future then leave Air Con on. It doesn't just cool the air it also dries it.

G&Ts · Dec 26, 2016

STP air con cleaner works well, I believe the bad smell is from a build up of bacteria living off the moisture that the air con strips out of the air when it is running.
Had a lot of customers come to where I work with the same issue, although my reference smell for it it is French Cheese!
The can is like a grenade, pop the seal, leave it in the vehicle with the air con running (read the instructions) and it'll clear the stink in no time... well, 15 minutes.