Hey

Whenever i turn my air-con fan on i get this really bad smell coming from my air con. the smell is kinda musky and cigarette smelling and on a hot day its even bloody worse then normal:(

i have tried 3 different disinfectants/deodorizers in the air con system but they still didnt get rid of the smell, i sprayed the three cans into the outside air intake of the air con:)

i was just wondering if anyone has had any personal experience with this kinda thing because it had me freakin stumped and i need to fix it before summer really hits

Thanks Guys!

Hey

Whenever i turn my air-con fan on i get this really bad smell coming from my air con. the smell is kinda musky and cigarette smelling and on a hot day its even bloody worse then normal:(

i have tried 3 different disinfectants/deodorizers in the air con system but they still didnt get rid of the smell, i sprayed the three cans into the outside air intake of the air con:)

i was just wondering if anyone has had any personal experience with this kinda thing because it had me freakin stumped and i need to fix it before summer really hits

Thanks Guys!

well my heater core is leaking, and i think that is causing my smell - but i thought this was only a problem comming with 3rd gens... then again who knows, maybe the aircon is on its way out?

mine smells like fish when its cold, but with the added bonus of smelling like maple syrup when is hot.

do magnas use an air con filter? my evo (import) has one.. could it be that?

nah magnas dont use filters:(

but umm the smell is there when its on heater just not as bad but it still stinks

mine smells like fish when its cold, but with the added bonus of smelling like maple syrup when is hot.

Hahaha interesting car you got there.

Ive recently noticed a bit of a smell in my car, but only after using air-con. So if I use the air-con, and later on during the day I turn the fan on, even without the air-con, I notice a slight smell at first. Not that bad, but maybe due to some bacteria or mold or something? I have noticed at Mitusbishi dealerships they recommend this air-con flush and spray service, which dis-infects and de-oderises the smell, because that smell is the 'main cause of car sickness'. But being a stupidly expensive thing they recommend to everyone to make some extra money, I dont think I will ever try it.

Ollie

Basically your car has BO. The smell is caused by bacteria and fungi growing inside the ducts. They feed on a mixture of dust, decaying leaves and moisture. The best way to get rid of it is to put a hose down the vents below the windscreen on the outside. Then find a warm dry day, open all windows, turn the fan on high, walk away and leave it on for a while to dry any moisture in the ducts. To speed things up have the engine running and turn the heater on high/flowthrough. Repeat as necessary.

mine smells like fish when its cold, but with the added bonus of smelling like maple syrup when is hot.

Yep, those smells are definitely coolant leaking and soaking into your carpet!

This probably is not the cause of problem, but it's such a good tip I thought I'd share it, as we are on the topic of Stinky A/C.

We all know the recirc button works well and it can even save you fuel in summer and on long trips. Not only does it cool the car, but it strips the air of humidity too. But after your car is cool and dry, more humidity enters the air via your breath and your sweat. Stinky stuff.

So, 10 minutes of every hour, and the last 10 minutes of every trip, push the recirc button off or turn it to fresh (depending on model) and, then, the humid air from outside, as it drops its water, will help to rinse your body fluids of from the internals of your Air conditioner. Its no wonder they stink!!!!!

It's also the fastest way to cool your car, as the air temp outside is cooler than the interior, at start up, turn to fresh, and wind down a window, this pushes the hotter air inside your car out the window, replacing it with the cooler outside air, (which starts being cooled by the aircon). After a few minutes operate as normal again.

I have seen incar smokers use the last method, but by turning the fan (set to fresh) to flat out and aimed at your feet, smoke goes straight out the drivers window, which would be wound down an inch. Works best one smoker at a time.

You should be putting your aircon on fresh every 30minutes.

Carbon dioxide builds up rather quickly inside cars, which is one of the reasons you get more tired on long trips.

SHHOT's tip is in my magna's manual... i remember reading that once.

Hey

Whenever i turn my air-con fan on i get this really bad smell coming from my air con. the smell is kinda musky and cigarette smelling and on a hot day its even bloody worse then normal:(

i have tried 3 different disinfectants/deodorizers in the air con system but they still didnt get rid of the smell, i sprayed the three cans into the outside air intake of the air con:)

i was just wondering if anyone has had any personal experience with this kinda thing because it had me freakin stumped and i need to fix it before summer really hits

Thanks Guys!

I had this problem recently, my radiator cap busted so the overflow wasnt working, and the that was causing the coolant to boil which smells like dead fish, soon after my thremostat jammed and made the worst smell in the world!

Is'nt there a drain hole somewhere that can become blocked making things stinky? looked in my manual but can't find anything.

Hey

Whenever i turn my air-con fan on i get this really bad smell coming from my air con. the smell is kinda musky and cigarette smelling and on a hot day its even bloody worse then normal:(

i have tried 3 different disinfectants/deodorizers in the air con system but they still didnt get rid of the smell, i sprayed the three cans into the outside air intake of the air con:)

i was just wondering if anyone has had any personal experience with this kinda thing because it had me freakin stumped and i need to fix it before summer really hits

Thanks Guys!
Do you at the same time have the typical 2nd gen violent idle with aircon and lack of power?
my smell isnt bad, but i think my aircon needs servicing or something, its ****s me

haha yeah i sometimes have the violent idle.. when i first bought the car and it first happened i was bloody freakin out and then i put it down to the air con haha..... it doesnt really happen anymore THANK GOD!

but then smell i still there after me trying the water down the front vent on a hotter day thingo

any other ideas guys?

My aircon smells bad aswell, but i only bought the car a few days ago and the guy i got it off had some serious b/o. So im not sure if it is this bacterial infection in my vents you speak of, or if the guys stench is just hanging around for a while.

It kinda smells like a mix between cat pee and vomit.weird :nuts:

My aircon smells bad aswell, but i only bought the car a few days ago and the guy i got it off had some serious b/o. So im not sure if it is this bacterial infection in my vents you speak of, or if the guys stench is just hanging around for a while.

It kinda smells like a mix between cat pee and vomit.weird :nuts:

Unfortunatly this can be a direct result of what it smells like - a tom cat pissing on your windscreen and in your air vents. It has happened to me and takes ages to go away. The guy selling might have deliberately got stinky so you wouldn't blame the car :D - enjoy! Unless you get in there and hose it out then dry as posted by others earlier.

Dont worry, It is a common thing of all air-conditioners to do, even your home ones. I have smelt that in Beemers and Audis as well. This is what you call condensation water breeding bacteria (Its not dangerous, it only stinks). It should go away as soon as you turn on the airconditioning as the new condensate washes away the old condensate within the cabin's air-cond cooler core..

Its wise to turn off A/C 2 minutes before end of trip and turn off the recirculation. This evaporates the condensation hence preventing the bacterial smells from forming. If problem persists for long periods, then you might have a blocked condensation escape hose.

Hi Guys,

Do you smoke like i do ? if yes then the air con must stink,

Switch the Airflow from cycle to direct when smoking, then the Mitsu Dealer Sells something like a Foam Bottle That comes with a very long tiny plastic piple, get it and insert the pipes way into the end of each ac window/hall, sorry forgot the word :(, and spray the foam inside, it will kill all the bad smell,

Cheers,

A tip from an A/C mechanic.

Set air to fresh, turn fan up full, a/c on, get a can of Glen 20 and spray heaps into both air vents outside near base of windscreen where fresh air is sucked in.

While you are still spraying, get someone else to surn off fan first and set air to re-cycle quickly to keep glen 20 inside the system still for as long as possible, pref a few hours.

Repeat if needed.

It actually works.