Just thought I'd try here for a solution to a problem my parents have with their Lancer.

In the last few months, whenever they put water on their windscreen via the water reservoir, a horrid smell fills the car. But it only happens the once, and then if you use the washers again shortly after, it's fine. But then the next day or so, it will do it once again. They've tried putting vinegar through it and it didn't do anything.

Any ideas at all?? Thank you kindly :happy:

Water in the washer bottle is stagnant and is known to produce bacteria and slime which can potentially block the washer pump - this is why you should use them often!

Remove the washer bottle and drain it completely, run the bottle under a hot tap and add a tiny amount of dishwashing detergent and shake it up. Rinse the thing clean and refit to the car, top up with water and see how it goes.

Thanks, but they tried that :(
I wonder what it could be?

Is it possible that the smell isn't from the washer bottle reservoir but rather something under the plenum covers under the wiper arms?

If it were something under the covers, would this cause it to only smell really badly once per drive? Because yeah, it will happen once, and five minutes later if they put the washers on again, it will be fine?!

Mine does it too, its a 2010 model. I just put a shit load of soap in the water bottle and and that seems to take care of it for a while.

I leave the washer bottle in the car and set the hose to "blast", stick the end in and let the bubbles do the work. Make sure there are no electronics nearby if you do this... I put that "bug off" soap stuff in it afterwards, got it in a xmas present, have not checked it since so I cant say if it works or not. Does make it a nice blue. I think I also used demineralised water since dad gets it for free.

Rinse out the washer bottle.... add some dettol or dettol hand soap and fill 1/3. Then keep spraying the windscreen washer for a good 30 seconds. and then, fill it up with clean tap water again.

Dont use water from rain water tank. They tend to have minerals for bacteria to grow. Tap water has a little chlorine to help keep bacterial counts down.

If it the problem persists, then maybe you got a dead kitten under your hood.

Seems that this is not a washer bottle issue as has been washed and treated and Ffeeky has the same issue

I would say it is something to do with what ever is down under that cover, it gets wet and stinks, once wet and the smell is gone it needs to dry out before it is affected again

I would look to take the covers off, spray some water around there and see a. where it goes and b. what gets wet so you can isolate the issue