Bad smell from the vents...

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marcintosh

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2006
Messages
51
Location
Sheffield
Car
E200 W124
The car wasn't in use for a couple of days and yesterday, after turning the fan on, there was this unpleasant smell coming from the vents. No, nothing died in it, just old dust smell. Anything can be done about it? Is there a filter that should have been replaced or some sort of a cleaning spray perhaps?

It is an E200 W124 with no AC.
 
For those who may have the same problem.
Halfords have Aircon system cleaning spray. It is a spray that you lock inside your car and let it spray until it's empty (when you press the trigger, it will lock). It then fills inside of the car with anti-bacterial mist and aparently penetrates the aircon system and also removes all the nasty stuff from your carpets and seats as well.
 
Used that stuff and it worked very well.

But if there is a filter change it as well because the system has to be on recirculate for 10 minutes to allow the spray to work properly. The recirculation setting usually bypasses the air intake filter so if part of your problem is a stinky filter it might not not help much.
 
When my aircon was repaired last year the mechanic soaked the filters in an anti-bacterial spray then with the engine running had the aircon on full blast for 5-10 minutes, I was not to enter the car during this process! The car stank of mints for about a week afterwards but the sweaty-sock smell had gone completely :)
 
It's a '94 car - a pre-filter era as far as I can tell :) Also, there is no AC in it, just normal ventilation. It seems to be much better now. I am not sure how deeply this stuff penetrates the ventilation system. If the problem returns, I will pump this stuff into the air inlets under the bonnet on a working fan to make sure it cleans all the pipes.
 
There will be some filters in there, probably one under the bonnet and definitely one in the cabin.
 
Could it be a perforated heater matrix ? If so, the smell is anti-freeze fumes.
 
Shude said:
There will be some filters in there, probably one under the bonnet and definitely one in the cabin.


I had a look at the inlets under the bonnet and they don't seem to be easily removed. And inside the cabin, do you know where to find them, below the dash?

Shude said:
Could it be a perforated heater matrix ? If so, the smell is anti-freeze fumes.

No, it's just a typical "old sock". Smells like an old vacuum cleaner bag. Well.. not anymore :bannana:
 
I've got this too in My 94 E200! weird. I've not found any filter either. If you find any let us know :)
 
Oh cant believe it - this is a problem I'm having (had for yonks) and trying to sort out this month (also my side air vents air flow is muted compared to other cars). Mine is a musty smell when the recirculate is switched ON. So comments about the pollen filter being bypassed when recirculate is on is confusing me - pls help explain and set me straight.

I thought problem was the pollen filter under the passenger dash. Have got it out, vac it intensively to rid all bits of dust and small twigs, leaves. Anyone know how the whole air system works, pls explain - like when the recir button is ON where is the interior air intake or is the recir simply closing air intake from outside, and does the pollen filter ever get bypassed? I do have AC and whether it is on or not does not reduce musty smell.

What make/brand is the pollen filter? Looking at Euro Car Parts I see Hengst or S/S (what name is this) ... and also with and without AC - why the diff?
 
Last edited:
Some cars have filters that sit upstream of the recirculated air path, so they will get bypassed.

Others have filters located within the recirculation air path itself

And some have more than one filter!

So key to sorting it this out is to find out where your filter(s) are. Also check that it is not something simple (but sometimes really tricky to get at) like a blocked or restricted water drain tube causing a vile cocktail of mold and bug laden water to build up somewhere in the system. The Aircon cleaning sprays will kill that off for a while but the problem will recur.

Once had a BMW (oh the shame of it) with that problem and it went away very soon after sorting out a part blocked drain tube. But I had to put it on a car lift to get at it.

Again, you have to know where these are!
 
Well mine has just the one pollen filter under the passenger dash accessible by removing the panel under the dash in the footwell area, then drop it out vertically. Wavy thing. So which system is mine, can anyone pls help pronto so I can decide and purchase. Thks
 
KLee said:
Well mine has just the one pollen filter under the passenger dash accessible by removing the panel under the dash in the footwell area, then drop it out vertically. Wavy thing. So which system is mine, can anyone pls help pronto so I can decide and purchase. Thks

Try taking the filter out, close everything up and if, on the same fan setting in recirculation mode, the airflow increases (because the fan no longer has the filter to overcome) then it is probably in the recirculation loop.

If it does not try that again in normal external air intake mode and the airflow should increase in which case pretty safe to assume it is outside the recirculation loop
 

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