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Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents - Car Talk - Nairaland

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Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by cuteboy2: 12:12am On Sep 28, 2014
Please HELP!!!

Bad fermented odour comes out from my my car airconditioning vent, when you switch on A/C. After about 3 minutes, the smell clears.
I have used car air fresheners to no avail. I thought it was just a problem perculiar to my Honda Accord. Now my other car is beginning to give me same problem.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by icemann(m): 1:45am On Sep 28, 2014
Have you tried changing you cabin air filter? In most cars its around the glove compartment.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by cuteboy2: 1:49am On Sep 28, 2014
icemann: Have you tried changing you cabin air filter? In most cars its around the glove compartment.

I have cleaned the A/C filter, but the problem persists
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by Nobody: 2:22am On Sep 28, 2014
When you run your AC and then stop, is there a pool of water under the car or does your passenger front mat gets wet?
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by Nutase: 5:45am On Sep 28, 2014
The common factor between the two cars is OBVIOUS.
So check the correct thing. grin
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by chukel(m): 6:27am On Sep 28, 2014
Nutase: The common factor between the two cars is OBVIOUS.
So check the correct thing. grin
bad guy. The common factor is the owner/driver. Lol. Op, do u have rodents in Ur premises?
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by Nutase: 6:36am On Sep 28, 2014
chukel: bad guy. The common factor is the owner/driver. Lol. Op, do u have rodents in Ur premises?

Na u talk am oo lipsrsealed
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by GAZZUZZ(m): 8:27am On Sep 28, 2014
Nutase: T[b]he common factor between the two cars is OBVIOUS.
So check the correct thing.[/b] grin

grin
grin

Rodent problem check cabin air passages under bonnet for fruits dropped by rodents.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by cuteboy2: 12:05pm On Sep 28, 2014
chukel: bad guy. The common factor is the owner/driver. Lol. Op, do u have rodents in Ur premises?

No I don't have rats in or around my house. Checked my engine to be sure they are not nesting in the ventilation ducts.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by barthosa(m): 12:31pm On Sep 28, 2014
CityNG: When you run your AC and then stop, is there a pool of water under the car or does your passenger front mat gets wet?
I'm having same issue and my passenger carpet is always wet. What might cause this?
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by chukel(m): 3:27pm On Sep 28, 2014
barthosa:
I'm having same issue and my passenger carpet is always wet. What might cause this?
blocked ac drainage hose. Wen d ac is on, does water drip from under d car?
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by Nobody: 6:53pm On Sep 28, 2014
barthosa:
I'm having same issue and my passenger carpet is always wet. What might cause this?

There is a drain tube that goes from your AC system under the dashboard and comes out somewhere under the car.

This drain tube is blocked or has dislodged from the AC system in your car.

What "I" do is use a rigid piece of metal like hanger (use adult sense and care here) to try to poke the stuff that is blocking it.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by GAZZUZZ(m): 9:42pm On Sep 28, 2014
barthosa:
I'm having same issue and my passenger carpet is always wet. What might cause this?

Iv seen a lot of patchy work done to a.c evaporators, if you look under the dash near the blower motor, and it looks like a some patching was done (melted plastic) don't bother just save your self the headache and replace the evaporator, most times the problem is that the car was converted and evap was squeezed in and resized, or old evap had a problem and the replacement used (which was cheaper) was a right handed evap, so look under the dash and fill us in on what you see.

Meanwhile I guess we are derailing the original post.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by cuteboy2: 8:46am On Sep 29, 2014
GAZZUZZ:

Iv seen a lot of patchy work done to a.c evaporators, if you look under the dash near the blower motor, and it looks like a some patching was done (melted plastic) don't bother just save your self the headache and replace the evaporator, most times the problem is that the car was converted and evap was squeezed in and resized, or old evap had a problem and the replacement used (which was cheaper) was a right handed evap, so look under the dash and fill us in on what you see.

Meanwhile I guess we are derailing the original post.

I bought both cars brand new. Absolutely no A/C retrofit on either rides.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by cuteboy2: 8:52am On Sep 29, 2014
CityNG: When you run your AC and then stop, is there a pool of water under the car or does your passenger front mat gets wet?

No it doesn't soak the mat. Drains under the car nicely in normal way.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by davo3286: 10:37am On Sep 29, 2014
cuteboy2: Please HELP!!!

Bad fermented odour comes out from my my car airconditioning vent, when you switch on A/C. After about 3 minutes, the smell clears.
I have used car air fresheners to no avail. I thought it was just a problem perculiar to my Honda Accord. Now my other car is beginning to give me same problem.

It might be that your drain pipe is blocked or becoming blocked thereby causing some growth of fungi in your HVAC system either in the vent ducts or in the AC lines/or other component. The drain pipe might not be blocked but fungi can grow due to dew or dampness in the vent ducts. To prevent this, switch off the AC leaving the blower or fan ON in HIGH mode 3 to 5mins before you switch OFF your engine to dry the duct or reduce the moisture. For the bad odour, you can try using any strong deodorizer with a small connecting pipe like the one on cab cleaners. Now, open the bonnet and you will see an air inlet vent close to the driver side below the wipers. Start the car, switch OFF recirc control with the blower on MEDIUM then spray liberally into the vent letting it run for at least 15minutes. Next, turn ON the heat and spray again. You may need to repeat depending on your case. In my case I wasted two cans on the sh1t. grin If after doing this and you still experience same thing then you may have to TOTALLY flush and refill your AC. After this, follow the preventive measure by switching OFF your AC leaving the blower on HIGH 3-5mins before you switch OFF.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by GAZZUZZ(m): 12:50pm On Sep 29, 2014
cuteboy2:

I bought both cars brand new. Absolutely no A/C retrofit on either rides.

Sorry for the derail, I quoted barthosa.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by GAZZUZZ(m): 1:32pm On Sep 29, 2014
davo3286:

It might be that your drain pipe is blocked or becoming blocked thereby causing some growth of fungi in your HVAC system either in the vent ducts or in the AC lines/or other component. The drain pipe might not be blocked but fungi can grow due to dew or dampness in the vent ducts. To prevent this, switch off the AC leaving the blower or fan ON in HIGH mode 3 to 5mins before you switch OFF your engine to dry the duct or reduce the moisture. For the bad odour, you can try using any strong deodorizer with a small connecting pipe like the one on cab cleaners. Now, open the bonnet and you will see an air inlet vent close to the driver side below the wipers. Start the car, switch OFF recirc control with the blower on MEDIUM then spray liberally into the vent letting it run for at least 15minutes. Next, turn ON the heat and spray again. You may need to repeat depending on your case. In my case I wasted two cans on the sh1t. grin If after doing this and you still experience same thing then you may have to TOTALLY flush and refill your AC. After this, follow the preventive measure by switching OFF your AC leaving the blower on HIGH 3-5mins before you switch OFF.

The bolded is a total waste of feron.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by inze(m): 6:34pm On Sep 29, 2014
GAZZUZZ:

The bolded is a total waste of feron.

You mean Freon?
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by GAZZUZZ(m): 8:18pm On Sep 29, 2014
inze:

You mean Freon?

FREON thanks.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by cuteboy2: 6:56am On Sep 30, 2014
davo3286:

It might be that your drain pipe is blocked or becoming blocked thereby causing some growth of fungi in your HVAC system either in the vent ducts or in the AC lines/or other component. The drain pipe might not be blocked but fungi can grow due to dew or dampness in the vent ducts. To prevent this, switch off the AC leaving the blower or fan ON in HIGH mode 3 to 5mins before you switch OFF your engine to dry the duct or reduce the moisture. For the bad odour, you can try using any strong deodorizer with a small connecting pipe like the one on cab cleaners. Now, open the bonnet and you will see an air inlet vent close to the driver side below the wipers. Start the car, switch OFF recirc control with the blower on MEDIUM then spray liberally into the vent letting it run for at least 15minutes. Next, turn ON the heat and spray again. You may need to repeat depending on your case. In my case I wasted two cans on the sh1t. grin If after doing this and you still experience same thing then you may have to TOTALLY flush and refill your AC. After this, follow the preventive measure by switching OFF your AC leaving the blower on HIGH 3-5mins before you switch OFF.

Thanks bro. This is quite professional. Will try it.

When I complained about this problem to my mechanic they cleaned the air filter under the glove compartment, but that didn't solve the problem.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by cuteboy2: 7:00am On Sep 30, 2014
GAZZUZZ:

The bolded is a total waste of feron.

Well I guess freon replacement is Plan - B incase deodorization and fungus drying out does not work. Maybe the thinking is that the refrigeration medium is contaminated.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by GAZZUZZ(m): 7:17am On Sep 30, 2014
cuteboy2:

Well I guess fr eon replacement is Plan - B incase deodorization and fungus drying out does not work. Maybe the thinking is that the refrigeration medium is contaminated.

It shouldnt be a plan at all. The Gas remains in enclosed pipes, it gets cold and air blows against it, has no relation with the fermented odour.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by inze(m): 11:50am On Sep 30, 2014
cuteboy2:

Well I guess freon replacement is Plan - B incase deodorization and fungus drying out does not work. Maybe the thinking is that the refrigeration medium is contaminated.

If Freon can be contaminated, what then stops it from evaporating at the time of contamination?

Remember its Gas not liquid
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by davo3286: 6:06pm On Oct 01, 2014
inze:

If Freon can be contaminated, what then stops it from evaporating at the time of contamination?

Remember its Gas not liquid

Yes, freon can be contaminated.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by bravolad(m): 11:11am On Oct 02, 2014
You may need to sanitize your A/C vents with a specialized equipment. If you are in Abuja, you can send me a pm so I tell you where to go.
Re: Bad Fermented Odour From Car A/C Vents by cuteboy2: 8:41pm On Oct 13, 2014
GAZZUZZ:


It shouldnt be a plan at all. The Gas remains in enclosed pipes, it gets cold and air blows against it, has no relation with the fermented odour.

You are absolutely correct. It is a closed system. Any leak will lead to complete loss of the refrigerant and there will be no cooling.

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