Smelly Heater - S2 Exige

anthonyyule · Post by **anthonyyule** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:08 am

As the post suggests......

Car still under warranty, but to avoid another ride to Edinburgh before its service in the Autumn - any ideas why the heater might be smelly, and or how I could fix it?

Smells of cheesy feet - and is especially unpleasant when the heater is turned to "hot". its just bearable when cold.......

MacK · Post by **MacK** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:12 am

Something stuck in your air inlet grills?

A small leak in the heater matrix? Has your coolant level dropped at all?

anthonyyule · Post by **anthonyyule** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:24 am

Coolant level appears fine, but Ill double check. If there was a small leak, has anyone got any heath robinson stylee repairs which i could do, before I head south again.

To appear totally ignorant - how could I check if there was anything stuck, and is it quite easy to remove any "foreign bodies"

jj · Post by jj » Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:31 am

Antony,

I have found this on my exige as well. it also seems to only really be when it is on hot, and it might be my imagination, but when I smell it, I stick the AC on for a bit and then it seems to go away. Must be some bacteria somewhere in the system, as I imagine it also has water in it in places that may start to smell every so often?

MacK · Post by **MacK** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:55 am

jj wrote: Must be some bacteria somewhere in the system, as I imagine it also has water in it in places that may start to smell every so often?

You can get a de-oderiser from Halfords (and other motorfactors) to try and fix that. You spary it into the low level vents and it gets into the matrix and 'cleans' it.

I've never used it, but a mate says it works well. Just for cars with A/C though!

anthonyyule · Post by **anthonyyule** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:08 am

Thanks for your advise and tips guys.
I kinda thought I was going mad!!

Ill pop over to Halfrauds later and pick up a cheesy feet deodoriser!!

woody · Post by **woody** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:21 am

Had this on a previous car with a/c. The solution in the end was to keep the a/c on on a run all the way to Brighton and back. It's just lack of use that makes them go smelly, IIRC your supposed to run a/c for half an hour a week.

dezzy · Post by **dezzy** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:57 am

I had this on a Honda Civic too. Also went away with the aircon on.

MacK · Post by **MacK** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 1:02 pm

The A/C should be used/run frequently, e.g as Woddy said once a week. But that is not to stop it smelling. The smell is 'possibly' from bacteria build-up in the condensate drip tray and drain. Obviouslly frequent use and long running spells will help flush it out.

The once a week use is to ensure any seals don't dry out causing the gas to escape.