Persistant Musty Smell In Car

[jezchesters]

Hi - looking for some advice!

I've recently bought a MKI Ford Mondeo, and have noticed a strong musty smell in the cabin. I know that this can be normal when first running the engine, but this smell won't go away. I've read that this can be caused my a build up of mould/mildew on the evaporator - is this the only explanation?

If this is the reason, can anyone recommend anywhere in Bangkok to get it cleaned/treated, and how much it is likely to cost?

Any advice whatsoever would be greatly appreciated!

[Allyt]

Might it be the air con?

Try turning the climate controls to "off" and then turning up the blower/ fan for 15 - 20 mins ( obviously with the windows open ).

[Lickey]

Check the cabin air intake filter, if it has one, look under the bonnet near windscreen, perhaps a lot of debris is causing the smell? and look under the carpets in the front under dashboard, they could be damp from coolant leaks or just after the rainy season, Good luck, Lickey..

[Moonfruit]

Might it be the air con?

Try turning the climate controls to "off" and then turning up the blower/ fan for 15 - 20 mins ( obviously with the windows open ).

Yes medear. The evaporater is the part of the air con that dispenses the air into he cabin.

I know a place, on Sukhumvit 93 that works wonders with air con systems and they really are cheap as chips if you are in BKK.

[jezchesters]

Might it be the air con?

Try turning the climate controls to "off" and then turning up the blower/ fan for 15 - 20 mins ( obviously with the windows open ).

Yes medear. The evaporater is the part of the air con that dispenses the air into he cabin.

I know a place, on Sukhumvit 93 that works wonders with air con systems and they really are cheap as chips if you are in BKK.

Sounds like just what I'm after - do you have name/address?

Cheers!

[rixalex]

Hope you have success with the must situation.

Sorry, i know this is off topic, but just wondering if you could share some of the details of your car purchase and how things are working out (besides the must).

As stated in another thread, i'm interested in used European cars, and have considered Mondeos before. Anything you care to share would be interesting for me.

[karazyal]

Hi - looking for some advice!

I've recently bought a MKI Ford Mondeo, and have noticed a strong musty smell in the cabin. I know that this can be normal when first running the engine, but this smell won't go away. I've read that this can be caused my a build up of mould/mildew on the evaporator - is this the only explanation?

If this is the reason, can anyone recommend anywhere in Bangkok to get it cleaned/treated, and how much it is likely to cost?

Any advice whatsoever would be greatly appreciated!

When you park a car under or near a tree debris like leaves and flower petals could get into the fresh air vent and then decay and stink. Clean the fresh air intake from any "substance/junk" and flush some soapy water through it. Rinse the suds out and spray some Lysol or similar disinfectant spray. If this doesn't work you haven't wasted too much money and only a little time.

Take out your floor mats and give them a brief sniff test - your carpeting could have gotten wet and now it stinks.

Good luck.

[jezchesters]

Hope you have success with the must situation.

Sorry, i know this is off topic, but just wondering if you could share some of the details of your car purchase and how things are working out (besides the must).

As stated in another thread, i'm interested in used European cars, and have considered Mondeos before. Anything you care to share would be interesting for me.

Not much to share really - bought it off a mate who was leaving the country and thus sold it for a bargain...

[jezchesters]

OK - aired the car out for ages, blowers going and doors open. The smell's still there, but not as bad...

No leakage inside the car - carpets are dry and no sign of ever having been wet

It looks like the intake and/or evaporator need cleaning and disinfecting. May as well have the whole a/c system serviced for better performance. Does anyone know the name/address of this place on Suk Soi 93 BKK?

Cheers!

[scotsman]

Hi jezchesters I have a mondeo mark 2 the aircon system are about the same and if you have this musty smell its because the aircon has not been used for a while. The evaporator in the heater matrix inside the front of the car will have to be cleaned and sprayed with a aircon cleaner so I would find out the name of that garage and get it done that should fix it. Its a well known problem with mondeo back in the uk as they don't use the aircon very much but its unusual for here.

regards

scotsman

[lazeeboy]

i had a musty smell in my car took it to the garage ,i had a dead baby mouse in the vent ,and a lot of stripped wiring

[jezchesters]

Cheers for all the help guys!

I'll take a drive up to Soi 93 at the weekend and see if I can find this air-con place - I'll post back if I find any dead animals!

[Meerkat]

You can buy special auto air con deodorisers - spray it into the system and a few minutes later all should be well.

I was put onto one over on another forum:

http://www.jaguarforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=7779

Might need to get a friend to send it from abroad though.

[jezchesters]

You can buy special auto air con deodorisers - spray it into the system and a few minutes later all should be well.

I was put onto one over on another forum:

http://www.jaguarforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=7779

Might need to get a friend to send it from abroad though.

That looks like it will be just the ticket - I'll take a squiz round the shops to see if it's available here...

[micksterbs]

i had a musty smell in my car took it to the garage ,i had a dead baby mouse in the vent ,and a lot of stripped wiring

That would've explained the squeak from the engine, then.

Actually, this reminds me of something that happened in our workshop back in the early 70's when I was an apprentice mechanic at an Alfa Romeo dealer in Bath. Owner of a 2000 GTV complained of a smell in the car when he brought it in for a service. Wasn't one of our cars originally. We eventually traced the cause of the smell; a trainer containing a foot wedged up in the lower part of the dash. It was a bit ripe... He'd bought it from a trader who had repaired it after an accident. True story.