Mouldy Odour from A/C

[Orh LuLu]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

hi all..
my new BMW 523iA has the same problem when the car is just one month old. Wrote to Mr Henry Lim of Performance Motor and he dismissed the case, saying there is nothing much he can do as it is environmental effect !! so much for the great advertising they are emphasizing on customer service.

Writing is useless.. See him eye to eye at PML and ask him go Fark spider.. .. than oni he will start to crack his bird brain to do some thing for u. The last time they change all the filters they can find in my ride and odour gone now.

Simi environment effect... many forum bros i know dun have this problem.

One more thing, if they assign a CSA called Andrew, reject him immediately cos he lagi Jialat, he will tell you new car is like that! Got head shell but no brain inside.

Good Luck.

 

[eliz888]

Mouldy Odour from A/C

thanks.. I need all the luck
did they finally solve your problem permanently ??
csa charles did some work on my car last month, but the smell came back again within 3 weeks... :furious:

 

[Orh LuLu]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

thanks.. I need all the luck
did they finally solve your problem permanently ??
csa charles did some work on my car last month, but the smell came back again within 3 weeks... :furious:

I went back 4 times for this problem.. 1st 3 visits, they will spray and clean the filters. On the 4th time, Henry Lim finally realize that he cnt be farking spider everytime he sees me.... he finally decided to get his guys to change most of the filters related to the aircon.. smell stop. Been since 7 months the smell din come back. Might come back?.. I dun noe.

All CSA will try to convince you that this is a common problem in BMW... simple reason, cos this pea brains just follow what the book says. I been following what the book says since school days.. nnb now still a tree cutter.

For such cases, highly recommended to talk to Henry Lim.. but better face to face.

Again good luck as u will need it.. kekekek

 

[eliz888]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

I am just wondering how many percent of bms cars are affected by this problem..??
Since my car is just 3 months old, and problem of foul smell started when the car was just one month old, I am really not happy at all. henry Lim just dismissed it as environmental effect and no solution to it. I intend to go public..

 

[glenyang]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

I am just wondering how many percent of bms cars are affected by this problem..??
Since my car is just 3 months old, and problem of foul smell started when the car was just one month old, I am really not happy at all. henry Lim just dismissed it as environmental effect and no solution to it. I intend to go public..

I solved this by the following:

You need 1 small can of Lysol.

1. Start engine.
2. Turn aircon to max blast with re-circulation off (ie. outside air mode).
3. Open engine bonnet.
4. Locate the cabin intake vent box. Remove the microfilter to expose the intake duct.
5. Spray about 1/6th can of Lysol into the intake ducts (both sides = 1/3 can). Oh yeah, leave all the doors open while you do it so you won't die unnecessarily from Lysol inhalation.
6. Let the aircon run max for at least a couple more minutes to dry out.
7. Switch Aircon to recirculation mode.
8. Locate inside the cabin where the recirculation ducts are (usually ankle-knee level at the centre column of dashboard, at least for e39).
9. Spray another 1/6th of the can into the recirculation ducts.
10. Let aircon run for a further couple minutes to dry the Lysol out.
11. Put microfilter back into order. Close the bonnet.

By now, you have coated the fan and the heat exchanger (aka coil) with a layer of Lysol which has great anti-mould properties.

12. Live with the Lysol smell for the next few days (it smells like bleach masking over a puke) but you'll notice the smell dissapear off as it goes.
13. If it does go off, the smell shouldn't return unless your cabin is exceptionally damp.
14. If it doesn't, oh boy.

In place of Lysol, you can use FeBreeze which smells better but not as effective.

I did that to my ex-e39 when it started smelling bad when it was 4mths old. After that treatment, I never had any odour problem for the next 4 years for its life. I had done this for many of my ex-cars too and it works (for me at least). Results may vary for others. All disclaimers apply.

 

[jooggie]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

My e90 had this problem and I sent it back to PML twice already. Each time after i get the vehicle back, it smells as though they've merely sprayed some horrible low grade air freshener into the vents. I requested that they change all filthers related to the a/c but my csa claims that the filthers are ok. She told me that i should try to keep the a/c in air recirculation mode at all times. Well, so far so gd, the horrible air freshener smell is gone and there is no mouldy smell as well. I last sent in my car on 23 Dec.

 

[BMWSILVER]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

My e90 had this problem and I sent it back to PML twice already. Each time after i get the vehicle back, it smells as though they've merely sprayed some horrible low grade air freshener into the vents. I requested that they change all filthers related to the a/c but my csa claims that the filthers are ok. She told me that i should try to keep the a/c in air recirculation mode at all times. Well, so far so gd, the horrible air freshener smell is gone and there is no mouldy smell as well. I last sent in my car on 23 Dec.

The mouldy smell will be back in 2 to 3 weeks time. Especially during raining seasons.

I have did the same as glenyang has suggested and you should do the same too

I don't have this problem for 6 months liow .......

 

[mistraele]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

another way to prevent mould is to run the AC at high temp for a few minutes every so often.

 

[glenyang]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

My e90 had this problem and I sent it back to PML twice already. Each time after i get the vehicle back, it smells as though they've merely sprayed some horrible low grade air freshener into the vents. I requested that they change all filthers related to the a/c but my csa claims that the filthers are ok. She told me that i should try to keep the a/c in air recirculation mode at all times. Well, so far so gd, the horrible air freshener smell is gone and there is no mouldy smell as well. I last sent in my car on 23 Dec.

Air refresheners won't be good enough. It merely masks away the odour but the mould remains alive. The spray, like Lysol, need to have anti-mould properties to be effective while not acidic to hurt the plastics.

 

[longhorn]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

my E90 is now one month old and the mouldy smell has struck.....really yucks!!:furious:

I am going to try the lysol treatment suggested above.

But am not very good in finding stuff under the bonnet. How do I locate the cabin intake vent box? Is this on the left and right, just under the windscreen ??

What does a microfliter look like? found a removeable plastic container with mesh (like a small cup) on each side . is this it? (I thot this was just to protect leaves from getting into the duct and not really a filter).

Pls help...really blur. Thanks!

 

[piggyboyz]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

my E90 is now one month old and the mouldy smell has struck.....really yucks!!:furious:

I am going to try the lysol treatment suggested above.

But am not very good in finding stuff under the bonnet. How do I locate the cabin intake vent box? Is this on the left and right, just under the windscreen ??

What does a microfliter look like? found a removeable plastic container with mesh (like a small cup) on each side . is this it? (I thot this was just to protect leaves from getting into the duct and not really a filter).

Pls help...really blur. Thanks!

On the aircon and set the temperature to maximum (like 30 degrees) Set fan speed to maximum on a hot afternoon with the window close and engine running for about 15 minutes will fill the microfibre germs and that will get rid of the smell.

 

[longhorn]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

On the aircon and set the temperature to maximum (like 30 degrees) Set fan speed to maximum on a hot afternoon with the window close and engine running for about 15 minutes will fill the microfibre germs and that will get rid of the smell.

thx piggyboyz. will try it this weekend..

 

[SpeedyMini]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

Yup yup, that will definately work. My aircon had a leak before and the moisture from the leak created a very strong sour smell of milddew.

After a drive back from work, I turned the heat up, and at full blast fan, while leaving the auto circulation off and the engine running, then I went to take a shower (about 15mins). Hahaa That sure cured it of the smell! Very good advice.

Now, once in a while, instead of leaving the car running, I drive with the windows down and sunroof open, and turn it on full heat and full blast at night when i'm going home. Works just as well.

 

[WMB97]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

I will like to recommend 3 items to get ride of odour smell.....
CarPlan Stop Odour Air Con Cleaner & Purifier.....to clean your air con
Charcoal Car Freshener to Eliminate bad smell.......
Plug in an Air Ionizer....strong function of sterilization & detoxification & deodorization

Check out this @ EssoMobil Fairprice Xpress & Cheers Petrol Kiosk

 

[WMB97]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

Promotion end this coming Thursday @ EssoMobil

 

[atsg22]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

i tried that air cleaner, dun work for mine. any one try comma , pls comment

 

[atsg22]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

the smell came out after about 1.5 mth from new car. : ( , sent to pml twice to clean but they just do ionizing, dun help at all... and their csa said that all they can do.

 

[Orh LuLu]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

the smell came out after about 1.5 mth from new car. : ( , sent to pml twice to clean but they just do ionizing, dun help at all... and their csa said that all they can do.

so they are trying to say that when u buy a BMW, it will come with Bad Odour from AC as standard option?

Ask them to clean what ever filter they can find in the AC... make them boh eng.. thats what they did to my previous ride. It helps but only for few weeks, aft the smell came back. I gv up on PML. Buy air freshner, that solve the problem for good.

 

[atsg22]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

Thanks for your advice, anyone try the "comma" odour remover? I heard it works. I have already tried the other brands but it seems that they have little or almost no effect.

 

[longhorn]

Re: Mouldy Odour from A/C

The only method which worked for me was to drive with the aircon air recirculating switch set to "automatic". The downside is that sometimes odour/smell from outside comes into the car eg. satay smell when I drive around lau pa sat at nite

If you wish to set the air recirculating button to "on", what I recommend is to change it back to "automatic" about 10 minutes before you reach your destination.

Above worked for me. No problems for 2 years now.

In my case, the method recommended by piggyboyz above only worked temporarily. Odor came back after a few days.

Good luck,