If you’ve got a bit of a pong coming from your vehicle’s aircon vents, you could have a problem lurking inside your aircon system or your cabin air filter – or both.

Aircon system: Your vehicle’s aircon system not only cools the air in your vehicle, it also dehumidifies it. However, that moisture must go somewhere, forming water droplets on the system’s evaporator core behind your instrument panel, which then run out of a drain tube to the ground outside. As it’s a damp environment, it’s a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, mould and mildew.

Over time these organisms build up, and when you switch on the aircon, the air that passes over the evaporator also carries the foul smell of these organisms with it into your vehicle.

To fix this problem, simply come see us at Car Cool. We have a machine that will kill the bacteria and deodorise the system for you.
Cabin air filter: Another possible cause for a smelly aircon could be a dirty cabin air filter. Most cars are equipped with cabin air filters these days. Their purpose is to remove dust, pollen and other allergens from the air drawn into your car’s interior for air-conditioning.

Over time, the cabin air filter gets dirty and can become blocked, trapping moisture in its layers. Anywhere there’s a humid environment is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Then, when you turn on the aircon system (or the interior fan), air flows through the dirty cabin air filter and brings with it the foul smell of the bacteria.

If your cabin air filter is causing the pong from your aircon, it’s an easy fix as you just need a new cabin air filter, which is usually simple and inexpensive to replace. We at Car Cool, your North Canterbury air-conditioning service, will be able to sort this for you too.