Pollen Filter

[dawsy 22]

Hi all another problem i am trying to resolve on my 2001 2.2 C5 is most of the time when i use the air con it creates a nasty sweaty foot smell which aint pleasant i have read that it most probably the pollen filter,the only problem with this is that i dont no where to look my haynes manual doesnt cover the 2.2 but says for other models its located under the dash on the passenger side of the car i have checked this and all i can find is the fuse box any ideas? Ian

[rabenson]

changing the pollen filter probably won't stop the smell. If not, best bet is to get a can of aircon sanitizer spray (comma do one in Halfords) and follow the instructions on the tin. I suspect that it's caused by condensation in the system creating bacterial growth etc. in the ducts.

[spider]

Out of the two "options" of cans for this, ie: one you fill under / around the pollen filter with foam and the other you let off as a gas into the car, I've found the aerosol in the car itself works very well however you do need a new pollen filter as well really.

A common mistake with these (techs would do it too) would be to not have it on recirc and setup before setting the can off, as that way it does not get chance to work around. I used to leave it for about 10 minutes or so after the can had emptied, then just open all the doors (don't go into the car) and leave it for a couple of minutes to let it escape.

Going back a few years but I think it was a Fortron one we used, if I remember correctly were Australian supplied.

[Gibbo2286]

'tis a bit of hassle to get at but it is to the right of the underdash fuseboard iirc there are a couple of 8mm nuts to take off then it drops down.

[addo]

Sanitising treatments cannot remove the buildup on ducting insides, which is really where the smells are "hosted". Yes, they might knock the bacteria down for a while but dismantling and cleaning the HVAC in entirety is your only long-term success policy. Back it up with constant use of the system, airflow stops things settling in the same way for much longer.

[myglaren]

Also turn it off for the last few minutes of a trip to let any condensation dry out before you stop.