My car stinks..

jpacoupe · Post by **jpacoupe** » 21 Mar 2005, 16:10

my Xantia really stinks when I put the heater on hot. Its fine when it blows cold air and the air con works ok but as soon as you put it on anything other than 18degs it stinks!
Anyone got any ideas as to what's gone wrong with it now ?
ta

fastandfurryous · Post by **fastandfurryous** » 21 Mar 2005, 16:22

A nasty sweet sticky smell? that'll be coolant weeping from the heater matrix. Which is a pain, as you have to remove the entire car to change them.
If its a nasty rotting smell, then I would guess there's something dead in your heater. Bird perhaps? Good luck on this one. I woudn't want to go looking for it!

jpacoupe · Post by **jpacoupe** » 21 Mar 2005, 16:30

So its all good news then....thanks anyway.
I'll check for dead stuff but the smell goes away after a few mins so I guess it must be the matrix.
Maybe I'll only drive the car when its warm weather..?

fastandfurryous · Post by **fastandfurryous** » 21 Mar 2005, 16:50

If it is the matrix, you'll find it'll get worse and worse until the carpet is wet with coolant. Another giveaway is if the windscreen mists up the moment you put the heater onto it. If it's none of these, then you just seem to have a stinky car! sorry.
What does it smell of?

406 V6 · Post by **406 V6** » 21 Mar 2005, 17:10

Could also be micro-organisms/fungye - the aircon conducts are "sick"
Perhaps a visit to an Airocn dealer could do the trick, as they have very nice products to kill the little critters.

jpacoupe · Post by **jpacoupe** » 21 Mar 2005, 18:18

Thanks guys.
From what F and F has said it sounds like the Matrix has gone.
never did like Keanu Reeves anyway...

pete@co.uk · Post by **pete@co.uk** » 21 Mar 2005, 23:05

Hi
Sounds definatly without a dought the heater matrix i had the same thing with my vauxhall cavalier i had last year, before i sold it there was a very bad smell like strong coffee also my windows kept on steaming up worse when the front screen demister was on and then the carpets in the front got soaking wet i wonderd what was going on i thought water was getting in through some rusty bodywork or a build up of leaves in the bulkhead then i discoverd the heater matrix had gone and what a pain it was to replace it.
pete...............

pete_wood_uk · Post by **pete_wood_uk** » 22 Mar 2005, 14:06

One other source of bad smells is the pollen filter. Pull it out and change it, if it's clogged up with rotting leaves or seeds then that can give you unpleasant smells too.
Once you've got the carpet off underneath the LH dashboard, then in my experience when the heater matrix goes you'll have coolant dripping gently from the lowest point of the heater, easy enough to spot by just wiping a hand under the plastic. If it's bone dry, and the carpet is bone dry, then try the pollen filter...
Cheers
Pete

Post by **RichardW** » 22 Mar 2005, 14:14

The matrix in my old Xantia was weeping all the time I had it - a strong curry like smell when the heat came on. Took about 30k miles like this (and who knows how many before that?) before I got wet carpets.
In the context of this thread, I would shove some Forte Rad Sealer in there for now, which will stop it leaking in the interim, and then plan to replace it in the summer when we (might!) have some nice long, warm, dry days. Make sure you change the clutch clip while you have the dash out, and replace the bolt the other way around so you don't have to saw it off in future!

jpacoupe · Post by **jpacoupe** » 22 Mar 2005, 21:43

I'll try the filter as well, its worth a go.
Am I right thinking its up under the dash in the passenger foot well ?
jpa

np · Post by np » 23 Mar 2005, 01:12

Yes,under dash in passenger footwell.On my `97,theres an oblong cover,with 3 screws.Just take screws out,pull cover off,& change.For petrols it needs changing every 9k miles,deisels every 6k miles(as part of normal servicing).