Official smelly heater thread.

[twixt]

am i the only one that gets a really funky smell when i turn the heat on?? its really really bugging me since im using the heater more. and if i got a date and that acts up im gonna be pissed. So shout out if you get the smell.

[doodoo]

is this your first car? every car i've ever had has stinky air until it blows for awhile. Just run it a few minutes before you pick up your date. If she isn't completely satisfied and blown away by 40mpg, dump her. Next thing she'll be wanting you to do something horrible like drive a truck.

[YamilR]

is this your first car? every car i've ever had has stinky air until it blows for awhile. Just run it a few minutes before you pick up your date. If she isn't completely satisfied and blown away by 40mpg, dump her. Next thing she'll be wanting you to do something horrible like drive a truck.


TRUE

[Black Yaris]

my AC smelled too

[twixt]

see i deliver newspapers and run my heat for 5 hours at a time... it hasnt gone away!

[riceboy]

that's not good.. no smell for me!!

[FoEKuZ]

see i deliver newspapers and run my heat for 5 hours at a time... it hasnt gone away!

attach some air freshers to the vents...thats what i do....

[swng]

I complained to the dealership about the smell coming out from the A/C the last time I took my car to them for oil change, and they "deodorized" it (it was so written on the receipt they gave me after the oil change). It has been about five months since then, and so far so good.
Switching off the A/C and turning the fan to the highest position, preferably with warm air, during the last few minutes of each day's last trip is believed to be of some help.

[tomjasz]

I complained to the dealership about the smell coming out from the A/C the last time I took my car to them for oil change, and they "deodorized" it (it was so written on the receipt they gave me after the oil change). It has been about five months since then, and so far so good.
Switching off the A/C and turning the fan to the highest position, preferrably with warm air, during the last few minutes of each day's last trip is believed to be of some help.


excessive sulphur?

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1098&d=1155348876

[swng]

Thanks for the insight tomjasz! Very useful information!
There may be two issues, one is the bad smell noticed under hard acceleration/stop and go conditions, which is the sulphur smell described in the link you posted above, another one is the smell coming from the ventilation/air-conditioning system as a result of fungus growth. Mine is more linked to the latter:smile:

[bugnuts]

Mine had a reeeeaally strong new car smell when I first got it, seemed to come from everywhere including the A.C., I have had it for about three months now and either I have become immune to it or it has went away.

[Yaris Dick]

Quit farting in the car!

[twixt]

its not a fart smell, i cant really place it but its close to a plastic smell, it is really strange and def not the sulpher, i have that smell also.

[eco]

Is this a problem for any sedan owners,tomjasz,could you find anything on sedan replacments

[tomjasz]

Is this a problem for any sedan owners,tomjasz,could you find anything on sedan replacments
LB's only so far...

[pauljk]

I've noticed this too - when first starting the car on a cold day, heat cranked all the way up, and recirc off. After a few minutes as things start to warm up, I feel like I'm smelling/breathing exhaust!

Turn off recirc, turn down heat, and things eventually clear up. I thought maybe it's something from being new that has to "burn off" the heater core and it would eventually go away, but so far it hasn't.

But I wouldn't describe it as fungus smell (like moldy AC) or sulfur...

[ChinoCharles]

This thread is dead on... with the heat on in this car, it begins to smell weird. I HATE that about this car. I'm bringing it up the next time I take it in for an oil change, although if you guys can find a solution, even better.

[Katana]

No problem.

[doodoo]

40mpg, $13,700
300,000 miles?
I can ride that stink forever

[doodoo]

My last car was a 2002 Kia Rio. After a couple years my a/c and heater smelled like someone had taken a serious dump in the vents. It could be much worse, or maybe I eat too much red beans and rice. BTW, in case any of you don't know, don't ever buy a Kia.

[Yaris-TJ]

does it smell lie pee?? I had some weird smell today, with the AC off...just the airflow from driving...

[twixt]

well, you show me 40mpg and ill quit bitching. i havent topped 32mpg avg

[ChinoCharles]

well, you show me 40mpg and ill quit bitching. i havent topped 32mpg avg

Nor have I, and I drive like a retard. I'd suppose you do the same, because you and I are the only ones not getting 38-40... HAH

[Black Yaris]

I have yet to see 40 MPG.... and I drive 99% of the time on I-75... at 80-100mph but my MPG has a bit to do with my CAI :-P

[johnnyfive]

I have yet to see 40 MPG.... and I drive 99% of the time on I-75... at 80-100mph but my MPG has a bit to do with my CAI :-P

or it might have something to do with your 80-100 mph... ;)


but back on topic...i have no smell from my heater :) sedan that is

[nsmitchell]

Make sure you do not leave your vents in recirculate mode. Water vapor will collect in your air circulation system and becomes standing water over time if you leave it in recurculate. Keep your vents to fresh air when driving and when you park your car and the problem will go away, usually. Fresh is best always. I only turn to recirc to help heat up or cool down the car fast, or if a smelly truck is in front of me, or a skunk, etc. but then I promptly turn back to fresh.

[Dawn Eshelman]

My AC stinks!

[doodoo]

well, you show me 40mpg and ill quit bitching. i havent topped 32mpg avg


As a test run, I drove 50 mph and got 47 mpg. Slow down!
Well, I don't drive 50 all the time, so I can still squeeze out about 36mpg at 100mph.
Switch to a good fully synthetic - my mileage decreased for the first 2000 miles, then increased quite a bit

[tomjasz]

well, you show me 40mpg and ill quit bitching. i havent topped 32mpg avg



Wrong thread, but it's all about how you drive and in what conditions....:thumbup:

[Black Yaris]

so when I jumped in my car to go to work, just befor I hit the freeway it smelled like someone pissed all over my cabin air filter, wait does our car even have a cabin air filter?

[Idjiit]

Haven't noticed the heat smelling, although the AC sure does.

[argylesocks]

its not a fart smell, i cant really place it but its close to a plastic smell, it is really strange and def not the sulpher, i have that smell also.

YUP. exactly the same smell i get. both of them.
ugh.

"honest..its the car... it wasnt me!"

[Lowfront]

No smell here. Looks like I'm one of the few

[Violin]

Make sure you do not leave your vents in recirculate mode. Water vapor will collect in your air circulation system and becomes standing water over time if you leave it in recurculate. Keep your vents to fresh air when driving and when you park your car and the problem will go away, usually. Fresh is best always. I only turn to recirc to help heat up or cool down the car fast, or if a smelly truck is in front of me, or a skunk, etc. but then I promptly turn back to fresh.


This may be the key.

I very rarely use recirculate and never have any weird smells either.

[nsmitchell]

Yep, the piss smell is usually from keeping it on recirculate. Easy enough fix though.

[pauljk]

I only use recirc for a little while at the beginning, since the car heats up faster that way. What I'm smelling is not from moisture or mold.

Switching recirc off helps, but just because there's more fresh air mixed in. The main thing that helps is backing off on the heat (temp knob). It seems to be having heat cranked full on after engine is at normal running temp that causes the smell. I think it IS getting better, slowly.

It really seems like something being burned off the heater core when it's at max high temp. I'm really hoping that its just a function of "newness" and will become a non-issue.

Paul

[nsmitchell]

^^^If you are smelling an exhaust smell in fresh mode, that is peculiar. I hope it is just a burn off period on the heater core. I say roll the windows down and crank it to fresh hot air! Air that baby out!

As for the "Pee Smelling" folks, try keeping it in fresh for a few days to a week at all times, and see if that smell disappears. After that, use recirc sparingly, always switching back to fresh when parked! That or stop pissing on your floormats! hehe

Have you ever noticed a small puddle of water on hot summer days coming from the front of a car when parked that had been using A/C? That is all the water that would be backing up if it is set to recirculate, making a nasty puddle in your ventilation system.

[RickyCRX]

All cars with A/C have a condensate drain line on the evaporator box. The water coming out of that drain line has absolutely nothing to do with the vent setting (recirc vs. fresh).

The moisture in the evaporator is what will allow things to grow and start smelling, especially when there is various organic material on the evaporator fins/coils that gets soaked from the condensation. Lysol or other similar spray will help kill the odors and whatever is growing in there. A cabin filter should also help prevent junk from getting caught on the evaporator itself.

[Altitude]

I've been in smelly cars, I know of the AC and heater smell you all refer to, but I have never had it in a car I have owned or now own.

Blaming a smelly auto on the 'heater' or the 'AC' is not much different than blaming your dog for farting. I know it makes you feel better, but really... take a shower and if you must, buy some of these:

http://www.flat-d.com/flatulence.html

[SilverBack]

Wow it's like deja vu: http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10481&highlight=questionable+funk

Now at 10k miles and after fixing it, it's not that big of a deal anymore

[tk-421]

Talk about smelly.... This thread is old! :laugh:

[yaris-me]

It could be moisture from your carpet during winter. If you don't clean the interior, it will smell.

[ddongbap]

I haven't read though this post.

But..

Its not just the heater! A/C smells too!

[cfiimei]

Saturn had this problem. The cure was to empty a can of Lysol into the air intake with the a/c on high... killed the funky monsters in the evaporator.

[ddongbap]

Whoa. I'm doing that tomorrow.