hi all i have been using the car heaters with the eco button on, as when i use it with the eco button off its smelling, it does however if the temp is turned down get really cold so i assume the climate control works, i have changed the pollen filter, could it be i just have to run it for a while to clear it out as the car has sat off the road for 6 months ?

how many degrees are there?? if there are under 5degrees celsius then the compressor won't even start and the frosty air is from outside. pop the hood and have someone start the car and watch teh compressor. its middle wheel will start turning if its on, and if not only the exterior will spin. after starting the car w8 about 10-15secs because thats when the compressor will kick in. i heard of a pressure switch being broken when the ac is always on

doug4293 wrote on 11. Jan 2011 at 02:14:

..... could it be i just have to run it for a while to clear it out as the car has sat off the road for 6 months ?

try something like this.  :y

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KLEEN-AIR-CAR-AIR-CON-CLEANER-PURIFIER-AIRCON-SOA009-/400152880011?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5d2af8638b

if it's on "eco" the air-con won't work anyway.

I'd try all of the functions out, just to make sure they're working - all of the vent positions, full hot and full cold, and then leave the car idling for an hour or two with everything set full hot.

that should dry out all of the condensation, etc. and kill off most of the little nasties.

i picked up one of those air con clean things today, will give that a bash and see how it goes, will update once iv done it.

well tried that today, and smell is still there, now tempted to run air con and spray in oust from the pollen filter side, any thoughts ?

leave the car on with the heat at max for about an hour or 2.. that should kill all those nasty things. oust won't help much because the smell is caused by living bacterias

Has something crawled into the system while it was parked up! ::)

M Kerr wrote on 15. Jan 2011 at 18:34:

Has something crawled into the system while it was parked up! ::)

Aye!....perhaps with Doug being in Greenock, it`s a "wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie" ;)

hav looked down the pollen filter and nothing there, where else should i look, it was parked up in a locked garage

On my last Omega the plastic clips that hold the pollen filter in place were broken and (dirty) air could get past it into the ventilation system.

I found that if I used the cooling system all the time I didn't have a problem with the 'wet dog smell' but if I turned it off after a period of use it smelled rank.

My theory is that a car used without a good pollen filter will build up crud on the evaporator in the A/C unit. If it remains dry there is no problem. If it is used it gets wet with condensation. If it is kept cold and wet there is no problem but if you press the ECO button (or switch A/C off in a pre-facelift) it becomes warm and wet and stinks.

I don't know of any way of cleaning the insides of the ventilation unit in an Omega (short of removing the whole dash and ventilation system :o) so
1. If you don't have the problem: good! keep it that way by changing your pollen filter regularly.
2. If you do have the problem you are stuck with it. Live with it by keeping the ECO (A/C) either on or off and accept that when you do switch it off it will smell for an hour or so's use until the evaporator has dried out.

enjoy....... :P

doug4293 wrote on 15. Jan 2011 at 21:17:

hav looked down the pollen filter and nothing there, where else should i look, it was parked up in a locked garage

Is the scuttle drain clear at the bottom of the pollen filter compartment? Has it blocked and water overflowed into the cabin through the heater vent at any point? Have the carpets got wet?

If it's normally run on Eco all the time there's a good chance there's a hefty build up of bacteria and damp nastiness built up in there. I bet the windows steam up constantly as well signifying a damp environment in the car. Personally I find the climate really clammy and nasty on Eco.

run it on auto and adjust the temp you want let the cc do the rest.


Iirc the air con cleaners require ac on full and set to re circ for at least 10mins with engine running. It may take two or three cans consecutively left with engine running for a good half hour to clear it out.

Running with heater flat out will not help at all.