[JNoSol]

Always turn off the A/C, but keep the fan running a couple min before you park the car. If you turn the car off with the A/C on, the condenser will be cold and collects water, building up the mold/damp smell that you notice.

[The X Men]

Originally Posted by jedpause

Can goes on floor behind front passenger seat... seat is moved forward and backrest tilted forward too..... can has a nozzle that remains in spray mode when depressed fully

Has been very hot in last two days and I cannot smell that awful mouldiness at all, and my passengers (2 of which have allergies) have no problems... so it really has worked

Usually, the can is spray from the outside air intake into the duct work.

[bmclaurin]

I am at a loss to determine where to spray the disinfectant. Most online posts that I have found say you spray it in the inlets near the windshield wipers. Problem is my 2012 F10 doesn't have any such inlets that I can tell. Can someone please help me with very specific instructions on where to spray?Pictures would be most appreciated.

I'm desperate to solve this issue, as the odor and smell have gone from amere inconvenience to horrific. The smell is almost unbearable and is certainly embarrassing. And me local BMW dealer is worthless in helping me. I paid them $200 for some type of "bomb" for which they kept the car overnight, and it did absolutely nothing. Might have even made it worse.

Someone please help. If I can't fix this, I'm selling my car. If anyone would actually buy it, that is.

[GringoEd]

Happened to a Mercedes of mine a few years ago. Took it to dealer:
Mice were taking Dry Dogfood from my garage storage area and hiding it throughout the engine compartment. Steam cleaned the engine, used glue traps and a very secure metal storage container in the garage. Probably should have invested in a cat.

[jedpause]

Originally Posted by bmclaurin

I am at a loss to determine where to spray the disinfectant. Most online posts that I have found say you spray it in the inlets near the windshield wipers. Problem is my 2012 F10 doesn't have any such inlets that I can tell. Can someone please help me with very specific instructions on where to spray?Pictures would be most appreciated.

I'm desperate to solve this issue, as the odor and smell have gone from amere inconvenience to horrific. The smell is almost unbearable and is certainly embarrassing. And me local BMW dealer is worthless in helping me. I paid them $200 for some type of "bomb" for which they kept the car overnight, and it did absolutely nothing. Might have even made it worse.

Someone please help. If I can't fix this, I'm selling my car. If anyone would actually buy it, that is.

Hi there, difficult to know what the smell is and indeed if it is coming from the aircon, but here's my advice:-

Get the spray that is enabled behind the passenger seat on the floor with aircon set to full recirculation, lasts about 5 minutes with engine on (so do it outside). Worked 100% for me. The smell in my car was from dampness in my aircon (not using it enough in winter months etc.

Second piece of advice, if it is a really awful smell, like rubber and water and steam, have a look at your radiator water in case that has gone down. I had to take mine in after a really strange smell which I thought was aircon, turned out to be a broken valve in the water system and steam/water evaporated into the cockpit, horrible... quick fix and now car is perfect

[bmclaurin]

Thank you very much. I will try that re: the recirc intake. Any idea where the fresh air intakes are located?

[jedpause]

Originally Posted by bmclaurin

Thank you very much. I will try that re: the recirc intake. Any idea where the fresh air intakes are located?

Hi, sorry I don't as I didn't explore that option so don't know where it is, but it must be at the top of the bonnet somewhere

[nonford]

The fowl smell is usually the result of mold developing on the evaporator coil and then starts collecting all sorts of stuff. BMW actually has a procedure to use a disinfectant to spray on the evaporator to clean the build up. Usually, this is the only way to eliminate the smell, using other means will only temporarily last. I performed the procedure on my E60 a few years ago and it worked extremely well. Here is an example of cleaning an evaporator coil:
http://www.bmwtips.com/tipsntricks/AC/smell.htm

I havent yet to venture out to see how this is done on an F10...

[Grover432]

Originally Posted by Ellmat

I think bacteria can build up in the A/C system. The dealer can "flush" the system and the re-fill, i assume this will not cost much ?

There is no mixing of air between the sealed components of the AC system and the air passages that carry "conditioned air" to the cabin. the bacteria referred to is a result of moisture build up on the coil at shutdown which can drip into the ductwork if the drain is clogged.

I'd have the dealer check the drain an dthen treat the AC core for bacteria and moisture build up. That should take care of the problem. I'm sure the dealer has a procedure to deal with this. All modern AC systems have to deal with this moisture problem, but my past BMWs seemed to have suffered more than our 2011 Odyssey mini van.

[gtxr]

Try turn the heat and fan speed to highest setting and let it run for 15-20 minutes, that should solve the foul smell problem from the A/C. Let the high temperature kill the germs and dry the ducts.

[bin01123]

Pretty nuts we have to go through this with a high end car.

[Bmw doubles]

Possible solution. Dismantling the evaporator is different, but the idea is the same.

AC Vent bad smell. Evaporator cleaning DIY. E90. http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1075529

[snj1013]

You may want to try this. I haven't had this problem, but it seems to have pretty good reviews.
http://www.amazon.com/einszett-96110...tioner+cleaner

[mlroman]

I'm posting hoping this will help someone with a similar issue and prevent numerous hours of searching through the internet with no results. I own a 550i Gt and have been fighting for many months with what I though was bad odor coming from the AC. Its a smell that I can only describe as being similar to a wet dog or dirty rag. After months, I finally discovered that it wasn't coming from my AC after all. I was sitting in my vehicle after a heavy rainfall one day and didn't smell anything at all even after having turned on the air. Upon opening the sunroof screen, not the actual window, I was hit with the smell. I closed it, the smell was gone after a few seconds. Opened it again, it returned. I started searching up in the sunroof and discovered a thick layer of mold looking gook alone the entire edge of the rubber that seals the sunroof glass. I cleaned this well along with everything else I could get my hands on, closed the sunroof all the way and closed the sunroof screen almost all the way. I left about 6 inches open, enough to get a good dose of Ozium air sanitizer in there and closed the screen quickly for an entire day. I must say that after a recent downpour, I no longer smell the wet dog smell at all.

[joemulder]

still looking for a F10 DIY guide, like the E90..

[top ramen]

Made a DIY to clean the evap core in our car to get rid of the smell in the DIY section.
My car smells wonderful now.

Heres the link
https://f10.5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1668607

[FrannieMoral2017]

Would changing the Filters fix the problem. Simple and easy if the spray really is that messy. Just wondering all the talks of condensation. Im noticing an odor more and more and want to get this fixed before it gets real bad.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by joemulder

still looking for a F10 DIY guide, like the E90..

For instructions on how to clean your evaporator...click the link below...then scroll down to your chassis model & click that link. You can see the complaint & cause (from the TIS) in image below (which is an excerpt) from the top of the page found at the following link:

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...ioning/2gWSJiy

As mentioned in some posts above...the smell/odor is caused by the growth of bacteria/mold due to condensation. It has nothing to do with the price of the car or other things that were mentioned. It is circumstantial and based on specific conditions. If one puts wet towels in a Gucci or Louis Vuitton bag...close the bag up and leave it for a week...it will smell just as bad as if you had done the same thing tossing wet towels into a bag purchased at Walmart.

To stop the stink...you have to stop doing what causes the growth of bacteria and mold. It was mentioned multiple times to stop the AC early and let the HVAC blower run...this can work and help dry up excess condensation. But if it is extremely humid/hot...that's difficult to do. In those cases, I recommend using a feature your BMW has...it is the park-car ventilation feature. You can run the HVAC blower for up to 30 minutes after shutting down the car. This has worked for me for decades (even my e32 735iL had this feature).

During hot weather and the AC is running long and hard...when I get home and park in the garage...I use the park-car ventilation feature. The scenario...parked in a dark garage with limited air circulation and a wet condenser etc...this is PRIME breeding ground for bacteria and mold to grow (just like the wet towels in a zippered bag). To make it easy...I saved/programmed this iDrive page to the #2 programmable button so that I could access & initiate this feature quickly (during the hot months) so I don't have to delve down through the multiple iDrive pages to get to it:

[FrannieMoral2017]

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

For instructions on how to clean your evaporator...click the link below...then scroll down to your chassis model & click that link. You can see the complaint & cause (from the TIS) in image below (which is an excerpt) from the top of the page found at the following link:

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...ioning/2gWSJiy

As mentioned in some posts above...the smell/odor is caused by the growth of bacteria/mold due to condensation. It has nothing to do with the price of the car or other things that were mentioned. It is circumstantial and based on specific conditions. If one puts wet towels in a Gucci or Louis Vuitton bag...close the bag up and leave it for a week...it will smell just as bad as if you had done the same thing tossing wet towels into a bag purchased at Walmart.

To stop the stink...you have to stop doing what causes the growth of bacteria and mold. It was mentioned multiple times to stop the AC early and let the HVAC blower run...this can work and help dry up excess condensation. But if it is extremely humid/hot...that's difficult to do. In those cases, I recommend using a feature your BMW has...it is the park-car ventilation feature. You can run the HVAC blower for up to 30 minutes after shutting down the car. This has worked for me for decades (even my e32 735iL had this feature).

During hot weather and the AC is running long and hard...when I get home and park in the garage...I use the park-car ventilation feature. The scenario...parked in a dark garage with limited air circulation and a wet condenser etc...this is PRIME breeding ground for bacteria and mold to grow (just like the wet towels in a zippered bag). To make it easy...I saved/programmed this iDrive page to the #2 programmable button so that I could access & initiate this feature quickly (during the hot months) so I don't have to delve down through the multiple iDrive pages to get to it:

So you just turn that on and it will shut itself off after 30 minutes? I use the timers in the AM to defrost the windows in the Winter or Cool it off somewhat during the summer. Are they not for that use or for the parked car ventilation?

[top ramen]

Originally Posted by FrannieMoral2017

Would changing the Filters fix the problem. Simple and easy if the spray really is that messy. Just wondering all the talks of condensation. Im noticing an odor more and more and want to get this fixed before it gets real bad.

I dont think the filter will fix the problem, I think it will just patch it up a little. Since you notice the odor you probably have mold or bacteria build up on your evap already from the condensation. It would need a cleaning to solve the problem. The spray is not messy at all, its foaming and self rinsing. I think mines was caused by a clogged driver side drain plug that caused the condensation to settle in the evap housing. Once I pulled the drain plug back that odor hit me in the face and old nasty brown condensation water started dripping out of the evap housing and drain plug.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by FrannieMoral2017

So you just turn that on and it will shut itself off after 30 minutes? I use the timers in the AM to defrost the windows in the Winter or Cool it off somewhat during the summer. Are they not for that use or for the parked car ventilation?

The two "TIMED" & the "Parked-car" ventilation timers are basically the same thing. Its just that the 2 "set-time" timers can be used in advance for a specific time (hour/min) that you want the system to turn the blower on. The parked-car ventilation timer can be used immediately for anytime you want the blower to run...you don't have to set a time...just check the box and lock up the car and go.

I also use the parked car ventilation timer during the summer if I'm running quick errands and will be back to the car within 30 minutes...and the ambient temp is 80° F - 105° F on a hot sunny day without a cloud in the sky and no shade anywhere to be seen. It can keep the interior from skyrocketing up to temps found in an oven.

If you get back to your car prior to the 30 minutes...the system cuts off when you start the car and will return to its regular programming.

BTW, if anyone didn't know...there's also a REST (residual heat) mode that does the opposite during winter and cool spring/fall times. If you are stopped at a railroad crossing, or running into the gas station or store or bank or dry-cleaners etc...you can initiate the REST feature (on F & G chassis, I think you just press the fan speed button when you've turned the engine off) and you can leave and lock the car up and the residual heat from the engine is used to continue to blow warmed air into the cabin.

[joemulder]

ambient temperature is now below zero, (about -8C), if I set CC to Auto and set to 16C, I don't smell anything because heater core is not engaged. evaporator/compress is also not on.
the moment I change to higher temp in CC control with AC on ,let's say 17C, I smell something bad. I don't know if its coolant or EVAPORATOR..

please share your insight if you can.

Thanks.

btw, I cleaned the EVAPORATOR a couple times already.