Ammonia.....

[imported_timcoupe]

Around a month ago, I got into my car in the morning to be greeted by the foulest 'ammonia' smell...really hit the back of my throat... After leaving the windows of the car open all day, it cleared up. However, now when I go into the car you can still smell it slightly - worse on warm days...

I've checked the interior of the car completely, 'sniffing' every part of it but have absolutely no idea where it's come from, it certainly isn't in the carpet..

Does anybody know what the cause could be?

(BTW, it isn't cat pee) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[imported_Spin140]

Double check all the carpets for any damp patches by running your hand over them, I had a problem with a Leon Cupra a couple of years ago that smelt awful and was eventually traced to water ingress in the rear footwell below the front seats - once it was resolved and the carpets dried out the nasty whiff went away - might not be this but worth a try /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Failing this you don't keep your trainers in the boot do you ?! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[imported_S_Line]

this smell you mention, is sometimes made from the air con

Being a Air COn Engineer , we get many complaints regarding the " cat /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/swear.gif Smell " from new Ac units,

It is down to the Aluminium in the Cooling coils,

Its a freak of nature and only can be sorted with regular Sprays of cleaning fluid on the cooling coil of the AC system.

Its a ****** i knowm its a 10% cance that the AC smells of this, and the new system in my office has it, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif it goes after 2 years though...

 

[Karcsi]

I've heard of bad egg smell coming from a car due to the catalytic convertor, but not ammonia.

S-Line, is it something to do with this sort of product?

http://www.airsept.com/faq.html#aircool

Isn't there a heat exchanger (evaporator/condenser?) just behind the bulkhead, through which air is drawn and cooled before entering the cabin? This stuff is for coating it to help to repel condensation and prevent the build up of microorgasms. It says it smells of ammonia for a while when new.


Seems very wierd that Joshua's car would smell so badly all of a sudden. Are you sure a cat hasn't pee'd in the engine bay, or a family of rats haven't made their homes there?! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[imported_pplpilot1]

"Are you sure a cat hasn't pee'd in the engine bay"

Our next door neibours cat used to do this to my other car untill I gave it a swift kick to keep the effing thing of my drive and garden, It never comes on my patch now...

 

[imported_S_Line]

Never come accross that product before.

Its just that some ac units smell, speaking to tech guys at all the manufactureres, they never mentioned the coating ! LOL ! tech guys hey !

 

[imported_timcoupe]

So what should I do? The car is leased through work, so they have to fix it, otherwise I'll refuse to pay for it... it absolutely stinks when the weather is warm.

Does anybody have an idea of what would need replacing to fix it?

Thanks.