Horrible smell (Chemical/Rubber type) inside Insignia (13 Reg). HELP

worried_jim

Dead body in the boot?

Strider590

Fitted rubber car mats at any point?

It's unlikely, but thought i'd mention it as my new rubber boot mat has been outside for a week until the sun and rain kill off the smell.

mrmot

Rancid screenwash?, that can smell quite bad when it goes off.

jimmy_cricket

Aubrey_Thicket wrote: »

I initially suspected it might by the Air Con system but as I said it seems that when you drive (and use the Air Con) the smell goes weaker.

I don't have a Vauxhall. But, when my air on gets smelly, it smells when it isn't on. I run it with air on on and heat set to highest and it kills all the smell making bugs. Not a nice thing to do in the summer but worth a try

Lorian

The OP isn't describing the smell of bacteria in the Aircon. Probably DPF regen as someone has already said - does the car always do short journeys? Might need a good run to get the DPF regen done.

facade

Could still be water under the carpets.

You need to lift them up.

Modern cars (that apparently are made so much better than in The Olden Days) leak like sieves. Most commonly around the windscreen where they couldn't be bothered glueing it in properly, but also where any lights are fitted, and the seam lines around the drainage channels.

The carpet can appear dry because they fit about 2" of hard polystyrene foam underneath for sound insulation, so it has to be more than 2" deep to wet the carpet.

Check the bump where the spare wheel would go too

Richard53

As said above, have a look at the pollen filter. If it hasn't been changed in the last 12 months (on many cars it is not a service item) then it will likely be a soggy, offensive mess. I had the most awful smell in the Mondeo and the screen was misting up badly. A new pollen filter (not changed in about 7 years) cured both issues. The filter was disgusting, full of dead insects and rotten leaves.


I change my pollen filters yearly now.

wrightk

it is unlikely to be anything to do with the DPF as the DPF wouldn't be doing a regen on first start up, op would notice it smelling after stopping or at traffic lights

sound much more like a heating/vent issue especially as the op mentions that the blower heater makes the smell disappear.as above check all the filters, air/pollen. op do you run the ac all the time? if not try running the car with the ac on every time you drive for a week or two

Aubrey_Thicket

Hi all


Thanks for your suggestions and advice. So, removed Pollen Filter and to be fair it wasn't that dirty and it wasn't damp etc. Used a can of Air con (Lemon smell) aerosol stuff. A few days later and the Lemon is overpowering the smell but I think the smell will soon return. One thing to note is that relating to the air con being serviced I know this has NEVER been done. Could it be this?

Richard53

Air conditioning doesn't really need servicing. If it is used regularly, it's almost a fit and forget item. The only problems seem to arise when people switch it off for long periods.


I didn't touch the aircon on my Mondeo during the nine years I owned it, and it was blowing ice-cold and smelled sweet on the day I sold it. Ford decided in their wisdom that the default setting was 'on', and I don't think I ever switched it off.