Air Con Smell Fix

[ido09s]

I know this has been posted about before and i did do a search but it comes up with so many threads and so many pages and i just don’t have time to look through it all and maybe find an answer to my questions so here goes

How on earth do you fix the stinky air con on a Tiguan?

Is it true that a lot of it comes from a dirty pollen filter and replacing it will eliminate quite a bit of the smell?

I have been told by VW that the pollen filter needs changing but i didn’t have it done. If it eliminates most of the smell I will do it ASAP as my parents are looking to buy the car from me and freaked out yesterday when they turned the AC on.

I have also heard that using the heater and some Glen 20 or similar being sprayed into the vents can help but I would prefer a more permanent fix to the problem.

Hopefully someone here has had it rectified permanently and can share how they did it

Brad

[brimway]

A new pollen filter fixed it for me

[ido09s]

Thats sounding good to me

I will have to try and find one online i guess as i am sure they will be cheaper than VW is

[team_v]

Get a new panel filter, definitely fixed it for me.
I picked up an activated charcoal one for $20 from ebay.

Here's the details from my upgraded filter:

http://www.vwwatercooled.com/forums/f97/team_vs-tig-45083-67.html

[ido09s]

Awesome, thanks heaps for that link as well. I will need to get the chassis number and see if the seller comes up with the same part i think it is

[team_v]

Awesome, thanks heaps for that link as well. I will need to get the chassis number and see if the seller comes up with the same part i think it is

No worries, there should be a guide on the internet as to how to replace it, very simple really.
Easily a 3 minute job.

[drad81]

My air con smelt like old socks. I changed the filter and used autoglym's aircon sanitizer and the car smells perfect.

Cost;
Filter from Amazon $15 + postage
Autoglym Aircon Sanitizer about $22

Time: 45 mins (this includes letting the aircon circulate before and after using the autoglym aircon sanitizer. The filter removal and installation took about 5mins.)

[ido09s]

My father is liking the sound of this

He suffers from bad hay fever so was a little concerned but given it appears to be a simple fix it looks like the car will be sold to them

[MGV]

Also mentioned by someone else on here, good idea to turn off air con off a few minutes before turning the car off (just leave the fan running) to allow any condensation to dry up.

[ido09s]

That was part of VW's fix to the problem. Turn the heater about 5 minutes from your destination to help dry it out. Cause thats exactly what i want to do when its 45 degrees outside lol

Turning the fan on is ok, but not the heater lol

[Ginge]

Hi there. I had to go through this about a month ago in my tiguan. Pollen filter is a 2 second job. You just slide a plastic panel in the passenger footwell. Filter drops out. Reverse for install.
I also ran a device that creates it's own ozone. It kills all the bugs in the airway. My car has never smelt fresher.
With turning the aircon off to push the moisture out is a good way to stop bacteria growing in the humid environment, but no good with a filter full of them

[Umai Naa!!]

You should be putting a pollen filter in at least every second service (30,000km/24 months).

They're pretty inexpensive, even from the dealership. Expect to pay no more than $40. There are a few places around (I.e. actual shop fronts), that sell them for around $25.

[ido09s]

I was told by the dealer that it needed to be changed at the 45k service but given its the first car i have had with one i told them not to touch it, i had no idea this would be the result though.

Thanks again for all the responses, its been a great help

[team_v]

I was told by the dealer that it needed to be changed at the 45k service but given its the first car i have had with one i told them not to touch it, i had no idea this would be the result though.

Thanks again for all the responses, its been a great help

Yeah, general service protocol would be every 2 years but it is dependent on where you are really.
Our place gets really humid so the standard filter only lasts about 6-9 months before it needs replacement, the activated charcoal one has been performing much better and should last close to the 2 year mark.

[brad]

I was told by the dealer that it needed to be changed at the 45k service but given its the first car i have had with one i told them not to touch it, i had no idea this would be the result though.

Thanks again for all the responses, its been a great help

What other scheduled service items did you vetoe the dealer on?

I do mine every 12 months - lots more pollen in AU than Europe