Smelly Aircon with gti mk6

[Lucas_R]

Sprays like Glen20 etc will only work for a day or two. Pull your cabin filter out and smell it.....once you have recovered from the stench you will realise that you need a new filter.

They cost about $25 or so and that is the only solution to getting rid of the smell for another few years before it needs replacing again. DIY Cabin Pollen Filter Replacement - VW GTI MKVI Forum / VW Golf R Forum / VW Golf MKVI Forum / VW GTI Forum - Golfmk6.com

[brad]

in Australia, cabin filter every 12 months IMO. Our pollen, dust & heavy particulate count is way more than anywhere in Europe.

[Bassik]

Ok guys thanks for all the info. I might grab a New filter but mine didn't smell when I checked last month. Also Glen 20 works but ya only for a couple days.

I will attack it this weekend

[nat225]

another option is to get Mann filter CUK2939.

Amazon.com: Mann-Filter CUK 2939 Cabin Filter With Activated Charcoal for select Audi/ Volkswagen models: Automotive

Some of the OEM ones are made by Mann filter.

[tonymy01]

I just ordered one from eBay (coming from Tel Aviv, all options from the US have ridiculous shipping charges).

[parso_rex]

Mine stinks badly, like really bad foot odour blah !!! I"m ordering something today

[kam]

i have this same issue in a 2011 golf r, 30,000km's

the smell comes when i first start the fan, its a really wierd mouldy type smell. it eventually goes away after the first few minutes, but can be overpowering at first

so i followed the directions as in this thread:

DIY Getting rid of smell from air conditioning system

1. clean\change passenger footwell filter
2. purchase & use autoglym air con sanitizer
3. leave a\c system running for a while to air out etc

and it didnt fix my problem

so i took my incabin filter out and smelt it - it doesnt smell that bad ?

i then ran the fan system without the filter at all, and the smell is still there, so that logically rules out that the filter is the cause of the smell

is there anything else i can do to get rid of the smell ?

i was thinking of taking it to a car a\c specialist and getting them to do a flush of sorts...

[pologti18t]

Try this... turn the A/C off (but fan running) for a few minutes before you lock the car up for the night.

[master phi]

I did the same as you except I used up two of that auto glym stuff

Only way to "solve" it was to replace a new filter. The car smells different now but it is more neutral than what it was before.

[kam]

Try this... turn the A/C off (but fan running) for a few minutes before you lock the car up for the night.

i believe this is the main cause of the problem, as the previous owner had the a\c on all the time, and did not do the turn off 5min before coming home routine to dry out the system

ive just been leaving the fan on medium speed and as warm as comfortably possible, and the smell is slowly going away

just need to keep driving more to "dry out" the system i guess

ill go ahead and replace the incabin charcoal filter anyway as their < $50 new