When the heater is first turned on we get an obnoxious smell variously described by us as 'rubber and water' or 'fishy' or 'almost bad eggs'. Someone suggested this was a product of bacterial buildup somewhere in the heating system.

Does anyone have any comments and, most importantly, can anyone please suggest a solution for this unpleasant problem.

Thanks in advance for any help.

GOGIRL

 

Check to see if you are losing any antifreeze. If so your heater core may be leaking.

If not, remove the cabin filter, spray the previously recommended antibacterial spray down the air intake with the fan running and put in a new filter. From underneath the car, make sure that the condensation drain is not plugged and runs freely.

 

Try removing the cabin filter and spraying a non scented lysol spray in there. Make sure the fan is on a high speed.

 

The bad eggs smell is often associated with the catalytic converter... but the heater thing tosses that out the window I'm guessing. No check engine lights, are there?

 

check the air filter usually after a lot of miles and no cleaning of the car itll start to build up junk...also, you should check the hoses and make sure theres nothing in them