When I turn on the fan to bring in outside air/ac I get a very strong mold smell. What/how do I correct this. I drive an 05 Golf TDI. Thanks!

 

take it to a detailing place or call them some new cars have a micro air filter somewhere in the system check owners manual.look at the carpet onder the dash for mold look under the hood at the bottom of the window for mold giv it a good wash

 

I find it odd that there would be mold in such a new car. Do you let it sit for long periods of time? Moist climate? I don't know if detailing is such a good idea, I mean for the carpets and what not yea, doesn't hurt. If you still smell it after a detail, might have mold in the actual ducts of the vents. Try running the air on full with the windows or door open for a good ten minutes. Run the heat full, run all the systems, see which ones do it specifically...if it's only on one setting like outside air, you might be sucking in some odour from the outside that is common wherever you are.

First time i've heard of that...

-Jeff

 

I get the same thing for the first few minutes while running the A/C, but it goes way. I've heard of people spraying air freshener in the outside ducts where the air is pulled in. May give that a try.

Jason

 

Sounds like an idea, but use an antibacterial air freshener.

 

Have the dealer change your cabin air filter since your car is still under warranty. I was getting the same smell on my 2004 and I took it in and had the filter replaced. The smell never came back.

 

its from the drip tray from the AC . get some of those air freshners that clip to the vents if it bothers you.

 

Here's the fix...unfortunately it has to be done at a VW dealer.It states that they will do it at "no charge" if the complaint is within the first 12 months of the in service date....otherwise I don't know what the dealer will charge.
See attached bulletin;


Condition
87 07 07 May 10, 2007, 2005566, Supersedes Technical Bulletin Group 87 number 06-01 dated May 26, 2006 due to switching from AirSept® to Aircomatic® treatment.
HVAC, Musty Odor
Unpleasant “musty” odor coming from Heating and Ventilation system. Odor mainly occurs after vehicle has been sitting (unused) at least 5 hours and within 20 to 60 seconds after vehicle is first started.[/align]
Technical Background
Condensation is a normal characteristic in all A/C systems. If odor is noticeable without engine started, this may be due to mold and mildew in the passenger compartment, not from the A/C system.
Tip:
All other possible sources of unpleasant odor must be addressed before performing the following procedure.
Consider the following conditions before proceeding:




•
Evaporator housing drain must be open and free of debris.



•
Cabin must be sealed with no water ingress into passenger compartment.



•
Plenum drains must be clear and free of debris.



•
Pollen filter must be clean and free of moisture.[/align][/align]
Production solution
Not applicable.[/align]
Service
Contaminants are effectively neutralized using the Aircomatic® II Ultrasonic Climate System Cleaner (VAS 6189A) and Airco-Clean® Ultrasonic Air Conditioning Treatment (VAS 6189/1). All other cleaning methods are no longer permitted.




•
This procedure will be allowed only once per vehicle within the first 12 months of service.



•
There must be an original customer complaint of specified odor symptom on repair order for this Technical Bulletin to apply. Adding on this procedure is not permitted.



•
Subsequent applications, should they become necessary, will be customer's responsibility.



•
Replacement of pollen filter under warranty is not allowed within the performance of this procedure. The pollen filter is covered only where specified at the appropriate maintenance interval.[/align]
If vehicle is equipped with a pollen filter, the element will need to be removed and its cover reinstalled before performing this procedure.










•
Start engine.



•
Set climate control temperature to its lowest setting.



•
Set fan speed to its lowest setting.



•
Set airflow direction to dash vents only.



•
Activate recirculation and ECON modes.[/align]










•
Thoroughly shake a 100ml bottle of treatment and empty bottle into filling chamber.[/align]










•
Connect outlet tube.[/align]










•
Place cleaning unit into passenger footwell, make certain that the unit is as level as possible.



•
Connect power cord and route it through a slightly opened window. The remaining windows and sunroof should be completely closed.



•
Switch unit on and position outlet tube such that vapor is drawn into recirculation air intake, generally in passenger footwell area.[/align]Refer to appropriate repair information for exact location.

 

This happens to a lot of vehicles, Using the a/c on recirculate all
the time will cause this, The fix is simple, pour house hold ammonia into a spray bottle , start the engine and a/c, spray the
ammonia into the area where the a/c fan is and let it draw the ammonia into the a/c, also spray the interior lightly, close all windows and set a small bowl of ammonia in the floor, shut off the
engine and give it a couple of hours just sitting, then open it up and
let it air out. THIS FIX CAME FROM GENERAL MOTORS
AND FORD, it works on any vehicle , Hey it also works in your
home for odors.