Occasional exhaust type smell from heater

A

alanb

A2OC Donor
More and more more often now, I get a smell which I can only liken to a mixture of exhaust products in the air which enters the cabin through the heater system.

It may well be nothing to do with the exhaust but that's the best i can do.

It's normally when the heater is working (blowing warm/hot air), and it lasts for a period of a minute or so, the fades. Might come back again later on the journey.

Anyone have any ideas?

It's getting more frequent and starting to concern me.

I have extended warranty, but I just thought I'd ask the question before wheeling it in to the nearest dealer.

Alan
currently 65k miles
 
I am not 100% but it could be from the webasto heater that the smell is comeing from I think the exhaust for this is located in the front of the car I may be wrong I am sure someone will correct me if I am :D
 
Not the Webasto as only the older A2s were fitted with the Webasto. The TDI 90 is too young for it. However, an electric heater is fitted and it is possible that dust in the heater unit is being burnt by the heating unit. It is also possible that you are drawing in fumes from the vehicles in front of you. With the recent cold weather, catalytic converters take longer to start working, and you might just be smelling a cold cat ahead.
 
I get this and I had my filters changed a while back and aircon cleaned... it is just when your stationary for a while you notice the smell come inside the car... press the recirculation button if you smell it come inside and it leave it on for a short while.
 
Thanks for the steers ...

... so far I can confirm that:
- it's not coming from cars that I'm following.
- my climate control is pretty much permanently switched to "auto".
- all filters including pollen were changed at the service a couple of months ago.
- it doesn't seem to happen when stationary.
- when driving on the motorway, it seems to kick in with a slightly sooty smell for 30 seconds or so, and then go back to normal - maybe once or twice on an hour's journey.

I'll continue my investigations ...

... at least I spotted that the bracket that holds the pipe across the front of the engine had come loose again and the pipe was vibrating and removing the threads from the screw that holds it to the bracket. Sorted this out. Already on my third bracket!

I may try the a/c deb****r treatment to try to rule this out.

Thanks again all.
Compliments of the season and all that.

Alan
 
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