My heater is starting to smell. I'm replacing the cabin filter but I'm thinking it may be something else since the smell does not present itself with A/C on. Someone said it could be a cracked heater coil. Is that fixable at home? How do we check? How would we fix?

Thanks so much.

 

Hello nikesboy,

Greetings from Chicagoland.

In general, odor coming from the climate control system is due to foreign objects stuck in the air distribution ductings, including the A/C evaporator. I am not sure how the S40's climate control is set up, but if it has a cabin filter then the problem could be something else (I'm a 850 driver so I couldn't tell exactly what's causing the problem). If the odor goes away with the A/C on, it may as well be the A/C evaporator, though usually odor gets produced when the A/C is turned on.

A/C evaporator is a small radiator-like unit inside the car, which takes heat away from the cabin, and water collects around it due to condensation. Cars without cabin filter usually get many foreign objects (bugs, leaves, etc...) around the evaporator after years and this is usually the source of the odor.

>Someone said it could be a cracked heater coil
↑"Heater core", I believe? Does it smell like coolant? Do you see green fluid under the dash area/floor? If so, it may as well be damaged heater core, or one of the hoses attached to the heater core might be loose, allowing coolant to escape. Open the hood and check the coolant level with the engine COLD.

As a quick fix, you can try a deodorant spray, directed into the air inlet under the wiper blades. There are some products specifically designed for automotive climate control system and they seem quite effective. But open the hood and check for the coolant level with the engine COLD. If it's low, have it looked at by a technician. If you are mechanically-inclined, you may want to get a service manual and try to see if you can work on it (but again, I am not sure how S40 is set up, so give us some more info in you could)

I hope the problem is minor.

Regards,

P.S: If you already knew much of the above, please disregard it. No intentionto challenge your intelligence.



JPN

 

Just wanted to add, that if you post your question on the forum that is specific to your model, you'll receive better answers than I can provide. Try posting on S40 forum, I usually post on 850 forum, as I drive 850.

Good night,


JPN

 

What does it smell like?

 

It smells rather dead, I'm afraid. I was thinking the smell of antifreeze at one point but then I've been running the car today and I've seen nothing inside the car or out to indicate any spillage. I did replace the cabin filter, which was absolutely filthy but didn't seem to have much of an odor to it. I ran the car with the heat on full for a while with the recirculation button engaged and then for a while without. I didn't detect any odor. Just to be safe, I did spray lysol in the vent at the wipers and did smell that a bit in the car. It is actually my daughter's car and she brought it home from school and switched with her mom, who has an S40 as well, by the way - two awfully good looking women in some good looking cars, if I must say so myself.

My wife has the car for the rest of the week and I'm sure if something is askew, I'll hear about it when I get back from NY Wednesday night.

 

Really good point. And, thanks for the good information. As you'll see in the note to TECH, also attached, I did change the filter and use lysol. I'll just wait and see what type of response I get from the critic's corner.

This is really the first time I've used a forum. I was really trying to locate the Cabin Filter and fell into this site. It's pretty great so far. I had an 240 many years ago and, quite frankly, wish I still did. We have kept volvos in the family and now has a couple of S40s and an S60. All are doing well.

Thanks so much for your response.

 

Hopefully all is well.

 

I wish you & your car the best of luck, too.

Sincerely,


JPN