Bad smell coming into car from vents

[BobCat]

Hi

Could anyone help to identify the cause of a problem with my brand new superb 1.9 tdi elegance. Ever since I collected the car and for the 300 miles its covered since there is a bad smell coming into the car. It smells like burning or diesel exhaust fumes.

Its there even with the heater fan off and the vents shut but worse when they are open and the fan is on.

I have been fortunate to have had a lot of new cars four of which were Superbs. This occurred on one other 07 model which I had to reject because it was so bad.

The smell is giving me a sore throat and bad headaches so it must be toxic fumes of some sort. I would be keen to learn if anyone else has experience this problem.

Bob

[Maggle]

I had a similar problem on mine when a breather pipe disintegrated, but seeing as your car is new that's unlikely.....unless yours is missing of course?

[chris_1d]

i have it to, mines an 03 plate, and recently when stopped or driving slow and I have the ac on I get a strong smell of petrol etc..

[Supurbia]

It could be sealing wax burning off, when they build the car you get rust protection applied underneath, this sometimes gets on the exhaust and you get this problem, I remember it well when I used to work for VAG, if it's a sort of bitumen smell it's likely to be this doing it.

[Maggle]

Originally Posted by chris_1d

i have it to, mines an 03 plate, and recently when stopped or driving slow and I have the ac on I get a strong smell of petrol etc..

I notice, like mine, yours is a 1.8T. Check the breather hose at the back of the engine (nearest the firewall), run your hand underneath the hose and check for splits. Mine perished and caused an oily smell to enter the cabin which was most niticeable when stuck in traffic.

[BobCat]

Originally Posted by Supurbia

It could be sealing wax burning off, when they build the car you get rust protection applied underneath, this sometimes gets on the exhaust and you get this problem, I remember it well when I used to work for VAG, if it's a sort of bitumen smell it's likely to be this doing it.

If it were sealing wax, how long would it take to burn off. I have done just over 500 miles now and its still as bad as ever. I have been fortunate to have a new car every 6 - 8 months and have never smelt anything like this before.

[Supurbia]

Originally Posted by BobCat

If it were sealing wax, how long would it take to burn off. I have done just over 500 miles now and its still as bad as ever. I have been fortunate to have a new car every 6 - 8 months and have never smelt anything like this before.

It should be gone by now iirc, I'm going back 20 yrs when VAG used to wax the inner wings and bay, not sure how far they go with it these days, easiest check I can suggest is to visually look at the downpipes and see if there is any residues on them, other than that all I can think of is the sulphur/fart smell the cat can produce when new.

[Taxi 219]

My Octy had this smell wheni had it from new it was the wax burning off but soon went after about 500 miles.

[vwescapee]

Hi,

I would be heading 'toot sweet' back to the dealer and making a strong complaint. Giving you a head ache etc is surely a safety issue and a matter for trading standards if things arn't sorted swiftly.
In this day and age things such as 'burning off' for 500 miles should not be tolerated.

[Argee]

My 54 plate Octavia Elegance developed a nasty niff from the aircon. I had it "seen to" at the local dealer, who changed the pollen filter, re-gassed the aircon and gave it a "bacterial clean." I couldn't see the point of the re-gas, but - that aside - left in the car was the packing from a tenner's worth of Wynns Aircon Cleaner.

I'm not anxious to pay another £103 in order to pour something down a few holes, but I wouldn't know where to pour anti-bacterial cleaner. Can anyone advise me how it's done if it starts to pong again? TIA!

Ray.

[cheezemonkhai]

You put the cannister behind the rear seats leave the car running with the A/C on and left it off and shut the doors.

[Supurbia]

Go to Tesco, get a Detol can of anti bac spray, remove the pollen filter and with the fans running on full and all vents open spray into the opening left by the filter removal, then run on the re-cycle mode with the window down just enough to be able to spray some more anti bac in, shut the window and let it run for 10 mins.

£2.99 rather than £40 for a aircon service, or you can use the bomb, I think I saw them again in Tescos for £5.99, but they do make a mess while discharging, hth.

[calderscot]

I think you need to take the car back to the dealer as soon as possible. Any possibillity of diesel fumes in the cabin needs to be investigated for your own safety