Ford Fiesta smelly ventilation

[Fitboy-slim]

I have bought an old S reg Fiesta.

Every now and then an awful smell comes from the ventilation system, like rancid socks.

There is no air conditioning fitted, so that is not the cause. Also no recirculation button, so I can't treat it with one of those air con freshening bombs.

Is there any way to get access to the ventilation system, to see if there is some festering gunge at the bottom?

[TheWinner]

hi i know you say it doesnt have air conditioning but it could still have a pollen filter . this is located under the bonnet on the right hand side under the windscreen in a large rectangular box. failing that it could be your screen wash thats causing the smell . try seeing if you can smell it when you wash your windscreen ?

[Buenchico]

TheWinner might have identified the problem:

I spent quite some time trying to find the cause of the smell of old tramp, which i thought was coming from my ventilation system. Eventually I worked out that the smell only occurred when I used my windscreen washers. (I suspect that the mechanics who'd done some work on my car, at the Ford main dealer where I was working, had played the old trick of peeing in the washer bottle. It's the sort of thing they did to colleagues and awkward customers!). Adding bleach to the washer bottle solved the problem.

Chris

[TheWinner]

If it is the screenwash, use it all up, refill with hottish/warm water, use that up, then refill.

[Fitboy-slim]

Thanks, I'll look into the possibility of the screenwash.

It definitely isn't the pollen filter, as I gave changed that and also squirted antibacterial cleaner into the slot that it goes in.

It certainly seems to come out of the air vents, and it was noticeable that it once came on immediately after harsh braking.

[AlBags]

Check the plenum water drain tube in the heater intake area is not blocked up.

[TWR]

You may think I'm joking here Fitboy, although you said Vent Sys I valeted a 4X4 a while ago the person said similar to you, it turned out that some previous owner had spilt milk within the car, hence the bad smell, Just a thought.

[Fitboy-slim]

I sprayed the windscreen this evening, and lo and behold a nasty smell slowly filled the car, so it looks like The Winner and Chris are my heroes.

I will flush out and bleach the washer bottle, then fill it with quite concentrated screen wash.

It wasn't as sudden as it has been at times, so I will check the plenum water drain tube that Albags mentions - if I can work out where it is.

Thanks all.

Luckily,TWR, it is not rancid milk. Thank God, because you can never get rid of that.

[Fitboy-slim]

I emptied the wash bottle by squirting it all out for a few minutes, and oh boy was there a rank smell! Disgusting.

You boys were spot on.

I have now filled it with a strong mix of fresh screenwash, and I will see how it is tomorrow.

Thanks again.
What a brilliant website.