8 replies to this topic

[KieronBoz]

Title is all really the heater smells when it's turned on, i got it from eBay and produces heat fine just smells lol.

[danie garry]

mines the same, it stinks!!

[AVV IT]

If it is a new matrix inside the heater, then you can get some pretty nasty smells and fumes for a while when the heater is in use. This is usually just oil residue left on the matrix from the handling or manufacturing process that is being burned off as it gets hot. When I replaced my heater matrix I too got this awful smell and nasty blue smoky haze in the car every I time I used the heater for the first few weeks. It just meant driving along with the windows open for a while... which of course was very pleasant in the middle of winter!!

Edited by AVV IT, 12 July 2011 - 01:26 PM.

[KieronBoz]

Yeah at first I thought ehh I I'll just deal with it, if I'm cold I won't care, but it really does smell lol.

Okay so maybe I'll use it lots in the summer then and see if it stops

Edited by KieronBoz, 12 July 2011 - 01:31 PM.

[phils89mini]

Could be the matrix leaking. I had a leaky one that used to smell like curry for some bizarre reason!

[Bungle]

anyone leave a dead fish in there ?

[KieronBoz]

lol well I haven't looked for any fish maybe that's where I'm going wrong

[AVV IT]

It's true that the type of problem you have may well depend on the type of smell you are getting!! If it's a strong chemical burning smell with fumes then oil residue on the matrix could well be the problem, like I mentioned earlier. But if it's more like an offensive musty, moulding smell (or even curry apparently???), then it's more likely to be the matrix leaking. If I were you though, I'd be whipping the heater unit out, removing the matrix and taking a look inside to see what's going on in there. If your matrix is actually leaking, then left untouched it's really only a matter of time until the filthy smelling coolant fluid starts to leak out more quickly and before long you will probably also have the same smell lingering in your carpets too!!

Oh.... and of course if it is a leaking matrix, then you will also have the strong, oily, chemical fume smell to look forward to for a while, after you have replaced it with a new one!!.... Happy Days!!

[Spitz]

Didn't mention if new off ebay or used.
Maybe even a mouse has used it as a toilet.....or somewhere in the cold air intake..?

Edited by Spitz, 13 July 2011 - 02:44 PM.