# stinky vent smell



## Izombie (Apr 20, 2005)

i got my x-trail for couple of months now. the stinky smell from the vents still there, how can u take it off. especially the fron vent on driver side


----------



## Thorongil (Mar 18, 2005)

Izombie said:


> i got my x-trail for couple of months now. the stinky smell from the vents still there, how can u take it off. especially the fron vent on driver side




Maybe its a dead rat?


----------



## ron519098 (May 4, 2005)

Izombie said:


> i got my x-trail for couple of months now. the stinky smell from the vents still there, how can u take it off. especially the fron vent on driver side


Try this stuff.


----------



## aussietrail (Sep 24, 2004)

Izombie said:


> i got my x-trail for couple of months now. the stinky smell from the vents still there, how can u take it off. especially the fron vent on driver side


Your easiest solution would be to buy the aircon microfilter from nissan.

I'm a smoker (I know it's bad for my health and my pocket)  and it filters it perfectly and you can't even smell the smoke with the aircon switched on with this microfilter and it's not expensive and easy to fit.


----------



## Izombie (Apr 20, 2005)

i dont smoke and it is a brand new car. so the microfilter should be brand new.


----------



## aussietrail (Sep 24, 2004)

Izombie said:


> i dont smoke and it is a brand new car. so the microfilter should be brand new.


There is NO microfilter in the stock xtrail, it's an added option you gonna have to buy.

So, you don't one fitted in there at the moment, unless you asked the dealer to put one in for you.


----------



## Avery Slickride (Jan 6, 2005)

aussietrail said:


> There is NO microfilter in the stock xtrail, it's an added option you gonna have to buy.
> 
> So, you don't one fitted in there at the moment, unless you asked the dealer to put one in for you.


I think it might be standard in Canada, but I don't have my manual with me to confirm that.


----------



## Lukasz (Oct 14, 2004)

Yup, in Canada the filter is a standard issue item. I saw the one in mine. Gets dirty pretty quick...


----------



## dubberwithanxtrail (Mar 14, 2005)

I think it is only standard on LE models for Canada and does come installed in the XE and SE models. These models also don't have climate control as an option. This feature comes standard on the LE model with the microfilter.


----------



## Lukasz (Oct 14, 2004)

dubberwithanxtrail said:


> I think it is only standard on LE models for Canada and does come installed in the XE and SE models. These models also don't have climate control as an option. This feature comes standard on the LE model with the microfilter.


 nope, all of them should have it. I have the base model. And i'm 100% sure i've got it. So i don't see why the other (better) models shouldn't have it 
U can check urself to be certain. It's hidden behind the glove box compartment
CHeers


----------



## aussietrail (Sep 24, 2004)

Lukasz said:


> nope, all of them should have it. I have the base model. And i'm 100% sure i've got it. So i don't see why the other (better) models shouldn't have it
> U can check urself to be certain. It's hidden behind the glove box compartment
> CHeers


Canada could be different, but I know that none of the Australian models have it and it's being sold by nissan as an option here.


----------



## Lukasz (Oct 14, 2004)

aussietrail said:


> Canada could be different, but I know that none of the Australian models have it and it's being sold by nissan as an option here.


 Yeah, that's what seems to be the case, reading on other forums...


----------



## Izombie (Apr 20, 2005)

yah i'll probably check if i have that filter. i have an se model and im in richmondhill ontario.


----------



## ViperZ (Feb 9, 2005)

Is this stinky smell all the time or only after the air conditioner has been on?

Its quite a common smell because the moisture and contaminants trapped in the condensor are wetted once the AC is turned off due to condensation.


----------



## Izombie (Apr 20, 2005)

a/c & heater on only for short while, but it keep commin back


----------



## thetimster (May 6, 2005)

Still having this problem, huh? 

I am assuming you don't consider this smell as part of the "new car" smell even though based on your first post, you noticed it right when you got the unit. I also assume it isn't part of the ambient smell where you live... meaning its not something coming in from the outside. Otherwise you would've had a different type of post... something about outside air coming in or inside air not recirculating. So I'm sure its not just a simple adjustment of closing your vents.

But if you are having continuing to have an unusual, non-car and non-ambient smell from your vents when the a/c is on, particularly if you can localize it to one vent, then I would have to agree with the second post.... there might be a dead rat or something that has gotten stuck in your vent. And if it is in the vent, then the filters that are installed before air enters the vent will not do anything the decrease the smell. 

Spraying odor eating chemicals might work. But it will not last long. Bottom line is your Nissan dealer or service guys might have to open things up and take a look inside the vents... unless the have a device that can go in a look at it... sort of a flexible fiberoptic device that can be inserted and manipulated around the curves to take a look.

I've seen this post for a while. So i can imagine your frustration level with this smell being high. Hope you get is sorted out soon. Good luck!


----------



## ViperZ (Feb 9, 2005)

Izombie said:


> a/c & heater on only for short while, but it keep commin back


If the smell goes away after a while of not running the A/C then it's the condensation problem that is typical of most modern cars. All 3 of our vechicles smeel very bad after the A/C has been on, then turned off. The smell will go away until the next time the A/C is turne on then turned off.

If thats not it, then you may have other problems.


----------



## thetimster (May 6, 2005)

Hi ViperZ... does that mean it happens mostly in humid areas? It's quite humid where I am we don't seem to have that problem. Would that be more of a stale damp smell or more rotten egg smell?


----------



## ViperZ (Feb 9, 2005)

thetimster said:


> Hi ViperZ... does that mean it happens mostly in humid areas? It's quite humid where I am we don't seem to have that problem. Would that be more of a stale damp smell or more rotten egg smell?


Were I live its a very balanced climate with out being humid, this stinky A/C is more a function of how a airconditioner works. Here is a quote from many articles on the subject

_“Condensation forms on cool evaporator fins and tubes and collects in the pan. Inlet air brings along contaminants like dirt, pollen and plant and animal debris, some of which is deposited on the wet fins and in the pan. Additionally, if a system spends much time in re-circ mode, it also gathers matter like pet hair and nicotine and tars from cigarette smoke. Another cause could be leaking evaporators allowing oil to coat the fins. Certain evaporators, housings and pans are more prone to accumulating these contaminants than others.

Armed with the nourishment (contaminants) listed above, the warm, moist, dark, environs of the housing encourage beasties (microorganisms, mold, mildew, fungi, bacteria, etc.) to form and multiply. Being alive and growing means they produce gas. This gas, a volatile organic compound, IS the problem: its moldy odor stinks._

Original Page


----------



## Izombie (Apr 20, 2005)

i'll do more checkin this commin weekend. the smell it just comes n goes. its not a stuck smell blowin in out from the vent the whole time. thanks for answering my Q's guys


----------



## Bror Jace (Apr 26, 2003)

A quick way to knock back the mildew/mold smell is to turn the fan on low and then spray Lysol disinfectant (pick a scent, any scent) aerasol into the inlets at the base of the windshield.

However this is temprary. If the problems is acute, it will be back in a few days or weeks.

I rarely use the recirculation feature and turn off my A/C for the last 2-3 minutes of each trip to let the fan remove as much of the moisture as possible before shutting everything off and parking.


----------



## Cutlass442 (Aug 13, 2007)

*Odor in car*

I have a five month old new x-Trail. Maybe it is me, but this car has a different smell inside and I cannot get rid of it. I have tried every kind of de-ordorizer. Maybe it is just new car smell associated with the plastic components of the interior - but at times it is pretty strong. Has anyone had a similar issue?

Thanks


----------



## ValBoo (May 19, 2003)

Cutlass442 said:


> I have a five month old new x-Trail. Maybe it is me, but this car has a different smell inside and I cannot get rid of it. I have tried every kind of de-ordorizer. Maybe it is just new car smell associated with the plastic components of the interior - but at times it is pretty strong. Has anyone had a similar issue?
> 
> Thanks


post was merged to an existing thread....


----------



## nmt1952 (Oct 23, 2007)

Hi,
Check to see if a/c evap drains are open & not plugged with debris. Common problem with guys that travel dirt roads or have atree thats dropped leaves into the HVAC system. Sorry the micro filter only filters inlet air, won,t get rid of stagnet water smell. Hope this helps. GL


----------



## Kartman (Nov 15, 2007)

I had a similar smell problem. It was worse when AC was on. 
What happened was that the AC sucked leaves into the vents and then they rotted there. I would never have guessed the smell was due to leaves. 
The service guy cleaned the area out and disinfected it. Problem solved. According to him the way the AC is designed specifically on the X-trail leads to this happening.


----------



## SPEEDO (Jun 9, 2003)

I bet there is (was) water trapped inside the evap box, mold/mildew have grown in there
and causing the smell (been there!)


----------



## westx (Sep 12, 2009)

I bought a 3 year old x-trail with the same strange smell that you are describing. It has a plastic or rubber smell. I even took out the spare tire to see if that would solve the problem and it didn't. At first I thought it was that new car smell but It's way to strong, especially when I park it in the sun on a hot day. Even when I leave it in the cold garage, it's always there. I tried spraying all the seats with Febreze but the smell came back. Could the smell of the undercoating be seeping into the vehicle?


----------



## Seeta (Jan 8, 2015)

Have you figured out what is wrong. I bought the x trail 2014 and whenever I go over 80kph a strange smell comes through the ac vent.


----------



## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Hi Seeta, 
The usual reasons for stinky air coming from your ac vents are to be found in the posts above. Given that you seem to have a new car it might be something burning off the exhaust that is getting into your cabin. You should take it back to the dealer and have them sort it out. Good luck with it.


----------

