C3 Climate Control - A Sight For Sore Eyes

[nolly53]

I have had a new C3 Picasso since the beginning of October.

 

I have recently been experiencing sore eyes and have resorted to using eyedrops to ease the itch.  I have just realised that it coincides with being out in the car for relatively long drives.  I will monitor this to see if it continues.  Anyone else experience this?

 

nolly53

[paul.h]

Welcome to the forum.

 

By new, do you mean newly made or new to you car or both ?

 

If you have the air conditioning on all the time it may be the air is being dehumidified and drying your eyes. If so, try using the heating without the air con on. Also check when the pollen filter was last replaced in case it needs doing - it could be full of something to which you are allergic.

 

When the air con is switched off but then keeping the heating still on so it dries the evaporator matrix, if it smells of a wet dog then it has mould built up from running the air con all the time and this may be affecting you. The mould can be cleaned off and I have found the lowest cost way is to use Dettol surface cleanser, non bleach type http://www.dettol.co.uk/surface-cleanser-trigger which can be bought from supermarkets for about £3 in one of those see through spray bottles. Remove the pollen filter, run the air con so the evaporator matrix cools, then with the cabin fan still on but at a mid speed, spray the cleaner into the air inlet where the pollen filter is located so it is sucked in to the matrix. If any cleaner runs out of the bottom of the heating system just wipe it up. Then switch off the air con/blower and leave to dry for a few hours. It may need doing more than once. You can also have this done at a Citroen dealer, I did this once as part of an air con regas and pollen filter replacement and the cleaner they used had the same smell as the Dettol stuff so may have been the same. To prevent the future build up of mould, switching off the air con but keeping on the blower about 1 mile from your destination will dry the matrix, but a clean once a year or so may still be needed.

 

Another possibility could be the polishes used when the car was valeted - if it has a smell you could try wiping down the plastic bits and the seats with a damp cloth. Some Citroens also have a scent dispenser as part of the heating system - if you have one of these remove the scent cartridge. Also, if the car is new it will have the new car smell of all the plastics which over time will go - but this could affect you and having a good fresh air flow through the car may help.

[nolly53]

Thanks Paul for a very comprehensive and useful reply.  The car was new but has been sitting around a dealers so I guess that the pollen filter could have picked something up.  I will try some of your suggestions.

 

Much appreciated.

 

nolly53

[paul.h]

In that case, for a new car the mould possibility and pollen filter probably do not apply.