Funny Smell From Heaters

[Guest andymiller]

Hi,

 

Im new here so bear with me.

 

ive just taken delivery of a 56 plate berlingo as my new company run around.

 

problem is whenever i turn the heaters on i get a strong smell of curry from the vents.

 

ive been in contact with the previous drivers and hes informed me that after a heated arguement with his daughters ex boyfriend the boyfriend poured some sort of powder into the heater system somewhere.

 

now keeping in mind that the ex could only have had access to the outside of the vehicle what could he have done to cause this problem.

 

the company i work for have looked at it and said they couldnt find no reason for the smell, but it has to be something.

 

the cold weather is drawing in and i cant drive about with no heaters on.

 

any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

thanks.

[Guest bigsacs]

Hello andymiller,

 

I've only had my '05 plate Berlingo for two wks so can't honestly say l know the car that well! I'd assume the air intakes are somewhere behind the plastic panel at the base of the windscreen. I've no doubt if not,someone else will say where. Would it be worth carefully removing them and cleaning or blowing out any residue? Just a thought. Regards bigsacs

[paul.h]

The cabin heater matrix may have a slight coolant leak, I had a similar smell when one went on a Saab and this months Car Mechanics (Nov 2010) has an article on Berlingos and heater matrix failure is listed as common. If any powder has been poured in it is likely to have collected in a cabin pollen filter if there is one, so see if this needs replacing but then the smell would also occur when blowing in cold air. If you have air con and that needs a clean, the smell is more musty, like a wet dog.

[Guest ninezero]

I have exactly the same problem but no one has been near the car so I think the powder is a red herring.

[Guest ninezero]

I have exactly the same problem but no one has been near the car so I think the powder is a red herring.

If you can contort your body so that you can look up from the drivers foot well behind the dash using a torch you might see a white residue like something has leaked this may be the cause. however, that's the best I can do. I don't know what could be leaking up there.

[Guest womble]

Had a similar problem with my old Pug 306.

 

After a few minutes with windows slightly open and heater on full blast the smell would go, only to re-appear a few days later.

 

Odly it did not seem to lose much water, many years ago had a very old escort mk2 which suffered a sudden heater matrix failure and filled the car with steam like a bloody sauna, that definately lost all its water!!!!

 

 

Hope my recently acquired Belingo ('54 plate) doesn't start doing tricks like that but it seems to be a common trait with Cit/Pug motors.

 

Good luck...

[Shuttleworth]

I also had a strong curry smell when I bought mine, I bought a 53 Berlingo in April, only done 30,000 miles, but over the last couple of months or so the smell has dissapeared, wether it was because I had the heater on all the time in the bad weather or not I don't know.

[Guest blossom2941]

I also had a strong curry smell when I bought mine, I bought a 53 Berlingo in April, only done 30,000 miles, but over the last couple of months or so the smell has dissapeared, wether it was because I had the heater on all the time in the bad weather or not I don't know.

[Guest blossom2941]

I also had a strong curry smell when I bought mine, I bought a 53 Berlingo in April, only done 30,000 miles, but over the last couple of months or so the smell has dissapeared, wether it was because I had the heater on all the time in the bad weather or not I don't know.

[Guest blossom2941]

hi i had same smell of curry,the problem was a leaking water pump,ichanged it along with timing belts n adusters.now its fine no smells at all

thanks

kevin

[Guest david.h]

hi i had same smell of curry,the problem was a leaking water pump,ichanged it along with timing belts n adusters.now its fine no smells at all

thanks

kevin

[Guest david.h]

I too have the curry smell! Had a new water pump when cambelt changed 5k miles ago....no change! Reduced to an air freshener!

Mine is a 53 plate 1.6 petrol Desire with 90000 unblemished miles(!) Anyone know if there is a pollen filter & if so where?

No coolant loss anywhere, no aircon!

[tucker1]

The curry smell comes from burnt coolant, so likely to be small seep on the heater matrix as mentioned.

 

I've had it for 3 years on my 2004 model.

 

The pollen filter is sited under the passenger footwell. I think there's a couple of torq screws then it drops out. Changed mine, but not change to the smell, so won't cure it, but worth changing if it's not been done for a while.