Burning/Damp/Musky Smell in cabin, Clears when car is warm. Help!

[jrwilshire2003]

Hi all,

I have a 2007 105bhp TDi mk5 Golf that has a weird trait. After driving a mile from cold this weird smell comes from the vents. There is no smell when the car is sat before you drive it. It only comes through once you start to drive it. Its like an odd musky, damp but with a hint of burning smell. I've never smelt anything like it. But by the time the car gets to 70 degrees in temp it disappears and is fine then until next time you take it out cold. No sign of any leak, Coolant level is normal and I've check the Pollen filter to see if thats damp but bone dry. I am at a loss!! Hope someone can shine light on this! Cheers!!

[zollaf]

i would start with a can of aircon cleaner and go from there, the sort you run the car on recirc and set it off in the rear footwell, fills the car with smog for 20 mins...

[jrwilshire2003]

Ok cool will give that a go. It's weird how it's gone from not doing it to really bad over night. Thought it maybe a gradual thing. Another thing I can think of is the windscreen was replaced last week. Wondering if something wasn't put back right allowing water in. Not sure where the fan gets outside air from.

[niall campbell]

Have you got condensation inside the car on the windscreen ?

Have you got the heating on recirculation ?

I would look under the windscreen in the engine compartment, in the scuttle area and see if there is any water in there. That's where the fan sits that blows your air into the car. Smell of dampness might be water leaking into cabin because of this.

This gets choked with leaves, dust & dirt quite easily

As you have a diesel, just keep the aircon all the year round. No difference in mpg & it stops bugs growing in the aircon