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Urine/ammonia smell in cabin

7K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  RobsRTplus 
#1 ·
Anyone else have any problems with an urine/ammonia smell sometimes in the cabin of their car? It comes and goes but man is it annoying. 2010 Fuchsia Dodge Challenger R/T
 
#2 ·
Moisture in the HVAC ducts can lead to mold which can have a urine like smell. Also a rodent nest in ducts could be a possibility. Generally suggested to run the vent after turning off AC for a bit with an eye to drying out any moisture. If you use Recirculate a lot, try using regular vent outside air.

A Guy
 
#8 ·
I do what A Guy suggested. When I'm about a minute from my destination, I turn the AC off and let the vent air in. My 2009 didn't have a cabin filter, but it appears your 2010 does. Maybe this is a problem if your's has never been changed?

https://www.carid.com/2010-dodge-challenger-cabin-air-filters/?filter=1&sub-model[Liter][]=5.7L
Ever since I have had a car equipped with A/C I have made it a habit of turning off the A/C compressor a distance from my final for the day destination and letting the cabin vent fan run to dry the moisture from the evaporator and other surfaces that under some conditions can develop some condensation. Do not know where I picked this up but it has served me well all these years.

Also, good point about the cabin air filter.

No experience with my Hellcat (yet) but with other cars with cabin air filter the filter does develop an odor if left in service too long. While I was pretty good about changing this regularly I let it go a time or two and while I don't recall it smelling like urine/ammonia in the OP's case the cabin air filter could still be a source of the smell.

Thus unless the cabin air filter -- if the car is equipped with one of course -- hasn't been changed in a while my recommendation would be to change it. Vacuuming while this can remove most of the stuff that the filter has collected it can't remove the mold/mildew that can grow in the filter medium and which accounts for the smell.

I would not go "cheap" and just remove the filter and run the system sans an air filter. The trash that the filter would catch gets pulled in and a lot will gather and stick to the evaporator and plug up the heat exchanger. At least with the cabin filter you can remove it and install a new one and the odor goes in the trash with the old filter. Get the evaporator loaded with trash and growing mold and mildew like the basement walls of an old castle surrounded by a leak moat and you are going to wish you had left the filter in place and changed it regularly.
 
#11 ·
If it has that unmistakable cat pee smell, check your intakes at the windshield base for telltale dried cat pee...also cat footprints...usually with a slide down the windshield.

A Guy
 
#14 ·
Next it smells check the carpet all around the cabin for any wet spots. I had a Honda that had a leak and the carpet would get wet then smell atrocious.

Additionally, I run my AC constantly, never turn it off before my destination like some other users are talking about, and I’ve never had a problem with smell or anything. If it was your AC causing that problem, then there’s something wrong with it.
 
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