GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Did anyone experience a problem with a 2003 Vibe that has a nasty smell inside when the vent is on. If I turn on the AC the smell goes away. It only smells when the vent is on.

only thing I can think of is maybe you need to check the cabin air filterit's pretty easy to do, just be sure to push down on the clips instead of lifting them up.see http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=982

Quote, originally posted by dmauri »Did anyone experience a problem with a 2003 Vibe that has a nasty smell inside when the vent is on. If I turn on the AC the smell goes away. It only smells when the vent is on.Did you get the Farting Vent Elf option? LOL

I took the filter out and it still smells.

I must have gotten the farting vent Elf option without wanting it.

what kind of "nasty" smell? if it is some mildew maybe run a bunch of Lysol through the system.oh yeah, welcome to genvibe!

you have mildew building up in the outside air vents from leaves and other materials collecting underneath the grates. lysol or a product from your auto store will do the trick. I actually had a nest of mice inside my Corolla's outside air vent once. Make sure something has not died in there.

Quote, originally posted by maxx4me »you have mildew building up in the outside air vents from leaves and other materials collecting underneath the grates. lysol or a product from your auto store will do the trick. I actually had a nest of mice inside my Corolla's outside air vent once. Make sure something has not died in there.Can you tell us where the outside air vents are located? I'd like to check mine as I might also have the same problem

Quote, originally posted by Herb »Can you tell us where the outside air vents are located? I'd like to check mine as I might also have the same problemopen the hood, look at the bottom of the windshield on the passenger side.It's pretty easy to get the cover off to clean stuff out if you need to. You have unhook a rubber weatherstrip and remove one other fastener, and the cover slides forward and off. see attached picture.There is a rubber weatherstrip along the front edge of the cover, It is attached to the cover in four places. looking from the engine bay, the one on the left is the most difficult because you can't get to the underside to compress the clip and push it out of the hole. There is also one otherr fastener, I don't know what that kind is called. It looks like a phillips head screw, but it's not. If you push up from the bottom, the center piece pops out and then you can remove the sleeve.

Attached files

One other area to check is the drain tube at the bottom of the evaperator core housing (under car).Check to see that the drain tube is not plugged or stopped up --If it is you will have standing water inside your housing.

Could also be the sulphur smell from the engine exhaust.

I have a similar or perhaps the same problem. I wouldn't describe it as a sulphur smell, but as a moldy or musty smell. It seems like rotting vegetation or perhaps a small dead animal. It is most noticeable from the air ducts when the vent/fan is on. I'm on the verge of taking it to a Pontiac dealership. I wonder what they will say.

Me,sometime even the vent is not on,smell's,but i thing is smell more at gold weather.I talk to the seller,and a employe of goodwrench,the two say that the car are new,that is normal,after +-40000k the smell will gone for ever.

The smell of the Pontiac vibe to some people it smells bad but for me it's very nostalgic And I like it