[Alwaysdutch]

I know I had read a thread a while bak about the muggy water smell that came through the vents. Mine started doing that this week where every 20 minutes or so this old, muggy and maybe coolant smell comes through the vents for a minute, than stops.

I can't find the thread where that was a possible answer, so if anyone could tell me what the answer was/is on that problem, I can tell the dealership.

Thanks!

 

[rav]

I had the same issue and showed them TSB #: 2303717 (http://www.giuliaforums.com/forum/1...rvice-bulletins-2-late-july-2017-forward.html) even though it didn't apply to my car (exact symptoms). I was told the seals were in place and that it might go away after breaking in the car more.

When I first got the car, the smell would come every time the start/stop feature kicked in or when in reverse. Now, after a few hundred miles (600-700), I don't smell it as often. Not sure if it has to do with the weather (colder now) or the car just breaking in.

 

[ShinyAndChrome]

Best to take it into the dealership and show them the bulletin while mentioning the new smell. Hopefully the tape method works in your case.

 

[ttaidapos]

mine (2018) had the recall and still had the smell. I'm now a bit over 1,000 and i'm either use to it OR it's breaking in I'm leaning towards "breaking in". Your may take a bit longer to get rid of but i'm sure it will go away.

 

[Alwaysdutch]

mine (2018) had the recall and still had the smell. I'm now a bit over 1,000 and i'm either use to it OR it's breaking in I'm leaning towards "breaking in". Your may take a bit longer to get rid of but i'm sure it will go away.

The thing is that I have 5k miles on it now, and it never did this until after the heater box was replaced. I know they replaced some seals as well, but other than that, I find it strange

 

[lockem]

A moldy smell from the heating system is a sign of mold inside the heating system. Is that what you all are experiencing? Mold becomes an issue if anything that mold can grow on manages to get in the system. It is a problem for all vehicles these days.

Short of removing the heater box, opening it up and sterilizing it, the usual treatment is spraying a sterilizing fluid into the assembled heater box. This was done to my pickup truck in 2000 and the stink from the spray finally wore off circa 2013. I presume that breathing chemicals is less problematic than breathing toxic mold spores, but I don't know. I have no idea if better products for treating mold are available now.

 

[AlfaAndy]

But is it really mold?
Our new 18Ti would give us an odd odor after exercising the loud pedal.
We tried our best to have constraint for the first tank of fuel, about 300 miles. Just mild odor, now and then.
After that tank, I have matted the pedal on many occasions for nice runs well into triple digits.
After those runs, the odd odor returned in force.
Now, approaching 1000 miles, and having seen 130+ many times, the odor no longer occurs.
IMO, the odor was caused by the "coatings" burning off the engine-transmission-driveline parts as they were heated by my full throttle (can you claim that with Multi-Air?) runs.
Try a few 0-130-0 runs. It might help to eliminate the odors.
We used to call this coating cosmoline.

 

[AlfaRomeoCares]

The thing is that I have 5k miles on it now, and it never did this until after the heater box was replaced. I know they replaced some seals as well, but other than that, I find it strange

Hi Alwaysdutch,

Sorry to hear about this! If you decide to revisit your local dealership for further diagnosis I'd be happy to offer assistance if needed, just send us a PM with your VIN and let me know.

Andrea
Alfa Romeo Social Care Specialist