# AC Smells Like Pee

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-smells-like-pee/47085>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** ion, smells, airconditioning, saturn\
**Created:** [April 7, 2010, 1:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-smells-like-pee/47085 "2010-04-07T01:09:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![carolj04](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@carolj04](https://community.cartalk.com/u/carolj04)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 1:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-smells-like-pee/47085/1 "2010-04-07T01:09:24Z")

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The air blowing through my AC vents smells like pee when I first turn on the AC. I can smell the pee smell for about a minute and then it seems to go away even with the AC still running. I do not have this problem when I turn on the heat.

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**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 2:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-smells-like-pee/47085/2 "2010-04-07T02:00:01Z")

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Clean out the a/c drip tube. Replace the cabin filter if equipped and spray an entire can of Lysol into the a/c intake the the blower on high.

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**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 2:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-smells-like-pee/47085/3 "2010-04-07T02:26:01Z")

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Good advice. Another thing you may want to check is your windshield wiper fluid. Some windshield wiper fluids have ammonia in them. Urine is mostly ammonia.

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**Author:** ![carolj04](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@carolj04](https://community.cartalk.com/u/carolj04)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-smells-like-pee/47085/4 "2010-04-13T19:37:06Z")

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Great Suggestions. I will try them.

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**Author:** ![wentwest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wentwest/32/6073_2.png) [@wentwest](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wentwest)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 8:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-smells-like-pee/47085/5 "2010-04-13T20:37:18Z")

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The other possibility is presence of dead leaves in the area under the vents at the base of the outside of the windshield (under the wipers). If there is a bunch of rotting leaves, they can smell. So can mouse or squirrel urine.

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**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 1:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-smells-like-pee/47085/6 "2010-04-14T01:13:07Z")

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GM makes a really effective and great smelling (but expensive) anti-bacterial agent. You introduce it into the AC system through the vents at the base of the windshield. Available at your GM parts counter.