I don't think this is a Land Rover specific issue but I thought I would throw it out there to you who are brilliant, technically savvy, very experienced, and not influenced by flattery. My D2 came from California where it has never rained. The heater and A/C worked just fine all of last winter and this summer. Yesterday when I went out to drive 2 miles between offices, there came a foul odor from the vents. It smells like one or both of the following. Old cat urine. Old homeless alcoholic urine. I can't tell which. I don't believe I have any enemies exacting revenge by installing either of those substances in the cabin air intake. I mentioned the lack of rain in California because that is the only difference I could figure out. It had rained a little before the odor began. I sprayed some odor neutralizer in with the fan going full blast and it seemed to clear it up but the same happened today after it rained again.

I am fairly comfortable around the engine compartment but my experience with air ducts is not vast to say the least. What can I do to find and eliminate the offending agent? And/or how can I find out who has placed the offending substance, and what is the appropriate retaliation? But mostly I don't want to drive all winter with my windows open.

 

Are you sure it's not coolant you are smelling? I had a small coolant leak in my engine bay that I could smell every time I turned on the A/C. Can you still smell it with the circulation mode on?

There is always a chance you got a rodent in the vents somewhere. You can remove the panel on the passenger floor board and drop the blower to see if anything is in there. In my truck there are 2 vents you can remove and check if you take the center console out, but to check the majority of the vents you ill have to pull the whole dash.

 

A dead thing would be my first guess. Which is getting wet when it rains, which reinvigorates the smell.. Mmmmm.

 

Could be the AC is not draining. Check your nipples!
https://landroverforums.com/forum/di...ell-off-75142/

 

If the AC isn't draining you probably have buildup in the evaporator case. You may want to use a commercially available cleaner. But make sure your drains aren't blocked.

 

Not an uncommon problem and is caused by mildew and mould forming in the moist atmosphere of the a/c system. You need something like this to clean and disinfect it.

 

X1 .......... standing condensate which doesn't drain away or long standing vehicles are at risk in the A/C of legionella. Not wishing to be alarmist, but disinfect your system whatever you find. I always run the climate control all year round for this reason. The other is to avoid the seals drying out on the compressor and system.

 

i bought my mom’s 2012 Land Rover Sport only 75K miles. Excellent condition although when it rains the AC spells just like cat.... we changed the cabin air filter but could not find the AC drain to shoot the cleaner up into. Anyone know what we can do to solve this major issue without having to spend a fortune at the dealership?

 

for those that do not know, Legionella is "legionnaires disease"

Mayo Clinic

 

Sounds like an animal based on the description. Only other thing I could think of is A/C leaks can smell similar, a badly leaking evaporator will produce a rather musky circus like smell. Almost similar to what you're describing, but should only occur with the A/C not the heater. Also doesn't have the same foul odor like a dead animal, more of an undertone then a smack you in the face smell. Burning coolant is very distinctive, if you've smelt that you know what it is right away. Water/mildew is also very distinctive, and it's really not specific to cars. You'll get a similar smell if you have a mildew problem in a house for example, it should be somewhat familiar to most.