Where exactly is the microfilter compartment?

 

They are on each side of the fire wall the large black covers with one plastic nut and a wire lock remove both lock and nut and open cover and whola filters. More than likely the will be filthy with lare amounts of pollen more there than in the air filter box wich by the way is a piculier filter with a sponge on the bottom. Still have no smell as of yet

 

It's pretty easy and obvious but just for the kicks, here's the official instructions:

RA__Replacing_microfilter_for_interior_ventilation.pdf

 

Does the cleaning meathod the BMW uses, i think its Wynns, steralize the evaporator and kill the mold? Or does it only make it smell better? I have allergies and don't drive with the A/C on anymore. Will this meathod kill the bacteria and what not?

 

I would on occasion have an odor if I kept it on recycle, but since picking up the car from service, the odor is consistent even with the AC set to auto circulate.

 

Yeah, its nasty. Especially if the car has been sitting outside in the heat and blows hot air for those few seconds

 

I had this problem with my old E39. Tried everything, until someone suggested switching the recirculate to off (not auto - ie no green lights, fresh air all the time), and after a week the smell went. I got the E60 in December 04. No smell until 2 weeks ago :'( . Then I remembered the old trick - and reset the recirculate. After a week, the smell went... It's early days, but smelling good.

 

Just changed my microfilters last week after 20,000 miles (not done at first service). Noticed that there is no seal or specific channel for water drainage below the windscreen. Water from even a light bit of rain flows straight down and into the filter area where it lies as water is drawn over it and up through the filter - as you can see from the enclosed photos. As far as I can see most other cars have a seal and channel running along the windscreen to channel water out.

As for the filters - changing them has worked so far but there is a bit of a smell coming through when the aircon is switched off.

Am I missing a seal on my car or is it really designed this way? Just doesn't seem right to me.

 

Holly Cow, is that water and mold underneath your filter? That's not good.

 

And some folks say it's not a design issue, all cars get it. Looking at that picture with standing water in the filter box and all the mold in it is pretty scary. I'll have to look at mine to see if it looks like that...