Foul Odour From Air Conditioning

[kevniles]

A foul, moldy smell comes out of the A/C vents. Has been pretty present since I bought the car (2002). The dealer has treated it several times while under warranty but it comes back quickly. Anyone had this ? any tips ? is it actually dangerous (for example if small children in car ) ? thanks

[aven_man]

This will hapen if you don't use your a/c at least once/week.

I had this problem with mine when I purchased the car, the way I got rid of it was to leave the car running with the windows down (on a warm day) and switch the a/c on full. Left it running for half hour and foul smell went.

Since then I make sure to use it at least once a week. It can be dangerous for small kids as I believe it is a bacterial build up which could make some kids sick. A friend of mine found this out the hard way, his 2 year old got car sick when this happened.

[Mackers]

as above, the manufactuers recommend you use your A/C for atleast 5mins a week, to prevent this, if you still have no joy, Halfords sell a A/C "freshener", all you do is switch ya AC on recirculate,, press the top down so the spray is "locked on" and close all the windows and leave it till for about 10 mins, job done.

[ndsblack]

A foul, moldy smell comes out of the A/C vents.  Has been pretty present since I bought the car (2002).  The dealer has treated it several times while under warranty but it comes back quickly.  Anyone had this ?  any tips ? is it actually dangerous (for example if small children in car ) ?  thanks

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Wiith the air conditioning it will smell if not used every week for at least 10 mins. its a bacteria build up on the evaporator.People will sell you (bombs) that supposedly clean it off. these are only a temporary fix like air freshners. I will now let you into a trade secret.

Get an old kettle(you can use a wallpaper stripper, but it takes longer) and put a tray in the front passengers footwell (INTAKE FOR AIRCON) to catch slpahes and drippers fill the kettle with water and rig the switch to keep boiling. TAKE CAR NOT TO BOIL IT DRY, JUST TOP IT UP AS NEEDED. Start the engine and put the aircon on COLD AND RECIRCULATE, and leave boil for at least 1/2 hour.You will see pools of water underneath the car as the evaporator is 'washed' . Once 1/2 hour has passed turn off the kettle and put on aircon to normal (outside intake). This will clear any lingering steam/condensation and hey presto one clean smelling aircon system :D .It also cleans all upholstery and headlining of dog and cigerette smoke smells. I have done this dozens of times to loads of makes and with a very good success rate. Oh nearly forgot, dont forget to blow out the cabin pollen filter and make sure its dry before replacing it. (Its behind the glove box on the new shape avensis, and to the left behind the clutch pedal on pre new shape avensis!)

Hope this helps,

Nick...............

[aven_man]

This is a cool tip

[kevniles]

Wow - how can I not try a tip like that ! 2 stupid questions: 1 - did you mean that I take out the pollen filter BEFORE or AFTER doing the kettle job ? 2 - doesnt the upholstery get soaked from the steam ?

Thanks much - Kevin

[ndsblack]

Wow - how can I not try a tip like that !  2 stupid questions:  1 - did you mean that I take out the pollen filter BEFORE or AFTER doing the kettle job ? 2 - doesnt the upholstery get soaked from the steam ?

Thanks much - Kevin

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Hi,

Yep, sorry, ;) the pollen filter should be removed before, and no the upholstery does not get wet as the aircon drys out most of the moisture in the air by working overtime and the water you see coming out of the bottom of the car is showing it is doing its job

.

Cheers,

Nick.............

[kevniles]

Thanks ! I'll try it & keep you posted with the result. Kevin

[ndsblack]

Thanks ! I'll try it & keep you posted with the result.  Kevin

←

Well?

How did it go?

I have just done mine again, just to freshen it up! With 30 mins on recirculate, then 15 mins with the kettle out and on outside intake, it certainly did the trick .This time I left the pollen filter in, to see if it got damp/wet ;) , it didn't! :D The aircon definately seems colder and quicker to chill.

Cheers,

Nick...........

[Uncle Bob]

This is the sort of product you need guys....

http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s26p486

[ndsblack]

This is the sort of product you need guys....

http://www.caco.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s26p486

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Sorry to rain on your parade, but It doesn't work long term! This was the bomb I was given by the FORTE rep to cure the smell in my 1999 avensis estate. Granted it worked a treat for 3 DAYS! No smells straight after, but the problem soon returned if the aircon wasnt used every day <_< . What happens is that the FORTE BOMB disinfects what it can and coats the rest to hide the smell ,but doesn't WASH THE EVAPORATOR. Granted its good for car odours, but nothing beats STEAM CLEANING!! Once I had given it the boiling kettle treatment, not only had the smell gone, but it DIDN'T RETURN! Even if you only use the aircon once a week for ten minutes, like the good book says.

FORTE products are brilliant, but sometimes a little time and knowledge can solve a problem without paying through the nose for it!! :hokus-pokus:

Cheers,

Nick

[scwelsher]

Dudes...Am I being Really daft here. but does the kettle go in the passenger foot well as well?????

[Boro Sera]

yes. Basically you want to take steam through the Aircon ducts, killing the bacterial build up. There are little hand held steamers that would do the job, the ones for cleaning around the house.

I've heard of lots of people trying this with great success

[kevniles]

Nick - I appreciate the tip. But I have not tried it yet. Truth is...wife has vetoed. Being much more sensible than me, she pointed out that the electronic devi ces in the cab (ie, CD player etc.) probably dont like steam. Any comments on this ? (electronics and steam I mean, not my marriage).

[ndsblack]

Nick - I appreciate the tip.  But I have not tried it yet.  Truth is...wife has vetoed.  Being much more sensible than me, she pointed out that the electronic devi ces in the cab (ie, CD player etc.) probably dont like steam.  Any comments on this ? (electronics and steam I mean, not my marriage).

←

Honestly there is definately no chance of damaging anything electrical or not.

Just put the kettle in the passenger footwell,as central as you can, if you are worried about any condensation drap a tea towel over the dashboard covering the airbag, The glovebox lid is the only place you will have any moisture gather as the rest is sucked into the intake for the aircon.Put the fan on full, switch direction to face position, switch recirculate on,open all vents and let her rip for 20mins once kettle is boiling.Then take the kettle out and switch off recirculation, leave fans running, and let go for another 10 mins. Job done!!

Promise you wont regret it! I have done dozens of different vehicles.

Trust me , I am a car doctor!

Cheers,

Nick............

[Mick24]

Have to agree with ndsblack on this one - it is a good cure - we used to use a Wallpaper stripper/steamer in the trade as it had a larger "tank" than a kettle,no need to top it up.

For the more Discerning Female customers,a handfull of Lavender in the tank !!!!

[kevniles]

OK Dr. Nick, I trust you. So one more question: How do you get the @#$%^ kettle to keep boiling and not shut itself off ? The only way I manage is to take the whole cover off, but then mega-amounts of steam come out. Is this what you do ?

Thanks again

Kev.

Nick - I appreciate the tip.  But I have not tried it yet.  Truth is...wife has vetoed.  Being much more sensible than me, she pointed out that the electronic devi ces in the cab (ie, CD player etc.) probably dont like steam.   Any comments on this ? (electronics and steam I mean, not my marriage).

←

Honestly there is definately no chance of damaging anything electrical or not.

Just put the kettle in the passenger footwell,as central as you can, if you are worried about any condensation drap a tea towel over the dashboard covering the airbag, The glovebox lid is the only place you will have any moisture gather as the rest is sucked into the intake for the aircon.Put the fan on full, switch direction to face position, switch recirculate on,open all vents and let her rip for 20mins once kettle is boiling.Then take the kettle out and switch off recirculation, leave fans running, and let go for another 10 mins. Job done!!

Promise you wont regret it! I have done dozens of different vehicles.

Trust me , I am a car doctor!

Cheers,

Nick............

←

[ndsblack]

OK Dr. Nick, I trust you.  So one more question:  How do you get the @#$%^ kettle to keep boiling and not shut itself off ?  The only way I manage is to take the whole cover off, but then mega-amounts of steam come out.  Is this what you do ?

Thanks again

Kev.

Nick - I appreciate the tip.  But I have not tried it yet.  Truth is...wife has vetoed.  Being much more sensible than me, she pointed out that the electronic devi ces in the cab (ie, CD player etc.) probably dont like steam.  Any comments on this ? (electronics and steam I mean, not my marriage).

←

Honestly there is definately no chance of damaging anything electrical or not.

Just put the kettle in the passenger footwell,as central as you can, if you are worried about any condensation drap a tea towel over the dashboard covering the airbag, The glovebox lid is the only place you will have any moisture gather as the rest is sucked into the intake for the aircon.Put the fan on full, switch direction to face position, switch recirculate on,open all vents and let her rip for 20mins once kettle is boiling.Then take the kettle out and switch off recirculation, leave fans running, and let go for another 10 mins. Job done!!

Promise you wont regret it! I have done dozens of different vehicles.

Trust me , I am a car doctor!

Cheers,

Nick............

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Mate,

To keep the kettle boiling is down to you, either tape up the switch to stop it resetting or switching off. I taped mine up, but its an old kettle i use for testing thermostats. The lid removed is fine, which is why i drape a teatowel over the glove box cos this is where it will condense a little, with fans on full the steam will be mostly sucked into the system. As suggested before a wallpaper steamer is excellent to do the job just as well.

Persevere and you will be rewarded with a non smelly car!

Cheers,

Nick..........

[Redwine]

I have just done mine again, just to freshen it up! With 30 mins on recirculate, then 15 mins with the kettle out and on outside intake, it certainly did the trick .This time I left the pollen filter in, to see if it got damp/wet ;) , it didn't! :D The aircon definately seems colder and quicker to chill.

Cheers,

Nick...........

←

I tried this on my car at the weekend because the previous owner had a disgusting air freshener in it, and I tried everything to get rid of the smell with no joy. So I thought I'd try your method, and my god it works. The car smells normal again. I did it 20 mins on recirculate and then only 5 mins on outside minus kettle.

Fantastic quick fix, especially as Toyota charge about £75 for a so called aircon service, whatever that is, basically sounds a rip off to me. So thanks for the tip, aircon is cooler and the car smells of daisies.

[kevniles]

OK - finally trying it. Now I just realized that I didnt pay enough attention when I removed the pollen filters. There were 2, one with 2 large filters that almost cover the entire frame, the other with 2 small oblong filters with a large part of the frame just covered in plastic. Anyone know which goes in first ?

[kevniles]

Tried the steaming trick this morning. 3 kettles worth (about 40 minutes or so). So far, so good !!!! :) the smell is definitely gone. (This after at least 3 sessions of the dealer cleaning it which achieved ^%&@$-all ).

The only reservation I have is that the AC still puts out a lot of moisture - for example fogged up the windshield when I switched it on even though it is 30 degrees outside. It has always done this - nothing to do with the steam-treatment, but it makes me wonder whether the bacteria will soon be back to enjoy the nice moist environment my AC evidently makes for them.

Anyway, Nick, my hats-off and huge thanks to you for taking the time to post this tip and explaining how to do it so carefully and patiently. This has been a very frustrating (and nauseating) problem ever since I bought this car and your tip is the first thing that has made any difference at all.

Thanks again and all the best - Kevin.

[Fat Slob]

Hi, I would put money on the steaming up problem being down to needing new pollen filters because they are blocked up with stuff. Should change them every 2 years, that also makes the aircon cooler. I tried the kettle thing last week and it is brill isnt it. A real cool tip

[Blue84]

I sometimes get a wet, mouldy smell from the air-con in the Yaris Blue that I have when turning it on after not using it for a little while.

I never knew it was best to use it once a week, I thought it was once a month. In this heat we've been having lately I have been using it quite a bit anyway tho.

When it cools down a bit I will try and remember to turn it on once a week and it should keep it away.

Thanks Guys

(from a Yaris Visitor) Blue

[tkalfaoglu]

For all my house A/C's and for my car, I did something a bit different.. LYSOL has a "mold killer" spray. Well, I put the A/C on full blast, with outside air on, and sprayed the A/C intake liberally with that stuff (just in front of the wipers), inside of the car becomes unbearable for 10 minutes (keep the windows and doors open), afterwards, all mold is killed and the A/C smells great again..

-t

[ndsblack]

For all my house A/C's and for my car, I did something a bit different.. LYSOL has a "mold killer" spray. Well, I put the A/C on full blast, with outside air on, and sprayed the A/C intake liberally with that stuff (just in front of the wipers), inside of the car becomes unbearable for 10 minutes (keep the windows and doors open), afterwards, all mold is killed and the A/C smells great again..

-t

←

Sorry to spoil your parade, but all you have succeded in doing is coating the evaporator with a chemical that stops the smell but doesn't wash the bacteria away. :o This also goes for the house which is more dangerous as the little nasties breed in the system,so if the aircon is used with say the windows open and has to work harder than normal the bacteria is released. Also the effectiveness of the system is reduced when the surface area is coated.

Trust me steam is best on all aircon systems as it washes the evaporator and cleans it without chemicals and restores the cooling to original and allows the system to work quicker and more effectively.

I will bet you have to do it regularly to keep the smell at bay. Once you have steamed it and use the system at least once a week you may only have to do it once a year, not for the smell but to restore original quick and effective cooling. Remember those chemicals are still in the system even afterwards!!

Cheers,

Nick...........