Funny smell in air circulation... what is it?
#22
Re: vent smells in tC
[quote="Tomas"]OK, it is mold, fungus and bacteria growing in the air-handler, and the ONLY way to actually take care of it, rather than cover it up, is to kill the crud...
Tom,
Thanks for the great tip - I too have experienced some unpleasant smells, and will try your advice over this weekend.
My tC is 1.5 years old, with 27K+ miles, and this summer was the first time I had the odor occur. During the summer months, it was a manure smell, and now in the fall, it's a musty-moldy smell.
Thanks again!
Tom,
Thanks for the great tip - I too have experienced some unpleasant smells, and will try your advice over this weekend.
My tC is 1.5 years old, with 27K+ miles, and this summer was the first time I had the odor occur. During the summer months, it was a manure smell, and now in the fall, it's a musty-moldy smell.
Thanks again!
#24
Ive only had my car for a bout 2 weeks now, and I know exactly what your talking about, but its common in toyotas, thats what I was told, the smell doesnt really happen nemore but i know what you are talkin about....
#25
Re: vent smells in tC
Originally Posted by SicktC06
Originally Posted by tClady
it was a manure smell
Just kiddin man! lmao!
Ah, another IMAO reader....gotta love that gun-toting kitty
#26
Originally Posted by tCboy414
Ive only had my car for a bout 2 weeks now, and I know exactly what your talking about, but its common in toyotas, thats what I was told, the smell doesnt really happen nemore but i know what you are talkin about....
My car didn't start until it had already gone through its first winter. Bought the car in May 06, started getting stinky Spring 07, and now it's a different stink. Guess I've officially lost that "new car" smell.
P.S. I keep dryer sheets under my seats as "air freshners" works great...doesn't help the vents though. I'll update to this post once I try flushing the vents. I've purchased some of that German stuff (Einszett Klime Cleaner).
#27
I clean my heater/air conditioner cores with the alcohol/water mix (about a pint or so) twice a year - once before "air conditioning season" and once before "heater season."
I've done this with my last half dozen cars, at least, and it keeps things pretty decent.
(I do add a few drops off the "one drop" deodorizer to the pint, and that seems to help a bit, too...)
I rarely smell anything odd from my vents. If I do, a quick runthrough with the alcohol/water mix and all is well again.
Good luck!
Tom
I've done this with my last half dozen cars, at least, and it keeps things pretty decent.
(I do add a few drops off the "one drop" deodorizer to the pint, and that seems to help a bit, too...)
I rarely smell anything odd from my vents. If I do, a quick runthrough with the alcohol/water mix and all is well again.
Good luck!
Tom
#30
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Smallville, Kent farm
Posts: 1,803
actually the smell is gone from my car. it lasted for about the first 4 months and now its completely gone.
its seemed to have gone away on its own.
Im wondering if its a seasonal thing, since I dont use the ac much anymore and the weather is freakin cold. so not much condensation happens?
its seemed to have gone away on its own.
Im wondering if its a seasonal thing, since I dont use the ac much anymore and the weather is freakin cold. so not much condensation happens?
#32
on the under side of the air con section of the heater tbere is a tube that runs out side, its there to let moisture that condenses on the evaporator (part that gets cold) drain from the car and if it gets clogged you will get mold in there
#34
Re: Funny smell in air circulation... what is it?
Originally Posted by RnB180
I noticed that about 3 weeks into owning the tc, when I start the air cirulation, I get a funny smell like damp water that smells not too pleasant.
if I have the ac on, the smell is noticeable for about 3 seconds and then clears out, but if I just run the fan the smell is constant.
1st owner, new car only 2 months old, and I baby this car, I dont sweat in it, I use seat covers, fabreeze and clean in obesessively, use air fresheners and so on.
I aksed a few friends and they told me its normal for new cars and it goes away after a while?
I was thinking maybe condensation is built up somewhere, in the ac system because I have it on all the time?
any ideas of what it might be?
if I have the ac on, the smell is noticeable for about 3 seconds and then clears out, but if I just run the fan the smell is constant.
1st owner, new car only 2 months old, and I baby this car, I dont sweat in it, I use seat covers, fabreeze and clean in obesessively, use air fresheners and so on.
I aksed a few friends and they told me its normal for new cars and it goes away after a while?
I was thinking maybe condensation is built up somewhere, in the ac system because I have it on all the time?
any ideas of what it might be?
I know it's an old thread, but maybe you just farted.
#35
The smell in my AC was horrible for the first 30 seconds or so, but i just ignored it and figured I would complain about it at the dealership at my 10,000 mile oil change. when time came for the oil change the smell had already been gone for a couple months, and it never came back...
#38
I get this smell when I've been running the A/C with the recirculator on, then turn off the A/C at a traffic light or something. The musty smell shows up after about 20 seconds. It never shows up if I'm always bringing in fresh air, A/C or not. Besides the alcohol solution, is there any tool that will help me clean out the vents? Like maybe a static duster with a super-flexible handle?
#39
There is a German aerosol product designed specifically for this job (that sadly I cannot remember the name of at the moment - I will search).
The product is a foaming cleaner/disinfectant that expands rapidly to totally fill all corners of of the air handling system, then nearly as rapidly reduces itself to a liquid and drains. It is IIRC alcohol based so it evaporates rapidly.
I've only used it once, and it was like squirting aerosol shaving cream into the dash vents, then watching it rapidly vanish. It worked very well, but was also fairly expensive.
If I find it again I'll post the info...
The product is a foaming cleaner/disinfectant that expands rapidly to totally fill all corners of of the air handling system, then nearly as rapidly reduces itself to a liquid and drains. It is IIRC alcohol based so it evaporates rapidly.
I've only used it once, and it was like squirting aerosol shaving cream into the dash vents, then watching it rapidly vanish. It worked very well, but was also fairly expensive.
If I find it again I'll post the info...
#40
Found it! :D
It's EINSZETT KLIMA CLEANER
http://www.1z-usa.com/Klima-Cleaner-...over_p_28.html
Last time I used this stuff it really worked well (and the can then was bigger then, too, IIRC).
It's EINSZETT KLIMA CLEANER
http://www.1z-usa.com/Klima-Cleaner-...over_p_28.html
Last time I used this stuff it really worked well (and the can then was bigger then, too, IIRC).