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Why does my AC smell when I turn it on in my car?
Mold and Bacteria Probably one of the reasons why there is a distinct smell in your air conditioner when you turn it on is the growth of mold in your air vents. Smells of mildew in your car may be caused by the growth of bacteria. As the car becomes older, bacteria, mold, fungi, and micro-organisms can start to grow.
Why does it smell bad when I turn my AC on?
One of the reasons your air conditioning system’s mildew smell might be occurring is because the compressor might not be draining properly, so the moisture lingers and causes the smell. In addition to the compressor draining poorly, your A/C might need its filters cleaned or replaced.
How do I stop my car AC from smelling?
How to Prevent Musty, Mildew Smells from Car AC
- Turn off the AC 2-5 minutes before you shut off your vehicle but leave the fan on.
- Clean or replace your AC filters.
- Spray an antiseptic into the exterior air vents (where your car pulls air from outside into the car from).
How do I get rid of the air conditioning smell in my car?
Turn the air-conditioning on normal and run the fan on high (leave windows open) Spray (a commercial AC Odour Eliminator spray) liberally through all intake vents located in the cowl area of your vehicle (usually outside the car, below windshield or under the dash)
Why does my AC smell funny?
A stale and dingy smell is by far the most common and foul smell experienced from ACs. If your AC smells musty, the general cause is the accumulation of water in the drain pan or drip lines (or ducts in case of ducted systems), which can cause fungus or mildew to grow. This will only remove the unpleasant smell.
How do you get musty smell out of air conditioner?
How to Remove the Musty Smell from Your AC
- Turn off your air conditioning unit.
- Change the air filters.
- Clean the evaporator coils with a cleaning agent or bleach solution.
- Clean the condensate line with the cleaning solution.
- Gently wipe the air conditioner clean and leave to dry.
How do I get the musty smell out of my AC vents?
How to Get Rid of a Musty or Moldy Odor
- Check for Mold. Take a look at your condenser coils, as well as the drip pan.
- Clean your Evaporator Coils. You can clean your evaporator coils to remove excess dust.
- Use Soap or Detergent. If you find mold in your ductwork, use soap or a detergent solution to clean your ducts.
How do you get rid of smell in car AC?
Why does my AC stink?
In short, a musty smell indicates bacterial growth build-up, which forms on the drain, evaporator coil, or in the drip pan or drain line of your AC. Your evaporator coil is a dark and humid location, so all sorts of mold and mildew can grow, which causes that unpleasant, musty smell. Check if your AC drain pan is full.
Why does my Toyota car have a moldy smell?
In my opinion the service worker checked the cabin filter and blew it off with shop air thru a shop air hose that had moisture in the system of the shop. Which created a mold type smell. The dealer said they could do a service where they sprayer a product thru the system to make it smell minty fresh.
How much does it cost to clean Toyota’s A / C vents?
After two weeks the air coming out the vents is still perfectly fresh. I had asked the service mgr. about a fix from Toyota before I tried this method & he said the dealership had a “flush” method that costs $175 to clean out the A/C system, After I performed my process I went back to the service mgr. and told him what I did and my results.
What to do about musty smell from AC vents?
No car is save from the “stink”, it all depends on the climate and users habits. Per a mechanic with 15+ years of experience: run your AC in recirculating mode only at the beginning (to get rid of initial heat) and switch to “outside air” after the cabin is cool enough.