There is a funny odor (musty is the best I can call it) coming from the vents. Its quite noticeable when I don't have the A/C on and I'm not recycling the air. Typically, I just leave my windows (or moon roof) to get fresh air in, but when I have them closed, the smell is a bit annoying.

Its been happening for a few months now and would like to know what I can do. I had the air filter replaced at the 15k service, so I don't think I need another (stock filter), but any other ideas as to what I can do to remove this odor?

Thanks,
vash

 

The best advice I can give is to just hold your breath. Seriously though, maybe you have a plastic bag or something stuck to the radiator in the front? Or maybe even stuck to your exhaust? Just check those 2 spots and make sure there's nothing there. That's all I can really think of though.

 

I had a new chevy truck that had this problem, it's pretty common. What happens is that the water will accumulate in the evaportator, then mildew will form and cause that stank smell. What the dealer does is install a swich that will turn on the fan once every 10min for 10sec after the car is shut off, this process will continue for the first 2 hours after the car is shut off. This will dry the left over condensation after the car is shut off and thus the mildew won't form, no stank.

 

Go put this in Chod's FAQ...this is something a lot of people can't figure out.

 

Vash: They are all wrong ! You live in La correct ? Well LA really stands for : LA - Lousy Air ! LA air quality SUCKS big time !

 

Or just shoot some lysol into the intake vents under the hood.

 

Thanks for the info, I'll be taking it to the dealership to see what they can do on Friday. I have some additional items for them to look at, so I'm hoping they can fix it then.

vash

 

would changing the 2 A/C filter behind the glove compartment help?

or was that wat u meant when u said u changed air filter?

 

it's not the filter, allthough I think they should be changed every 30k or whatever the dealer says. What you smell is sour water (condensation) and meldew, this is a common problem will most cars, especially here in FLA where it's real humid all the time

 

The manual states that if you store your car for a long time to
slightly leave the windows open and to recirculate air as often as possible to prevent a build up musty air inside the vents and in your cabin.

You don't necessarily need the A/C on, just the fan or allow the outside air to enter the cabin. That will clear up the vents.

Nothing wrong with filters i dont think. Its a typical sounding problem.

 

I'm getting this smell too. Even after 50,000 miles. I'm using the Lysol in the vents and that takes care of it for the most part but when I park in the garage and take a minute to get out of the car, the smell in the air in the garage stinks. Is there someplace else I need to spray besides in the interior vents and the fresh air vent?

 

Hi all, for some reason, since the weather got hotter and hotter, everytime i start up the car, there would be this really really bad smell, like wet smelly socks, that comes out of the vent. The smell would go away after few minutes, but it will come out everytime i start up the car !! can someone tell me how to get rid of this smell ?

 

This happens to me too. Someone has the answer, I read it here over a year ago; something about the dealer replacing a filter. In the meantime, I spray Lysol in the vents as a temporary fix.

 

Mold can grow in A/C systems. This is not uncommon. The dealer has some sort of fix/cleanup that can be done. Kensteele's remedy sounds pretty sound.

 

its happen to me everytime after using A/C.

 

Hmmm. There goes my mold theory. I wouldn't expect you to have mold in your brand-spankin'-new 2003 six-speeder.

Mold usually takes a couple seasons of moist air to build up.

 

Look what I found on a google search!

Click and Clack say to clean out the evaporator drain: http://cartalk.cars.com/Columns/Arch...97/May/17.html

And how about this product: http://www.ultrashield.com/odortreatment.htm


Ain't the internet fun?!?!?!?

 

Stop farting in your damn car.....the odor will go away

 

I have a theory about this after several experiments on my other cars. That smell comes from the buildup of cooling agent in the A/C pipes when u turn the car off. I bet you turn the car off as soon as you turn off the A/C or even with the A/C on. What I do is bleed the system.....before u turn the car off turn off the A/C and let the fan blow untill the air is not cold anymore....doing this will prevent that rotted smell. Try it!!!!!!

 

The manual says to have the Air running every now and then
and have your vents open to outside air regularly.

 

Its a very simple problem guys.
What you are most likely doing is running your A/C in the reciculating mode button (yellow light on) alot.
It should be run in the fresh air mode button (green light on) most of the time. Once the car is cooled down the fresh air mode should be used at all times. If you have the system in the REC mode & turn the car off then you will get the pissy smell. I had this problem with my 90 ACCORD & 94 ACCORD untill I started turning the system over in the fresh air mode. The ACCORDs A/C was not as powerful as the TL ofcourse. The only time I use the REC button(yellow light on) is when the car is real hot. Or it may be an oil burning smokey stinky car or bus in front of me. I have never had this problem with my TL in the 2 & a half years of ownership. I use A/C most of the time except winter. I sure have used it this past week with Temps in this area at about 100 & heat index near 110. This is most likely your problem turn the A/C system to the fresh air mode.

 

This makes sense. I've never had the 'stinky' problem in any of my cars, but know a lot of people that have. I almost never use the 'recirculate' button unless the car is extremely hot (when I get in) or when following a stinkmobile. With the CL-S I just leave the thing on 'auto' all the time and it hardly ever uses the recirculate setting (unless the inside is really, really hot). I actually prefer the fresh outside air to the recirculated air. The blow-by of fresh air must keep the mold from growing.

 

lol, don't do this. It will only cover up the problem. Get it fixed. Take it back to the dealer, they can clean your A/C condensor & evaporator drain which will eliminate the smell. Also have your inside air filter replaced at the same time, it'll probably linger in there too.

Also, lysol will most likely discolor your dash/plastic if you overspray it.

Do you smoke in your car?

 

Yep, lysol is only a quick, temporary remedy when you know you're going to have company in the car tomorrow and don't feel like experiencing that bad odor. I'm careful when spraying as it does get all over the place but you have to wipe it up quickly. No one smokes in my car.

I'm going to try to fresh air (non-recirc) method described above and talk to the dealer next time I'm at Superior.

 

huh, glad mine hasn't done this yet... argh..

 

Am i the only one who finds humor in this?

 

alright, FTM, thanx for the suggestion, it does make sense. However, I remember my friend spraying some sorta of odor removal spray into the place where air flow into the car's circulation system. Where in the 3.0CL is the entrance of air flow ?

 

I'm glad someone catches my pathetic attempts at humor.

 

Ok, when you are about a minute or so from turning the car off, turn off the a/c and just let air blow through, this will help dry it out before just turnining it and letting it stew in its own juice. Also the lysol thing works ok, but doesn't get it all. The best way to keep it down is a combination of both the "dry-down" and a little lysol everytime you clean the car...help keepin it smellin fresh, and let the hoochies stink up the car for you, not the mold!

 

Recently, I started noticing a really bad odor when running the AC.
Could this be mildew? Anyone else have this problem? Is there a fix?

Thanx guys

 

change your cabin air filters...it is an easy DIY and you can get the filters at any car parts store for about $20 (there are two of them). There are instructions on this site and/or on the TL site if you want to search for them.

 

same thing happemed to me. smelled like old mildew or somthing. it ended up being a leak, not sure exacly what was leaking but take it in to the dealer.

 

This is one of the drawbacks to doing the service at other-than-dealership places. You save a bundle but there are some filters that places don't change. Did your car sit for a while?

I imagine that this is rare though? I have been good about the "big" services being done at the dealer but most of the less-than 40k ones I do outside of the dealer. I have a garage now...but that was only for the last 5k.

 

Did you have the recirculate air button on? Because that would cause the mildew smell.

 

i noticed that the cl has a stench of pollen from time to time...i've changed the cabin filter. i wonder if its because its some other brand besides the oem??

 

Forgive my stupidity, where is the cabin filter?

I recently installed an Injen CAI....could something be leaking into it ??

 

they are behind the glove box...your engine air filter has nothing to do with a smell. and nothing will drop on the engine filter.

 

shower anyone? jk... its your cabin filter..

 

Written Instructions:

To access the interior air filters you will need a Phillips screw driver a pocket flat blade screw driver and a sharp knife. Open the glove box and empty it of whatever you have been hiding in there.

There is a air piston on the right side that slows the opening speed it is attached to the door with a screw, remove the screw, pop of the air piston.

There are two stops on the inside the glove box, pop both out with the small flat blade.

The glove box will now open downwards, there are two Phillips screws holding the door to the dashboard structure, remove both screws; the door can now be removed.

You will now see two Phillips screws that appear to hold nothing in place, remove these -- leave the metal clips in place.

There is a serrated panel visible it must be cut away from the dashboard structure, save this panel as it is to be reused later.

There is now a vertical white plastic panel visible that can be snapped out of the way and removed.

The filters are the two vertical boxes now visible; remove the bottom one first by pulling it towards you then lower the upper one and remove it as well.

Exchange the filters noting that they have arrows on them for airflow; the boxes that contain the filters are marked as well. Install the filters in the boxes and reassemble the filters in to the air box . Take the white panel and snap it back in place.

Now take the previously cut out plastic panel and turn it so the two hooks engage the two slots in the dash structure, the two screws that did not do anything are now used to secure this panel in place.

Reassemble the glove box in reverse fashion from disassembly.
.
This job should take you about twenty minutes or less.

Jens



How to pics:
http://public.fotki.com/kavextrax/aircon_micron_filte/

Hope this helps.

B

 

If you run your a/c all the time on fairly cold settings, with recirc ON, then this will happen on any car. You should always turn recirc off, and the a/c compressor off about 2 minutes before you shut off the car. Something about blowing the water dropplets off the condensor I believe.