2006 RL 36k miles.
recently getting a strange chemical/rubber/ foul smell from vents at start up. Worse when engine cold, but happens even after driving a while, stop for a bit and restart. Seems to be as the heater comes up to temp, and then clears, but never really goes away, as the fan blows fresh air. Dealer checked heating and cooling system, and "disinfected" vents. Still seems to happen.
Does not occur with my 08 MDX.
Any thoughts or similar complaints?

 

Sure sounds like ac mildew, needs better disinfectant.

 

Agreed. I'd also try changing the cabin air filter.

 

This doesn't happen to me, but there is a similar thread with this complaint from a few months ago. Will find later today.

 

It happens more in warm climates, when I lived in the frozen tundra it was not a problem.
Now that I live in paradise, Sarasota FL it can be an issue.

 

Likely mold in the vents as mentioned. I had a subtle episode once and cured it by running the a/c on and fan HIGH with recirc vents open while spraying some disinfectant (Lysol, OUST, etc, depending on your olfactory preferences for residual scent) into the air intake vents at the base of the windshield near the resting wipers.

But I also had another episode that was not related to mold in the ventilation ducts. As I prepared to repeat the above mentioned process, I found a rather large tree frog petrified on the cowl near the aforementioned air intake vents at the base of the windshield.

It is not bad enough rock chips plague our RLs, Love Bugs splat upon our windshields while in rapture and small lizards often find themselves embossed into the tire tread before becoming curious shaped playtoys for the cat on the garage floor, but now I have to look out for Kamikaze Tree Frogs flinging themselves upon my beloved RL while innocently pulling out of the garage. They are quite clever too, they lay in wait upon the garage door in the shadows of the garage door coach lamps, and as the electric door opener raises the door, they catapult themselves onto the glossy, lusterous shape below not unlike a scene from Mission Impossible.

The poor guy was contorted in a desperate pose with limbs outstretched in every direction, rigid, dried up and ready to be flung down the driveway not unlike a Ninja attack star.

Problem solved.

 

What do you do for a living, TampaRL, may I ask?

 

I'm not telling until you take off those latex gloves and step away from the exam table.

Would you believe retired Cruise Director turned Business Process Analyst & Information Technology Principal Consulant?

Confused? So am I.....

 

Sorry Tampa, I only have non-latex gloves in my office, too many with latex allergies...

 

Speaking of critters causing strange smells in cars....We once had a squirrel craw up into the engine compartment in my wife's Lexus RL. I don't know exactly what happened, but I believe she must have started the car, the belts must have gone running and the squirrel's tail must have been caught. The bottom line is there was a dead squirrel in the engine and it was tangled up. Not only did it smell really bad, but it was a pain to get out! The ironic part is that we didn't really notice the smell in the car at first. When walking around the car, I noticed something furry protruding below the car from the engine compartment, I took a look and realized something wasn't right. When I popped the hood, that is when the smell was overwhelming. And that is when I had to undertake what has become one of my "designated" jobs around the house. Cleaning up dead critters!

 

Recycling and bumping an old thread (I used search).

I've got that pungent mildewy smell in my RL whenever I turn on the compressor. The weather is heating up, and the family is complaining about running the A/C.

Has anyone developed a cure for this olfactory malady?

Rob144

 

Mildewy smell in the air conditioning was a common problem in the last generation bmw 5 series that I owned. People would suggest the following:

* Turn on the air conditioner
* Open the hood to the engine
* Spray lysol or BG Frigi-fresh into the HVAC air intake
* Let it run through the system

Another suggestion was that after running the air conditioning during normal drives, as you approach your destination, turn off the air but let the blower continue to run so that you can dry out the system and prevent the moisture from building up and causing mold.

Good luck!

 

Where is the HVAC air intake? Is it at the base of the windshield?

I usually turn off the AC as I approach my destination, and there was time I didn't and the car sat for a while, and lo and behold -- the smell. My service adviser recommended running the AC a lot using fresh air.

 

Not sure where the intake is under the hood. I sold my RL a few months back and am back to BMW. (550i).

Check the owners manual or maybe someone else on the forum knows.

Eric

 

The de-humidification that the AC does results in condensing water in the system. There is a drain to release that under the car-sometimes you can see a small puddle under the on the ground in warm weather when returning to the car after a short time. Those drains can sometimes get clogged or blocked so the water stays in the system and turns foul.
Find the drain (under the car, unfortunately), clear it with a long piece of stiff plastic-no coat hangers!-and that might help.
You probably still want to do all the deodorizing or re-odorizing stuff mentioned earlier in the thread.

 

I opened the hood and spritzed some Lysol at base of the winshield (where's a grille in that black trim under the wipers). That's certainly the right spot. I think it needs a few more treatments.

If someone could point me to the drain hole, I'd give cleaning that a try.

 

try spraying in some Zorbx, found it at local hardware. Seemed to help my problem some without any perfume/Lysol smell. Sprayed it into the air intakes and vents a couple times.

 

Can anyone tell me where the A/C drain pipe might be? I've been driving on a warm day with the A/C on with no puddles after I park. I'd like to see if the drain is clogged, but don't know where to look or how to trace it to it's exit.

 

I think the lack of a puddle suggests that the drain is clogged.
I poked around the web for a bit but found no definite answers. Some say to search under the car, others say to look for a hose at and coming through the firewall. Many suggest using wire to poke in the drain tube when found to dislodge debris or use water or an airline to blow out.
Not having the problem I haven't looked for the drain hose myself. I'll check the service manual and see if there is a drawing that shows or indicates the location.

 

Would love to know where the hose is. I want to clear it just in case and plan on changing the filter too. Nylon weed trimmer line works well and shouldn't hurt the hose or a/c parts that metal wire might.

 

I too have had the occasional smell from the vents but I have had A/C in cars for 40 years and only the RL smells. Either the RL is different or the weather has changed. Should we blame it on global warming?
The puddle under the car is typically not from a drain. It is the ice melting from the high pressure line out of the compressor. It is normal and is greatly dependant on the relative humidity. A humid day produces more water from the system.

 

I may be wrong but I thought the high pressure side gets hot and the ice forms on the low pressure side of the evaporator?
Still, the water comes from water condensing, or freezing and thawing, somwhere in the system. Clogged drains are common in automotive AC systems; sometimes water in the passenger compartment results.

 

foam4me, you are correct. The pressure was getting to me!

 

So where do I find the drain on my stinkin' RL?!?

 

Dropped by the dealer for a drain check -- not clogged. THey sprayed some sort of Fridge-something spray, but it didn't do very much. I gave it another big dose of Lysol after I got home and let it soak overnight.

 

I changed my cabin filter, then before I get home, while still driving, it turn off recirculated air and bring up the temp so there is no condensation.. like a mile or 2 before I stop... this seemed to work for me, because I had this same smell.. and I was weary about lysol cuz I don't want to smell that smell all of the time.

 

Had to dig through a pile of RL stuff to find some notes I took on the air intake stench...most of them have all ready been mentioned:

1. Clogged a/c drain plug (most of the time, this backs up onto the passenger wheel well if left too long)
2. Debris (leaves, dead critters, mold, etc.)

The one not mentioned here, was engine cleaner over spray. My local dealer was known for cleaning the engines. The folks they had doing this were a little liberal with the cleaner and would over shoot the engine and spray right into the intake.

 

Has anyone figured out where the ac drain is? A picture sure would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.