barry stevens

For the last 3 weeks I have been getting this strange smell entering the cabin. It kinda had that odour like when you go through a car wash, but now I think it has migrated to a mouldy smell. Sometimes it is there and others it is not. I run the heating system in auto so I know the A/C is running at the same time. I only have 35,000 km on the car. Just curious if anyone else has had this happen and how it was resolved?

bhelsdon

Mine has done that since it was new. I leave mine on auto all the time. The odor seems to occure when the weather starts to warm up and it is usually there during the first couple of minutes of driving. Mine has not been bad enough to bother me, but it is definatly noticable.

RJANACONDA

iTrader: (1)

at your milage i would say you should look at your cabin air filter

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...t=cabin+filter

TL1999

Time to change cabin filter... it is simple DIY.

SouthernBoy

Several rules to follow, in no particular order, to reduce or completely eliminate this problem (Honda products have a history of this).

1. Avoid using the recirculate setting for cabin air, especially when using the A/C. If you do use it, revert to outside air as soon as you are comfortable.
2. When using the A/C, turn it off a few miles (or perhaps 5 minutes) before reaching your destination, especially in humid weather, and run the fan on the highest setting.
3. During the off season, as in not summer months, use the manual mode settings along with outside air to cool or warm the cabin. The auto setting will cycle the compressor if temperature is not really cold. While cycling it once or twice a month is a good thing, you may consider avoiding this as a normal thing.


#1 Recirculated air allows humidity to build up in the cabin and increased condensation on the evaporator coil. It also can fog up the inside of your windows. You also increase the chance of coil freeze-up doing this.

#2 Running the fan on high while not using the A/C will help to dry out the evaporator and reduce mold and mildew buildup.

Condensation and coil freeze-up are two of the most common reasons for an offensive odor making its way into your cabin. Do the above and you should never have this problem. Oh, and change the cabin filter when it's needed.

bhelsdon

Southernboy is right on with his post. Folowing these rules will help with mildew smell.

with that being said, The TL is not equipped with a charcoal cabin filter so the filter in the TL will not stop odor from comming into the cabin. The filter in the TL is really just to stop the dust and dirt from entering the evaporater and heater core. Yes the filter should be maintained but you would be fooling yourself if you think a new filter will stop odor. Follow Souternboy's rules and you can greatly reduce or eliminate the odor.

Jesstzn

1Z makes a product especially for this problem.

1Z

barry stevens

So basically running the climate control is a no no? Seems stupid that they even offer such an option if this is the end result. Although I have found that running the A/C in the winter seems foolish, I figured the gurus at Acura knew what they were doing....guess not. I do have to admit though that I have never had my windows fog up anywhere after the car has warmed up, which may be the A/C running.

Jesstzn

This isn't an Acura problem or a climate contol problem .. it happens in all makes.

JMHO this climate control sux compared to the VW I had.

SouthernBoy

It seems to be more common in Honda products. I have never had a Ford where this problem arose. And my '96 Ford Contour SE had one of the best A/C units I ever had on any car.

Jesstzn

VW have it .. 3 of my GMs did .. I know of a few Fords .. a Jag and 2 Nissans I detail.

SouthernBoy

Here is what I do in the summer months. First off, I should state up front that I love hot weather (I am a Southerner after all), and I tend not to use my A/C all that much in the summer.. only when it gets really hot or when the wife and I are going somewhere (like to dinner or vacation). Anyway, here is what I do.

The Auto setting with our HVAC systems is actually quite good for use in the summer. If you are on a trip or some extended drive, by all means, use the Auto setting. It will do a great job in balancing the cabin temperature. And it's hooked into the Nav so that it makes adjustments based upon the time of day and the direction of travel.

If your trip is short, as in under 20 minutes (approximate), use the manual mode and outside air. The reason not to use Auto for short trips is that in Auto mode, it will automatically go to recirculate until it drops the cabin temperature to your setting, and then it will open the outside ducts. If your trip is short, you will never get outside air into the cabin on auto mode.

One other thing. In manual mode, it seems the compressor runs a lot more than when in Auto mode. This is Ok for short trips (see the last paragraph), but you don't want this for longer ones. For longer trips, it's best to use the Auto mode.

I finishing, there is nothing wrong with the design of our HVAC systems.. they really do a superb job.

heehaaw

ive had the same problem with my car since i can remember (04 tl). dealer recommended i change the interior cabin filter, so i had them do it, but it solved nothing at all. its something i guess we'll all have to live with. at the end of the day i guess its not THAT bad, but considering its a pretty damn expensive car, it just seems like something that would happen in a civic not a tl.

Jesstzn

See post #7 above .. you don't have to live with it..

SouthernBoy

I also have an '04 TL.. and an '05 TL ('04 is a manual and the '05 is an automatic - the wife's). Neither one of my TL's has an odor coming through the vents into the cabin. I know with mine it's because or the precautions I take (as outlined in my previous postings on this thread. With my wife's, it's because she has learned from me and taken some of my suggestions. But used to own a '91 Accord LX and it definitely had the Honda odor.

sandiegodrive

Post #5 Nailed it! I almost never used the Re-cer button and oder never returned. It's been about 15,000 miles since I did that.

barry stevens

I think the biggest fault I can find with the auto setting unlike other cars I have had, is that it does not show you what it is doing. I don't know what mode it is in, so if it is fogging up heavily on windows, seeing that it is automatic, I would think it knows this to some extent. I also have not really noticed if the recirc is on when in auto. I will keep a closer eye on it. I do have to admit that the climate control in the Acura is not up to North American standards.