Air conditioning Moldy smelling - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

njccmd2002 · 03-12-2013, 01:06 AM

this issued plagued the camry, and now i think its haunting me.. anyone with the same problems, my car only has 1600 miles.

fistpoint · 03-12-2013, 01:19 AM

Cabin filters smell weird sometimes. Check it out.

ahausheer · 03-12-2013, 01:23 AM

Same problem but on a different car. Previous owner never turned recirc off, I think that was the main issue for some reason. Also, if you haven't already, make sure the AC drain hose is not plugged up. Otherwise look online, there are antiseptic foams that you spray through long thin hoses into the heater core to kill all the nasty stuff or try a bunch of Lysol into the vents.

chenshuo · 03-12-2013, 09:13 AM

in the owner's manual, it says the smell is normal.

FRiSson · 03-12-2013, 09:16 AM

Don't use one of those spray desanitizers. They make your car smell worse than those pine tree fresheners. You should run your air conditioner for a few minutes every few days to keep the seals lubed and to prevent stale water from accumulating.

blu_ · 03-12-2013, 09:25 AM

Might also try cranking your heat to max while running the AC for a while. If there is mold it could kill it.

DoctorNick · 05-08-2013, 03:02 PM

Were you able to find a solution? I just bought my BRZ and the damn A/C reeks. To the point I am considering trading in the car.

Kimsey47 · 05-08-2013, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctorNick

Were you able to find a solution? I just bought my BRZ and the damn A/C reeks. To the point I am considering trading in the car.

I think the filter for the AC is in the glovebox... Take a quick look in the owners manual and it will show you where to go. This may help you out as you can directly smell if the filter truely is the cause.

Mikem53 · 05-08-2013, 06:31 PM

The simple fix is to turn off the compressor, turn off recirculate for a few minutes before you turn the engine off. This helps remove the moisture from the vents and plenum so you don't get that musty odor and mold build up..
Don't use sprays and junk in there..

njccmd2002 · 05-09-2013, 07:32 AM

and most of you are right, to prevent it from happening.

but once the problem starts its freaky annoying... a/c service from toyota is 150 in my area.

I solved the problem in the camry with see below. I might just do that with this one, summer is coming...... 35 buks...

shiumai · 05-09-2013, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikem53

turn off recirculate for a few minutes before you turn the engine off.

turn off recirc...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marchy

and then at the suggestion of the mazda tech, would use recirc for the last few minute of my commute.

turn on recirc...

which one is it?

anyways, i had the same issue in our outback - recommendation was to turn OFF recirc for the last few minutes of driving, and always turn off the AC and leave recirc off before when shutting off the car.

here's an article:
http://suite101.com/article/bad-smel...tioner-a134728

AznBRZer · 05-09-2013, 11:04 AM

As with every other car, you're supposed to turn off the A/C for the last 5-10 minutes of driving and run the fan with the vents open(re-circ off) to evaporate any condensation caused by the A/C.

CamryDS · 05-09-2013, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AznBRZer

As with every other car, you're supposed to turn off the A/C for the last 5-10 minutes of driving and run the fan with the vents open(re-circ off) to evaporate any condensation caused by the A/C.

Follow this and your car won't smell. 5-10 may be a bit long, just maybe a few mins before you get out of the car, just run the vent only without AC.

wheelhaus · 05-09-2013, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiumai

turn off recirc...

turn on recirc...

which one is it?

anyways, i had the same issue in our outback - recommendation was to turn OFF recirc for the last few minutes of driving, and always turn off the AC and leave recirc off before when shutting off the car.

here's an article:
http://suite101.com/article/bad-smel...tioner-a134728

I think the idea is to use both recirc and external air to ensure no inlet pipes are collecting moisture. If you primarily use one, switch to the other a few minutes before shutdown.

03-12-2013, 01:06 AM	#1
njccmd2002 Toyota Freak Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: Whiteout FRS Location: Jackson, TN Posts: 364 Thanks: 47 Thanked 150 Times in 92 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Air conditioning Moldy smelling this issued plagued the camry, and now i think its haunting me.. anyone with the same problems, my car only has 1600 miles. __________________

03-12-2013, 01:23 AM	#3
ahausheer Re-member Join Date: Nov 2011 Drives: Toyota camry Location: S. Cali Posts: 1,001 Thanks: 98 Thanked 292 Times in 152 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Same problem but on a different car. Previous owner never turned recirc off, I think that was the main issue for some reason. Also, if you haven't already, make sure the AC drain hose is not plugged up. Otherwise look online, there are antiseptic foams that you spray through long thin hoses into the heater core to kill all the nasty stuff or try a bunch of Lysol into the vents. __________________ Nothing decays like progress, and nothing preserves like neglect.

03-12-2013, 09:13 AM	#4
chenshuo Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Drives: WRB BRZ Location: Toronto Posts: 1,260 Thanks: 259 Thanked 473 Times in 245 Posts Mentioned: 8 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	in the owner's manual, it says the smell is normal. __________________

05-09-2013, 07:32 AM	#10
njccmd2002 Toyota Freak Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: Whiteout FRS Location: Jackson, TN Posts: 364 Thanks: 47 Thanked 150 Times in 92 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	and most of you are right, to prevent it from happening. but once the problem starts its freaky annoying... a/c service from toyota is 150 in my area. I solved the problem in the camry with see below. I might just do that with this one, summer is coming...... 35 buks... __________________

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03-12-2013, 01:19 AM	#2
fistpoint Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Drives: Supercharged Golf Cart Location: Estados Unitos Posts: 1,196 Thanks: 75 Thanked 364 Times in 206 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Cabin filters smell weird sometimes. Check it out.

03-12-2013, 09:16 AM	#5
FRiSson Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: FR-S MT Location: New England Posts: 1,081 Thanks: 118 Thanked 483 Times in 241 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Don't use one of those spray desanitizers. They make your car smell worse than those pine tree fresheners. You should run your air conditioner for a few minutes every few days to keep the seals lubed and to prevent stale water from accumulating.

03-12-2013, 09:25 AM	#6
blu_ Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Drives: SWP BRZ LTD Location: Portland, OR Posts: 889 Thanks: 637 Thanked 170 Times in 106 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Might also try cranking your heat to max while running the AC for a while. If there is mold it could kill it.

05-08-2013, 03:02 PM	#7
DoctorNick Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Drives: '13 BRZ Location: Chicago, Il. Posts: 118 Thanks: 17 Thanked 51 Times in 33 Posts Mentioned: 4 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Were you able to find a solution? I just bought my BRZ and the damn A/C reeks. To the point I am considering trading in the car.

05-08-2013, 06:31 PM	#9
Mikem53 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Drives: FR-S 6MT Location: Somewhere in Space Posts: 1,565 Thanks: 500 Thanked 882 Times in 433 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	The simple fix is to turn off the compressor, turn off recirculate for a few minutes before you turn the engine off. This helps remove the moisture from the vents and plenum so you don't get that musty odor and mold build up.. Don't use sprays and junk in there..

05-09-2013, 11:04 AM	#12
AznBRZer Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Drives: 16 CBS WRX Limited Location: Boston Posts: 1,147 Thanks: 947 Thanked 592 Times in 371 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	As with every other car, you're supposed to turn off the A/C for the last 5-10 minutes of driving and run the fan with the vents open(re-circ off) to evaporate any condensation caused by the A/C.

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