The inside of my car has a mildew smell and I think it could be from the A/C. How can I get rid of the smell?
tzw5kf from Shreveport, LA
There are filters in your car's air conditioning system that need to be replaced every now and then. This is not the same as the engine air filter. People with allergies should do this more often.
The mildew probably got started by running only the "max" A/C. That recirculates the cabin air, which is moist. Using the regular A/C dries out the air. If you run only the max A/C, it leaves moisture in the unit and mildew grows. I'm not sure how to get rid of the smell now, but be sure when you run your A/C to at least finish the last few minutes on regular A/C to dry it out.
We too had this odor in our car. Where did it come from no one knows. We put a cut apple under the hood near the dash.
Smell in the car emanating from A/c duct can be due to Bacteria or Fungi, which cannot be removed by cleaning the interiors of the car. You need to use heat fumigation process with special solution which will kill the bacteria, fungi and even removes cigarette smells. "Airtune" products available in market are an excellent solution.
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My car smells. When I use the air conditioner, there is no smell. When I just use the fan that circulates the air from outside, then my car smells. What can I do to get rid of the smell?
i would look under the hood and see if there is anything there causing the smell that may be circulating in when you turn the fan on.
The smell may becoming from inside the car. Try sprinkling a good amount of baking soda through out the car. On seats and floor mats. Let the baking soda absorb the smell for at least a couple of hours, overnight if possible. Vacum it up and see if this solves your odor problem.
Years ago a smell was my first clue that little mousies had found their way in under the hood and built a nestie in the heater. I had to pay a service guy to disassemble the heater to remove all the materials they used for nesting. Even after that, there were bits of stuff flying out the vents for a week or so.
I had this exact same problem. In my van there was a filter, like an air filter for the heat/ac system. It was located behind the glove box. This filter was all clogged up with dirt and yucky stuff and that was causing the smell. In my case they wanted 45 or $50 to replace the filter so my husband took it out and cleaned it and it never worked right again. Whenever it was rainy or anything, my windows would steam up and I couldn't see. We finally solved the problem by taking the filter out and just leaving it out. We were too cheap to buy a replacement.
TC in MO
This happen with my Tahoe. Found out that the drain line to the air conditioner was clogged. The repairman said if it is really hot and you do not see any water coming from the side of your car, right near the front door, that usually means the line is clogged, which means it backs up and mildew and other smell will cause the inside of the car to smell. Also, sometime I would notice a small amount of water on the passenger side of my car. This is another sign the line is clogged. It has been really hot and dry here, so we had to run the air conditioner a great deal. So, the problem was not that hard to find. Good luck, hope this is your problem as any mechanic can fix just check around for the best price.
I purchasesd a used 2007 sebring. drove it for a couple of days and I noticed a nauseating smell. The best way for me to describe the smell is urine. I took it back to the dealer and they detailed the car. I drove it for a couple of days and the scent came back.
I have Chrysler Sebring too and have had this smell coming out when the ac and heater is on. I've tried a car bomb, which only masked the problem. Antimold agents sprayed by the dealer, same outcome, I've had ion sprays several times to no avail. My car is making me sick and still @ the dealer. I refuse to pay to have this ongoing problem. I've asked them to check the heater and ac system, under the dash to find a kinked tube, mold, or malfunction. Tired of getting duped!!! Wasting my time with mickey mouse treatments. Want them to get to the gist of the problem.
My 15year old corsa smells of rotten eggs when I use the fan that circulates the air from outside how can I get rid of the smell
My Dodge Ram 2014 emits an antiseptic odor, almost like entering a hospital. Like the odor of band-aides. I took it to an auto air repair shop. The man said he didn't have a clue. He told me to get air freshener. I have 4 grand kids and don't want this to be anything that will hurt them.
By Suzy J
This vehicle should be under warranty. Take it back to the dealer and ask if this is an odor that should be there or that will go away in time. I suspect it is just a new car/plastic smell that will go away in time, but I am merely guessing.
How do you get rid of the rat smell when you turn on the heat or A/C? The smell is coming through the vents. I have had the engine pressured washed and that didn't help.
By Carolyn B.
There could be a dead rat inside the venting itself. Other than finding and removing the animal, only time will get rid of the odor.
I have a four year old car that runs great, a dream to drive and gets reasonable gas mileage. One problem however, it has a peculiar odor when the air conditioning is running. I took it in to the dealer. He told me it happens occasionally to vehicles and I happen to be one of the unlucky people to have this problem. He sold me a can of spray for the vents under the hood. It smelled like talcum powder for a few days then the odor came back.
Yea, I've had the same problem, almost like a vinegar or foul B.O. smell? I've looked into it and it happens when moisture gets into in the fan or a/c vents, then causing mould to grow in the vents. Hence the bad smell. I've not managed to fix this myself as of yet but apparently running the fans on full for 10-15 mins can dry out the vents to stop it from smelling. Not sure how long-term this solution is though!
Hope that helps
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I have a four year old car that runs great, a dream to drive and gets reasonable gas mileage. One problem however, it has a peculiar odor when the air conditioning is running. I took it in to the dealer. He told me it happens occasionally to vehicles and I happen to be one of the unlucky people to have this problem.
