AC odour

Some dealers and other facilities offer a service where they'll clean the evaporator case. It's pretty simple. They spray a foam cleaner into the evaporator through the drain hose.

I just took my car to me dealer for the eact same thing and they sprayed Frgi-Fresh in the vents. It helped for a day or two bu the smell has come back. Hynudaitech, is the thing you mentioned something different that may help more??

'Hi....My 04 Sonata has a mouldy rotty type of smell when I first start it,.....after the AC has been on for a short time, the smell goes away....Is it maybe mildew or something in the air system? What can be done besides just masking it with an air-freshener?'

REPLY: I am in the HVAC Trade, but not automotive .. Im in residential and commercial. However, the problem is prevalent in both sectors. Heres some food for thought on ridding/greatly reducing what we call 'the smelly socks' syndrome associated with A/C's :

1. When you are using your cars A/C and getting near to your destination, shut off the A/C but allow the blower to continue to run . This will evaporate the condensate that has condensed on the surface of the evaporator and reduce the smell buildup. Shut off your A/C at least

3 minutes before youre reading to shutoff your engine.

1. If you remove your cabin air filter, you will have direct access to the incoming-air side of the evaporator ; it will be a shiny grey metal object approx. 6" square to the left of the air filter slot. You will only have access to the one side, but, that is better than nothing. Spray some non diluted vinegar on the fins / tubes of the evaporator surface in addition to the plastic condensate pan directly under the evaporator... and allow it to sit there for at least 20 minutes before using the A/C again. Vinegar does a good job of eliminating this particular smell and will not harm the Evaporator or affect its operation. There is no need to rinse the vinegar off as the next time you use the A/C, the condensate will wash off any residue. Initially, you will have a strong odor of vinegar, but it will dissipate in no time. You should be able to go a fairly long time after a treatment.

2. At hardware stores, they sell a small stick-on fragranced 'thing' (cardboard) in various scents that you can apply to your cabin air filter ; this will dilute the evaporator smell and make the cars interior smell nice also. Its not very big so it wont restrict airflow thru the air filter . It lasts a fairly long time before you can now longer smell it. Again initially, it is a bit strong but does dilute soon.

1. There is a product called Febreze available at Grocery Stores which is pretty good ; you can spray that down the supply air outlets of your car with the Blower off and/or , into the return air cavity of the Blower Assembly located behind your glove box while the Blower is running. Spraying it in the general vicinity behind the glove box is all thats required as it will get immediately sucked into the blower then thru the evaporator and ducting system. It comes in various fragrances and lasts awhile.

Dave

The frigi-fresh (or any other air-freshener application) is installed through the fresh air intake at the base of the windshield. Because it's aerosol, it typically only lasts a short period of time.

The foam actually gets into the evaporator fairly well and helps clean it out better. Disclaimer: I've never actually performed this service, so I cannot be sure of results.

Hi,

I had that smell when I turned on my A/C the past 2 summers. It was like a fart or rotten eggs and urine? Anyway, what cleared it up for me was replacing the cabin air filter. Now, I turn on my A/C and it is gone, gone, gone. I have an '02 Sonata.

- Thee Chicago Wolf

Yeah, it is strange, sometimes that helps other times it does not. In my case I replaced the filter and had the dealer spry frdgi-fresh and I still have the smell.

'I had that smell when I turned on my A/C the past 2 summers. It was like a fart or rotten eggs and urine? '

REPLY: Yep...dont go out on a date with it like that.

You are assuming that the smell didn't begin after a date Dave...

Nice.

- Thee Chicago Wolf

Hi I just use a commercial spray that is used to kill germs such as Glen

20 not just a deoderiser - I turn on the air conditioner and spray it throught the intake vents and leave it over night

website:

...Del Sur Al Norte...Regina Sk. Canada Latin and South American Folk dance> band:

'I had that smell when I turned on my A/C the past 2 summers. It was like a fart or rotten eggs and urine? '

ME: : Yep...dont go out on a date with it like that. MIKE: You are assuming that the smell didn't begin after a date Dave...