Mold in air ducts - 2002 LW200

Whenever the A/C is running, either for cooling or defrosting, the most appalling mold smell comes out of the ducts. It includes spores, etc., because it just about makes me want to pull over and get out of the car when it happens. It is not just a smell, it makes us sneeze and our eyes get irritated.

Anyone else out there experiencing problems like this on the L series cars?

Reply to
Pocket Rocket
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Many vehicles are susceptible to mold/mildew growing on the A/C evaporator core because of the moisture that condenses on it. One thing that will probably help is turning the A/C off and keeping the blower on for a few minutes before you stop the vehicle, to help dry it out.

GM actually makes a kit that can be installed on vehicles with repeated problems with this, it includes a device that runs the blower for a few minutes at a time at certain intervals after the vehicle is shut off to dry out the evaporator core. However, I think the more usual solution is a disinfecting spray on the evaporator core - I think this also includes some kind of coating to help keep the mold from regrowing.

Reply to
Robert Hancock

Don't leave the re-circulation button on all the time, and I always shut the A/C off 5 minutes before stopping, while leaving the fan on to allow it to warm up, and dry out.

Reply to
Skid

Some have given good advice on how to avoid it... Now I'll give good advice on how to kill the nastiness that is in there already...

Get yourself a can of Lysol (preferably a scent you don't mind too much because you will be smelling it for a few days...)

Start the car Put the AC on high and let it suck fresh air from outside... Get out of the car Spray the lysol CAREFULLY into the air intake vents which are usually under the hood near the windshield or just between the hood and the windshield... I'm not familiar with the layout on your car. Empty the can..... Let the car run for 10 minutes or so like that... Shut off the AC Shut off the car with the windows open Let car sit for a while to air out - it WILL smell like Lysol. Enjoy a sanitized car. :)

Joe - V#8013 - '86 VN750 - joe @ yunx .com Ask me about "The Ride" on July 31, '04:

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Reply to
Joe Dufu

Another dose of prevention is to turn on the heater full blast (not the fan, the temperature), just before you arrive to your destination and then shut off the engine. The heat from the hot water will help to evaporate the condensation more quickly.

Reply to
Rudy Garcia

Good advice Joe. I would like to add one other procedure to yours since I have had this condition on both of my SL's. I usually use the large cans of Lysol and split the contents between the outside intakes and the recirc. intake inside the car. Do as Joe mentioned and then put the blower on recirc., locate your intake which is usually on the passenger side floor/firewall area, take a deep breath and let it rip into the intake. Works great. MR

Reply to
MR

So far, no problem here. On other cars, have seen a blockage in the evaporator drain that causes a buildup of condensed water in the area and contributes to mold and fungus growth.

I'm new to Saturn and don't yet know how the models all equate to one another. My '01 LW300 is supposed to have a passenger cabin air filter. Not sure if this gets scmutched up, if it could be also a source of mold.

If everything else fails, do the Lysol thing as previously recommended by others.

Oppie

Reply to
Oppie

I'm not familiar with your L-Series.

I've got an older S series and have had the dealer perform the $125 disinfect (they put in a nozzle in the ductwork ahead of the evaporator and then discharge a can of cleaner - the stuff I got is called DWD2,

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Supposedly they leave the nozzle in and so I couldbuy a can of the stuff later and do it myself - when I couldn't find thenozzle they said they plugged the hole. No telling what they did (inhindsight).

One of the guys (ex Saturn tech) that used to post here described another system that was quite a process - I don't remember the details.

It (the dealer performed cleaning) was great for a while. Then the smell came back and I've done a home-job on it by pulling the blower motor (3 screws and an electrical connection) and squirted about a half bottle of antibacterial Windex in the duct towards the evaporator (until it drips onto the driveway from the evaporator drains). It's due again.

All the tips the guys have offered are good advice.

Reply to
Jonnie Santos

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