AC smelly on GS300

If the evaporator drain is completely clogged, you may hear water sloshing around under the dashboard and the passenger compartment may be damp.

The drain tube is black and is usually located towards the passenger side of the vehicle, just aft of the firewall. There may also be drain tubes for the sunroof on each side.

You can get on line access to the factory service manual for $10 day at techinfo.toyota.net for 1995 and later vehicles.

Some dealerships sell B-G products, and a product called Frigi-Fresh works very well at removing musty odors. Ozium FeBreeze may also help get rid of the odor.

"Ray O" quipped:

I second the BG Frigi-Fresh. You can go to;

to find where BG products are sold (their BG44k is the BEST fuel system cleaner on the market and about the only one any reputable shop, including Lexus service departments will even sell).

I have a 97 SC400, no matter what I tried, even industrial deodorize, lysol, febreeze, etc. just couldn't get rid of the mold like odor.

Finally, I had my mechanic to open up the unit and clean up the evaporator. He told me when he reached that part, it stinks like hell. He let the unit open for a few days and soak the part with alcohol. He never believed that bateria/mold can grow on metal, but now he does.

I read from the Lexus forum that another guy spent $1450 to have the dealer to clean up the odor. I guess this is the last resort if you really can't stand the smell.

BR,

V.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- snipped-for-privacy@home.com wrote:

"Vinny" quipped:

good gawd, then he was completely ripped off. BG Frigi-Fresh would of done the same thing for less than $50.

There's actually a product that you can buy at a Toyota dealer which you spray into the drain hose from the bottom. I just accessed the evaporator from inside the car and sprayed it directly on it. It foams up and kills all the mold and fungus growing on it. Then, there's another can that you use to spray on it to clear out that nasty liquid. Make sure to use a drain pan. You don't want that vile liquid going everywhere.

Thanks everybody for your insights. I will start looking for the appropriate cleaning stuff. I have heard that switching off the AC for the last couple of minutes before stopping and turning off the car, may help to dry the evaporator better and prevent smells in the future. I try to do that, but the AC being basically Climate Control and on by default, one sometimes forgets.