The air conditioner on my 1987 300D smells musty, enough so that my wife doesn't let me turn it on. Is there any easy fix for this? She says it smells like mildew. How do I approach this problem? The system was worked on extensively six months ago - new compressor, expansion valve. It blows cold, but it smells.
It is undoubtedly the evaporator drain that has become blocked. When warm air comes into contact with a cold surface (the evaporator), some of the moisture in that air condenses onto that surface. Think windows in winter, bathroom mirrors etc. This water would normally drain away, leaving a puddle under your car when you park it. If it doesn't drain away it stagnates and smelly bacteria grow in it, leading to that famous musty smell. I don't know where the drain is on your car, but at least you know what you're looking for.
Good luck DD
Bacteria build up causes this smell, you can get antibacterial spray which you spray through the heating system which should clear it up.
I use Lyso Rapid, this is the only online source I could find for it though, I get it from an air con specialist.
This happens in some of my cars occasionally. I fix it with a similar spray available at the local Ford dealer's parts counter. Just spray it for a few seconds into the AC return (if you know where to find it on your car). I spray with and without A/C recirculation on as I am not sure which would be the best way. Clears it right up.
Scott D
dont park underneath trees
Scott is correct. If you are interested in _preventing_ the issue from arising:
(1) Ensure that your A/C's water drain is not plugged. This hole or tube allows water that has condensed on your A/C evaporator coil, to exit your vehicle without pooling.
(2) Before you shut your engine off after running A/C, turn off your A/C cooling while leaving the fan running for about 5 minutes. This runs air past the A/C evaporator coil and dries off the condensation that has formed on them. Without the moisture there, the bacteria does not form, and you don't get that musty smell.
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So can anyone tell me exactly where this evaporator drain is?
Re: AC smell (2) Before you shut your engine off after running A/C, turn off =A0 your A/C cooling while leaving the fan running for about 5 =A0 minutes. This runs air past the A/C evaporator coil and dries =A0 off the condensation that has formed on them. Without the =A0 moisture there, the bacteria does not form, and you don't get =A0 that musty smell. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX were do you live? Canada. its HOT in the south. ain't sitting in my car that long.
my 82 300SD just turned 250,000miles and smells fine.
case in SC
the case, minus a few cans!
Look for a product made to kill the bacteria on the evaporator coils. It's called "AirSept" and is available in some auto parts stores. You spray it into the air duct with the A/C running. It's recommended by Jaguar and some other mfrs.
Re: AC smell
(2) Before you shut your engine off after running A/C, turn off your A/C cooling while leaving the fan running for about 5 minutes. This runs air past the A/C evaporator coil and dries off the condensation that has formed on them. Without the moisture there, the bacteria does not form, and you don't get that musty smell. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX were do you live? Canada. its HOT in the south. ain't sitting in my car that long.
my 82 300SD just turned 250,000miles and smells fine.
case in SC
the case, minus a few cans!
I have a 2002 and had a bad musty smell. I brought the car in and they sprayed Ozium into it. It then smelled like musty Ozium for a week or so, then the Ozium wore off and it smelled plain musty again. I brought it badk again and insisted they do something else. They said they had some new stuff (since the beginning of 2003) and tried that. It is a foam they spray in the heater box. It expands rapidly (sort of like the house insulation stuff) and coats the entire heater box with a disinfectant, then turns back into a liquid and they drain it out. So far, so good. Smell is gone.
But the other question I made them answer is how am I supposed to turn the A/C off for 5 minutes before shutting down the car if the compressor still runs for 10 minutes after pushing the EC button? Took them a few hours to figure it out, but it is working as designed and they even showed me a technical bulletin to prove it. They need to change their design.
There is a product designed specifically for your concern--
Fridigifresh
You can find it at A/C shops or you can get it through any Chrysler Dealership as it is called out in an earlier year TSB for Musty A/C Smells.
It is not fool proof. If it does not work--you may need to, in worse case, replace your cooling coils.
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