Anybody have any idea why when I turn the air conditioner off in my Forester there is a mold smell I can't seem to find? The techs say that there is an airfilter that may need to be replaced under the glove compartment however the only thing I see under there is a large rubber gasket (about the size of the bottom of a cereal box) and when I remove it there is no filter in their but it does look like air conditioning fins ). Does anybody have any idea where it could be coming from? vents or something? How do I clean whatever it is so I don't have to smell it anymore?????
Mold sometimes grows on the A/C evaporator, which is between the A/C-heater blower motor and the dash vents. I have no idea how prone the Forester is for this and personally I have never had the problem in any of my own cars. However, moisture condenses on evaporator during A/C operation and if it doesn't drain away well you have a situation that is conducive to mold.
GM even had a procedure back in the '80s for treating the problem -- basically exposing the evaporator and rinsing it down with bleach-like chemicals. The complaint was often that it smelled like something died in the car. As I recall, there were even some modification kits designed to run the blower for a short period after the A/C was turned OFF to "dry out" the evaporator.
You might check with some Subaru dealers and independent A/C shops and ask if they are experienced in cleaning or "treating" evaporators for the problem. The evaporator drain needs to be checked to be sure it is clear and working.
My Haynes Subaru Legacy (90-98) discusses the problem under the heading "Eliminating air conditioning odors" in the Chapter on Cooling, heating & A/C. It even describes a somewhat involved, do-it-yourself approach. It points out that there are special aerosol disinfectants available for auto A/C.
even so I didn't encounter this in my fathers forester, i've seen about this on a tv-docu: residues of humidity inside the AC system are a good breeding ground for mold. they said that you should service your AC regularily by disassembling and cleaning it with strong desinfectant that should be done in an authorized garage / by a specialist. This means more than just changing the AC fluid of an air filter. hope this helps lophiomys
I'm not sure about the Forester, but on the Imprezas you have to remove the glovebox to access the cabin filter. The filter is an option on the Imprezas, don't know if it was standard on the Forester or not. If it was dealer installed there should be a sticker on the doorpost indicating its presence. Your owners manual should show its location and the procedure for access. While the filter may be a possible source of odor if not serviced for a long time, and will also eventually reduce airflow through the vents if not replaced in a timely manner, the usual source of the mold/mildew smell is the evaporator core itself. You can attempt to reduce or eliminate any buildup that has developed by spraying Lysol or another disinfectant product into the outside air intake while the vent fan is running. This will draw the disinfectant through the evaporator and hopefully kill the mold. Multiple treatments may be needed. To prevent this from happening in the first place, or to avoid recurrence, don't keep the AC running right up until you shut the car down. At least a few blocks before reaching your destination, turn the compressor off but leave the vent fan running, this will allow the evaporator to dry out at least partially by the time you park. Also avoid the use of the recirculate mode unless absolutely necessary, use the fresh air mode.
I've had this from day one with my Chrysler '95 Concord in our damp west coast winters. My Chrysler dealer gave (sold) me the solution. A container of commercial air conditioner mould remover. I've been using it for 9 years. Just requires an application every few months during our damp weather.
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