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Funky smell from the vents

PJR202

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For the first minute or so after I get the AC going there's an odor. It doesn't smell like mildew. It's almost a chemical scent. Anyone had this? It started back in the fall during a heat wave then went away. It started again last week when it got real hot again. It never happened in the first summer I owned the car.

As I'm typing this I'm wondering if it's some kind of VOC's produced somewhere in the system when the car is farhotter than normal. Maybe? Anyone else experiencing this?
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Fleco17

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Have you looked to see if the cabin air filter needs replacing? Mine at first start up, has a smell of the oil that's in the ac system, after a few seconds, it's gone.
 

offcamber

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If it's somewhat of a sweet smell you likely have a refrigerant leak. I hope that's not the case and it's just the cabin filter needing to be replaced.
 

jasonstang

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Pretty common if your car has been parked in the heat all day.
Just some mildew.
 

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jasonstang

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Don't run recirculation all the time and use AC often.
Don't "air out" ac before turning off car like some suggested. Just turn off car when its still cold.
 

mc68386

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Don't "air out" ac before turning off car like some suggested. Just turn off car when its still cold.
Because cold, moist air and condensation stagnating in the bowels of your AC vents on a hot day is a good thing?

I've been turning off AC (keeping the fan on) a couple of minutes before parking for years on multiple vehicles, and it has kept AC stench away very successfully.
 

jasonstang

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Because cold, moist air and condensation stagnating in the bowels of your AC vents on a hot day is a good thing?

I've been turning off AC (keeping the fan on) a couple of minutes before parking for years on multiple vehicles, and it has kept AC stench away very successfully.
Actually no. When you air out, you are blowing warm air though the cold ducts which creates condensation. Condensation helps bacteria and mildew to grow.
When you turn off the car cold, the ducts warm up slowly and gradually to minimize condensation from producing which limits bacteria and mildew from growing.
 
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PJR202

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Thanks for all the suggestions. I've been planning to check the cabin filter. I forgot to mention I actually took it to the dealership back in the fall. They bled and tested the system and it was all good, and they said the temperature was normal. I didn't feel like it was getting cold enough then and even earlier this week when it was really hot. I decided that particular problem might be because I keep the seats down for additional exhaust sound inside. I flipped them up and the AC improved. The smell is still there at startup though. I'll check that filter and report back

For the record, I never blow out the system at shutoff.
 
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PJR202

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Don't run recirculation all the time and use AC often.
Don't "air out" ac before turning off car like some suggested. Just turn off car when its still cold.
What's wrong with running recirculation, aka "the stinky car button?"
 

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toplesstripcruiser

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I run the recirculation when I run the AC. If you don't you'll get the warm outside air also, you want to keep the cold air in. It would be simple to just shut off the AC cold. Something I have always done, why would you run the fans before shutting the car off? Seems like something extra to do.
 

jasonstang

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What's wrong with running recirculation, aka "the stinky car button?"
When you run re-circulation the air is dry so there is not much moisture being produced so you are not actively flushing dirt and crap out of the HVAC which can collect and clog stuff just my understanding.
 

ElAviator72

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If it's somewhat of a sweet smell you likely have a refrigerant leak. I hope that's not the case and it's just the cabin filter needing to be replaced.
Nah, a sweet smell would be a leaky heater core, and if the heater core leaks, it's coolant that you're smelling...shouldn't smell it all in summer, as the HVAC system won't circulate air through the heater core unless you have the heat partially turned on (might be possible in a premium interior car, wouldn't know since this time of the year in my base interior car, the knob pretty much stays at "cold" :thumbsup: ).

Heater core leaks can also smell "fishy", as there's some stinky bacteria that tend to like a leaky heater core...

P.S. When I've had refrigerant leaks in the cabin before in older cars, if you can smell them (usually not), the only smell you usually get is a little bit of oil (that's your compressor lubrication leaking away).
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