blanquitom

When I turn on the A/c the car tends to have a musty smell. But after a while it goes away and then once again you get it again. The smell is somewhat like a feet smell. Anyone know what it is (It is not me )? Or possibly how to get rid of it? Could it be as easy as changing the cabin filter? It is time to change it out anyway. (When Heater is off no smell, only A/C)

MobiusOne

I had bought a 1996 Buick Roadmaster that had the same problem that you are describing. Musty smells from your HVAC system can usually be traced back to water getting into the car and stagnating.

Two possible culprits is either rainwater getting into the car or there is a leak coming from your HVAC system. Check the carpet under the front passenger floormat, if it is wet then that is your problem.

Either a leak in your heater core, or more then likely the condensation dripping from the heater core is making it's way out of the drip pan and into the interior of the car. But that would be my first area to check.

blanquitom

Passenger side Floor and Mat are completely dry. I do tend to hear a gurgling sound when I turn off the car (About 10 sec. after I turn off car) could that be the water that is left behind? The sound sounds like its coming from behind the dash board.

marcoes300

it normal , even my dad's 750il do the same thing when its very wet outside

GoodRevs

Change your cabin air filter

PolishJoe

Its mold and mildew in the A/C-heater unit and ducts. You need something like this to get rid of it.

http://www.zip-corvette.com/ProductDetails/ProductDetails.aspx?pid={06A09333-F314-4540-B5C4-F59D112034BC}&gid={54638111-17CE-4DC1-A53C-4141CA7494AB}&pname=BG+Air+Condition+Frigi-Fresh&Referer=&Alias=&ptct=GL2-SR&CTitle=&

The correct way to use this is turn the A/C on with the fan on high. Make sure it is set to pull air from the outside and NOT set on recirculate. Spray it into the cowl ducts below the windshield with the car and A/C running. Do this once a day for about 3 days and it should help remove whatever you have is causing the odor. Replace the cabin air filter (if you have one) after you're done.

KLF

It's NOT normal, your car shouldn't have that smell.

It would help to know what year your car is.

Start by changing the cabin filter. While you have the filter out, spray a bunch of Fabreze into the ductwork slot while the fan is on HIGH.

My guess is that the condensate drain is plugged. I'm guessing yours is in the same location as mine, under the center of the car towards the front. Look for a plastic tube about 2" long sticking out of the floor of the car, from underneath. Get a stiff wire, I find a chunk of old bicycle brake cable works well. Slowly feed it up the tube, be prepared, you may get a flood of stinky yukky water gush out if you clear out a clog. I've had to do this on more than one car, it's not uncommon.

yeldogt

Have you ever changed the cabin filter ?

You need to make sure the drain is clear -- so all the water is draining out of the AC system. You also may have a build-up of dirt that is holding water.

I would remove the filter and give a look inside and try to vacuum out the box as much as you can. New Filter.

You can purchase a special cleaner to kill the fungus that grows in the system - or have it done professionally.

blanquitom

The car is a 04'ES330, I have replaced the cabin filter before but the time is coming around to replace it again. Second time in the cars life. 55000 miles

bobyee

I bought my 2016 ES 350 used and after about 2-weeks of ownership noticed the musty smell in the cabin. I bought Lysol cleaner and sprayed it in to the HVAC intake & it seemed to quell the smell for a few days but it soon was back. I next had a Toyota dealer “clean” the HVAC sytem & it again smelled ok but the smell was back in about a week. Here’s what I did to solve the problem & the musty smell hasn’t come back since:: I live in Florida & we’re running A/C in our vehicles 95% of the year here so you have to use it. What I did about a year ago was to stop using the “Recirculating” air option and use my A/C strictly on “Outside” air & I haven’t had the moldy musty smell since. It doesn’t cool the cabin down as quickly or maintain it as cold as it would on recirculating air but no more smell & i’m happy. Not happy that Lexus hasn’t fixed this but really happy that I found a fix.

Pupule7

Replace the cabin filter located behind the glove compartment.

BMGS

iTrader: (1)

Lexus does not have a fix, at least they admit it, see the TSB below:

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...72825-9999.pdf

As you mentioned, the treatment does not work for more than a few weeks.

The filter does not help as long as your current one is in good shape. I recently tried the official oem one recommended in the TSB but there was no difference between the generic auto parts store bought one.

I have a GS but my best solution so far has been to set the vents to the foot position so that the smell is not as apparent when the vehicle is first started. If I had access to program the HVAC, I would tell it to always start up at the floor/foot position and intake fresh air but it always switches back to recirculate after startup, although the foot position is saved.

As recommended in the TSB, I do try to switch it to fresh air a few minutes before turning the car off, I think that helps a bit but its hard to remember to do it all the time. As you mentioned, if it were in fresh air mode all the time, the issue would likely not exist or be very minimal.