bugman100

Has anyone had a mold/mildew odor coming from their air conditioning system? Brought it back to dealer, who cleaned it out, put in a deodorizer, which was worse the the mold. After deodorizer dissipated, mold odor is back.

xfirechief

When we had that on our '04 we changed the cabin filter & smell went away. I figured it got wet to cause the odor.

eyezack87

iTrader: (4)

+2 to changing the cabin filter. My 2ES had that problem and I bought this thing because it was supposed to be one of the best things to get rid of the smell. Too bad I changed the filter before I got to use it

http://www.detailersdomain.com/index...PROD&ProdID=41

catdaddylo

Try this. Turn the A/C off and just let outside air blow through vents. Drive a few miles and see if that helps. What you are smelling is mold that forms in the condensation that is formed when you run the A/C when the conditions are right. To prevent this start turning off the A/C but keep the fan blowing through the vents when you are about a mile from your home when you are going to park your auto for the night. This will help to keep that little kid's tennis shoe smell out of the cabin.

RXSF

i dont understand why carmakers have not found a solution to this problem. isnt mold poisonous? i get so disgusted when i smell it because all im thinking is that the mold spores im breathing in are slowly killing me

Booyah

The cabin filter will make is smell like **** for sure, I had it on mine and when I got a new one--all gone

Also keep your Button on Fresh air at all times even during AC time

C.L.Taylor

I tried pursuing this since the month after I got my 2006. For my 30,000 mile service (at a different dealership than I had visited at the beginning of my car ownership) I was told by three service managers that the odor is mold in the A/C system. They can change the filter and deodorize the A/C unit but it is a recurring problem. As such, I believe it should fall into the Lemon Law category. Each person purchasing a Lexus should have gotten with their owner's manual a Lemon Law guide. In it it lists the rules by state and it includes a form to complete and send to the national dispute resolution center. I suggest that EVERY Lexus owner having 'the mystery odor' issue pull out the booklet, find the form, fill it out, and send it in. I am two weeks outside the timeframe, and I'm furious with myself for not having done something the first year I owned the car. At some point I just gave up and figured I could keep running the heat and trying to clear it up. The fact is, no one I know has this problem, and a recurring problem like this is exactly the reason why the lemon laws were created. Lexus needs to issue a Service Notice and either replace and repair the A/C units in all cars or replace the cars. I paid for my 400h cash - and my mother-in-law can't ride in it because mold in her house killed her (yes, flat lined in intensive care several times, because of mold). It's called Myasthenia Gravis, your thymus gland goes haywire trying to fight the mold and your immune system collapses, that's after spending months chasing down what seems to be a lung issue. My mother-in-law's quality of life was destroyed because of mold inhaulation. People think my car has "new car smell" still -- it's mold, and Lexus needs to correct this.

biff44

Well, physics dictates that when you cool the air, you are going to get condensation. Nothing to do about that.

You can check to make sure the drain pipe is not plugged. You can disinfect the cooling coil.

It would be costly, but I do not see why high end car makers do not do something to the design to keep the mold from growing. You could silver plate the cooling coil, and use anti microbial plastics around it. I guess they are afraid of the cost.

RxInAtl

Do you have the white particles on the dash?? If so, you could have the bad evap core problem. It produces a moldy smell when it goes bad.

xfirechief

Great answer, I had the same problem with our old '04 & a new filter took care of it 100%

RxInAtl

Here's the MSDS for Calcium Carbonate - the chemical that Lexus says the white dust is made of -

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/c0330.htm

Inhalation:
Excessive concentrations of a nuisance dust may cause nuisance condition such as coughing, sneezing, and nasal irritation.

First Aid Measures
Inhalation:
Remove to fresh air. Get medical attention for any breathing difficulty.
Ingestion:
If large amounts were swallowed, give water to drink and get medical advice.
Skin Contact:
Wash exposed area with soap and water. Get medical advice if irritation develops.
Eye Contact:
Wash thoroughly with running water. Get medical advice if irritation develops

LCH228

Hello:
I have noticed the same odor in my 2012 RX350 which only has 8,000 miles on it. I never had a problem with the same model 2010 vehicle. When I made my first trip to the dealer, a few days ago, I was told that the only thing to do was to switch the vent from inside recirculation to outside circulation. After saying that I shouldn't have to live with this allergy trigger, I was told that a rep would come from the factory to inspect the car. When I asked if the head mechanic(who was talking to me) had smelled the odor in my car, he said yes. When I asked if other people had reported the same problem, he said yes.
Instead of a waiting a few weeks for the rep to come, he arrived 2 days later(today), looked at my car and did not detect an odor. Nothing can be done I am told, except to switch the vent circulation a minute before turning off the car. Seriously??? This should not be the solution for a mold problem. Obviously there is mold somewhere ? Has anyone gotten a better response or help from their dealer?

SaneEnch

Try this, works for me:
1) Buy a can of Lysol anti-bacterial aerosol spray - pick the smell you want,
2) Turn on your car and turn up the AC to max, close all the windows,
3) Open up the engine cover, locate the air ducts were the AC draw air into the cabinet - should be right under the front windshield,
4) Spray about 1/4 can of Lysol into each of the air duct slowly and let the air circulate inside the car for 10 minutes,
5) Hold your breath and go into the car and change out the cabinet filter (if you do this every 6 months, you don't have to change it every time, just change it after 15K),
6) Turn off your car and let it sit for few hours.

This would also clear out the rest of the smell problem in your car. The Lysol smell might stay for few days in your car, but it should clear out quickly. Or just drive around a bit with the windows open.

Do this ever 6 months (or after rain season) and you won't have any mold problem.

LCH228

Thank you very much for your suggestions, something I will pursue if I cannot get this taken care of from Lexus. I am glad this is a lease and not something I will have to live with.
Question, When describing # 5- ...go back into car, holding your nose and change the cabin(et) filter, do you mean to push the button from recirculate to outside circulation?

SaneEnch

I mean the smell of a can of Lysol unloaded into your car will be unbearable the second you open the door!!

You don't need to recirculate air from the outside, the Lysol will take care of cleaning out the smell/mold hopefully. I would still recommend changing out the air filter if you have a molding issue, regardless of miles. You don't want that stuff to grow back.