sorry but which button is recirculate? ha..ha.. =(

 

nevermind! hah, i got it. done and it smells SO much better =)
i got it at parts source for $26
thanks for your help guys

 

So what exactly did you get replaced for $26? The cabin air filter?

 

yup
the cabin air filter and the smell is gone now. The old filter was disgusting. my dad use to drive my IS, and he didn't change it for 60,000km so... it was time hah =)

the swap was really easy. just took out the shelf in the glove box then took off the back panel

 

Lucky for you.. i got my filter at autozone for $13.. but the smell is still there.

 

often times it's more than a dirty air filter. sometimes the smell is from VOC's given off by organic growth (mold and mildew) on the evaporator coils and in the duct work. see thread below...

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gx-...lls-stale.html

 

Maybe it could be a cabin filter or it could be a evaporator inside the dashboard.. It is could be a A/C recall I know because I work Lexus Tech at dealership.. Ive seen few ES, IS, even RX have problem with A/C... Call service writer for what the situation about the A/C odor smell...

 

IM going in for my 20k service tomorrow. Ill tell them I have smelly AC because I do, on start up.

Lets see how they handle it.

 

I just changed my filters las weekend.
I now do this annually. I get the parts on line (carpartswholsale.com) cost was ~$45 for 3 vehicles.

When I have the system open I spray duct cleaner/disinfectant (I suspect lysol would work just as well) into the system before reinstalling the new filter. I then close it up and spray into the intake ducts by the wipers with the system running. I'll run it for a few minutes w/ the A/C on and then off. I shut the system down and spray some into the cabin ducts. I then let the car sit over night.

 

i would have gone to autozone.. but i'm in toronto, and there is no autozone around. I needed to get rid of that smell FAST b/c i had to pick up my girlfriends family at the airport... and if i had a car smelling that bad = bad news haha

i let it run for a bit on the recirculation after i put the filter in then switched it to bring outside air in with the windows open. did this 3 or 4 times over a couple of hours and the smell was practically gone. Granted, the smell IS still there a LITTLE bit when i turn on the car and warm air shoots out instead of cold air, but im hoping that is just a residual smell and that it'll pass in time. i'll update you on that.


let us know! is/would this be covered under routine service and warranty?

good idea, im going to do this tomorrow just to make sure it is all nice and clean =)

 

thats what i do..no smell here

 

I've been reading all these threads regarding this. I've never had this problem on any other car. Does it read anywhere in the manual to not leave the a/c on auto all the time?

 

i started having the same issue on my 09 here recently... so what i will do is push the button for the outside in for about 20 seconds... then hit the recirc air button ( inside cabin) it goes away pretty quickly but i will def have it checked when i go in for service.

 

Okay, I just got my car back this is what Sewell did.


Cause: Microbes in evap case/performed fridgy fresh service on evap case

then theres a bunch of numbers and letters.

I dont know if the smell is gone because the car was running for a while when i got in. Ill have to see later on.

 

i've never had this problem either in any other car (civic, accord, bmw)

i have heard of this problem in my friends corolla..but he never changed his cabin filter and he is over 100k...result? he got really bad allergies and hay-fever hah so change it! i'm going to do so every 15000 from now on

im finding it annoying how every time i turn on my car it automatically chooses "recirculation" instead of "Bringing air from the outside" is there a reason for this?/can this be changed?