Weird smell from AC vents..?
Now I understand some girls not wanting a second date.
07-27-12, 03:41 PM
#47
6 years old car here and no smell yet. I always turn AC off a few miles before I get home and let outside air in. Sometime I just let the fan run only to dry up all the moisture from the AC. no mold build up equal no smell.
Last edited by Kevin350; 07-27-12 at 03:53 PM.
07-28-12, 01:28 PM
#48
I frequently vacation with this car in coastal South Carolina, where the summer humidity is crazy high. Even on the steamiest days, the A/C wrings out the moisture in a matter of minutes. In fact, I've never had a car that dehumidifies as well as my IS350.
The musty smell is not because the A/C is not removing enough water from the air. The smell is because of mildew and fungus growing right on the evaporator coil.
The musty smell is not because the A/C is not removing enough water from the air. The smell is because of mildew and fungus growing right on the evaporator coil.
Which raises the question: Why is fungi growing on the evap coil? Any reasons that it likes the IS250 better than any other car I have owned in my life?
Sorry, but that is simply not true. As I said before, the A/C in the IS does not cycle on and off. Instead, as the set point is neared, the blower speed is reduced, while at the same time the output of the compressor (and in turn the heat removal capacity) is reduced enough to keep the evaporator coil ice cold (for maximum dehumidification), but warm enough to prevent it from freezing up.
With the fan speed and compressor output reduced, it works just like a smaller unit. You get to have your cake and eat it too.
What you say is totally on-point when sizing an A/C unit for your home or office, a well insulated space being cooled by a unit with a fixed capacity compressor -- but not to your car, which has a variable speed blower, and variable output compressor, and a practically insatiable heat load owing to the fact that it is an uninsulated metal and glass enclosed space.
With the fan speed and compressor output reduced, it works just like a smaller unit. You get to have your cake and eat it too.
What you say is totally on-point when sizing an A/C unit for your home or office, a well insulated space being cooled by a unit with a fixed capacity compressor -- but not to your car, which has a variable speed blower, and variable output compressor, and a practically insatiable heat load owing to the fact that it is an uninsulated metal and glass enclosed space.
07-30-12, 01:53 PM
#49
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Anyone brought their car back to Lexus? I'm still getting the smell 
. I've did the heater treatment twice, both for ten minutes on full blast, I put the air on fresh air mode now, and before I reach my destination (3-5 minutes away) I turn off the ac and just let the fan blow. And I'm still getting the smell at startup. What else can I do? Should I just take it to Lexus?
Thanks guys!
. I've did the heater treatment twice, both for ten minutes on full blast, I put the air on fresh air mode now, and before I reach my destination (3-5 minutes away) I turn off the ac and just let the fan blow. And I'm still getting the smell at startup. What else can I do? Should I just take it to Lexus?Thanks guys!
07-30-12, 08:02 PM
#51
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08-01-12, 12:25 PM
#52
I went over a long trip this weekend and noticed that the smell starts right when the AC blower starts slowing down. Evidently, in doing so the ability of removing moisture is also being lost and causing this urinal smell. So Bichon, whatever variable type compressor that Lexus is using is not working correctly. That much I can tell.
08-01-12, 06:54 PM
#53
Posted this on another thread...
If it last longer than 10-30 seconds of operation, just run the A/C on fresh air prior to turning off to minimize the condition, however, there might be a is TSB that might apply.
L-SB-0146-11
Under certain temperature conditions some vehicles may exhibit an unpleasant odor coming from the face level HVAC vents during the initial 10 - 30 seconds of HVAC system operation. An HVAC Amplifier is now available with updated logic that will direct air away from the face level vents under certain temperature conditions during the first 10 - 30 seconds of HVAC operation
If it last longer than 10-30 seconds of operation, just run the A/C on fresh air prior to turning off to minimize the condition, however, there might be a is TSB that might apply.
L-SB-0146-11
Under certain temperature conditions some vehicles may exhibit an unpleasant odor coming from the face level HVAC vents during the initial 10 - 30 seconds of HVAC system operation. An HVAC Amplifier is now available with updated logic that will direct air away from the face level vents under certain temperature conditions during the first 10 - 30 seconds of HVAC operation
08-01-12, 07:57 PM
#54
You guys need a fogger! This stuff is amazing! Put one in the car and let it sit over night, it will kill all the nasty funk everything and make your car smell good. It's what a lot of car dealers use when the get a really funky car, sure its over kill but well worth.
http://www.autogeek.net/odor-bomb-car-fogger.html
http://www.autogeek.net/odor-bomb-car-fogger.html
08-02-12, 04:16 AM
#55
Lexus Test Driver
You guys need a fogger! This stuff is amazing! Put one in the car and let it sit over night, it will kill all the nasty funk everything and make your car smell good. It's what a lot of car dealers use when the get a really funky car, sure its over kill but well worth.
http://www.autogeek.net/odor-bomb-car-fogger.html
http://www.autogeek.net/odor-bomb-car-fogger.html
08-02-12, 04:53 AM
#56
That's not a fogger, that is just another aerosol spray, but with a locking tab to release the entire can without holding it. A true fogger used by the dealer is a pump driven mister with variable flow rates. They then use the proper concentration of anti fungal and anti bacterial chemicals to permeate the car's space as well as the ventilation system. In this case, there is no need for it, the rest of the car doesn't smell, just the evaporator part of the ventilation system does.
Years back I used to flip cars, I had this one trailblazer I purchased, that had a really funky odor. Smelled like really bad baby diapers/molded funk. We tried steamed/shampooed the carpet 3 times, with no luck the smell was still there. Then we removed all the leather seats, carpet and shampooed pressure washed everything still we were unable to remove the smell. I used a full can of this stuff and the smell was completely gone, the customer stopped by less then month later to finish the payment and I smelled inside the SUV and it was gone and still had that new car scent
08-02-12, 07:47 AM
#57
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I think lexus cars has this problem, i have my work car "Ford" never had this kind of problem before i had 2 nissan maxima didn't have such a problem but my lexus smells bad when i start ac. I have tried everything all kind of sprays, carbon cabin filter, took it to dealer none of them help it just reduce the smell for 15% maybe.
07-21-13, 08:48 PM
#58
So the smell is back! Setting the AC to fresh air doesn't help. Since after I got rid of the smell, I manually keep the car in fresh air mode, as summer starts, the smell comes back!
Recently, I rented out a Nissan Maxima (2011?), it has the exact same smell. Now I'm thinking probably all car with similar AC design will have that smell.
The only way for the smell to not come back is to do as one of the poster suggests -- turn off the AC for about 5 minutes before stopping the car for the day (sometimes I set to hot air). I found that I don't have to do this every day, just once a week or every other week and the smell doesn't come back.
Recently, I rented out a Nissan Maxima (2011?), it has the exact same smell. Now I'm thinking probably all car with similar AC design will have that smell.
The only way for the smell to not come back is to do as one of the poster suggests -- turn off the AC for about 5 minutes before stopping the car for the day (sometimes I set to hot air). I found that I don't have to do this every day, just once a week or every other week and the smell doesn't come back.
07-22-13, 03:34 PM
#59
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I noticed the musty smell when NJ had the week long heat wave, where every time I turned the AC on, it would smell bad but eventually cleared up. Didn't noticed it today when the weather was in the 82's.
Can anyone share a photo where you're supposed to spray the Lysol?
Can anyone share a photo where you're supposed to spray the Lysol?