Spartan117

My LS MY16 smells bad when AC is On, like dirty socks or clothes left in the washer overnight.

I am located in northern TX, so not sure if it is due to the hot summer or fact that I haven't driven the car much since March.

​​In March and April may have driven twice a month for 10-15 min.

In May, I didn't drive it at all but run the engine for 30 mins every other week with AC On to recharge the battery.

Did 500 miles road trips in mid June. This is when the smell was really bad and DW noticed it more than I did.

I bought the car in last October and the service records show cabin air filter was replaced in September.

Took it to the dealership yesterday for free maintenance and SA is recommending replacing cabin air filter ($75) and if smell persist then do ozone treatment.
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Has anyone experienced bad AC smell issue and have any recommendations?

BMGS

iTrader: (1)

Check this out:

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

TSB L-SB-0003-20 addresses the issue but there is no real fix other than periodic cleaning through the air intake and evaporator drain. It will return though after a few weeks to a month. 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.

NotFasty

With the pandemic - I'm not sure you'll find this in stock but it works wonders. I've used it on a number of cars over the years and it works awesome (and it's only ~ $15):



Amazon also sells a Toyota mold killer kit but it needs to be sprayed up via the drain tube... not as easy as this but it's another option & is much cheaper than any dealer solution.

jmcraney

The unpleasant odor that you are experiencing is likely caused by mold and mildew growing on your car's AC evaporator. Changing the air filter will not help this problem.

If you are a DIYer, there is a product that you can get from amazon that will help with that.

Check here:
If DIYing is not for you, you should check with a Toyota dealer as they will probably be able to help you for a more reasonable price than a Lexus dealer.

If and when you get this solved, be sure to operate your car's Climate Control on Auto, year round, to reduce the likelihood of a recurrence.

BMGS

iTrader: (1)

I have heard good things about this product also. I thought this also needs to go up the drain tube or through a hole drilled in the evaporator housing.

How are you applying it?

johnnyg66

I have used this product on a LS400. You send it up the drain tube from under the car. It foams up and reached the core and you let it just drain out. The spray is after you spray that in the air vent below the wipers. The AC will smell clean from the cleaners than will wear off but will still have a good smell after. You can use something like Lysol later to help too.

NotFasty

I have a can of this stuff at home and apparently they've changed the process in the last few years.

Old method: jam the tube down into a center vent and spray all the contents out. It was a foam and you'd let it sit for ~ 15 minutes and then run the AC on full blast.
Current method: No foam. Remove cabin air filter, jam the tube as far as it'll go and spray the Klima-Clean into the system (the can says this is liquid). I'm puzzled as to why the product doesn't foam but maybe there were environmental concerns (this is straight from Germany). You let it sit and run the AC on high.

I'm a little annoyed at this new method as I replaced the cabin air filter on my son's Ford & now realize he needs his AC system cleaned out... I would have run a can of Klima-clean that day. Getting to & removing his cabin air filter is a pain in the butt (compared to the LS).

If you want, I'll try to get a picture of the instructions on the can in daylight tomorrow.

BMGS

iTrader: (1)

Thanks, I found it on the Amazon photos. So you just remove the filter and stick the hose through the fan blades, seems easy enough and definitely easier than shooting it up through the drain line.

nsaldanh

This is what I do now that my LS sits in the garage most of the time:
1. Take it our once a week and drive about 20 - 30 miles. This is mainly to charge the battery as well as use the car so that parts do not fail due to long periods where the car is not used.
2. Turn off the AC when I am about a mile from home and let the fan run on high. That gets rid of whatever water is left on the AC coils and dries them out. Mold needs moisture to grow and if your AC coils are moist then you are providing it with the ideal environment. Cleaning the coils using the sprays mentioned above helps for a while until dust and moist conditions on the coil provide another opportunity for the mold to come back.

NotFasty

Or you could come to my Lexus dealer and get raped to have the kit @jmcraney posted (selling for $32 on Amazon today) used on your car. I know not everyone is a DIY-type person but this is way expensive

Spartan117

Thank you everyone for your input!

I will start with replacing cabin air filter and set AC to auto and change to outside air when getting close to the destination.

If smell doesn't go or comes back then I will try the evaporator cleaning.

jmcraney

Selecting outside-air seems to me like the wrong thing to do. When the AC is in recirculation the air in the car Is dried and the condensate is drained overboard. When you change to outside-air that floods the cabin with moist air especially if the humidity is high. That may leave the car’s interior and evaporator prone to mold.

Spartan117

How much did you pay for the OEM filter with charcoal and where did you buy it from?

Spartan117

Run AC on high prior to installing new filter and with outside or recirculation mode?

I would appreciate a pic of the instructions.

BMGS

iTrader: (1)

$45 from Amazon, fulfilled by Lexus of Warwick.