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Hi I am a new member. I just learned about this site today. I have had no serious issues with my Lexus until now so I went searching on the web and came across this forum. I am glad I found this site. I have lots of questions about my car in general but today I am starting this thread for a specific problem I am having with my Lexus.
I have a 2014 CT200h and for the past month or so it has developed this musty (smelly socks) smell which comes on when the AC or the heater are engaged. I used car air freshener which masks the smell somewhat, but once it wares off, the musty smell becomes unbearable again. Has anyone else had this problem and what was the solution? I saw a few references on the web but mostly for earlier models (2006-2012). My car is 2014 and I did not see any specifics on the later model cars.
My web search also took me to a law firm site asking for personal information and about the problem. Is the problem so bad that some law firm is already taking action against Lexus/Toyota. I am not a fan of frivolous law suits at all. Is this a big problem worthy of legal action or am I looking at an easy fix?
Any CT200h 2014 model year owner replies will be a appreciated. The smell is so bad that it gives me headaches and makes me nauseous when I drive the car.
I usually shut off the AC about 5 minutes before my destination and run the fan with outside air setting to dry off the system which seems to work. If there is moisture in the vents and system that festers and promotes the odor.
Thank you KKM for your suggestion. I am going to do that. However, the smell is still there after trying it for the day.
UPDATE: I took the car to my local Lexus dealer. After about a three hour total visit time at the dealer, they basically said that they can't do much about it and sent me home. BTW, they suggested the same thing as what KKM said. I will try it but the small really makes me sick. I told the dealer that I was concerned that there may be mold build up or something of that nature. The dealer assured me that there is no mold in the car. They said they can look and did look with a remote camera and verified it. I have to take their word for it.
I would still like to hear from other CT200h owners who had or have the AC smell problem.
Never had the problem with my CT, but most cars have a drain tube that runs from the air condition duct to below the chassis. If that drain gets clogged, it will cause excess moisture to build up in the ducts and create that musty smell. I've been able to unclog one once by running a flexible wire through the tube from underneath the car. Not even sure if the CT has such a thing, but most likely does.
I'm not sure how to help solve this issue permanently, but I use Fram's Fresh Breeze air filters in my 2014 CT to avoid any odors forming. It claims to remove these odors and prevents them from forming by using baking soda and carbon in the filter.
What I do is run the filter cycle whenever I smell anything or run across a situation where I have to drive through a cloud of dust or smoke.
I am surprised they did not try to sell you a BG Frigi Fresh AC cleaning treatment. Mold in the AC is often the cause, in addition to a possibly clogged drain hose. Klima Kleen will take care of both. Just follow the directions to spray it into your dash vents and up into the drain hose from under the car. Youtube has videos. Here is a link to one source, but Amazon also has it: http://www.autogeek.net/1z-einszett-...freshener.html
I have used it many times with success and always keep a couple bottles around for when the smell eventually returns, and it always does in almost all cars.
I just bought a 2012 ct200h and had the same terrible smell when operating the A/C. I pulled out the cabin air filter and found this big build up of white smelly insulation. I removed it and the A/C blows nicely with no smell. It seems this insulation must have come from another location behind the dash. Has anyone seen this before? Any recommendations?
I used lube guard 93060 Kool it EVAP and heater core cleaner. Bought 3 cans and a big can of Lysol.
Get in the passenger side foot well.
Pull back carpet
Remove passenger side dash panel
Look for EVAP drain tube
Pull it out from where it drains outside the car.
This is the tube you will squirt the foam stuff you just bought into it.
You will enjoy the satisfying pleasure to empty this into the car.
Get a clear bottle that can hold 16oz of liquid.
The foam will go into a liquid and then promptly drain out back thru the tube you sent the foam up.
Then when it all drains out. You will see all the black moldy gunk in the clear bottle.
This is where bottles 2 and 3 come in.
You will like me, wonder hmm did I get it all? Ewe this is some nasty stuff.
I didn't do#2 right away. I turned on the car and AC to basically get the EVAP wet once I got done condensation coming out. I sent another bottle up the tube.
Glad I did that, more black icky stuff came out than the first time. So I suggest doing this the first time around.
I did the third one for good measure. It came out much much clearer than the first 2.
Wait there's more if you act now lol. Seriously, put everything back together and start the car, turn on the fan and don't have it on recirculation. This way it can suck in fresh air. Go outside the car and spray the Lysol into the air vent near the right windshield wiper. This is the intake for the air system.
You are essentially disinfecting the air system from the outside in.
I have enjoyed a smelly free car since Fed 22 2017 when the Amazon order came. It's $13 bucks a can and I couldn't find it at any Auto zone, pep boys, or any local parts store.
Also I keep my car off of recirculation. I used to do valet and it never fails when I drove a clients car that had it on recirculation... The whole car smells like their body odor and musky smell that makes you want to puke. Never understood why people do that.
Thanks very much Gshadow and Sfarmer. Upon closer look you nailed it. Here is the culprit
Not having everything available in Gshadow's recommendation, I decided to rip into it anyway. I popped the hood, removed the panel at the base of the windshield. It comes off with one clip on each end and then by lifting and pinching some wedge shaped retainers under the metal cross bar. This area wreaked of urine and dead mouse and there was dust, hair and other remnants. I washed out the fresh air intake and all of the surrounding area first with a damp rag and Fantastik.
The air intake is the white section under the bottom of the windshield in the picture above. I also removed the cabin air filter and wiped down the inside of the blower as best as I could. I bought a can of A/C system cleaner and re freshener from Autozone, which seems to be an alcohol based foaming cleaner. It is designed to clean the air intakes and vents, not the core. It comes in an aerosol can with a straw to direct the spray. I emptied over a half can from both outside into the air intake (make sure its not on recirculate) and from inside through the cabin air filter door, directing it at the blower motor and the inside of the blower housing. I was able to dry some pooling alcohol with a paper towel on a dowel rod and loosen up some dark spots with a toothbrush.
I closed the filter door, then ran the a/c for 10 minutes, first directing it through the dash vents, then the floor vents and defrost. I then ran the heat for another 10 minutes and then back to a/c, rotating through the three vent output settings. Thankfully, the smell is gone. If it returns, next step will be the core.
By the way, it seems the root cause is failed, or inadquate, ultrasonic welds attaching the screens to the underside of the plastic cowling at the base of the windshield. The poor connection allows a mouse to simply push down on the screen and pass right through into the area under the cowling. I didn't have an elegant idea for how to seal it better, so I reassembled as it was. Perhaps something can be done with epoxy and a small rubber or plastic seal, giving the epoxy something more substantial to adhere to.
Ugh. I have a small mouse in my Highlander. It was noted on it's oil change, that there was signs of rodent in cabin filter. The other night, at a stop light, I saw the mouse crawling up my windshield!! He climbed up, then back down, thats when I hit him with the wipers, not sure if it really knocked it over though.
I'm around a bunch of old dudes that build classic cars and they swear by dryer sheets. They all have them in there engine bays or under there seats where they think a rat or or mouse would get into. I never did much research on it, but may consider it after seeing this
As I mentioned, it is common in rural areas to have mice work their way into garages and cars. Even the cleanest areas get mice as they try to find comfortable nesting areas in winter. Engine compartments are often nice and warm with lots of places to hide. It is best to eliminate them as quickly as possible because they can do a lot of damage as well as create unhealthy air to breathe. I had a mouse in the engine compartment of my pickup once that ate part of the wiring harness. Cost me $500 to have wiring replaced. I also had to put wire screen in the air filter to keep them from chewing holes in the filter material.
Excellent point SFarmer. I don't know from where all the insulation in the nest came. When I dropped the panel under the glove box, only a small corner was missing. Wherever it is from, there is likely to be remnants there too. At some point I will take the entire dash apart and check it out. Is anyone willing to share the factory instructions on how to remove the dashboard and center console?
10-25-16, 09:45 AM
New member with CT200h AC smell question
Insulation build up on cabin filter
