Pit-Pony

I am noticing this much more now in the cold. The climate control turns on the AC every so often (even in cold weather). Each time it comes on you can smell a very particular oder in the car. After it runs for a while it would not come back, but now I notice it returning.

Anyone else have this issue? Did you get it resolved?

I have not gone to the dealer yet, but soon.

..jack

amdeutsch

Mold

Pit-Pony

The car has only been on the road 4 months, so I doubt it.

W0n6_3d4n

Could be the dealership smell , after each service i always notice a particular smell, goes away after a while.

smartjay28

what you can do is get a can of lysol(or anything tat smells good and has disinfectant, etc) and spray by the inlet of the vents.

raymond g-

Hard to tell, exactly, but I agree - mold. Stagnant moisture in the fins causes cooties to sprout.

Pit-Pony

Where is the AC intake exactly (under the battery or in the cowl) ?

What can you spray in there?

..jack

smartjay28

i cant tell you where it is, my guess is prob in the front by the wipers,but not sure again.

Lysol® Brand II I.C.™ Disinfectant Spray
Hospital disinfectant is highly effective against the HIV-1 (AIDS Virus), Poliovirus Type 1, Tuberculocidal, Hepatitis A. Control Flo™ Valve produces a wetter spray to enhance surface coverage. EPA Registered.

raymond g-

If similar smell, seems to be inherent to many MBs. I had this in my 99 E320 for several months. But I used the technique outlined in one of the links below (turning off AC before stopping to minimize condensation) and that seemed to solve it.

smell link1
smell link2
smell link3
smell link4

Pit-Pony

Thanks raymond, I think link4 is the answer.

..jack

vadim

Believe it or not - it is. When cold, the AC comes on less frequently compared to the warm weather, so the moisture inside the system promotes build up of mold, as amdeutsch said. It does not take long for mold to build up - 4 months is more than enough. To get rid of it, force the AC on more often by setting the HVAC to Auto and the temperature low.

The reason the AC is switching on by itself when it is cold outside is humidity. Our cars have dew point sensors that turn the AC on to dry the air if it is found to be too humid.

Pit-Pony

Hard to set it low inside when the temp outside is below freezing.

Maybe it would help not to turn it on at all in the winter.

..jack

gaiex

Sometimes I have a bad smell in my car, usually some minutes after start and sometimes after a while, with AC off!!!

It smells like whine or something like that, and if I turn the ventilation off it desapears! (also sometimes when I enter in the car that smell is allready there)

I had read in another post that sometimes changing the inside cabin filter may work???

raymond g-

Changing the filter may help, but understand that you wouldn't be treating the cause of the odor. Whine [sic] smell eh? Hmmm, coolent is known for its slightly sweet fragrance. I hope you don't have a leak. Any noticeable drop in coolent level? If you're up for it, have someone perform a leakdown test on the cooling system.

Pit-Pony

No these are not antifreeze related smells I don't think. It's an AC type mustiness and is related to when the AC comes on.

So the condenser must be clogging with something. In all the cars I have ever owned, non had this smell, although it's somehow familiar.

The thing is, it hits you when the AC starts and not continuously when it's running, so I'm lead to believe something accumulates while its not running to give off the oder and as the air ventilates through, there isn't enough of it lingering to cause a continuous smell. It's as if the concentration needs to build up first.

I'll ask the dealer what they think and bug them about just because I can :-)

..jack

MBC230k

It's very common to smell a musty/moldy odor when you first turn on the AC unit.

One typical cause of this is moisture on the evaporator or in the evaporator enclosure allows mold to grow. Mold spores come in on the air entering the car thru the ventilation system air intake vents. In some cases, the evaporator enclosure drain becomes blocked and does not allow moisture that has condensed on the coils to drain from the car.

Here's a product that was highlighted on the TV show "2 Guys Garage".

http://www.lubegard.com/automotive/radiator_foam.html

Evaporator & Heater Core Foam Cleaner

BENEFITS:
Eliminates Odors
Maximizes cooling system efficiency
Reduces Allergens and Contaminants
Improves Air Quality
Leaves a Clean, Fresh Scent
Ideal for cars, trucks, vans & RV's.

Directions For Professional Use:
Locate the evaporator/ heater unit, and access holes, drain plugs and/or drain tube. Access can often be made through blower motor, fan speed control, or other location depending upon vehicle make. Insert application wand through opening. SHAKE CAN WELL. Attach applicator wand to can, then depress cap firmly to lock and activate the full contents of the can into the assembly. Allow KOOL-IT's super foam fighting to work, approximately 15 minutes, then switch fan on lowest setting for 5 minutes. Foam will condense and remove contaminants as it flows through the drain hole. The air conditioning and heating system is now fully operational.