polar240

Hey everyone,

I've got some mold build up in the AC/heater and it's giving off an unpleasant scent. So I'm thinking of spraying Lysol (disinfectant, kills mold and bacteria)
but don't know where to spray it. The air exits via the air vents but I need help figuring out where the air enters. I realize that I need to put it on recycling air from within the car mode vs taking air from outside of the car.

Thanks

polar240

I guess no one cares about threads like this no more b/c of the more interesting "Do MBs get girls/Why do we buy MBs" threads going on.....LOL

Outland

Have the dealership blow out the drain vent. Also, run your AC more often. Using the economy setting allows moisture to accumulate easier.

inFiniTE LooP

have you checked your air filter? maybe you need a new one...?

polar240

My last sevice B included a new airfilter. Still got the problem. I'm going to ask the dealership to blow the drain vent. I hope that works. Do you guys think that spraying the lysol will do any good?

Outland

Ive already had this problem with my car. Its the drain hole, and lack of using the AC to reduce moisture in the car.

Once that's blown out, run the car's heater on high for several days. Then make sure you don't use the economy setting when you defrost the windows or in the rain. That's what the tech said, and its not returned.

I KOMPRZ

Good luck with that...I had same problems...took it to dealer they sprayed disinfectant but smell came back in less than a week. Ended up they had to replace the whole respirator. So dar the smell is gone...hope it will never come back.

PsssTkiD

i have had the same problem...

FlatRate101

My understanding is that this problem is caused by the compact design of the a/c evaporator core...the spaces between the fins are soo small that moisture does not drain properly from the heater case (whether the drain is open or not). MBZ recently release a bulletin to all dealers regarding this issue. There is a special foam cleaner to be injected into the heater case to eliminate bacteria. Once you have killed all the bacteria in the system, the best way to keep this from re-occuring is to turn off the a/c and allow the blower to run, with or without heat, for several minutes before leaving the vehicle.

Several other automotive mfg's have had the same problem in the past, one example I recall was on several GM vehicles a special module was installed that would run the blower motor to dry out the heater case for 10-15 minutes after the ignition was switched off.

Hope this helps.

polar240

great info guys, now it's time to kill some mold

calboy

I've tried lysol in my other car and it works for a few months.

C230 Sport Coup

Unbelievably,
When I got my car back from Smyth recently, there was a rotted orange sitting on the floor, completely covered in grey mold.
Since then, I cannot get rid of the smell, and the stench permeates everything that I put in the car, including me, and my clothing.
Opening my laptop bag, releases the fragrant odor of rotted fruit.
When I went to pick up the car, they made me wait for 30 minutes while they washed, and supposedly vacuumed the car.

Yet, when I looked on the floor of the back seat, there sat the most disgusting thing....I took into the service dept and asked,
WTF? Didn't get an answer....how could they leave an orange to rot in my car?
I may have been guilty of putting the orange there in the first place, missed it, when I dropped off the car, but certainly would not have left it to rot for 2 weeks.
NOW, as far as solutions, there are devices that generate
Ozone which kills bacteria and mold.
Some detail shops have them, and I found a local dealer willing to loan me one, since he rents them to Realtors to remove odors from mountain (read moldy) homes....

I'll let you know how that works out.
I shoulda made Smyth keep the car and have their detail shop do it.

inFiniTE LooP

UV light also works, if you can get your hands on a UV light and shine it on that spot or where ever else, the longer you keep it shining on, the more it kills

polar240

Just got back from the dealer and they blew out the drain vent. They also sprayed some disinfectant. So far the car smells great, I hope it stays that way.