Moldy Smell From AC AFTER Running It

cbr900boy said:
I had the same problem with my 01. I used the Toyota AC Refresh Kit, it was about $30 at the stealership. I know you mentioned a spray you used for the system but the root of the problem is the evap coils and the housing it is encased in. This kit is a foam kit that cleans out the evap coils and the housing. The kit also comes with a spray for the vents but I feel it wasn't as important as the foam since the root of the problem was the coils. Check out this video on how it works. It solved my problem.
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That is cool stuff. I'm going do that to mine!
 
Coward said:
Well, I assume there is none. If there was mold (like my shower) it would always be there and smell. As opposed to the musty smell in the right circumstances. As far as cleaning goes, if you remove the blower resistor you can see a good portion of the evap coil. If there is some mold you might see it and spray it with bleach or sporicidin or whatever. Or at least confirm you need to remove and disassemble to box. For sure the only way to confirm zero mold is to take everything apart, inspect it, and clean it. And believe me the coils are dirty by now on trucks as old as ours. I understand you have a serious medical concern. From an allergen standpoint my wife's allergic to EVERYTHING and her sneez-o-meter is low inside my truck! Lastly try extended the blower on A/C off technic for longer just ensure the coil is good a dry. Oh and read up on ozone treatments, they use those for water damage in houses to kill mold. Hope this is helpful.
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Yeah I've read about ozonators. That's a good idea. Just don't want to spend much money.

Another thing, have you ever removed the headliner in a 3rd gen? I pulled the rear top panel and clips off so I could look inside of the headliner and I saw it uses that cotton like material for insulation. There was a ton of dust and stuff floating around when I pulled it down. That stuff makes a pretty good home for mold. So I'm wondering if there is anywhere up there I could have a leak which allowed mold to grow? I guess the only way to know is pull the whole thing off. But, I had my truck in Wisconsin for 4 years before moving back to Wyoming. And Wisconsin is very humid and gets a lot of rain. So I've wondered if I could have developed a mold problem there.
 
Coward said:
Well, I assume there is none. If there was mold (like my shower) it would always be there and smell. As opposed to the musty smell in the right circumstances. As far as cleaning goes, if you remove the blower resistor you can see a good portion of the evap coil. If there is some mold you might see it and spray it with bleach or sporicidin or whatever. Or at least confirm you need to remove and disassemble to box. For sure the only way to confirm zero mold is to take everything apart, inspect it, and clean it. And believe me the coils are dirty by now on trucks as old as ours. I understand you have a serious medical concern. From an allergen standpoint my wife's allergic to EVERYTHING and her sneez-o-meter is low inside my truck! Lastly try extended the blower on A/C off technic for longer just ensure the coil is good a dry. Oh and read up on ozone treatments, they use those for water damage in houses to kill mold. Hope this is helpful.
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cbr900boy said:
Getting to the evap coils would be a PITA because it is encased in a plastic box under your glovebox. You can see it clear as day, as a matter of fact the bottom of the box is where the condensation accumulates and then drains out the other side of the firewall. With the Toyota Foam Cleaner you just spray the foam using the hose with rubber tip it comes with into the drain in the firewall. The foam fills the evap box and saturates the coils inside. After a few minuets, the foam returns to a liquid state and flows out the drain again taking with it all the crud inside of the evap coils. I would definitely do this first before you attempt to remove the evap coils. I'm pretty certain this will solve your problem.
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So that's what that box is! Right next to the blower fan. I will definitely try the kool-it before doing anything else
 
I'd definitely try the Toyota AC Refresher kit. It works really well and it eliminates that musty/moldy smell from customers cars. I just did one on my 14 corolla because after winter, it tends to stink. Doing it on the 4Runner whenever i get a chance.

p/n is 00289-ACRKT if you decide to go that route.
 
I'd definitely try the Toyota AC Refresher kit. It works really well and it eliminates that musty/moldy smell from customers cars. I just did one on my 14 corolla because after winter, it tends to stink. Doing it on the 4Runner whenever i get a chance.

p/n is 00289-ACRKT if you decide to go that route.
 
99offroadrngr said:
I'd definitely try the Toyota AC Refresher kit. It works really well and it eliminates that musty/moldy smell from customers cars. I just did one on my 14 corolla because after winter, it tends to stink. Doing it on the 4Runner whenever i get a chance.

p/n is 00289-ACRKT if you decide to go that route.
Click to expand...

Toyota definitely makes a good kit. Guys on other car forums use this kit even though they dont own toyotas.
 
Sometimes evap is so dirty any cleaner will not get job done. In such cases if you pull the glove box you gain access to the blower linear controller. Mounted in duct between blower and evap, 4 wire plug, 2 screws hold it in (will be staring you in the face) Removing controller gives you a 1"x 3" opening to access evap. Opening will allow you to use small brushes, vacuum, foam cleaner to clean evap. In my case PO traveled with long haired dog 2/3 of evap covered along with leaves. Start to finish was a hour I also removed blower to clean squirrel cage.
 
musty smell

I read this thread and recently had some musty odor with the AC on. I accessed the 1x3" opening and cleaned out a few leaves from inside the housing, but it was relatively clean. I found the exterior drain and blew some compressed air up into it.

I have not had any condensation drip out this summer with the AC on. I wonder if it's related to the climate here, high desert, or the drain is clogged. Is the top of the drain accessible by removing a few bolts holding the housing to the interior firewall? I think I can see where the drain exits the housing behind the dash. There's a square piece of foam surrounding a round opening at the back of the housing.
 
Desert runner 99 said:
I read this thread and recently had some musty odor with the AC on. I accessed the 1x3" opening and cleaned out a few leaves from inside the housing, but it was relatively clean. I found the exterior drain and blew some compressed air up into it.

I have not had any condensation drip out this summer with the AC on. I wonder if it's related to the climate here, high desert, or the drain is clogged. Is the top of the drain accessible by removing a few bolts holding the housing to the interior firewall? I think I can see where the drain exits the housing behind the dash. There's a square piece of foam surrounding a round opening at the back of the housing.
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Amount of condensation is dependant on humidity in air. Check local NOAA, High Desert is low humidity. Dry air
Low humidity = less coming from drain if any.
High humidity = lots.
 
Last edited:
trickynicky said:
or change the cabin air filter could've got some moisture in it

sent from my xt1585 using tapatalk
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+1

normal if you have your vents set on recirculation the cold air and ambient temperature creates moisture and that moisture mixes with all that old dirt, dust and who knows what. Thats what you're smelling
 
DJDV1 said:
+1

normal if you have your vents set on recirculation the cold air and ambient temperature creates moisture and that moisture mixes with all that old dirt, dust and who knows what. Thats what you're smelling
Click to expand...

As has been stated our 3rd Gens do not have a cabin filter. On the fresh air side there is only metal screen material. Recirc side has nothing. The flapper that moves to route the air from fresh to recirc is covered with a foam rubber. This foam catches/holds moisture, then holds/catches dirt, Mildew grows then. To access the flapper remove blower, reach/look up into duct work to clean foam both sides of flapper. The recirc intake is behind the far right passenger A/C vent.
 
96RedRunner said:
As has been stated our 3rd Gens do not have a cabin filter. On the fresh air side there is only metal screen material. Recirc side has nothing. The flapper that moves to route the air from fresh to recirc is covered with a foam rubber. This foam catches/holds moisture, then holds/catches dirt, Mildew grows then. To access the flapper remove blower, reach/look up into duct work to clean foam both sides of flapper. The recirc intake is behind the far right passenger A/C vent.
Click to expand...

Just saw this as I haven't been on the forum much lately but thanks for the info
 
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