Stench/Smell from A/C vents

Okki said:
wait whaaaat???? The mold builds up due to moisture in the vents that does not dry out and thus forms a petrie-dish of growth for your mold. You want to run the AC to keep the vents and associated hoses dry.

Step 1: Kill the mold with a lysol or similar.
Step 2: Run the AC with high temp to dry out the system.
Step 3: leave the CLIMATE control turned on so it runs the AC as needed to keep the system dry (and at the temperature of your liking at the same time).

AC does more than just cooling the air; otherwise it would have been called a "chiller" and not an "air conditioner".

Not the air system specialist here, but that explanation by my dealer sounds to me like making a whole lot of sense.... I'll defer to the biologists and air-maintenance systems engineers from here forward :bigok:

Okki
Click to expand...

I agree. Especially Step 2. In re to that, one could turn the system off, allowing "HOT" outside air to go through the vents and do the same thing. Which I think was my suggestion. What I was getting at is that if you keep it on cold all the time, AC on, and especially if you re-circ, (not letting any dryer outside air to run through the vents, which is what apparently the OP's wife has been doing, moisture builds up, and will continue to build up, (and the mold), until one kills the mold and at least periodically dries out the vents.

Your method, good. Does the same as what I was suggesting I think. Be safe.
 
Jtraskell said:
I agree. Especially Step 2. In re to that, one could turn the system off, allowing "HOT" outside air to go through the vents and do the same thing. Which I think was my suggestion. What I was getting at is that if you keep it on cold all the time, AC on, and especially if you re-circ, (not letting any dryer outside air to run through the vents, which is what apparently the OP's wife has been doing, moisture builds up, and will continue to build up, (and the mold), until one kills the mold and at least periodically dries out the vents.

Your method, good. Does the same as what I was suggesting I think. Be safe.
Click to expand...

yeah.. I think you're right in that we're pretty much on the same page. the problem with outside air is the possible moisture level (regardless of temperature); having the AC on will dry that air and thus remove the moisture that is in the system. That part will work regardless of the temperature that the systems is set to (i.e. blowing hot or cold air). With warm air the drying will simply go a bit faster.

Having regular airflow through the system will keep things dry, but if the OP's wife is like mine she "doesn't like the air blowing on her". I had her turn down the fan to the minimal speed and she's okay with that now.

Okki
 
Two things about Mold, harder to "Kill" than most people understand AND the potential health risks of injesting Mold Spores blowing into an enclosed area and the effects on the upper respiratory system.
Nothing to play around with IMO.
 
I've noticed the same problem in my 2010 LE. I searched also, but couldn't find anything until this post. The musty smell seems to be worse on start up and on hot days. After a minute or two, it disipates. I think a shot of Clorox would take care of it, but I'm not sure where to pour it. I thought about the cabin air filter and changed it, but that didn't fix the problem.
 
Y2KSR5 said:
About 6,000 miles on my 2013 and its really smelling like swamp azz through the vents. :yell:
Click to expand...

I am having the same problem, but I am guilty of using the air recirculate switch all the time which could allow the mold buildup. I am also going to have the dealer check the evaporator drain line checked to see if it is not clogged up. I wonder how common this with 4runners because this is the first vehicle that I have had this happen to. :frusty:
 
I live in a relatively dryer part of the world, but mold is still a problem in my vehicles AC systems.

I learned about the Lysol-spray-mold-killing-method from Click and Clack: Car Talk , and have used it several times in two different vehicles (Ford and Toyota for those keeping score).

After the intense Lysol smell dissipates, everything is fresh and new. It works great.

Good luck.
 
Toyota sells a AC Refresher kit and I've seen them on Ebay for about $15 or so. As stated,overiding the AC recirc once in awhile prevents it.Here is a pdf telling the causes of it and what the kit does and the part number ..... Toyota AC Refresher Kit
 
Jtraskell said:
What I have learned since being down here is that unless you shut off the AC unit say 1/2 mile or so from the house, keeping the fan on and use outside air vs. recirculating the inside cabin air, the moisture (condensation) that builds up on the evaporator allows mold to build up.

If you allow the system to "dry out" after each use, no mold build up. No smell. Be safe.
Click to expand...

I'm going to start doing this. I had the same problem with my H3 with the mold smell. GM actually had a TSB for it and under warranty put in a switch to turn the blower on every 10 minutes for 2 hours after the engine was turned off. It helped blow it out the hose onto the ground and kept the system dry.
 
Hope that's all it is brother. I have the same issue and the cabin filter is clean. I'm guessing I have mold or something dead hiding somewhere. Runner is only 3months old.
 
When I was a teenager, people used to pour the oil from canned fish into the hood AC air intakes...

Did either of you two piss anyone off?
 
Bump

Mine smells horrible. Better when A/C is ON. When off it smells god awful, Recirc on however, going to play with it tomorrow and see what it does when recirc is off and a/c off and on. Anyone else fighting this still?
 
DRICHEY said:
Bump

Mine smells horrible. Better when A/C is ON. When off it smells god awful, Recirc on however, going to play with it tomorrow and see what it does when recirc is off and a/c off and on. Anyone else fighting this still?
Click to expand...

3 months old and I have noticed a dirty Dog or barf smell in mine since the first few weeks I had it. I only seem to smell it within the first 5-10 minutes of turning the A/C on or when I get in after it's been sitting in a hot parking lot. I don't have a dog and it's irritating because it's brand new.

When I went in for my 5k service a week ago I decided not to say anything, they would most likely tell me they can't smell anything, but if it gets stronger or sticks around I will mention it at 10k service.
 
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