Air Conditioner Smell

[2008ZR6]

Hi all. My ZR6 has done about 20,000ks and will be a year old in March. Recently I have noticed a weird smell from the Air Conditioner. It's only there for a minute or so at the start. Any one else with this problem.....

[Freddo]

is it a musty smell like when u turn off the aircon but still use the fan?

if so thats normal in toyotas.

[Supercharged TRD]

I have also experienced a strangely sweet smell from the aircon after installing an air freshener.

[DJKOR]

Mine occasionally gets the smell of bowling shoes every so often (note 1 below). The musty A/C smell you get is common with many air conditioners, some just have it worse than others. Two things can be done.

1) Spray some Glen 20 lightly into the A/C inlet (located in the passenger footwell),

2) Drive around more with your fresh air setting on. The cycle of fresh air from outside usually helps to an extent to kill bacteria lurking on the evaporator.

[Speedz]

I've also spray Glen 20 via the external air duct where the fresh airs comes in... and also below the passenger footwell... works a charm... but ofcoz any condensation will gives off the musky smell again...

[Y-tRy]

Hey guys i've faced this problem before!! it really ticked me off until i talked to one of my friends who was a mechanic

and he told me that the problem is probably because u switch it on n off in a quick manner like 5 mins later switch it off than switch

it back on so he told me just keep the ac on as u drive to ur destination. after the destination i was heading back so i tried it again

the smell was gone instantly till now it hasn't come bak. Apparently the filter gets wet causing some sort of sweat smell

hope this helps take kare

[notfromthere]

I had a service today (22,500 km). I mentioned the exact thing to the rep at Toyota (Gold Coast) and he said that they will do an 'Anti-Bacterial treatment on Air Conditioning' shown on the invoice under the desciption as 'Healthizone Bactigas' which has worked wonders all for a price ofcourse, the stench coming through the vents has completely disappeared with just the fan going so that maybe something to look at.

On another note, i upgraded the stereo at time of purchase to a 6 stacker with Bluetooth hands free for the mobile phone. I mentioned that i have tried 3 phones using the bluetooth and people at the other end have all complained that the reception is breaking up. Once i disconnected from bluetooth the reception was perfect. He said there are noted faults and that it will be replaced within 1 week.

I also mentioned that the superchargers seems to have disappeared, he said he'd look into it for me, heard nothing back.

Edited January 6, 2009 by notfromthere

[riftime]

My Presara's developed this smell of late. It coincided with me adding one of those hanging air fresheners in the car. I've gotten rid of the air freshener after a couple of days (too strong), but now for the first minute or so when I start the car, a sweaty, kind of sweet smell is emitted which is quite far from being pleasant. I'll try the Glen 20 trick on the passenger foot well, but I think I usually have my climate control set to fresh air (rather than recycle). Does anyone know where the fresh air inlet is located so I can Glen 20 that as well?

From a different perspective, no other car I've owned ever experienced this issue. Why is the Aurion different in this regard? Also, since it's a common problem, you'd think Toyota would do something about it? If it's moisture trapped in the air con ducts, doesn't that pose a health risk, i.e.: legionella ?

Sounds to me like a design flaw, and all the treatments until a permanent fix is introduced should be performed free of charge at each service... Like I said, first car that's done this to me, in the same climate, same driving patterns, etc. In 20 years that I've been driving with A/C! Holden, Ford, Volvo, and an older Toyota were all free of this nuisance.

[Blind Kid Seeks]

i've just always remembered to switch the air con off a min or so before i arrive at my destinaton.. that way theres no moisture build up.

[Speedz]

Anti-Bacterial treatment on Air Conditioning...

I had that on my Yaris too...

the smell returned... and 50 bucks was drained from my wallet...

[shiok]

Try turning on the heater on max heat for 1 min.

After that it should kill the smell. That's what I do..

[riftime]

Try turning on the heater on max heat for 1 min.

After that it should kill the smell. That's what I do..

How often do you do that? i.e.: Does that fix the problem for days, weeks or months ?

[SamO]

I had the same problem when my corolla was 15000ks old so i decided to give the pollen filter a clean when i noticed i didnt have one in there! fit one and never had a problem since.

[marc2020]

I have only had that problem when the air con is running and the engine is turned off.

[DJKOR]

I had the same problem when my corolla was 15000ks old so i decided to give the pollen filter a clean when i noticed i didnt have one in there! fit one and never had a problem since.

On that note, with mine I find that when the pollen filter is dirty (doesn't take it long) the bad A/C smell usually occurs. When I say that, it is during the start up of the A/C and not just the air in general. Don't know how that all works out, but the combination of it seems to amplify the effects.

[riftime]

DJKOR, do you replace the pollen filter or just clean it? Don't know what it looks like and whether it can be cleaned. Is it somewhere behind the glove compartment? Thanks.

[DJKOR]

DJKOR, do you replace the pollen filter or just clean it? Don't know what it looks like and whether it can be cleaned. Is it somewhere behind the glove compartment? Thanks.

You need to replace it. The material it is made from holds whatever tries to pass through it. It gets pretty dirty sometimes. To remove it you release the little 'air piston' thing on the left hand side of the glove box (photos 3 and 4), then just pull the glove box hard in the same arc direction that it opens in (photo 5). You can then see the pollen filter on the upper right hand side (photo 6 and 7).

This is best described with photos, but I need to head to work now. Will upload a couple later.

Edit: For the best step by step, look at the owners manual, page 165 and 166 (which I have dodgilly copied below), otherwise, here is a general photo guide which I'm not so good at. Ew, I think I need a new filter.

[BONDIE]

If it is that really strong smell, like areosol paint, or wd40 smell. That is because the car is turned on and off really quick.

If you try it at home. Turn the car on and turn it off, a couple of times with the aircon on, say x 5. Then drive the car with the air con on. You will smell it really bad.

I often notice it when im mucking around with my front end. "Turn it on to move the wheels, turn it off, turn it on etc etc. Then i get a big blast of smell when i reverse it out of the work area. Happens every time.

But if you continue to drive with the aircon on, it goes away in a couple of minutes.

This is just my experience. Dont know if this is the same problem you guys are experiencing.

[DJKOR]

Well a bit of an old thread revival, but it saves starting a new one since I can continue on the last. Anyways, from my previous post on the 4th of February, would would have seen my filter looking like the following (and I mentioned that I should probably get a new one):

Well, I got a little lazy and never got around to changing it. When it was at that state, it would have been in the car for about 5,000km. Now another 2 months and 5,000km later, I finally got around to changing it, and well.... the picture kind of sums up why you should change it at regular intervals, bearing in mind I have my external vent open about 90% of the time.

The air smells so much cleaner now. It really does make a difference.

[1stKill]

Hi all. My ZR6 has done about 20,000ks and will be a year old in March. Recently I have noticed a weird smell from the Air Conditioner. It's only there for a minute or so at the start. Any one else with this problem.....

few years back my BAXR6 had bad smells coming from a/c vents,im not sure if ya can still get em but i bought a COMA auto air fresh bomb(similar to flea bomb for ya house)all windows up,engine running,a/c fan on high,a/c fan on recycle,front seats forward,placed bomb in rear passangers footwell and let it rip.10-15mins later the bomb finished,nice clean fragerance and no start up smell anymore.the only problem is if ya fussy like me ya have to clean ya interior afterwards.but a least the smell had gone. :) p.s the GLEN20 sounds like a good idea to.

[SecaBoy]

hey daryl... did you just buy it from toyota? how much did it set you back?

[DJKOR]

hey daryl... did you just buy it from toyota? how much did it set you back?

That's what I was going to mention. It ain't a cheap filter when you get it direct from Toyota, which is where I've been getting mine so far. The price from Toyota including GST is $29.60. When I can be bothered, I'm going to try and find someone that stocks an alternative at a cheaper price. I know Ryco manufacture a cabin air filter (P/N: RCA164P), but I'm not too sure what their cost is.