A/C smells funky and funny noise when i brake

[walt101786]

recently i had got my 07 yaris HB checked, which is still in great shpe, but there's 2 thing that kinda concern me, first, the a/c smells a bit funny when i turn it on, and second...everytime when i brake or so, it have that knocking sound...so iunno what to do

[NH3R717]

mine smells also, I havent tried to get into the ventilation system yet but maybe there is something growing in the condensate drain or on the evap (a/c) coil..

[Quaifer]

The smell is just built up moisture in your system (usually on the cabin filter), it doesn't matter if you use a/c or heat it will be there when you first start up your car. You could try replacing your cabin filter (some actually have air freshner in them). There are also sprays you can shoot into your air intake for the defrost (not the engine) that will kill the bacteria. Some people put a dryer sheet on top of there cabin filter, just make sure its on the right side of the filter so the sheet doesn't get sucked into your fan. lol

[tdinut]

If I turn off the AC and leave the fan running a couple of minutes prior to getting to my destination, the smell is reduced. Almost gone. It's not perfect, but helps.

As for the clunk, I notice it when I back out of my garage and apply the brakes. I hear a metallic clank/clunk sound. Sometimes, but not always, I hear it when I back out of a parking spot and apply the brakes.

I have around 48K miles, I'm the original owner and everything else has been great.

Keep us posted......

[janices_yaris]

I have the same problem with my AC. If I tun on outside-air and run the fan on high, it reduces the odor to where I can tolerate it. My bf said it's caused by mildew growing inside the AC system, and you need fresh outside air to remove the moisture. If you use the re-circ setting it makes it worse

[CTScott]

There are two primary causes of stinky AC on a Yaris:

1.There's a Toyota TSB on this issue for 2007-2008 Yaris, which involves replacing the evaporator (coil within the airbox) and in some cases the AC ECU. There have been many threads on here discussing it (see the link below for one that explains it in detail). The bottom line is that it is caused

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17099&highlight=tsb+hvac

2. A second cause can be a plugged condensate drain. If you run your Yaris without a cabin air filter, stuff (dirt, tree stuff, bugs, etc.) will get sucked into the outside air intake and without the filter, will pass right into the airbox, where they will meet they will collect and eventually plug the drain for the moisture produced when running the AC or front defroster/defogger.

[tdinut]

There are two primary causes of stinky AC on a Yaris:


They will probably charge an arm and a leg to fix it or work on it, I suspect.


Joe

[CTScott]

They will probably charge an arm and a leg to fix it or work on it, I suspect.


Joe

If it's past warranty, then yes. Someone else mentioned that Toyota quotes 6 hours of labor plus parts to replace the evaporator out of warranty.

[UTVitz]

Could not resist, had to chime in on this since it effected me a year ago.

Yes, the A/C evaporator is more than likely the cause, the metal is having a chemical reaction that results in the smell. I had the odor, got it replaced under warranty and it has never, ever smelled again and it will be a year this Sept. since it was replaced.

Sorry to say it is buried deep in the dash and is at least a 4 hour job and over $200 in parts, and no it's not a safety issue and toyota is not required to issue a recall and they clearly print this will only be performed for free under the 3/36K warranty.

All you can do is live with it and minimize it by doing some of the suggestions above. Over time, I've been told the evaporator eventually starts to dissolve itself and then you're a/c will officially be out of commission. Then you can trade the car or pay the piper.

[NH3R717]

I ran the a/c in 'fresh air mode' for a while and that seemed to make an improvement.

[nazier]

had that same problem, check with the dealers some times they run specials on a/c, where they clean the system out check everything and regas, we just did ours now for $60

[birdman]

Toyota has a carbon treated cabin filter that reduces unpleasant smells. It's a little spendy but it might be worth it to you.

[birdman]

I live in a low humidity climate and haven't noticed any unusual odors. I have visited damp coastal climates without noticing it there either. I've always had a cabin filter due to my pollen allergies.