AC bad smell

[JudgeM]

Hi all,

its getting summer now, so the cold AC is going to be in use.
When the AC is running for quite a while, a bad smells starts to form.
From reading around, its due to some crud in the water tray that gets wet.

Is there an easy way to clean this that does not involve having to remove the entire dashboard to access that tray? I would like to clean it out but dont want to have to spend $400 to get it opened up.

[CTScott]

You can flush it with a mild bleach solution by pulling the hose out of where it goes through the floor (on the inside front of the front passenger foot well). Cover the carpet with plastic and use a turkey baster to squirt the solution into the hose, and then let it drain back out into a pan. Do that until no more crud comes out.

[JudgeM]

Thanks . Just bought a turkey baster. Will try it out tomorrow.

[JudgeM]

I did this. still have the smell. Do you think something like CarPlan odour stopper will work ?

[MyzticZ3r0]

Have to check to see if you have a cabin air filter? It's been known for my car (2007 hatch) to be lacking the cabin air filter so all the debris will be lodged there. If there is one, have you changed it?

[JudgeM]

Have to check to see if you have a cabin air filter? It's been known for my car (2007 hatch) to be lacking the cabin air filter so all the debris will be lodged there. If there is one, have you changed it?

Yes. I have the cabin filter and I did change it. The smell only comes when the AC is running for a while, it sometimes goes away.

[JudgeM]

After snooping around a bit, sounds like I am going to have to take that AC drip tray apart and give it a good cleaning. Also even the evaporator. I read that under a recall they changed the evaporator because mold grows on it. Wonder if I ring the dealer here and see if they will cover it ?

[CTScott]

After snooping around a bit, sounds like I am going to have to take that AC drip tray apart and give it a good cleaning. Also even the evaporator. I read that under a recall they changed the evaporator because mold grows on it. Wonder if I ring the dealer here and see if they will cover it ?

It is definitely worth checking with them. To get to the evaporator is a nightmare, as you have to completely disassemble the dash (including the support frame under it) to get the airbox out, to be able to access the evaporator.