AC PROBLEMS IN MY 2013 YARIS

[kavita]

About one month after I bought my car, I started smelling a musty odor coming out of the AC vents when I turned my car on. I carried it back to my dealership and they removed my dashboard and cleaned the filter (they didn't want to change any parts because parts are not "under warranty"...yeah great service right?) Now, about one week later, I'm smelling the odor again and now there's a "wet-sock/mildew" odor coming out of the vents WHILE I'm driving.

Is anyone having similar problems with their Yaris?? I didn't even make 5000km of mileage yet and I'm having car problems!

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by kavita

About one month after I bought my car, I started smelling a musty odor coming out of the AC vents when I turned my car on. I carried it back to my dealership and they removed my dashboard and cleaned the filter (they didn't want to change any parts because parts are not "under warranty"...yeah great service right?) Now, about one week later, I'm smelling the odor again and now there's a "wet-sock/mildew" odor coming out of the vents WHILE I'm driving.

Is anyone having similar problems with their Yaris?? I didn't even make 5000km of mileage yet and I'm having car problems!

Parts are not under warranty? (!!!!!) I've never bothered to learn the length or scope of a non U.S. Toyota warranty...guess I assumed it would be the same...we know what happens when one assumes .

[D-Flo]

Do you mean the dealership cleaned the "cabin air filter" located behind the glovebox? Were you given an opportunity to personally smell the filter after it was "cleaned" before they put it back in?

Maybe they should have replaced it with a new one, like in this YouTube vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to1LTUB9jig

Of course there's always the chance that some moisture has caused mildew buildup somewhere inside your vent tubes.

Do you know if the smell comes out during A/C only or whenever the internal air fan is active regardless of A/C. Or how about trying recirculate versus fresh air ... any difference you can smell?

[kavita]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Parts are not under warranty? (!!!!!) I've never bothered to learn the length or scope of a non U.S. Toyota warranty...guess I assumed it would be the same...we know what happens when one assumes .

that's what I was told by the Service Section! Ridiculous right? They said if I wanted to replace the filter, I'd have to pay for it...for my barely two month old (at the time) car!

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Parts are not under warranty? (!!!!!) I've never bothered to learn the length or scope of a non U.S. Toyota warranty...guess I assumed it would be the same...we know what happens when one assumes .

My bad. Didn't read carefully enough . I'd ask the dealership some questions based on D-flo's post (#3 on this thread).

[kavita]

Originally Posted by D-Flo

Do you mean the dealership cleaned the "cabin air filter" located behind the glovebox? Were you given an opportunity to personally smell the filter after it was "cleaned" before they put it back in?

Maybe they should have replaced it with a new one, like in this YouTube vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to1LTUB9jig

Of course there's always the chance that some moisture has caused mildew buildup somewhere inside your vent tubes.

Do you know if the smell comes out during A/C only or whenever the internal air fan is active regardless of A/C. Or how about trying recirculate versus fresh air ... any difference you can smell?

Yes they cleaned the air filter (that's what they said). They kept my car for four days and I don't know which day they actually cleaned the filter so I didn't see anything (I don't know about the US but in Trinidad, customer service generally sucks). They actually removed the dashboard and not just the glove compartment. Again, I did not see any of this because I wasn't at the dealership.

I notice the smell when I start up the car on mornings (for a couple seconds) and then while I'm driving sometimes there's an odour. My passengers notice it too, and it's embarrassing. They want to know what's that smell in my car! Lol.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by kavita

that's what I was told by the Service Section! Ridiculous right? They said if I wanted to replace the filter, I'd have to pay for it...for my barely two month old (at the time) car!

there are very few 'parts' that might not be covered under a normal warranty, but I'd think the air filter (the one under the hood, near the battery) and the cabin air filter would be two of those. That said, I still think the dealer is nitpicking you. Perhaps it is a small dealership and the have a micromanage/helicopter attitude about potential profit. One of the two dealerships closes to me has done several fairly small things for me that they probably should have charged me for, but didn't (and I didn't even buy my Yaris there...I bought it in Rhode Island while I was still living in California). They are trying to build goodwill, not nitpick. However, they can afford to. Their normal inventory of new vehicles is over 3,000 and they are the #1 volume Toyota Tundra dealer in the world. Plus, a second Toyota dealer (with an inventory under the 3,000+ new of the one near me..but still good sized) and a Nissan dealer = same ownership.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by kavita

Yes they cleaned the air filter (that's what they said). They kept my car for four days and I don't know which day they actually cleaned the filter so I didn't see anything (I don't know about the US but in Trinidad, customer service generally sucks). They actually removed the dashboard and not just the glove compartment. Again, I did not see any of this because I wasn't at the dealership.

I notice the smell when I start up the car on mornings (for a couple seconds) and then while I'm driving sometimes there's an odour. My passengers notice it too, and it's embarrassing. They want to know what's that smell in my car! Lol.

Yuck. I would guess that either D-flo's worst case scenario is the case....or, if you have parked under trees to the point where leaves and other 'stuff' from the tree could have gotten into the vent system, this could have resulted in a leak where part of the carpet on the passenger side under the dash might be a little wet (more that a little for some people). I forget the details on this, but just do a search here on Yarisworld using the terms/words : A/C backup, leaves, CTScott. CTScott has posted on this and (like MANY things) knows this inside and out.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by D-Flo

Do you mean the dealership cleaned the "cabin air filter" located behind the glovebox? Were you given an opportunity to personally smell the filter after it was "cleaned" before they put it back in?

Maybe they should have replaced it with a new one, like in this YouTube vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to1LTUB9jig

Of course there's always the chance that some moisture has caused mildew buildup somewhere inside your vent tubes.

Do you know if the smell comes out during A/C only or whenever the internal air fan is active regardless of A/C. Or how about trying recirculate versus fresh air ... any difference you can smell?

Love the custom user title. 'Starts to fall apart after 80k miles' might also be apt (personal experience with a Ford).

[CTScott]

AC stink is a tricky one, as it can be a user-caused issue (like premature brake wear).

The attached file is a TSB that covers 2004-2014 Toyotas for HVAC odor and it simply says that odors are normal and that a new high performance carbon filter will minimize them.

04-14 HVAC Odor Maintenance T-SB-0142-13.pdf

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by kavita

that's what I was told by the Service Section! Ridiculous right? They said if I wanted to replace the filter, I'd have to pay for it...for my barely two month old (at the time) car!

I thought I remembered (from reading) that the leak caused the stink. My bad. I hope CTScott's suggestion above provides relief. Good luck!

[kavita]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

I thought I remembered (from reading) that the leak caused the stink. My bad. I hope CTScott's suggestion above provides relief. Good luck!

Thanks

[kavita]

Originally Posted by CTScott

AC stink is a tricky one, as it can be a user-caused issue (like premature brake wear).

The attached file is a TSB that covers 2004-2014 Toyotas for HVAC odor and it simply says that odors are normal and that a new high performance carbon filter will minimize them.

Attachment 52295

Quite informative, thanks!