My 2006 just hit 5000 miles. It's 5 months old.

I am getting a bad smell from the A/C. I never put in an A/C filter and I'm in Florida so it gets heavy use.

I tried running the heat on full for a few minutes to maybe kill whatever is making the smell but no help.

I can't imagine a filter will make the smell go away so I was thinking an A/C spray deoderizer.

Is this a dealer pit stop or do you think I can fight this myself.

 

i had that happen to a friend. but he threw up in the vents when he was drunk one night. lol, sorry i couldnt help you out.

 

A/C spray deoderizor spray might be your best bet, unless you want to bring it into the dealer.
make your own filter out of one from homedepot

 

You made me laugh Sam... that's some help!

 

^^haha, no problem dude.

 

Yes, spray something in the intake vent on the passenger side right below the windsheild. I used Meguiar's Odor Eliminator in the small yellow spray bottle and it worked wonders and never came back.

 

If you have a cabin filter, than that might need to be replaced.

 

I work at a Toyota dealership as a detailing supervisor. When this problem arises we have a quick fix.
1- Start your car and turn the air on.
2-Put the air on fresh
3- Close all the doors
4- Put your hand by the windshield wipers and you will feel a suction ( nothing major) but you will feel air being pulled.
5. Spray any kind of air freshner you want
6. Let the air and the car run for like 5 min and repeat.
ENJOY

 

^^

 

Yea, air fresheners work wonders to cover up the odor, but not get rid of it. I did it once with an odor eliminator a year ago and the smell hasn't come back.

 

I mean you can use whatever you want. I was just letting everyone know how to apply it

 

do what bryanAKAdrdetail said, but use an air freshener that kills stuff. like ozium

 

good luck everyone

 

i had the same problem happen to me. i live in south fl as well...but it went away in like 2 weeks or so. i have no idea what it was.

 

Yup Lysol always worked for me in the past .

 

I also live in FL so I use my A/C a lot! when I start the A/C smells like a dead animal. Discusting. I decided to check out what's going one and to my surprise I had a bunch of tree leaves right where the air is sucked in. I cleaned it and is better now. I sometimes get the same smell when the A/C is on and the engine is off. Thank you for the advice, I'll use an air refreshener and change the air filter.

 

I have had the odor in previous cars, I was told it is caused from moisture in the vents. The fix for me was making sure the vents are left open ( to fresh air) when the car is parked and I shut the a/c off, leaving the fans running for a minute before I shut the car off. This was actually recommended by the dealer at the time. Never had a problem since. I'm not sure what they used to actually get rid of the odor, but I am guessing some sort of ionizer stuff.

 

BINGO!

I get this in my jeep all the time. What it's from is non-use of the A/C. Moisture collects, grows musty and smells like nothing you want to deal with too often. Just run the A/C with fresh air like was said earlier. The in-cabin filter helps a bit, but will still pass the odor somewhat until the moisture is out.

 

i got the smell yesterday. i had been washing the car the day before and it was scorching hot outside. i think that was my problem. it went away after a few seconds, so big deal

 

I got this in the XB and the TC. Air freshener down the pipe fixed right up.

JOe