Moldy vent/evaporator smell fix

[174bpm]

So for the past year the vents in my car have had a musty/moldy smell coming from them when the ac is not on. I figured out that the drain for the evaporator must be clogged because anytime I run the AC there's never any water puddles under the car. I know this has been a known issue with these cars and also know about the "turn off the AC a mile before home to dry out the evaporator" suggestions. Problem is the smell is too far gone and I figured I'll have to either clean the evaporator somehow and or unclog the drain tube. Anyone have any suggestions on how to go about doing this? The drain tube is above the transmission right? So access will probably be tough. What's the best way to access the evaporator? I've done a little searching on here and found a few "solutions" but wanted to check here first and see if anyone here can give me some other ideas to fix it.

P.S. I've tried the cleaners you spray into the inlet under the hood.

[Estoril]

When you turn the AC off on a hot day and park it, moisture is trapped in the vents and filter. That moisture is trapped in the hot, damp and dark system. Then mold grows and smells bad. Instead, turn off your AC 5 minutes before parking and let the air circulate and dissipate the moisture.

[174bpm]

When you turn the AC off on a hot day and park it, moisture is trapped in the vents and filter. That moisture is trapped in the hot, damp and dark system. Then mold grows and smells bad. Instead, turn off your AC 5 minutes before parking and let the air circulate and dissipate the moisture.

I appreciate the help, however I’ve been doing this for a long time to not make it worse and nothing has changed. The smell is still the same. The filter has obviously been changed but I am looking for a more detailed way to clean the mold from the evaporator and/or drain tube which can also get clogged and not allow moisture and water to leave the system.

[ugaexploder]

The best way to do this is if you have a friend who does mold remediation...you could use an ozone generator and recirculate the air in your car.

[bigjae46]

Ozone machines, evap cleaners that you spray into the drain tube, etc....they all are temp fixes. The smell always comes back.

I do the opposite. I ALWAYS have my AC on, even in the winter. At least turn the fan on so it circulates air.

[oceansize]

I appreciate the help, however I’ve been doing this for a long time to not make it worse and nothing has changed. The same is still the same. The filter has obviously been changed but I am looking for a more detailed way to clean the mold from the evaporator and/or drain tube which can also get clogged and not allow moisture and water to leave the system.

Have you tried something like this? I used it in one of my other cars years ago but access was fairly easy on that car, not sure about our cars.

[Estoril]

Ozone generators are very efficient at degrading plastics, rubber, sealants and lungs.

[T.J.]

subscribed for location of condensate drain tube

Have you tried something like this? I used it in one of my other cars years ago but access was fairly easy on that car, not sure about our cars.

It would seem access is not straightforward since there are flaps in the ducts. This is why OP asked location of drain tube

[Slideways]

subscribed for location of condensate drain tube



It would seem access is not straightforward since there are flaps in the ducts. This is why OP asked location of drain tube

The drain is a plastic pan under the heater core.

Before pulling out the heater core, one could pour some water directly behind the heater core to see if it leaks out the bottom of the car. That would test to see if the drain is blocked.

[Irhase46m3]

Have you tried something like this? I used it in one of my other cars years ago but access was fairly easy on that car, not sure about our cars.

I have used something similar in the past, you need to access it from the blower motor from the engine side, you remove the cover behind the cabin filter that exposes the blower motor, from there you can insert the small hose. Helped for a few months, matter of fact, i have to do it again - I've been smelling crayola for too long now!

[Irhase46m3]

The drain is a plastic pan under the heater core.

Before pulling out the heater core, one could pour some water directly behind the heater core to see if it leaks out the bottom of the car. That would test to see if the drain is blocked.

Might be easier to just turn on your AC and watch the water drip from the bottom of the car as condensation builds up

[T.J.]

So I just did this probably the easiest possible way using Klima cleaner pro. Try at your own risk…
1) Removed center air vent
2) car on, AC on, flaps set to mid position only
3) Reached one hand into the opening to feel for flaps and used the same hand to guide the spray tube around them, feeding it as far as possible
4) ignition off
5) disconnect battery to avoid electrical shorts
6) connect can to tube and spray away
7) I let it sit for at least 20 minutes and noted that there was initially a lot of dripping from the drain underneath the car but it had stopped by 20 minutes.
8) reconnected battery and aired it out per the instructions

Obviously I wasn’t able to see how well the evaporator was coated but that is the point of the foaming nature of this product. There was a sort of sound of foam filling a cavity. I’ll report back on how well it worked on the musty smell. Included is a pic of what you’re trying to achieve with the tube routing

[kaiv]

Ozone generators are very efficient at degrading plastics, rubber, sealants and lungs.

Beg to differ, I've had an ozone generator for years and used properly there is no such issues.

[Estoril]

Beg to differ, I've had an ozone generator for years and used properly there is no such issues.

Its not my opinion. It is a well-documented source-cause for decades. I used one for over a decade on a reef tank. Amazing what it can do to expensive cast acrylic and rubber - but I read the warning statements before I used it.

[T.J.]

The foam seems to have worked. To clarify a point in my earlier post, the horizontal exchanger is the heater core, while the one next to the blower is the evaporator