stilrox

I bought a used a 2008 LS600hL and noticed that when I run the fresh air setting with the AC off (like in winter) I get a musty smell in the cabin. I had Stevens Creek Lexus (Santa Clara Ca.) check it out and they tried to put a fragrance on it but that wore off after a few days. I have no problems with the water drainage (they checked) but wonder if I need to pull the AC coils and replace or something like that. Any ideas? thanks bob

1Putt

You could try an OEM Toyota AC system/vent cleaner that you can buy from from online vendors

Doublebase

You can try spraying a disinfectant through the air inlet with the fans on high (remove the filter first). Cycle through the various vent positions while you do this to direct the disinfectant through all the different passages.

Cold weather will be your friend in the coming months (depending on where you live), the mold and bacteria living in your vents is hard to get rid of, but the cold will kill it to.

Lavrishevo

iTrader: (1)

70% rubbing alcohol. Spray it down the air intake inlet via a spray bottle just below the wipers with the fan set to max, compressor off, and sucking air from the outside. Make sure both drain tubes on the driver and passenger side are not clogged. Works great and much easier then other methods. The smell is caused by mildew / mold building up in the condenser.

You are more prone to have buildup if you have your AC on recirculate most of the time but this method works really well and it's super easy to repeat as necessary. Keeps my AC fresh. You will probably notice greenish liquid coming out of the the drain tubes the first time you do this. Don't be afraid to use 3/4 of the bottle. I treat mine every six months. No odors at all anymore.

cruzinZ

What you need is something specifically going to target the root cause of the smell bacteria & mold. It's caused by water collecting in your air conditioner system located inside the cabin of your car behind the dash. With a damp environment you are going to get unwanted stuff growing in there. One way to eliminate it is to use a fogger type of system. You need to get the product inside the AC system to kill the source of the smell. There are several products that do the same thing with various degrees of success. Here is one of them: http://www.autogeek.net/odor-bomb-new-car.html

Do some research and pick up the one you think will work the best. My only advice is to turn on your AC and drop a can of what ever you chose into your car with your engine & AC running for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes open all doors and let it air out. Some of these products will leave a film behind so be sure to clean the inside of your car out after you fog the car.

Some professional detainers have an ozone machine that will also greatly help with smells but I think you should use a product that targets the source of the smell. http://m.wikihow.com/Do-an-Ozone-Sho...t-on-a-Vehicle


http://www.kbb.com/car-advice/articl...ide-car-vents/

Taken from cars direct:
What is the Average Cost of an A/C Anti Bacterial Treatment?
You can do an anti bacterial treatment for your A/C by yourself. There are special antibacterial cleaners that you have to spray on the air filter once a month. You can also try cleaning your air conditioner at least once in a month to ensure that it produces clean and filtered air. Try products like Klima-Cleaner's. This product removes odors from the car and removes water condensation on the air conditioner system too. This can cost about $15 per bottle and can last you a long time. Other products you can try include GardX One Shot Deodoriser, and Kleen Air-Air Conditioning Cleaner & Purifier. Both of which cost about $45-$100.



Hope this helps. You are not alone with this as all cars will develop this with time and use of the AC system. Good luck and report back to us with a review.

nsaldanh

I'm on my 4th LS. I set it on auto, set the temperature and then don't touch it. The compressor always runs - and I don't have any musty odors. I live in Florida.

Pamperme

Same here. Set it and forget it. AC will automatically turn off when it gets too cold. But usually the computer in AUTO mode leaves it on all year. No smell no problems.