GmanSC

I am sure many of you guys have this problem. I treated the AC vents with Lysol sprays as many youtube videos have suggested. The odor went away for the short time then came backs.
Any idea how to eliminate it permanently beside using air freshener?

Coleroad

There is a spray cleaner/sanitizer for evaporators that you can get from your hvac technician. Either get to your condenser and spray directly. You can also pull your cabin air filter run your ac on hi, and spray there.

Harold57

What kind of odor is it?

GmanSC

Real bad. Smelled like rotten egg. This due to the mildew deposits inside the air duct. The smell appear when you first turn on the air condition, then disappear in few minutes.

2jzdc

Try to adjust the carbon air sensitivity to 3 while the car is running and in park, press and hold down the auto/fresh/auto button until a number pops up in the AC display. Use the AC temperature control button to move it up from 0, 1, 2 or 3

Bgw70

I tried this and the range on my car was -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3.

Is this the so called smog sensitivity detector used to make the vent switch from fresh air to recirculate?

Here is a thread
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...-cleaning.html

Here is an excerpt from the factory repair manual. This should clear this up.

8. AUTOMATIC RECIRCULATION CONTROL

(a) When automatic recirculation control is operating, the air conditioning amplifier assembly automatically changes the air inlet mode to FRESH or RECIRCULATION mode based on signals from the smog ventilation sensor, ambient temperature sensor (thermistor assembly) and room temperature sensor (cooler thermistor) when AUTO air inlet mode is selected.

(1) The air conditioning amplifier assembly detects harmful elements (CO, HC and NOx) based on a smog ventilation sensor signal and automatically switches the air inlet mode to RECIRCULATION mode to prevent such harmful elements (CO, HC and NOx) from entering the cabin.

(2) The air conditioning amplifier assembly detects cabin temperature based on a room temperature sensor signal and automatically switches the air inlet mode to RECIRCULATION mode to prevent the cabin temperature from becoming too high.

(3) The air conditioning amplifier assembly detects the outside temperature based on an ambient temperature sensor signal and automatically switches the air inlet mode to FRESH mode to prevent the windshield from fogging up.

NOTICE:

The smog ventilation sensor cannot detect elements such as the smoke from a bonfire or factory exhaust, foul or animal odors, and dirt or dust particles. Therefore, the air inlet mode is not switched automatically in accordance with those elements.
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2jzdc

Have you tried selecting 3? I had a bad odor from my AC too, and when I selected the option 3, it made a HUGE difference.