DIY - Get Rid Of That A/C Stink!

Firstly, I'd check your Cabin Air Filter, that may need replacing if not, go ahead and give this a shot.

So a while back we had a thread going about ways to get rid of that stink alot of tacoma owners have when we turn on the A/C...i found a video by a popular local mechanic on youtube and gave it a try.

(Sorry the pictures arent as big, i had to resize them so they wouldn't end up taking up your whole screen)

1.) Get a can of Lysol with a scent of your choice.


2.) Locate the air intake vent for the A/C Fans, NOT Engine Air Intake. (highlighted in red)


3.) Start your truck, put the Blower on High, A/C ON, and Turn off the recirculation. You can leave your driver's side door open for now, so it can vent out.



4.) Spray Lysol into the air vent, i did about 4 sweeps back and forth. I didn't want to do to much in fear of shorting something. Then let the A/C & Blower run for a while so the Lysol can work its magic through the system.


5.) Close the drivers side door, after waiting a while shut the A/C & Blower off, Open the windows a bit to let the truck air out and then shut off the engine, if you read the warning on those lysol cans it says , "Hazards to humans and domestic animals"


6.) Close the hood, and now just let your truck Air out! You're Done!


Also, at the end, I usually spray down my seats and the cloth roof with lysol since that cloth loves to have odors latch on to them.

 

Nice write up. I've done this with Frigi-fresh, but never thought of using Lysol. Lysol is a lot easier to find.

 

Nice write-up! I might give this a try on my wife's jeep. It smells like a turd when she first turns on the A/C. It goes away after the first few minutes - or maybe I just get used to it

 

yeah mine is like that, when i first push the A/C button, stiiiiinnnnnkkk!

after a while it does seem to go away, either that or our brain is adapting to the smell hahah

ive never heard of Frigi-Fresh lol.

 

Can't wait to see how it worked. Did you also replace your cabin filter?

 

Not yet. i really dont think its that, because with the recirc off, when i push the A/C Button the stink still comes.

 

Do you guys with the stink turn off your ac a couple minutes before you stop the truck and let the fan run?

 

i started doing that about a month or two ago.

 

This works great. I do it with all of my cars now. The cold air in the ducting mixed with the hot air outside causes condensation. By running the fan only mode, you blow out the cold air and prevent the odor causing moisture.

 

UPDATE: At initial start up it had the stink (but the A/C was off just the blower on max), it was just stink left over in the air vents...before, when i turn on the A/C as soon as the compressor kicks in i would get a very unpleasant smell.This afternoon i turned on the A/C AND NO MORE STINK! This neato trick works!!!

 

Sticky?

 

My wifes 2008 Rav4 stinks to high hell during the summers. There is a TSB for an evaporator coil replacement, but I'm not too excited about having the entire dash ripped out. I'll give this a shot. Thanks for the tip!

 

Hmm i thought this was just for tacomas' i found it so odd because none of our other cars do this.

 

Shit, my girls yaris's AC reeks!!! I'm gonna do this ASAP

 

Dont forget the cabin air filter (if it has one)

 

Just thought i'd give this a bump...my A/C stink has come back a few times already.

 

sweet diy! doing this tomorrow

 

I think the rents' camry needs this too, that thing stinks to high hell when they turn on the A/C.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYKN3bypcT0?version=3

I just found this from a local mechanic's video on youtube, the same guy that recommended the lysol trick.

 

On some cars, if you put something under the seat it can hit the side impact airbag connector if you have a seat-back mounted airbag. If it hits the connector, the airbag lamp comes on and I've seen people have enough stuff hit the connector so that the connector is actually damaged. When this happens, you have to replace the setback with the airbag! I've seen people have to buy some very expensive seats. Find another place to put it instead of under your seat if you have airbags in the front seats! FYI.