Air vents smell funky after turning AC off?

New 2023 with only 1k miles. Bought it in the winter so yesterday was the first time ever turning on the AC. Everything was fine until I turned the AC off (out of habit I always turn it off a few minutes before shutting the vehicle off to help remove moisture from the system). Funky smell was coming from the vents. Didn’t ever happen with the heat on, regular air, or the one time I had the AC on, only after using the AC and turning it off. Is this normal the first few uses or is something going on I need to check? Truck is basically brand new and been parked in my garage when not driving.

 

Probably just drive it more or something. Mine doesn't smell, but I just set it at like somewhere between 68 to 72 and let it's do its thing. Whether it's blowing heat or using the AC is kind of invisible to me. I just let it do its thing. No weird smells here though.

 

Kind of similar experience but I will say it goes away after a few minutes

 

Does yours do it every time for a few minutes or just the first time you used it?

 

Typically recirculate is engaged with AC and turns off with AC. Is it possible when you cut off the air, you started getting some outside smell? Or is this a more distinct, obviously something might be dead/some kind of mold type of smell coming from vents?

 

I would check the cabin air filter located inside the glove box. I've had mouse poop on mine before.

 

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Definitely a musty kind of smell. Not from random outside air smell.

 

Recirculate is the default mode. When some odors persist from other sources I turn up the fan and turn on "external exhaust" mode to clear out.

 

I’ll check mine out. Seems like I’d get the smell all the time if it’s something on the air filter, but mine is distinctly only after turning the ac back off.

 

Yep I did this. As soon as I smelled it I cranked the fan to high and made sure recirculate was off to try and clear the smell out of the vents.

Edit: or are you saying to do this with the AC still on? I’ll try that too

 

This is not uncommon depending on the atmospheric conditions where you live I believe (southeast temps and humidity etc). I turn my AC off and blow warm air a couple minutes before I park. Really helps dry out moisture in the air box to prevent/minimize the smell.

 

I’m in the PNW. We don’t have much humidity here (dry air desert climate locally).

 

Mine actually did the same thing. Turn off the the recirculation and turn the AC on full blast. Spray some Lysol in the intake vent in the bottom of the windshield. Toyota also makes a treatment for this you can buy at the dealership. I went in my local dealership and suggested it was a warranty issue. They provided me the service for free just to get rid of me.

 

Good to know, thanks!

 

https://parts.toyota.com/p/Toyota-AC-Refresher-Kit/69278112/00289ACRKT.html

 

You open the windiws of your house every now and then to let it "air out". 15 minutes a day blowing air fast though vents seems the same.

 

So it wasnt present initially but I just kind of noticed it a few weeks ago when I needed the AC on the way to Vegas. I hadnt used it before that/didnt need to for a few months. I'll try to see if its still happening when we drive today.

Mine is a musty smell as well. Like clothes that havent dryed properly

 

I wonder if it's pollen.
We get a lot of pollen here, and while I don't smell anything in mine, maybe that's getting into your cabin air system and kind of "rotting" - it's probably temporary either way.
I don't park mine in the garage (I don't even think it would fit) - but I definitely don't drive it even every day either though. Mine will sit in the same spot for 3 days at a time before I even go back out to it, 1300 miles here, and I haven't noticed a thing. I probably will smell something next time I drive it though now lol.

 

yea, mine always smells a bit after turning the A/C off. i tried doing an a/c refresh but it didn't help much. I cleaned the evaporator coils by spraying it through the drain hose. I didn't spray anything into the vents though.