Leather, Heat, and AC

[Riggo]

I'm surprised I'm seemingly the only one with this problem. It smells like a wet dog or mildew in my car if I have the fan on only. Argh!

[aaronj1159]

I'm surprised I'm seemingly the only one with this problem. It smells like a wet dog or mildew in my car if I have the fan on only. Argh!

You are not alone. Mine has this too. I'm just starting to get frustrated with things like this and trim issues. These things shouldn't happen in brand new cars.

[djminfll]

I'm surprised I'm seemingly the only one with this problem. It smells like a wet dog or mildew in my car if I have the fan on only. Argh!

This happened to a buddy of mine, and it turned out to be a small rodent that climbed into the engine area and died. As he decomposed, the stench made its way into the vents. Do you think it's possible that your problem is from the same thing?

[Riggo]

This happened to a buddy of mine, and it turned out to be a small rodent that climbed into the engine area and died. As he decomposed, the stench made its way into the vents. Do you think it's possible that your problem is from the same thing?

 

I guess anything is possible? But it smells like dirty sweaty socks or something, mildewy I gueses.

[Riggo]

You are not alone. Mine has this too. I'm just starting to get frustrated with things like this and trim issues. These things shouldn't happen in brand new cars.

 

I completely agree. I love this car but I'm more than a little concerned about this being my car is barely 4 months old.

[aaronj1159]

 

I guess anything is possible? But it smells like dirty sweaty socks or something, mildewy I gueses.

Yeah this doesn't seem like something dead. Definitely seems like the mold issue that was discussed. I understand some people prevent this by running the fan without AC before shut down, but I don't understand why that's necessary on this brand new, state of the art vehicle. My 2000 Bettle and 2006 Jetta had no issues like this, nor have my dad's plethora of cars or, quite frankly, anybody else that I know of personally. Nobody I know of bothers with an AC shutoff before getting out of the car.

[acdii]

With the latest update, this problem may go away. The AC is too good in the car, and if it is colder than it needs to be, it will condense moisture as soon as the airflow stops when you shut the car off. Its the moisture on the evaporator that causes this stink.

 

With the Update they slowed the compressor down, so the refrigerant is not going to be so energetic in cooling after its shut off.

 

I have taken Lysol and sprayed it into the intake on other cars to get rid of the mold, may be able to do it by removing the air filter in the glove box and spraying it there. Just make sure you dont spray any plastic that you can see normally as it may discolor it.

[Sleddog]

It's not a matter of "energetic" Freon. Turn off the a/c compressor and the cooling stops. It's a matter of condensation on the evaporator coil. If it is not removed or blown off the coil, mold will grow. When you turn off the a/c system, the Freon stops flowing. There may be enough residual pressure for the system to generate cooling at the evaporator coil for a few seconds. But that's it. Without the compressor running, the system does not cool, because the Freon does not flow. A cooling system has a high and a low pressure side. The compressor does just that, it compresses the Freon into a liquid, pressurizes it, and creates flow. That's the high side. The Freon is compressed by the compressor and flows to the expansion valve. The expansion valve changes the liquid into a gas. The gas flows thru the evaporator coil absorbing heat as air flows over it, cooling the air and creating condensation (condensate). The condensate is the water that flows off the evaporator coil into the drain. That's the water you see under you car when the a/c is running. The low side is after the expansion valve. That's also the side, the low pressure side, the evaporator coil is on. So, again, if the compressor is not running, the system is not cooling. If it was possible to have energetic, self compressing, self flowing Freon, you would have no need for a compressor.

 

After turning off the a/c, the evaporator coil will stay cold for a while. That will cause condensation. If you do not remove the condensate from the evaporator after using the a/c mold will grow.

 

Using Lysol will work, for a short time. It will also eat the aluminum fins off the evaporator coil if you use it on a regular basis. I posted about how I don't have the issue of mold in any off my vehicles. I live in Florida and use the a/c everyday for 5 months straight. Again, of you turn off the a/c and let the fan blow for a couple of minutes before turning off the car, you will not have this issue. I just sold a 2000 Sunfire, and this little procedure was done every time the a/c was run. That car's a/c did not smell moldy or musty.

 

As a comparison, most new home a/c systems run the fan in the air handler (the unit that blows air inside the house) after the compressor (condenser, unit outside the house) stops, for a couple of minutes. This does 2 things, it makes the unit more efficient by using what cooling (temperature of the evaporator coil) is left, it also brings the evaporator coil up to room temperature, and blows the condensate off the evaporator coil and thereby reducing water available for mold growth.

 

It's just that simple...

Edited August 18, 2013 by Sleddog

[Riggo]

That's a good explanation, but again, why has this not happened to any of the other cars I've had? If your theory is correct, every car I've driven should have had a mold problem because I never turned on the fan only for a period of time after I've turned the a/c off. I'm sure most people in these Fusions don't do it either and it doesn't seem like everyone is having this problem.

[Sleddog]

Are you always running the a/c with the recirc on, or with max a/c on? From the manual: To reduce humidity build-up inside your vehicle, do not drive with the system switched off or with recirculated air always switched on.

 

Perhaps you have an issue with the drain. This procedure works for me here in hot humid Florida. Maybe it's time for a trip to the dealer.

[Riggo]

Yeah, I was running with recirculate when I first got it, then after it got "cleaned" at the dealer I ran it without recirulation. The "cleaning" only lasted for one day and the smell came back.

Yep, going to have to go to the dealer again, it's just a big hassle to do so, I have to find time to take off work. They assured me I'd get a free loaner car next time but I still haven't had a chance to set up the appointment. Hopefully they'll fix it right next time.

Edited August 22, 2013 by Riggo

[aaronj1159]

I on the other hand almost never use recirculate, and have the same results.

[Sleddog]

Maybe some thing is partially covering the evap coil causing the issue.

[Riggo]

I went to an extremely upscale restaurant for dinner last night and the valet parked my car. I noticed this morning that my drivers seat leather has some very small cuts and the seam area pipping had some leather or vinyl (whatever they use in that area) peeling off. I'm pretty upset. I called the restaurant and they are supposed to call me back. I don't even know if that's something that can be fixed without putting in an entirely new seat. :-(. I guess the moral of the story is to always park your own car.

[Riggo]

Brought my car in for the SECOND TIME for the moldy/wet dog smell coming from the ventilation system. It even stinks when the fan is just on.

Just as before it smelled ok for one day, then the second day the smell was back. I swear they are just spraying some febreeze in there even though they say they took apart then entire system and looked for condensation etc. and did a fridigie clean.

I'm about to write to the BBB. They also didn't fully fix a trim issue I had.

They claimed to have done the fix for the wheel popping but I heard it for a short time driving down the road. I have no way of knowing if they actually put the trust washers on or not.

Arrggghhhhhh, why can't service departments do their job. Sorry for the rant.

[majorleeslow]

I've had the funky smell after Ac is turned off in all the cars I've owned. I've used cabin air filter with baking soda and other one with activated carbon too. But no success.

[acdii]

Brought my car in for the SECOND TIME for the moldy/wet dog smell coming from the ventilation system. It even stinks when the fan is just on.

Just as before it smelled ok for one day, then the second day the smell was back. I swear they are just spraying some febreeze in there even though they say they took apart then entire system and looked for condensation etc. and did a fridigie clean.

I'm about to write to the BBB. They also didn't fully fix a trim issue I had.

They claimed to have done the fix for the wheel popping but I heard it for a short time driving down the road. I have no way of knowing if they actually put the trust washers on or not.

Arrggghhhhhh, why can't service departments do their job. Sorry for the rant.

It would take them at least a day to rip the dash apart if they did that. Have you tried turning the heater on full blast to max temp fr a while? Sometimes that helps cook the crap off. Sounds like yours got wet and has some gook on it to keep it from drying off.

[Riggo]

It would take them at least a day to rip the dash apart if they did that. Have you tried turning the heater on full blast to max temp fr a while? Sometimes that helps cook the crap off. Sounds like yours got wet and has some gook on it to keep it from drying off.

 

I'll try anything so I'll try that. Thanks.