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+--- Thread: car AC question (/showthread.php?tid=12439)
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car AC question - csgray - 08-26-2013
I have a Toyota Scion Xb, one of the first ones that look like toasters. It has been a great little car, but recently the AC started to not cool as well as it always had, then a funky mildewy smell cropped up. My husband has done the do-it-yourself route for adding coolant, but the smell remains. We have tried all the easy stuff like airing it out and running the heater full blast to try to dry the system out with no success. There are no leaks or wet spots in the interior either.
I have pretty bad mold allergies, plus who wants to drive a stinky car to work, so I am looking for reasonable solution. Thanks for all knowledgeable replies.
Carol
RE: car AC question - vmabry - 08-26-2013
Go to one of the parts stores and purchase a new cabin micro-filter. A little pricey but it does need to be changed from time to time.
RE: car AC question - Royall - 08-26-2013
Once you know the local price, check on Amazon.... they have lots of stuff like that.
Royall
Hale O Na Mea Pa`ani
RE: car AC question - MarkP - 08-26-2013
From your description, I would say some refrigerant has leaked out. When enough leaks out the pressure sensor in the system tells the a/c clutch not to engage. The a/c coil then warms up. Mine is doing that now. Works for a while then quits. When it quits I get a funky musty smell. Also the air stops coming out cold. That's the big giveaway. If the a/c is getting cold the tube leaving the coil and heading back to the compressor will be cold and wet and there will be condensate dripping out beneath the car. Is your a/c cold or not? If not, no amount of filtering will make a difference.
RE: car AC question - Bullwinkle - 08-26-2013
check the ac relay - lives in the fuse box.
failure prone part - pricey locally - can be had on the internet
very often a give away is no little yellow light in the ac switch...
RE: car AC question - csgray - 08-26-2013
Mark,
It was really cold for years, then it wasn't very cold, but not blowing warm, and after a while it got a smell. My husband added refrigerant and it got colder for awhile, but the smell didn't go away. He added more refrigerant and it is now cold, but the smell is still there. I really hate that smell!
Carol
RE: car AC question - Bullwinkle - 08-26-2013
check the ac relay - lives in the fuse box.
failure prone part - pricey locally - can be had on the internet
very often a give away is no little yellow light in the ac switch...
RE: car AC question - vmabry - 08-26-2013
quote:X2 Good diagnosis MarkP, and one that I encountered before. Still a good idea to change filters periodically in moist and dusty environments.
Originally posted by MarkP
From your description, I would say some refrigerant has leaked out. When enough leaks out the pressure sensor in the system tells the a/c clutch not to engage. The a/c coil then warms up. Mine is doing that now. Works for a while then quits. When it quits I get a funky musty smell. Also the air stops coming out cold. That's the big giveaway. If the a/c is getting cold the tube leaving the coil and heading back to the compressor will be cold and wet and there will be condensate dripping out beneath the car. Is your a/c cold or not? If not, no amount of filtering will make a difference.
RE: car AC question - dmbwest - 08-26-2013
Carol, as per above try change that cabin filter ... VERY EZ to do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3hh3wQYkr8
aloha,
pog
RE: car AC question - jlgerk - 08-26-2013
How dare you !!! First you hoard all the jobs and money, now you want to hoard all the cold air !!!
[
]sorry, I couldn't help it.