Air Conditioner Smell

[ES300 Beverly Hills]

There's a distinct bad odor coming from my air conditioner just after it is turned on. I tried spraying Lysol in the air ducts and no change. Any suggestions? :chairshot:

[ArmyofOne]

There's a distinct bad odor coming from my air conditioner just after it is turned on.  I tried spraying Lysol in the air ducts and no change.  Any suggestions?  :chairshot:

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does it smell like burning rubber?

[vcv10guy]

Depending on what year car you have, the cabin filter may need to be replaced. To makes things a little easier, put in your profile the year of your ES, so other members can better tell you information specific to your year/generation. Like Army said, does it smell like something is burning? If it smells like burnt oil, then most likely your valve cover gaskets are leaking.

[jay swinger]

One of the most frequent problems is MOLD odor from the A/C ducts. You need professional help to get rid of that. There is a way to prevent it. When running your air conditioner as often as you can turn OFF the compressor in your last three minutes of driving time and make sure the fan is working for that three minutes. This ventilates the ductwork. You can check this at a web site devoted to allergies and asthma, something like aafa.org or the like.

There's a distinct bad odor coming from my air conditioner just after it is turned on.  I tried spraying Lysol in the air ducts and no change.  Any suggestions?  :chairshot:

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[ES300 Beverly Hills]

I'll update my Profile like you said. - Thanks!

Is the Cabin Filter hard to replace?

I don't think the smell is burning rubber/oil, it's more like wet socks/musty smell :(.

Thanks all for your input. I have a '93 ES300 Rose Gray 192K

Depending on what year car you have, the cabin filter may need to be replaced.  To makes things a little easier, put in your profile the year of your ES, so other members can better tell you information specific to your year/generation.  Like Army said, does it smell like something is burning?  If it smells like burnt oil, then most likely your valve cover gaskets are leaking.

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[vcv10guy]

I'll update my Profile like you said. - Thanks!

Is the Cabin Filter hard to replace?

I don't think the smell is burning rubber/oil, it's more like wet socks/musty smell :(.

Thanks all for your input.  I have a '93 ES300 Rose Gray 192K

Depending on what year car you have, the cabin filter may need to be replaced.  To makes things a little easier, put in your profile the year of your ES, so other members can better tell you information specific to your year/generation.  Like Army said, does it smell like something is burning?  If it smells like burnt oil, then most likely your valve cover gaskets are leaking.

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No problem, having the year helps out. Since you don't have a oil/rubber smell, then you don't have to worry about the valve cover gaskets leaking oil on the exhaust. Bad news is that there is mold/mildew like what Jay said earlier. There is other threads on the mildew in the vents issue on how to take care of it, or you can just have it professionally taken of. As far as the cabin filter I was talking about, I believe it was an option for our generation. If you have it in your car, there is also another thread on how to replace it. Do a search and I'm sure you can dig up information on the mildew and the cabin filter. Rose gray...I don't know if I've seen that color before. Sounds nice though.

[ArmyofOne]

I'll update my Profile like you said. - Thanks!

Is the Cabin Filter hard to replace?

I don't think the smell is burning rubber/oil, it's more like wet socks/musty smell :(.

Thanks all for your input.  I have a '93 ES300 Rose Gray 192K

Depending on what year car you have, the cabin filter may need to be replaced.  To makes things a little easier, put in your profile the year of your ES, so other members can better tell you information specific to your year/generation.  Like Army said, does it smell like something is burning?  If it smells like burnt oil, then most likely your valve cover gaskets are leaking.

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also put it in your signature like mine at the bottom of your posts. :)

[steviej]

ES300 Beverly Hills

very common problem. Its mold/mildw in the AC/heating system.

On newer cars the cabin filter can be changed and that will help. Don't be surprised if you find that your car has no filter installed. Also a common finding. You will find the location to mount it and the brackets to hold the two filters, but no filter in there. You may be lucky and have a filter in there, but most likely you will gag at the condition.

Have a vacuum handy as you may find lots of leaves and debris in the orafice that the filters occupy.

Do a search on cabin filters and you will un inundated with threads discussing this problem. Open the search up to a year so it goes last week and older.

This is not specific to Lexus. Many web sites discuss this. You could even google search it as many allergy and asthma websites discuss it.

There are may remedies.

The most effective I have seen is spraying unscented Lysol in the cowl opening to the vent system. 30 seconds with the temp on COLD and 30 secs with the temp on HOT. Put the blower on full speed for both. Do this each day for 7 days and then 1 day each week for the rest of the month.

steviej

[ES300 Beverly Hills]

You guys are extremely helpful!

I truly appreciate this site and for all of your input. I'll check out

the mold/mildew issue and even try the Lysol treatment. Thanks!!!

Jeffrey ;-)

[ES300 Beverly Hills]

ES300 Beverly Hills

There are may remedies.

The most effective I have seen is spraying unscented Lysol in the cowl opening to the vent system. 30 seconds with the temp on COLD and 30 secs with the temp on HOT. Put the blower on full speed for both. Do this each day for 7 days and then 1 day each week for the rest of the month.

steviej

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Please, please, please excuse my lack of knowledge in cars, but WHERE is

the Cowl Opening in the vent system to stray Lysol into? B)

[steviej]

Please, please, please excuse my lack of knowledge in cars, but WHERE is

the Cowl Opening in the vent system to stray Lysol into?  B)

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open the hood and look under the windshield wipes. This is the cowl and there are a bunch of vent openings. Looks like a grate. You want to spray the lysol more on the passengers side. When you stand on the passengers side and look down in the grate you will see the actual vent opening to the AC/Heat system. Concentrate your spraying here.

here is a pic of my friends GS with the cowl pointed to by arrows. It is not an ES but is the same general area.

steviej

[ES300 Beverly Hills]

Wow - what a GREAT reply. I feel a little stupid not knowing

where the AC intake was, but I really appreciate the awesome

picture - it was worth a 1,000 words.

Jeffrey ;-)

[mburnickas]

Wow - what a GREAT reply.  I feel a little stupid not knowing

where the AC intake was, but I really appreciate the awesome

picture - it was worth a 1,000 words.

Jeffrey ;-)

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I just ordered my cabin filter three days ago. $35.XX I never had one from day 1...nice ha

[camlex]

Hello,

I have 97 ES300.

1. should i have this filter?

2. where is the location?

Thanks in advance.

[mburnickas]

Hello,

I have 97 ES300.

1. should i have this filter?

2. where is the location?

Thanks in advance.

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Might or might not. The slot or filter is behind the mat (to the right) of the gas pedal.

[camlex]

Thank you.