Got in the car today and my kids started complaining that the rear AC smelled awful. After assessing for myself, sure enough it smelled bad - like mold or mildew. We have received allot of snow lately but this has never been a problem before. The kicker is that the front vents have no smell at all. Any thoughts on why the rears would have the odor? I cannot find any wet carpets or moisture in the headliner. I’m baffled.
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bloc
SILVER Star
The rear is a whole different system, which would explain the smell being isolated. If you want to have a look at the inlet area, it is the section of louvers on the driver's side rear interior trim behind the rear wheel well. You might check for water in the rear of the vehicle.
There should be a drain from the rear evaporator core. It is possible that it could be blocked, causing condensation to become trapped. The rear system may need to be removed and cleaned, which is a big task. Alternatively, it can be replaced, which is also fairly involved (PN 8703060030). Some companies sell an aerosol-can foaming product that cleans dirty/contaminated evaporator cores (a common source of moldy smells), and that might also be an option.
The rear AC drain is on the drivers side, just in front (edit: behind) of the rear wheel. It would not be draining in this cold weather anyway, since the rear heat would be on.
Is there any chance rodents found their way in? They can nest anywhere and would make that smell. A sudden new smell could very well be rodents. Mold and mildew are more likely to gradually smell worse.
Is there any chance rodents found their way in? They can nest anywhere and would make that smell. A sudden new smell could very well be rodents. Mold and mildew are more likely to gradually smell worse.
Last edited:
bloc
SILVER Star
Small correction, the drain is behind the rear wheel.
If you're going to attempt to clean the unit, this photo from another member shows the location of the rear heater/cooler unit:
The drain is the white plastic piece at the bottom of the box, near the carpet. It appears to be held in with a phillips screw. It's best to make sure that it drains correctly prior to applying any cleaning products (so that they don't get stuck in the bottom).
The drain is the white plastic piece at the bottom of the box, near the carpet. It appears to be held in with a phillips screw. It's best to make sure that it drains correctly prior to applying any cleaning products (so that they don't get stuck in the bottom).
- Thread starter
- #7
Thanks for the info guys. I should have mentioned that this is a 2021 with 34k miles. I’m going to take a look today and see if I can problem solve. I’m thinking it may just be where the AC had not run for some time due to the cold weather and then had a little buildup in there. Let you know what I find.
hmmm...warranty?
