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Antifungal spray for cabin air filter
- Thread starter Level8Drummer
- Start date
You may have tried this but check the intake. Leaves and debris can slip down and be caught on the intake screen. You must remove the top child cover in the Frunk then look down the intake. Another option if that is clear is run the heat on high for 30 minutes.
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
Whatever disinfecting cleaners you spray only last a fixed amount of time. Mold/mildew will eventually get reintroduced into the system. The only longer lasting thing is a mold inhibiting coating, which some manufacturers add to their AC coils.
The reason why it smells worse during startup and on rainy days is because our sense of smell of odors improves during more warm humid conditions. As the air drys out and cools down, it reduces (not necessarily because the substance is gone, just that our ability to smell it reduces).
Whatever disinfecting cleaners you spray only last a fixed amount of time. Mold/mildew will eventually get reintroduced into the system. The only longer lasting thing is a mold inhibiting coating, which some manufacturers add to their AC coils.
The reason why it smells worse during startup and on rainy days is because our sense of smell of odors improves during more warm humid conditions. As the air drys out and cools down, it reduces (not necessarily because the substance is gone, just that our ability to smell it reduces).
This makes a lot of sense, because the stink usually lessens or goes away when the AC is turned on, but the moment you turn the AC off....woooof.
Great point.
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
There is little evidence the open intake design has anything to do with it. It was never reported that the mesh screens help anything in terms of vinegar smell. Unless the smell you have comes from debris that got in, I don't see how the mesh screen helps anything. For most people, the smell comes from mold/mildew which the mesh screen does nothing to block.
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
It happens on the Model S also. It also isn't hard to find examples of it in other brands.
Vinegar smell inside in the morning
2018 MX 100D......vinegar smell when starting ac
Maybe the interval at which is happens is different, but it certainly happens in other designs also.
I was mainly pointing out the poor design in general. Mesh does keep debris out and yes there are many reports who have found gunk that got in there to be a culprit of foul smell. It doesn't have to be related to vinegar (smell) for it to be foul.
Either way you slice it, it's a design flaw.
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
My understanding is cases of debris is a rarity and when it occurs it is easily found and addressed anyways. It's the vinegar smell that many people have not found a solution to, especially the ones that have it occur quickly after a filter change and coil cleaning (within days or weeks, as per examples in this thread!) I have not seen anyone provide a viable explanation of where it comes from for those cases.
I looked up thread and there's a direct example that says the debris is not the problem (removing the debris did not solve the problem):
Antifungal spray for cabin air filter
For others, a coil cleaning and filter change lasts a significantly longer time (6 months, a year, maybe longer). In those cases, it's more obvious it's either the coil or filter.
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My Model 3 is 3 weeks old so I have none of those problems. Yet.
I am encouraged by the fact that the AC drains more water than I have ever seen in a passenger car.
This tells me 2 things, the cars with smell issues may have a problem with the drain tube, and it should be a good indicator to watch to see if the flow decreases over time.
I like the suggestion of running the cabin overheat protection without AC.
FTR I am in S. FL
Thoughts anyone?
I am encouraged by the fact that the AC drains more water than I have ever seen in a passenger car.
This tells me 2 things, the cars with smell issues may have a problem with the drain tube, and it should be a good indicator to watch to see if the flow decreases over time.
I like the suggestion of running the cabin overheat protection without AC.
FTR I am in S. FL
Thoughts anyone?
I have yet find this same issue on other brand that will not go away. We have driven over 5 different car brands from cheap 20K cars to well over 100K and NEVER had issues like we are dealing with on our 2020 Y. Changing filter isn't a solution at all as I have ran it without a filter and still the HVAC stunk up the car. I'm amazed that Tesla service center folks insist the solution is changing the filter.
This is a very common problem that Tesla should be investigating the root cause. If I didn't pay $10K for FSD we would likely be driving a 2023 Y/X.
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
They insist on it because for a vast majority of the cases, a filter change and a deep coil clean solves the problem for a long time. In rare cases (like yours), the problem returns shortly.
I noticed you mention swapping the filter frequently, which if reoccurs shortly, means all it did is likely the carbon absorbed the odors coming from somewhere else and became saturated, thus providing only temporary relief. There are cases where the filter is a problem (it gets wet), but that seems more rare.
If from coils, cleaning the coils thoroughly may be required. To do so may require making covers to direct and retain the cleaning solution, so that it can reach and soak all the coils/fins.
A clogged drain is also a possibility, and is a common cause of AC smells in all cars.
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
I read it here, someone using cardboard, and some using 3D printer later:
UGH - The smell of it. [AC Smell]
Has anyone tried using spraying the evaporator cleaner into the intake side (frunk)? Yes I do this when I change the filter. I put the fan on with the filter out and spray some into the intake. I do not spray a lot though. I am not sure how much liquid the fan can take. I can't for sure...
teslamotorsclub.com
Some people claim it doesn't help, but it may help in some cases if you notice the foam going elsewhere to waste. I guess it also depends on what type of cleaner you use too.
M109Rider
Active Member
The odor everyone is smelling is unlikely to be mold. It’s more likely to be bacteria.
Mold has various odors, but is usually very earthy and very distinctive. Not at all like the vinegary, or stinky feet smell.
Bacteria on the other hand, smells exactly like that.
So all the fears of breathing mold, is likely unfounded.
Furthermore, breathing bacteria odor is generally not considered harmful. Breathing in someone’s stinky feet for a while, also wouldn’t really be harmful.
Not trying to suggest the smell is all good. Just that it’s likely a nuisance, but not really harmful in any way.
My BMW had this smell constantly also. That was also annoying, and had to be cleaned from time to time. Won’t make you sick or anything, but is annoying and you’ll want to clean it from time to time.
Mold has various odors, but is usually very earthy and very distinctive. Not at all like the vinegary, or stinky feet smell.
Bacteria on the other hand, smells exactly like that.
So all the fears of breathing mold, is likely unfounded.
Furthermore, breathing bacteria odor is generally not considered harmful. Breathing in someone’s stinky feet for a while, also wouldn’t really be harmful.
Not trying to suggest the smell is all good. Just that it’s likely a nuisance, but not really harmful in any way.
My BMW had this smell constantly also. That was also annoying, and had to be cleaned from time to time. Won’t make you sick or anything, but is annoying and you’ll want to clean it from time to time.
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
Most sites that mention the vinegar smell in car AC say it's from mold. The sour smell comes from mVOCs which mold can generate and release:
What Does Mold Smell Like & How Can You Tell?
In this article, we'll break down what mold smells like and how to differentiate from other smells that are commonly mistaken for mold.
greenorchardgroup.com
While it's true bacteria can also generate acetic acid that smells like that, generally bacteria can't spread as easily as mold airborne and it isn't as well known to thrive in damp conditions. Bacteria being the culprit increases if there is a lot of debris and decaying matter or standing water, but generally in most cases it's just wet coil/fins, which suggests mold/mildew. It's possible that they are co-inhabitants, but generally for AC coils/fins, mold is typically the one blamed primarily for it.
Nice thought but that wasn't true for my last m3. It drained just fine and still stunk every few months after a cleaning or filter replacement.
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