I think fan only mode might work.. haven't tried it. I was also worry that trying to bring the car down to 105 using only the fan result in the fan running all the time while parked. My car get over 150 too in the summer if parked outdoor. But I leave for work at 4am and park at work in covered garage so there is really no need for COP. And also I could always remotely turn on AC a few min ahead of getting into the car.
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Smelly AC not covered under Warranty on new cars?
- Thread starter Zoglog
- Start date
I think fan only mode might work.. haven't tried it. I was also worry that trying to bring the car down to 105 using only the fan result in the fan running all the time while parked. My car get over 150 too in the summer if parked outdoor. But I leave for work at 4am and park at work in covered garage so there is really no need for COP. And also I could always remotely turn on AC a few min ahead of getting into the car.
yes and why. Also we have almost 0% humidity here in AZ most of the year. Remember dry heat
I do, I lived in Gilbert for many years before moving to smoggy SoCal. I have had the issue in the past and that why I started using the fan and then turning it off manually with my phone app. No problem since then.
mbdionio
Member
Vegaforce
Member
A quick update: The smell came back again, and with vengeance!
I swear it is even stronger than before I cleaned the evaporator coil.
We are getting this record heat wave in Florida (seems like the new normal), and it is so hot and humid now. After two weeks from cleaning the system WITHOUT replacing the filters, the smell came back now stronger and it lingers more even after turning on the AC.
I am going to blame it this time on the dirty filters that I did not replace. I ordered new ones from Amazon. I am going to clean the system again this weekend with a different cleaner than Kool-it and will replace the filters this time. I did read somewhere that the software fix that Tesla did was not sufficient, but not sure about that.
Will update you once I am done with the second cleaning attempt, if you are interested
I swear it is even stronger than before I cleaned the evaporator coil.
We are getting this record heat wave in Florida (seems like the new normal), and it is so hot and humid now. After two weeks from cleaning the system WITHOUT replacing the filters, the smell came back now stronger and it lingers more even after turning on the AC.
I am going to blame it this time on the dirty filters that I did not replace. I ordered new ones from Amazon. I am going to clean the system again this weekend with a different cleaner than Kool-it and will replace the filters this time. I did read somewhere that the software fix that Tesla did was not sufficient, but not sure about that.
Will update you once I am done with the second cleaning attempt, if you are interested
Vegaforce
Member
I do not recommend disabling cabin heat even if it helps with the smell.
Remember, besides the importance of preventing damage to the car interior due to over heating, my understanding is that one of the main reasons of cabin overheat protection is to protect the big screen.
Car manufacturers do not typically install big screens in cars because touch screens do not like heat much and they tend to break more often when they overheat.
Feel free to correct me if I am wrong guys
Cabin Overhead Protection turns off after 24 hours. So if you park outside for a week, it will be "overheat" for 6 days. There were other threads discussing this I believe. So if it is to protect the electronics in the car, than it would be a design fault. Also Prius Prime premium screen is pretty big too (11.6"), and it doesn't have COP.
they didn't charge for me last year. mobile service.
Bummer that even dry places have the issue so it's definitely a design flaw (none of my other cars have had it over 20+years)
That and my rear AC blowing hot are the only 2 problems I've had with my 3. Pity that TSLA can't get basic thing like AC right
I totally agree with vickh. I have NEVER had this issue with the 10 cars I've owned - American-German-Japanese (No Korean, Swedish). This "vinegar" odor may be a health hazard...in the long run...who knows what it does to our lungs. This is definitely a design flaw by Tesla. If there are enough complaints maybe something can be done legally or Tesla provides a discounted service cost to perform the cleaning, say once or twice per year depending on where you live. It would be financially better to provide a discount rather than go through the courts. Thoughts?!!
About cabin overheat protection, I’ve found that it’s best to leave it on, but with the “fan only” option. Don’t let it use AC.
I had mine on AC earlier in the year and started noticing a slight vinegar smell. So I switched to fan only and left it out in the sun for a couple days (instead of parking in the garage). The continuous warm, dry air over the coils did the trick and I haven’t had an issue since then.
I had mine on AC earlier in the year and started noticing a slight vinegar smell. So I switched to fan only and left it out in the sun for a couple days (instead of parking in the garage). The continuous warm, dry air over the coils did the trick and I haven’t had an issue since then.
I'm not sure why this would decrease smell? Please explain your logic. If AC is running the condensate should drop out
To be clear: just trying to understand logic.
Update on me: when I complained about a new car that smells like vinegar they said it would be covered as goodwill.
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Running the AC is what leads to the smell.
When the AC is running, the condensate does drain, but the coils will still be wet. Just like if you fill your bathtub up with water and let it drain out, the tub will still be wet.
Unlike your tub however, the coils are cold (so condensation continues even after the AC is turned off) and they are in an small, enclosed, dark space. It’s the perfect place for organic material to grow and stink.
The esiest way to prevent this is for the fan to blow outside air over the coils (this is the software update that Tesla implemented). Cabin Overheat Protection will do this also with the “fan only” option, but it does it better because it will intermittently run the fan all day long.
Conversely, COP with AC seems to make the problem worse, which makes sense by the logic above. If the AC is running all throughout the day, the coils never have an opportunity to dry out.
Shouldn't the fans run over the coils when cop is on? Thus drying them? Again I live in Arizona (where it's hot and very very dry) I'm shocked that my car already smells
The fan blows air over the coils with both COP settings, but the AC option is going to cause more condensation (even in AZ you have a tiny bit of humidity), just like sitting in your car with the climate on auto.
The only way for them to dry is to not use AC, and the best time to do that is when you’re not in your car (especially where you live).
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