xallenx1
2021 LFP SR+ with the 980 motor and rear sway bar
The rain deflector finally arrived from AliExpress. Plan to change out the filters and spray it again with KOOL-IT. I'll post updates to see if this thing helps.
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UGH - The smell of it. [AC Smell]
- Thread starter KenR
- Start date
xallenx1
2021 LFP SR+ with the 980 motor and rear sway bar
Damn it! I just installed mine. That sucks. Yeah, mine came with the smaller deflectors on my 21.
dduffey
Member
This is very annoying to hear just because you and a couple of your friends don't have this problem to dismiss as not a design issue.
I have been cleaning and changing filters several times a year on our 3 and Y since 2018, trying all the "tricks." We have been in the same house /garage since 2007 (i.e. same environment).
Is there something about our use/garage/climate that caused both of our cars to get the stink? Maybe. What though? Why only our Teslas?
These cars aren't like some consumer gadget or appliance we can just return/replace. Buy another one? We did, and it stinks too.
For those that have this problem and tried everything it is a major disappointment. I picked up an R1T in May and so far no stink.
Maybe it seems silly, but it is really the worst part of ownership of the 3/Y. Especially the 3 since you need to be a teenage contortionist to get the job done.
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dduffey
Member
I don't think Tesla will fix this in existing vehicles, maybe a new design in the future.
Regarding if this is a design flaw, and just ignoring the smell, I believe it is.
I can, literally in the true sense of the word, do a tire rotation faster on our 2018 than I can do maintenance of the cabin AC filter, and do it with less risk of injury to myself or damage to the vehicle.
For a consumable part / regular maintenance item that's a design flaw (also later years the cover was updated which has made it easier but not much faster). With Elon's comments around wanting an F1 pit stop experience for service, I think he would agree.
Regarding if this is a design flaw, and just ignoring the smell, I believe it is.
I can, literally in the true sense of the word, do a tire rotation faster on our 2018 than I can do maintenance of the cabin AC filter, and do it with less risk of injury to myself or damage to the vehicle.
For a consumable part / regular maintenance item that's a design flaw (also later years the cover was updated which has made it easier but not much faster). With Elon's comments around wanting an F1 pit stop experience for service, I think he would agree.
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ODWms
Member
Funny, I have almost 4 years and 65,000 miles on the car, with the original filters. I’m in a part of Florida where it is constantly hot/humid and rainy. I smelled something briefly about 1 1/2 years ago, so after reading of this issue on the forum I ordered a package of the cleaner, and both the cabin and outside filters. Still have them all, unopened, to this to this day because the smell never came back and, admittedly, plain laziness.
Do you ever manually toggle on/off recirculation? Do you always only use Auto mode for the climate?
ODWms
Member
dduffey
Member
Is it a 3 or Y, that's where a majority of owners have this problem. Neither of our Ss or X had this smell.
Hank101
Go Tigers!
Installed rain deflector, cleaned the evaporator coil, TWICE consecutively with Kool-It Foam Cleaner, installed new filters, and was minty fresh. Washed the car 1 week later and odor returned... The same dead fish/smelly sock odor occurred on first use of AC after wash, then quickly went away. It's as if the odor is trapped and released upon heavy moisture/drainage exposure, despite all of the preventative measures.
I have conducted the same cleaning procedure several times in the past with the odor not returning for around 1 year between cleanings/filter change. I wonder if Tesla has initiated a software change in a shutdown-venting-cycle that has initiated the odors more frequent return???
I have conducted the same cleaning procedure several times in the past with the odor not returning for around 1 year between cleanings/filter change. I wonder if Tesla has initiated a software change in a shutdown-venting-cycle that has initiated the odors more frequent return???
The only software change I know is the fan will start back up about 15 minutes after shut down to dry things out. I would suggest using Klima and 2 cans. They are larger than Kook-it. They have a slightly different procedure on the can on how and when to run the fan. Run the fan for cleaning with AC off just fan. The drain I think is on the bottom of the compartment being sprayed. Foam the compartment to get the foam to go through the exchanger to the back side to drain. Also check the intake down to the screen to see if something stuck there.
Has anybody tried shoving a scope camera around either up from the bottom drain hole or in via the filter cavity? Curious if there is something growing in an area we just can't see.
This is a good idea.
AutoZone loans out tools for free and they have borescope inspection cameras if anyone wants to try it. I would do it but I don't have the smell right now. I cleaned it not long ago.
Rmchrger
Member
Lots of pictures available of the front side of the evaporator and the drain. Just not much available of the back side of the evaporator due to access. I posted some on page 8 of this thread. Here is some more....
Given how a lot of people are a.) Having the smell with clean filters and b.) Still having the smell with a clean front end of the evaporator, I think the cause is either something on the other side of the evap or inside drain. Anybody with a smell try pouring some lysol or something down the drain hole from the inside after removing the filters? I wonder if theres any small opening we can get a scope camera in to see the other side of the evap
So another thought. It seems if you remove your frunk liner you can access the area where the AC drain hole is. The stupid thing just drips all over the panels there. Would be interesting to see if someone cleaned that hole out and Lysol'd the panels it drips onto if that helps. Maybe those panels just smell like *sugar* after a year of catching drippings and growing *sugar* same with inside the hole.
it's not the front aero shield. It does drip on it and out through the back of it though.
I didn't have a front aero shield on the car for a while and now I have a metal skid plate in the front.
xallenx1
2021 LFP SR+ with the 980 motor and rear sway bar
Update: So it's been raining buckets here in SC. A big dump truck splash muddy water on the frunk. I was hoping that the hood sealing kit I got would stop it but nope. Check the pics. Now I know why it smells worst when it rains.
I'm glad to see someone else discovered this. I think it must have come with a somewhat recent update but might have come earlier without noticing it because I wasn't using AC. I now verified the above behavior on my 3 as well, about 15 minutes the fan started running and shuts off about 30 minutes later. At first I heard it but when opening the door to see what's going on it shuts down so can't see. The other day I left the window down so I could reach in to feel what was happening. Interestingly it is blowing air to the rear seats nothing to the front. My rear seat fan is off so its doing this for some purpose. Anyway now my question is if I shut off the AC a few minutes before shutting down the car does it defeat this drying out procedure? What do we know about it other than its there?
So this has been discussed before but wondering if the newer cars have had this resolved? I have a 2018 which has the problem, but I don’t see it discussed much anymore so has the problem been resolved in the newer cars? Or what has Tesla done to change the design? Curious as I have a Y coming and it seems the 3/Y share these parts.
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