air quality issue of a car

[Guest guest]

Hi Toxsic,Correct, very commonly this is due to mold growth on the evap coil or in the airbox nearby. Some cars (1990's Nissans, some VWs) have known issues in this regard. It has to do with the design of the airbox and the ensuing tendency to collect moisture and food for microbes in a warm, dark environment (sound familiar?). Some airboxes that do not have an inherent problem can become problematic if the condensate drain becomes blocked or plugged.

You can do one of several things;1) Take the airbox apart and clean it (difficult, spendy)2) Buy a proprietary foaming disinfectant kit (spendy, could delubricate your blower motor bearings if you aren't careful) and follow the instructions;

http://www.ackits.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY & Store_Code=01 & Category_Code=coretreatment3) Pour Lysol down the air intake vents, run the air conditioner on full blast (Fresh air, not recirc) until the Lysol smell is gone.

Whatever course you take, make sure the condensate drain is open first.No matter what you do, you will probably have to repeat this annually or so. I bought a foam kit for my Nissan, it worked for a while, but it did finish off my blower motor (I may have over-applied the foam), and the smell came back the next year.

Vince Daliessio, CIHEMSL Analytical.