Getting rid of HVAC odor
 

Wondering if there is any mod or fix specific to the 370Z that can stop the odor of the HVAC? I've seen the sprays and threads on other cars but since mine only does it when you turn the AC off and about a minute later it smells for about 5 more minutes. So I assume there is a specific place building moisture (and mold) until you turn off the AC and air start flowing through this area?

Here's what I used and it helped to a degree: 1Z einszett Klima-Cleaner.

The odor is back though, especially after a day of sitting in the sun. I must've applied mine three months ago and may need another treatment.

stinks
 

I installed a Cabin Filter with Baking Soda already in it and 80% of the smell went away.... still bugs me when I try to get "frwsh" air into the car

I just looked these up the other day. I have no first hand experience with them though.
Odor bombs

I think the best way is to keep the ac on auto and let it dry itself out. Keep it in defrost setting for a few weeks so that the ac is forced to turn on constantly.

Also check to see if the evaporator hose is blocked under the car where condensation drips out.

On my Z there is no smell. I set the temp to 75-78F in the summer and 65-67F in colder months.

Turn the a/c off a minute or two before parking.

:eekdance:I cannot imagine setting a fogger off in my Z. You first! Report back with your results, k?:tup:

My thoughts exactly.

lol yah, let's fix the source first, not just cover it up with some stink bomb. :D

The 350 had this same problem- the above suggestion ended up being the only fix that worked 100%.

that's werd cause neither my 04 G35C nor 09 370Z have this problem..

no trick for me, just kept it in auto at the temps i noted. no smell.

From what I experienced, it only happened on very hot days with the AC blasting. More condensation=more smell.

Luckily my 370 hasn't exhibited this yet. Maybe it's some kind of draining issue.

you need to keep the outside circulation on when you turn off the car. that lets the rest of the moisture evaporate. if not it collects and smells.....

My post may be totally useless for this car, I don't know. But I can tell you that it totally worked on my old Chevy Tahoe. I had a nasty moldy smelling air conditioner, and couldn't figure out how to fix it. One day I read an article by the car guys in the newspaper, and what they said to do totally fixed my problem, 100%. What I did was mix a 20% bleach 80% water solution and then poured it down in front of the windshield. As it turns out, the drain path for water going down in front of the window also rinses through the air conditioner water drain, which is where the smell was coming from.

Again, not sure if the Z is made this way, but it certainly worked on the Tahoe. Might be worth a try. Can't see how it would hurt.

Bonzo, isn't that the mixture for fixing ejector pump stench in the basement? :icon17:

omg!! keep bleach away from the automobile!!!

it only corrodes everything in its path... :confused: :icon17:

Lot of great replies! In response to some of them in no particular order:

I'll probably try the spray but I'm looking for a more permanent solution.

I hate things that hide odor with some fake flower smell. Kinda repulses me.

I'll check the drainage.

I already turn AC off a couple miles before my destination, that's how I know if you wait a minute the odor appears then goes away after a few more minutes. So that really hasn't changed anything.

Kenchan might be on to something with the Temp. I put mine about 70 where it started to automatically switch between Recirc and Fresh on its own, now when I turn off the AC it smells ok. Might be something there? Maybe it's the running in Fresh, or maybe the switching which allows both pathways to stay dry?

brandon - i keep my air to FRESH mode all the time. i rarely use re-circulate since i drive with my window down often anyway. :D

You obviously don't know what bleach will and won't do. I'm not talking about putting it on your cloth seats. These drains in all my past (and current) cars have all been plastic, and bleach isn't going to harm the plastic, especially watered down. It was recommended by nationally recognized/circulated newspaper car guys, and I'm telling you that on my Tahoe it worked after nothing else did. ZERO ill side affects.

But again, I'm not sure about a Z, and whether it will work or not. I certainly will not worry about hurting anything though, so if this problem does arise it will be the first thing I try.

yah, not convinced. :ugh2: you give it a try on your solstice.

Never had the problem on the Solstice, my Murano, my wife's current Soul, or her old Grand Am.

I did some looking around and while most people on line aren't recommending bleach (although some do), they do talk a lot about spraying lysol into the outside vents with the outside air on. The problem is an old one, and it's 2 fold, not usually related to any cabin filter. I think where my problem on my Tahoe was the pan and the drain. Water in this area is usually caused by the drain hose getting clogged. This is where my smell was coming from, and running the bleach solution down there killed the bacteria in the pan and the hose. The other area is the evaporator, and this is where the lysol spray thing might help, but I'm not sure.

What I have learned today is this is a very common problem and there are a lot of people out there with no clue what they are talking about. You think my bleach thing is wrong, you should read some of the other stupid things out there. The bleach thing sounds down right genius compared to some other's ideas. Do a search and you'll see.

Gotta run ---- Later ---- Bonzo

Reviving this from the dead. So I think I found a solution from this recurring, similar to Kenchan I keep the temp in the upper 70's, everything on auto. This way it switches back and forth from fresh to recirc, and every path gets dried. However I still I have some residual mold from the original problem, and I want to kill it. I will probably use the spray recommended in one of the replies, but what I need to know is how to apply. Which vents, and what mode should I have the AC in so I don't damage something?

BTW I also added a baking soda/carbon cabin filter. Will be changed after this treatment.

If you can find it I would use a aerosol bomb from Wurth. I used it on my 350z back when I worked at a euro shop, we used to use it on the customer cars that smoked when we were setting their cars up for pre-sale service.

Stuff is awesome you pull the pin like a grenade turn the AC on recirc close the windows and let the stuff fly. After it's done spraying you crack the windows for 20 minutes and you're good. Your car will smell sterile and it will kill anything living in there...hence why you can't sit in the car when it's running...lol. I haven't been able to find it but if you know someone or a vendor that is a Wurth dealer, I'm sure they could get ahold of it.

Try Ozium(auto zone) just keep spraying into the area of the air pick up, with recirculation on, and AC on, but the temp set at full hot and full fan speed let it blow for 15 20 min. let everything get hot inside and just let it circulate the air.

I used to have to do this with my GTI. Had the same problem and this fixed it.

Run your heat for about 5 minutes after you use the ac to dry everything(in the same way i described above just not as long), best way to keep it from not coming back.

Just like someone else mentioned, I turn my a/c off a couple miles from home but keep the fan on. No odors.....

Where is that? Base of the window outside?

That's what I have been doing.

It was in the passenger foot well on the gti, I'm talking about the re-circulation I believe the Z is the same way put the air to another section and see if you can feel air movement.

Yeah passenger foot well at the bottom of the dash you will feel air move up past your fingers into the dash.

Just checked. It might help to pull the filter out when you spray the Ozium. So it goes through the system instead of getting caught in the filter.

You might need to have the heat on and recirculate the heated air to dry it out.

Ahh the bleach trick. Been doing that for years.

I've used it on my 280, 300, 370, Murano, Maxima, Altima SE-R, Denali, Tundra, 4 Runner, an Sequoia, without issue.
Kills mold. Nuf said.

lp

So how did you apply it for the 370?

In every case I've poured the diluted solution down the bottom of the windshield. I let it sit for about 5 minutes then rinse it all out with a water hose. I do this for every Used car I get.

Honestly though my 370 is not bad at all. I treated it only once just cause. The mitzu spyder vert I had many years ago was the absolute worst. I had to do that car like every two months...

When I had my 76 280Z I actually pulled all the ducting and fan motor and used a spray bottle to shoot the stuff all up in there. Made a big difference and instead of masking the odor with Cherries or what not it actually fixed it.

lp

Will do.

I only found a couple tiny holes at the bottom of the windshield that just drain down the firewall. Or do you mean these vents under teh hood:

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q...412_135452.jpg

They just drain the firewall too. I only saw one hose that might be for AC, but couldn't see where it was pulling air from. I'm not sure where I should apply the solution.

not sure, but can you remove the micron filter out, run the hvac and mist the stuff into the hvac air circulation?

Probably. Do you mean the Ozium or bleach solution? Probably not the bleach since it would not be easy to rinse if it was a mist.

Just applied the Ozium and a new filter. We'll see.

Please tell me the pine smell of Ozium goes away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HATE artificial fragrances.

Why did you get that scent haha...yeah it will go away...just give it some time.



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