The AC VINEGAR Journey

[Mr Big]

The OP's smell may be coming from wet carpet. My Excursion had the issue and drying out the carpet, fixing the drain plug and an ozone machine fixed it.
Now my Expedition has the musty smell when starting the a/c. The cure for me is when it occasionally comes back, run the heat on high for 20 minutes, then spray Lysol down the intake in the cowl. Don't run air on recirculate as it comes back faster. This fixes it, but it always eventually comes back.

 

[Dahammer]

Many years ago, I had a suburban 2004, and my service advisor at the time said that to keep the smell from coming into the cabin, I should pour a bottle of hydrogen peroxide into the cowl. Did it work? Yeah, it did. Every year, I poured a bottle just before summer started and one in the fall.

 

[Fastcar]

Many years ago, I had a suburban 2004, and my service advisor at the time said that to keep the smell from coming into the cabin, I should pour a bottle of hydrogen peroxide into the cowl. Did it work? Yeah, it did. Every year, I poured a bottle just before summer started and one in the fall.

Yeah, that should do it. I guess anything that will kill mold. A mix of 5 to 1 water/pool chlorine will kill mold but the smell may take a day or two to go away.

 

[Jettix2]

Mine too, 2019 Platinum Max, carpet is dry but the nasty A/C smell when we start the car is gross.

 

[Mr Big]

Mine too, 2019 Platinum Max, carpet is dry but the nasty A/C smell when we start the car is gross.

I just did the hydrogen peroxide trick and dumped a 1/2 bottle into the cowl vent holes on passenger side. It seemed to work. I'm sure any kind of chemical that kills bacteria, mildew and mold will work.

 

[Mr Big]

I just did the hydrogen peroxide trick and dumped a 1/2 bottle into the cowl vent holes on passenger side. It seemed to work. I'm sure any kind of chemical that kills bacteria, mildew and mold will work.

UPDATE: It did NOT work. Musty smell still there. I'm going to try the heater method with Lysol spray

 

[Fastcar]

You might want to hold off on the Lysol and try the heat for 20 minutes by it self. The Lysol won't kill mold and it might coat your ducts and more spores will stick do it and perhaps compound your problem.

 

[Mr Big]

You might want to hold off on the Lysol and try the heat for 20 minutes by it self. The Lysol won't kill mold and it might coat your ducts and more spores will stick do it and perhaps compound your problem.

From Lysol: "Lysol can effectively kill mold"

 

[Fastcar]

From Lysol: "Lysol can effectively kill mold"

Okay. Based on experience a bleach or chlorine solution will kill mold. It kills the worst of molds (black mold). There are other types of mold Lysol may kill. As I said before running the ac with the temp up will kill it as mold needs moisture or dampness to live. ymmv

Having said that seems your gonna get some windy weather, hang on tight.

 

[Mr Big]

I've used the heat method for years. The smell comes right back.
So, I'm trying to find a way to really clean it. I watched a video where you take the cowl cover off and somehow get in there to remove any debris that is collecting moisture.
I know one thing for sure, thousands of expedition owners complain about the same smell.
I don't use bleach because of this:
Since bleach is only able to wipe up surface mold spores, it can't seep into materials and effectively kill mold. This also increases the amount of moisture available, allowing deep-rooted mold to thrive rather than be removed. Always remember, mold needs heat/humidity or a water event to thrive.

We are getting the feeder bands of the storm now. It's going to pass right by us about 50+ miles to the west, unless it decides to turn early. So far, it's staying a tropical storm, but it will increase to a hurricane before landfall.