Damn/musty smell when the aircon starts

[Cralis]

My Mondeo was bought new in December, and now has 6K on the clock. (Trend wagon, Sept build).

In the last month, when ever I start the car, and the aircon kicks in, I get an awful damp/wet/musty.moldy smell fill the car for around 20 seconds, and then subsides.

Has anyone had this and know what is the cause?

I took it in, but they had a 'NO fault found'. They claim they checked the aircon, and saw no leaks or anything, so it's fine. They put some nice smelly stuff somewhere - but I can't smell that over the overwhelming smell of damn.

Has anyone seen this or can advise what to do?

[whitelion65]

Check that the tube to drain condensation from the evaporator isn't blocked. Even without blockage, you end up with organic sludge building up from microbial growth. I treated mine buy setting the system to full fan, air-con off, recirculate, and emptied half a can of Glen-20 up under the dash. This has helped.
Try to turn the air-con off a few minutes prior to reaching your destination to allow condensate to dissipate.
If Fraud do an air-con clean for you, they will do much the same as above, using a fancy branded product, and charge you a few hundred dollars!

[cobrin]

Change the cabin filter a charcoal one is available from ford for $20.

[Cralis]

Thanks corbin. Is that a home DIY thing? Not even sure where I'd start. And is it normal to have to change this after 3 months from brand new?

[jayjay99]

That has happened with numerous cars that I have had. Don't worry, it is nothing. It soon goes away.

[cobrin]

Originally Posted by Cralis

Thanks corbin. Is that a home DIY thing? Not even sure where I'd start. And is it normal to have to change this after 3 months from brand new?

3mths, no that's not normal but who knows how it were handled on the way to AU. With all the rain the FNQ has had mine wasn't smelling good soon after and every use of the AC. I thought I replaced it during a timing belt change but didn't, and after going over the records it's 2.5yrs since. So I changed it recently and the smell instantly went away. Charcoal cabin filters are $20 from Ford and for that I'll do them every year now. Though this last one is a Ridex Charcoal filter (padding from the last OS Order) so I'll see how it fairs.

As yours is new I'd check the drain is working, just eyeball a wet patch somewhere under the middle of the vehicle I think. The MD has a trippy location of the cabin filter, you have to come from the side of the dashboard when the door is open and take the Gbox off ect.... If you've got the tools and are good with your hands sure it's doable. If not then best to not try. Make ford change it and ask that it's a charcoal filter not just a plain filter. If not for warranty ask for a quote.

It's a pain in the backside on MB's and probably the same for MC's. The first time I did mine I did it by the book, Gbox out, GEM panel out to the side. After that I now have a faster way and it's drop the GEM panel out to the side, take the kickpanel off and I've got access to the filter door, remove two (I left the middle screw out) and curl the filter to the slot as I'm feeding it in. All whilst I'm laying on my back (over the door scuff) shoulders on the floor working over my head. Not delightful but it's minutes to do not half as long as per the book.

[gsd112]

Mine does it from time to time, as do all the 18 MD Mondeos at work. Mines done it from day 1 but it comes and goes. We have asked our dealer and its very common but its unknown why. Our cars range from base to the titanium and both hatch and wagons. And yes all cars have had the charcoal cabin filters installed.

[asteele-xr6]

Same musty smells started to appear with my MD Titanium, and when it went in for its 30,000km service (it's 18 months old) just recently, I asked them to change the cabin filter - as I have seen this in other vehicles after a while.

The service tech told me that they change the cabin pollen filter during the service anyway automatically, no extra costs involved. I seem to remember paying Peugeot a small fortune to do it in a previous life!

Since the cabin pollen filter was replaced at the service as promised, I have had no air-con smells at all.

[Peter B - CV8]

It's also good practice to turn off the air con when you are a couple of blocks away from your destination. This allows any ice/condensation to melt & drain away rather than simply pooling & making it easy for bacteria & mould to grow (which is what you are smelling).

[Cralis]

Thanks Peter.
I've never had to do that with other cars. But I'll give it a shot.
The be honest, the whole climate control seems a bit under expectation. The vents for the back are very weak, so my kids often complain of heat and how the can't feel the cool air. The front vents aren't crazy powerful either. And the fact that the outside of my front window will always mist up when the outside temperature is 23 or lower, doesn't sound like a great feature.

It seems I'm plagued with water issues (Damp smell, misting windows...)

[stuart]

If your aircon is weak cooling-wise I suggest you re-charge the unit. Ford will say it is not necessary however I have had similar experience in the past. It is amazing the difference.
Happy travelling.

[aussiblue]

Also http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/Pro...er-141g/342508



or


There are lots of brands in this market space.

[Faolan]

It's mould growing around the cooling elements. Glen 20 under the dash is a very temporary fix. You have to pull the pollen filter out and get something in there to kill the mould. You can buy a foam that can kill the mould, it expands over and through the cooling elements. Give the mechanic a can of Bam shower spray and ask him tondo it when replacing the pollen filter. I drilled a hole, because the pollen filter is a pain to remove, and put a rubber plug in it. Now I can do it in 2mins.

[rondeo]

Hi and welcome to forum!

Thanks for your suggestion for removing mould odour. I have never experienced it myself, perhaps I'm lucky. My usual habit is to turn AC off a few minutes before arrival, leaving the fan on, in the belief that the moisture condensed on the relevant AC part is dried off by the time I get home.

I'm not sure about your cleaning method. I'd be cautious about introducing cleaners intended for the bathroom to a metal, brass is it?, heat exchanger. Let's see the ingredients of BAM shower spray:


http://www.rb-msds.com.au/uploadedFi...3-D0279548.pdf


Cheers

[Faolan]

Ok.Maybe don't use BAM. Some of the other automotive products, then. Just spray on the heat exchanger side of the pollen filter. There are automotive foams available, I just didn't want to wait.
www.Ebay.com.au has "Lubegard 96030 Kool-It Evaporator and Heater Foam Cleaner" $20.00

I shall purchase before summer

[stuart]

A past experience with musty smells in my MA Mondeo (with sunroof as a tip). Worth checking if the source of the dampness is not found elsewhere. The link is a few pages but gets to the source of the leak in the end.

http://fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11346973