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disney obsessed
06-01-2011, 08:33 PM
Would anyone know why the car a/c would smell like old gym socks?

Itchy
06-01-2011, 09:20 PM
Hope this helps.The real simple answer is water condensation. As the air conditioning systems is being used it builds up water condensation that can settle in the cars evaporator core housing. The evaporator core is similar to the coils on the back of some older refrigerators.

It’s surround by a black case (housing) and as the evaporator drips water from condensation it settles in the housing and becomes stagnated, causing a mildew type odor.

If you do a search on you computer you can find ways to cure the problem. If not addressed it can get worse and become a possible health hazard for you and you family.

Good Luck

Ed
06-01-2011, 10:36 PM
That evaporator core housing is usually located on the passenger side, up under the dashboard behind the glove compartment. The housing has a drain tube that drains the consensation to the ground. Over time, that tube can get clogged due to gunk (that's a technical term) in the air. When that happens, you'll usually find some wetness on the carpet in that area. It's a quick fix; most shops will simply replace the drain tube rather than try to clean it.

Another possible cause could be a dirty cabin air filter, if your vehicle is so equipped; check your owner's manual. This, too, is usually located under the dash on the passenger side. Some require that you remove the glove compartment to access it to change the filter, not as tricky a job as it sounds. Also, most quick oil change places like Jiffy Lube can replace it quickly and relatively inexpensively.

If neither of these is the cause, get a flashlight and look carefully under the seats to try to find those sweaty old gym socks that you misplaced months ago. ;)

disney obsessed
06-02-2011, 04:10 PM
Thanks!

GrumpySue
06-03-2011, 01:30 PM
That happened to me and it turned out to be a lot of leaves clogging the intake in the hood right below where the winshield wipers are. See if there is anything clogging that area up. It had a real moldy smelll and when I cleaned it out it was all better.