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Musty smell with AC?

17K views 16 replies 12 participants last post by  genKoopa 
#1 ·
For the past few months, I have noticed a slightly musty smell coming from the AC when I first turn it on in the day. The issue started in winter and has only gotten slightly worse in summer. After a minute or two, I no longer notice the smell.

Is this normal or what can I Hyundai check?

Thanks
 
#3 ·
Both coupes I've had did this. Smelled like musty dirty feet randomly. Some days it was just fine and others it was smelly. If it wasn't random I'd think the air filter was to cause, but some days it smelled fresh and others not. Not to say it's normal, but it's normal. there have been a few other threads started about it as well in the past.
 
#4 ·
Mine was like that for a bit when it was damp outside, I let the A/C run on full blast for about 20 minutes after storing it and never had that smell again.

I never use my A/C really anyways, so I make sure to do this once a week if I smell anything odd..

Your A/C system will always have moisture in it... and air does get musty.. sooo run it A/C on and do not have it on recirculate :3
 
#8 ·
I have the same problem. Where i work we produce a product called meal thats like really fine dust and one windy day the dust got a mountain full of that right on top by the windshield wipers and when i turned on the heater it was coming out from under my glove box and when meal gets wet(which it happened to rain later that day) it smells rotten and my whole inside of my car smells like rotten egg! Is the cabin filter the only thing i should replace or what other things should i do to get rid of the smell??? Help please sorry for such a :gc-noob: question
 
#10 ·
If you get a musty smell you have mold on the evaporator core. The more wet it stays the worse it gets. Ford had a big problem with this.

First make sure the AC drain is working. It comes out just to the right of the engine on the firewall.

Then they had an antibacterial solution they would pour into the fresh air intake. In our case it would be taking the cabin filter out and pouring it in there.
 
#11 ·
Thanks for the replies.

I hope it isn't the cabin filter already, this car was brand new and only about 8 months old when the problem started.

Funny enough, it started happening after I took it in for a problem with the window...

My friends Genesis is over 10k (mines 4k) and he never has this problem. Not sure if it would matter but he has the 2.0 and I have the 3.8. He also uses the air conditioner a lot more, from what I've seen.
 
#12 ·
Sorry to join into this discussion so late but do you have a picture of what the a/c drain on the firewall looks like? Or provide more description of where it is? Im guessing mine is clogged. If so how to unclog it? Jab in a toothpick?

Also can you explain more about the antibacterial solution and how it's used? Is it a liquid that gets poured in?? This sounds risky. Poured in where the cabin air filter is located?

I've changed my cabin air filter and it hasn't made a lick of difference.

A/c smells like funky feet. Think it's making me sick.

3.8 2010
 
#14 ·
Good info. I'll have to try the full blast thing on my girlfriend's car since she's been having this musty smell even after changing the cabin air filter.
 
#15 ·
There's another thread on this site with more info. A/c air intake is on outside of windshield base, passenger side. Turn on a/c full blast with outside air on and blast away with your favorite spray. Im going to hit mine with another application of Nu Calgon (from amazon) and then swap out the cabin air filter tomorrow. After first application I noticed the liquid draining near front passenger side tire. Hopefully that means the clog is gone. Though it could have just leaked down through engine bay as it was pointed out that the drain is in the trans tunnel.
 
#17 ·
Go to oreillys and buy this it’s called Kool it evaporator and heater foam cleaner. It comes with a special cap with a long tube. Jack up your car and locate the ac drip tube and push the long tube all the way up as far as it will go and then attach the can and spray the entire can of foam cleaner in there once you spray it all pinch off the tube for 15 minutes and then let all the nasty cleaner come out. My car smelled like bad feet and this completely fixed it.
 
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