# MY AC smells like a wet dog - help -



## Jim (Jul 6, 2010)

Turned on the air conditioning in my truck this morning and it smells like a wet dog. Not too overpowering but enough to notice it. Is this something I can fix easily?


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## poolie (Jul 6, 2010)

No idea what was the cause, but about a month ago I had the same deal with my Taco and thought, oh great... but in a day or two the smell went away.

Edit: fixed typo


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## Loggerhead Mike (Jul 6, 2010)

mold in the evaporator

take it to your dealer. they make products like frigid fresh you spray in the hvac box and run threw the evaporator, their basically aerasol disinfectants.


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## BassAddict (Jul 6, 2010)

Loggerhead Mike said:


> take it to your dealer.



LMAO there goes a quick hundred dollars and I betcha they will find 3 other things wrong :LOL2:


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## Jim (Jul 6, 2010)

Covered under warranty? :-k


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## perchin (Jul 6, 2010)

What is the make and model of the vehicle?


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## Jim (Jul 6, 2010)

2008 Chevy Silverado LT with the 5.3 and the Summer Edition package. 8)


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## perchin (Jul 6, 2010)

I'm almost certain that it will be covered under the factory warranty.

And nice choice of truck I might add =D> (me loves my 03 :mrgreen: and jelous of yer 08)


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## Loggerhead Mike (Jul 6, 2010)

how many miles? if you send me your vin i can look all that good stuff up for you

i think its a half hour labor charge 



> LMAO there goes a quick hundred dollars and I betcha they will find 3 other things wrong



on a fancy rig like that? ppppppssssshhhhhhhhhhhh maybe 2 at the most :LOL2:


there is a bulliton to install a evap dry'er kit too if your rigs covered


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## perchin (Jul 6, 2010)

Jim----
In the meantime Make sure your fresh air intake vents (hood area) are clean and
free of pine straw/leaves etc...Also make sure the AC drain vent
on your firewall is clear of trash...Lots of times your drain 
becomes plugged and water will collect and mildew will accumulate
and become contaminated and smelly.....
This smell will be circulated into your AC vents....

You can try this too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bml8dletNbk&feature=player_embedded


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## Rat (Jul 6, 2010)

Been awhile since I worked on MVAC systems, but...
There is a cabin air filter, maybe it just needs to be replaced
Could have something on the coil - dirt, pollen, dead skin cells - any of these could hold moisture and cause the foul smell
Drain may be slow causing water to set in pan which also causes the smell

I don't know how easy or difficult it is to get to the coil, but it is definitely something you could on your own. There is a product called Bio-Gard and Bio-Fresh that you can spray on the coil after you get it clean to help kill whatever has made into the duct and blower as well.


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## Jim (Jul 6, 2010)

perchin said:


> Jim----
> In the meantime Make sure your fresh air intake vents (hood area) are clean and
> free of pine straw/leaves etc...Also make sure the AC drain vent
> on your firewall is clear of trash...Lots of times your drain
> ...



Will do! :beer:

Just got an oil change last week so I will not be going back to the dealer for 3 months or so anyway.


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## Jim (Jul 6, 2010)

Rat said:


> Been awhile since I worked on MVAC systems, but...
> There is a cabin air filter, maybe it just needs to be replaced
> Could have something on the coil - dirt, pollen, dead skin cells - any of these could hold moisture and cause the foul smell
> Drain may be slow causing water to set in pan which also causes the smell
> ...



Thanks for the info!


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## poolie (Jul 6, 2010)

I guess it's always possible you have a wet dog hiding under your hood :roll:


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## Quackrstackr (Jul 6, 2010)

Turning off the a/c and running it just on vent for a while to dry out any residual moisture helps as well. It's not unheard of for mold in the ducting to be causing that smell.

I'm wanting to say that there was a special set of instructions in addition to the owner's manual just for the a/c on my truck that covered things like that. I know the new refrigerant that they use on the newer ones is horrible. I have to run mine on max with the blower on high just to cool the cab down. You used to be able to frost the windows on one by doing that.


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## perchin (Jul 6, 2010)

Quackrstackr said:


> I know the new refrigerant that they use on the newer ones is horrible. I have to run mine on max with the blower on high just to cool the cab down.



Not on all newer ones..... only the Fords I've owned have had that issue.(04 Explorer(exploder) 01 Taurus) All our GM's (03 GMC ext.cab 4x4, 01 Malibu, 98 Monte Carlo Z34) could be refrigerators.


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## Froggy (Jul 6, 2010)

Yeah, 03 Explorer, gotta run on full for a loooooooooooong time!!! My Nissan used to make your teeth chatter in less then 5 minutes!


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## Quackrstackr (Jul 6, 2010)

I've never owned a Ford until my current F150 that had this problem... ever.

I do own a 1998 Malibu that hasn't had working a/c in over 7 years, though. :roll: 

It is not brand specific. (It takes a lot longer to cool off an suv simply because of the increased interior space, unless you have the rear vents as well)

You guys in the north don't know what it's like to have to actually work your a/c to the max anyway. :lol:


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## perchin (Jul 6, 2010)

Sorry Jim.............


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## Jim (Jul 6, 2010)

No worries, The topic has been answered. 

My Tacoma and this Silverado were ice boxes. My F-150 was good too.


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## Quackrstackr (Jul 6, 2010)

Jim, looks like you guys are getting some of the summer heat and humidity that is the norm rather than the exception here. It is miserable with the humidity, isn't it?

I had to laugh this morning when the headline for the Today show was them freaking out about the temps and humidity for nearly 10 minutes. Welcome to our world, New York. :lol: That's what we get to deal with whenever we want to go outside all summer long. :LOL2:


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## Jim (Jul 6, 2010)

Quackrstackr said:


> Jim, looks like you guys are getting some of the summer heat and humidity that is the norm rather than the exception here. It is miserable with the humidity, isn't it?
> 
> I had to laugh this morning when the headline for the Today show was them freaking out about the temps and humidity for nearly 10 minutes. Welcome to our world, New York. :lol: That's what we get to deal with whenever we want to go outside all summer long. :LOL2:



Yeah, I would die! You know us norfers are delicate. It was 5:30am and I turned on my AC for the 3 minute ride to the train station. :LOL2:


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