Notices
Honda Accord (1990 - 2002) Includes 1997 - 1999 Acura CL

Damp smell in air vents

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 06-13-2003, 08:04 PM
  #1  
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
 
RUBZERK's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Wrightsville, PA, U.S.A.
Posts: 1,493
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Damp smell in air vents

How do i get rid of damp smell in air vents?
Old 06-13-2003, 09:11 PM
  #2  
Honda-Tech Member
 
whoa its len 2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 4,174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (RUBZERK)

What gen accord do you have? 6th gens have a filter that you could possibly change or at least clean. 5th gens dont have a filter but you can open up the vents and clean them out. Im going to be opening up the vent thats under the black plastic under the windshield wipers soon and gonna clean that. Heard it does wonders kinda.
Old 06-14-2003, 11:28 AM
  #3  
Honda-Tech Member
 
raceACCORDingly's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: socal, usa
Posts: 2,707
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

something crawled up into your vents and died... j/p
Old 06-14-2003, 11:34 AM
  #4  
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
 
RUBZERK's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Wrightsville, PA, U.S.A.
Posts: 1,493
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (RUBZERK)

4th Gen Accord.
The air just smells damp, the smell is bad
Old 06-14-2003, 12:55 PM
  #5  
Honda-Tech Member
 
fe519's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: sAN fRANCISCO, CA, USA
Posts: 480
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (RUBZERK)

i have a 5th gen... how and what do you use to clean it?
Old 06-14-2003, 03:41 PM
  #6  
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
 
RUBZERK's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Wrightsville, PA, U.S.A.
Posts: 1,493
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (RUBZERK)

Is it safe to pour liquid down the vents ???
Old 06-14-2003, 07:54 PM
  #7  
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
 
RUBZERK's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Wrightsville, PA, U.S.A.
Posts: 1,493
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (RUBZERK)

bump
Old 06-16-2003, 10:39 AM
  #8  
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
 
RUBZERK's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Wrightsville, PA, U.S.A.
Posts: 1,493
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (RUBZERK)

?
Old 06-16-2003, 04:46 PM
  #9  
Honda-Tech Member
 
briq4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Cinnaminson, NJ, USA
Posts: 922
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (RUBZERK)

just spray lysol in the vent intake under the wipers, while the fan is on high, it will draw in the lysol which kills mold and bacteria on contact. Do it a few times and you eventually get rid of the smell.
Old 06-17-2003, 07:55 AM
  #10  
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
 
RUBZERK's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Wrightsville, PA, U.S.A.
Posts: 1,493
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (briq4)

& i do this to a 4th gen accord?
Old 06-17-2003, 07:56 AM
  #11  
Honda-Tech Member
 
Nick M's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: New York
Posts: 9,859
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (RUBZERK)

shower
Old 06-17-2003, 07:59 AM
  #12  
New User
 
urbanlegend21's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 4,569
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (Nick M)

is it a damp smell or a smell of antifreeze? does the windshield fog up?
Old 06-17-2003, 09:46 AM
  #13  
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
 
RUBZERK's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Wrightsville, PA, U.S.A.
Posts: 1,493
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (urbanlegend21)

I only get the smell when it starts getting hot outside.
It smells like wet gym socks
from time to time it does fog up
Old 06-17-2003, 09:48 AM
  #14  
New User
 
urbanlegend21's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 4,569
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (RUBZERK)

your heater core may be going bad
Old 06-17-2003, 10:50 PM
  #15  
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
 
RUBZERK's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Wrightsville, PA, U.S.A.
Posts: 1,493
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (urbanlegend21)

What is a sure way to check it?
Old 06-18-2003, 05:13 AM
  #16  
Honda-Tech Member
 
JimBlake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,132
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (RUBZERK)

Antifreeze has a pretty distinctive smell. You should recognize the smell of antifreeze if the heater core is leaking. Otherwise, you just got mold or something growing in there. That can be a real PITA to clean out, since you gotta take most of your dashboard apart to get ALL the air ducts. Clean it with bleach or something like that.

Did you try what briq4 said, spray Lysol in there??
Old 06-18-2003, 07:17 AM
  #17  
Junior Member
 
brads94accord's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Kennesaw, GA
Posts: 882
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (JimBlake)

ok well the same thing happened to mine. but my ac would only work sometimes. i took it into the shop and had the expansion valve and reciever dryer replaced now my ac works and its really cold. the guy told me to open my vents and spray air freshener where the vent opening is by the winshield wipers. he also said to keep bounce static sheets under your seat or under the carpet. i put mine behind the armrest in the middle of the backseat. he also took the cooling unit out of the evaporator (which is behind your glovebox) and blew everything out of it with compressed air. it was pretty nasty it had like mildew spores and stuff growing on it and all sorts of dust. i haven't had the musty smell since then.
Old 10-03-2004, 02:07 PM
  #18  
Honda-Tech Member
 
SpoonFedHatch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: houston, tx, usa
Posts: 2,015
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (brads94accord)

cool....i currently have the same problem (wet gym socks smell in a/c vents) and i will spray lysol into the vent intake (under the windshield wipers)

hopefully it'll work and kill some of that mildew
Old 10-05-2004, 05:03 PM
  #19  
Honda-Tech Member
 
Cliffjumper2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: The Manor, NY
Posts: 5,400
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (briq4)

I have the same problem in my 94 accord I just picked up....I put on the ventilation system, and the air that comes out stinks like someones been eating cabbage and can't stop farting
The previous owner had dye injected into the a/c unit to find a leak....that wouldn't be the smell it leaves behind, right?
guess it's mildew and **** like everyone is saying above.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by briq4 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">just spray lysol in the vent intake under the wipers, while the fan is on high, it will draw in the lysol which kills mold and bacteria on contact. Do it a few times and you eventually get rid of the smell. </TD></TR></TABLE>

this sounds like a good idea; I'm going to give it a try. Are there any adverse affects to doing this?
Old 10-06-2004, 09:53 AM
  #20  
 
Morthren's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (RUBZERK)

A better way to clean the A/C condensor which is under passenger side dash, is to set the air to recirculate on the panel (the arrow going back round button) then put the blower fan on full... then set off that stuff similar to lysol whicgh is in a can that you set off and leave spraying until it runs out. This will circulate around the inside the car instead of blowing straight in the vent at the from and out. That will kill any crap that's gowing in there
Old 10-06-2004, 09:56 AM
  #21  
 
Morthren's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (RUBZERK)

ahem... excuse the typos in that above message there.... should have read that first before posting
Old 10-06-2004, 06:57 PM
  #22  
Honda-Tech Member
 
Cliffjumper2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: The Manor, NY
Posts: 5,400
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (Morthren)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Morthren &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">A better way to clean the A/C condensor which is under passenger side dash, is to set the air to recirculate on the panel (the arrow going back round button) then put the blower fan on full... then set off that stuff similar to lysol whicgh is in a can that you set off and leave spraying until it runs out. This will circulate around the inside the car instead of blowing straight in the vent at the from and out. That will kill any crap that's gowing in there</TD></TR></TABLE>

do you have a name for that stuff you're talking about?
Old 10-06-2004, 09:12 PM
  #23  
Honda-Tech Member
 
weezo182's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Tulsa, OK, USA
Posts: 995
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (Cliffjumper2)

could be mold in your evapoate, you can get this stuff called PUREAIR and spray some in your vents and should be good as new.....
Old 10-07-2004, 06:40 PM
  #24  
Honda-Tech Member
 
Cliffjumper2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: The Manor, NY
Posts: 5,400
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (weezo182)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by weezo182 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">could be mold in your evapoate, you can get this stuff called PUREAIR and spray some in your vents and should be good as new..... </TD></TR></TABLE>

do they sell pureair at autozone?
Old 10-08-2004, 01:50 PM
  #25  
 
Morthren's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Damp smell in air vents (Cliffjumper2)

I think it's called Holts air conditioner cleaner... I'm sure any large automotive store will stock something like that. You'll need to take a look around.


Quick Reply: Damp smell in air vents



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 07:17 PM.