98 Caravan SE - A/C - vents smell really bad! HELP...
 

I brought my car used. The previous owner had a golden retriever. Although
I cleaned and washed the entire interior. The car's a/c & vents when
turned on smell like a wet dirty dog. This is especially bad after it
rains.... I am ready to get rid of this car because it can't take the
smell anymore. In the summer when the A/C is crucial, it is unbearable!..
My brother also owned a caravan and he too experienced the same problem.
Has anyone else had this experience? Is there some sort of hidden air
filter that I can change? Or should I start saving for a new car?

I'm having the same problem, though it sounds like not as bad as yours.

When using the ventilation system in any mode it there is a mild smell of
fertilizer, kind of like being on a farm in summer. Its not overpowering but
is evident about half the time. I did spend many hours driving on farm roads
over the last 6 years at amateur rocket launches.

I guess it could also be mold or mildew growing in the vent system or even a
small animal that crawled in there and died.

Too many issues just keeping the van running to worry about a bad smell.

Jon


"Caravan98" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
> I brought my car used. The previous owner had a golden retriever. Although
> I cleaned and washed the entire interior. The car's a/c & vents when
> turned on smell like a wet dirty dog. This is especially bad after it
> rains.... I am ready to get rid of this car because it can't take the
> smell anymore. In the summer when the A/C is crucial, it is unbearable!..
> My brother also owned a caravan and he too experienced the same problem.
> Has anyone else had this experience? Is there some sort of hidden air
> filter that I can change? Or should I start saving for a new car?
>

I'm having the same problem, though it sounds like not as bad as yours.

When using the ventilation system in any mode it there is a mild smell of
fertilizer, kind of like being on a farm in summer. Its not overpowering but
is evident about half the time. I did spend many hours driving on farm roads
over the last 6 years at amateur rocket launches.

I guess it could also be mold or mildew growing in the vent system or even a
small animal that crawled in there and died.

Too many issues just keeping the van running to worry about a bad smell.

Jon


"Caravan98" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
> I brought my car used. The previous owner had a golden retriever. Although
> I cleaned and washed the entire interior. The car's a/c & vents when
> turned on smell like a wet dirty dog. This is especially bad after it
> rains.... I am ready to get rid of this car because it can't take the
> smell anymore. In the summer when the A/C is crucial, it is unbearable!..
> My brother also owned a caravan and he too experienced the same problem.
> Has anyone else had this experience? Is there some sort of hidden air
> filter that I can change? Or should I start saving for a new car?
>

It's a common caravan problem. Called "dirty sock syndrome". Search for it,
it's out there. You have to have the air conditioning system cleaned AND
sanitized. But it will return.

Cecil
"Zeppo" > wrote in message
...
> I'm having the same problem, though it sounds like not as bad as yours.
>
> When using the ventilation system in any mode it there is a mild smell of
> fertilizer, kind of like being on a farm in summer. Its not overpowering
but
> is evident about half the time. I did spend many hours driving on farm
roads
> over the last 6 years at amateur rocket launches.
>
> I guess it could also be mold or mildew growing in the vent system or even
a
> small animal that crawled in there and died.
>
> Too many issues just keeping the van running to worry about a bad smell.
>
> Jon
>
>
> "Caravan98" > wrote in message
> lkaboutautos.com...
> > I brought my car used. The previous owner had a golden retriever.
Although
> > I cleaned and washed the entire interior. The car's a/c & vents when
> > turned on smell like a wet dirty dog. This is especially bad after it
> > rains.... I am ready to get rid of this car because it can't take the
> > smell anymore. In the summer when the A/C is crucial, it is
unbearable!..
> > My brother also owned a caravan and he too experienced the same problem.
> > Has anyone else had this experience? Is there some sort of hidden air
> > filter that I can change? Or should I start saving for a new car?
> >
>
>

It's a common caravan problem. Called "dirty sock syndrome". Search for it,
it's out there. You have to have the air conditioning system cleaned AND
sanitized. But it will return.

Cecil
"Zeppo" > wrote in message
...
> I'm having the same problem, though it sounds like not as bad as yours.
>
> When using the ventilation system in any mode it there is a mild smell of
> fertilizer, kind of like being on a farm in summer. Its not overpowering
but
> is evident about half the time. I did spend many hours driving on farm
roads
> over the last 6 years at amateur rocket launches.
>
> I guess it could also be mold or mildew growing in the vent system or even
a
> small animal that crawled in there and died.
>
> Too many issues just keeping the van running to worry about a bad smell.
>
> Jon
>
>
> "Caravan98" > wrote in message
> lkaboutautos.com...
> > I brought my car used. The previous owner had a golden retriever.
Although
> > I cleaned and washed the entire interior. The car's a/c & vents when
> > turned on smell like a wet dirty dog. This is especially bad after it
> > rains.... I am ready to get rid of this car because it can't take the
> > smell anymore. In the summer when the A/C is crucial, it is
unbearable!..
> > My brother also owned a caravan and he too experienced the same problem.
> > Has anyone else had this experience? Is there some sort of hidden air
> > filter that I can change? Or should I start saving for a new car?
> >
>
>

Thanks for your feed back Zep & Detailing Dude.

I did some research on the wet sock syndrome and found out that mold and
bacteria builds up on the coils of the A/C system. In the winter when the
heat is used. It kills this mold somewhat which is why the smell is not as
noticable. at the turn of the season when the a/c is used. The mold has had
enough time to reproduce and spread. The A/C actuall helps keep it cold and
wet. the ideal living conditions for mold. A suggestion was to use Lysol
Spray. Spray the intake of the a/c unit. this will get into the entire
system and kill off the bacteria. you have to use the entire can in about
15 minutes of spraying giving it time in between. The source said it can
come back after a few months to a year but can be treated the same way. At
least there is a way of addreesing it without having to fork over hundreds
of dollars with the same end result.

Thanks for your feed back Zep & Detailing Dude.

I did some research on the wet sock syndrome and found out that mold and
bacteria builds up on the coils of the A/C system. In the winter when the
heat is used. It kills this mold somewhat which is why the smell is not as
noticable. at the turn of the season when the a/c is used. The mold has had
enough time to reproduce and spread. The A/C actuall helps keep it cold and
wet. the ideal living conditions for mold. A suggestion was to use Lysol
Spray. Spray the intake of the a/c unit. this will get into the entire
system and kill off the bacteria. you have to use the entire can in about
15 minutes of spraying giving it time in between. The source said it can
come back after a few months to a year but can be treated the same way. At
least there is a way of addreesing it without having to fork over hundreds
of dollars with the same end result.

"Caravan98" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
> Thanks for your feed back Zep & Detailing Dude.
>
> I did some research on the wet sock syndrome and found out that mold and
> bacteria builds up on the coils of the A/C system. In the winter when the
> heat is used. It kills this mold somewhat which is why the smell is not as
> noticable. at the turn of the season when the a/c is used. The mold has
> had
> enough time to reproduce and spread. The A/C actuall helps keep it cold
> and
> wet. the ideal living conditions for mold.

What if you just left the van running in your driveway with the heat on for
a while every couple months in the summer?

-Scott

"Caravan98" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
> Thanks for your feed back Zep & Detailing Dude.
>
> I did some research on the wet sock syndrome and found out that mold and
> bacteria builds up on the coils of the A/C system. In the winter when the
> heat is used. It kills this mold somewhat which is why the smell is not as
> noticable. at the turn of the season when the a/c is used. The mold has
> had
> enough time to reproduce and spread. The A/C actuall helps keep it cold
> and
> wet. the ideal living conditions for mold.

What if you just left the van running in your driveway with the heat on for
a while every couple months in the summer?

-Scott

It does help but it doesn't kill the bacteria and mold. it's just not hot
enough and so it will come back as soon and it repopulates.