Musty smell in new v5

You can easily find a number of topics around here on this issue, although its unusual to see it in a new car. You must live in a pretty humid area, or the drain tube for the evap has somehow gotten clogged. Turning off the A/C should resolve it, you usually only smell it when the coils are wet. Avoiding use of recirc mode also helps, and turning off the A/C a couple minutes before shutting off the car should dry out the coils. Changing the cabin filter might also help.

But the real cause is when the coils are constantly wet, and you generally smell it when the A/C compressor is cycling on or off causing condensation. Is she running the A/C in max mode for extended periods in humid weather? Make sure she's running it in auto mode with the temp set in the 70-74' area, if not higher.

Being a new car as it is, a complaint to the dealer might be in order. I've never smelled it in my v, but I live in a dry desert climate.

 

What's your location?

I would agree that less use of the recirc mode will help as the outside air blowing through the coils will dry them better. Some have suggested turning off recirc before parking but I am not so sure that is enough.

What you need is Toyota AC cleaner and refresher. Buy at Toyota or elsewhere like ebay.

If it's only been a few months of ownership, I would press your dealer to buy and install the cleaner. However this $20 set on ebay might be $100 installed by a dealer. You have to inject the cleaner through the AC drain on the bottom of the car, which seems to be the only difficultly. Locate the drain under the car by observing where it drips out after the AC has been used for a period. Instructions are on the can and it comes with a hose.

 

Here's a link that shows how the cleaner / refresher is used. I have seen this 2 part kit in auto parts stores, its probably the same stuff Toyota brands (shown in my post above).

DIY: A/C Odor Cleaning - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

 

On the hatchback you're supposed to be able to access the drain tube under the carpet on the passenger side. I'm not sure if the v is the same.

That's a clear indicator that she's shutting the car off with a wet coil. Even in Houston the A/C season is coming to a close so it'll be less of an issue. But continuing on like this will certainly result in mold over time. Just tell her reach over and shut off the A/C about a mile from home, that'll dry off the coil. And eliminating recirc will help too. Auto mode will stop using recirc when outside temp is below 70 (ECO mode) or 74 (normal mode), but shutting recirc off is easy too.

But at a minimum I'd want to shut off recirc and A/C about a mile from home and get that thing dried off. What she's actually smelling is just the wet coil, they all smell like that. Mildew/mold is a much more serious issue and difficult to get rid of.

 

This seems to be a fairly common problem, and not just with Prius, or Toyota. I recall extensive discussions with previous generations, and I think Jayman had the best grasp and solutions.

The problem seems to be leaving AC on all the time. It's the nature of cooling systems to generate moisture - that's how they work - but mould will form quickly it the system is not dried out regularly. The previous advice to turn it off a few blocks from home is a good idea.

 

I'd agree that recirc is more efficient, but mould should be an overriding concern. Getting sick would lower your personal efficiency by more than a few ergs in the aircon.

 

Its probably important to mention that not all odors are "mold". The evap coils themselves have an odor when wet, its sort of a metallic/dusty smell. This is normal, and usually noticed when the coils are warm and wet - as in when you first start the A/C or when you shut it off and keep the blower running. Its a fact of life in wet/humid weather. Mildew/mold is completely different and pretty rare, and that smell will be present most of the time when the blower is running.

 

Speaking of recirculation mode.....does anyone else find they get sleepy due to lack of oxygen? I find I can't go more than about five minutes before I have to change the source back to fresh air. Maybe in extreme heat - which doesn't tend to happen where I live - it's the way to go, but not for me.

 

Recirc mode still provides about 20% fresh air, more than enough to maintain 02 levels in the car. This is mandated by law.

 

Interesting. We've played with it over the years; others changing it one way or the other without me knowing which. I can tell, everytime. I guess I need more than 20%.

 

Oh, it's not that bad. I'm certainly not narcoleptic. I know someone with that condition, and my feeling of not being as alert without fresh air is nothing like that. My wife's preference is for heat, and mine's for fresh air, regardless of the season. It's all good.

 

I've not owned a car in the last 30 or so that needed me to adjust the a/c controls to keep the machinery happy. In many situations, the heat would be on for months at a time and ditto the a/c. So if the HVAC needs manual intervention, it seems a bit bizarre.

 

Nobody said it "needs" anything. The OP objected to the odor when the coils are wet, which some folks do. Many people don't notice it or don't care.

 

How about if we get back to the real issue, the coils need cleaning? If you live in a hot humid place like Houston (I have), you run the AC almost year round, sometimes just adding a little heat. The higher output Prius v AC means more condensate. Mine puts out about a pint after it's parked and I normally use recirc (if for no other reason than to keeps other guy's idling exhaust fumes out). Here's a comprehensive step by step procedure which includes taking out the cabin filter:

Toyota Part 00289-ACRKT Toyota AC REFRESHER KIT

The kit comes with two aerosol cans and a piece of tubing. One can is a foaming cleanser for the evaporator, the other is an aerosol cleaner for the intake and venting system.

INSTRUCTIONS

FIRST LARGE CAN: AC Foam (Engine Off)

1. Remove cabin air filter. To remove the cabin air filter remove the glove box, pop off the filter cover, and pull the filter out.

2. Put the filter cover back on.

3. Access the evaporator drain tube from under the car

4. Plug the kit wedge end tube into the drain tube.

5. Hook the tube up to the larger canister and spray the whole contents into the tube. Shake periodically. This will take a couple of minutes

6. Once the can is empty, have a drain pan under the drain tube location. Remove the wedge plug and let everything drain for about ten minutes.

SECOND CAN "AC Intake Refresher." (Engine On)

1. Start the engine so AC system works.

2. Open Windows

3. Make sure that the air recirculation setting is OFF.

4. Set the A/C Air Flow to the "body" setting, (this means the vents on the dash only) the temperature setting as cold as it will go, and fan speed to high.

5. Turn AC switch OFF

6. Spray 1/2 of the contents of the can into the fresh air intake which is located just below the wipers on the passenger side of the car.

7. Switch Air Flow to the "Floor" position and spray 1/2 of the remaining contents of the can into the fresh air intake.

8. Finally switch Air Flow to the "Defrost" position and spray the rest of the can into the fresh air intake.

9. Once this is all done, continue ventilating the vehicle and running the fan with the windows down to get rid of the vapors.

10 Reinstall the cabin air filter

Another how to video:

The actual instructions start at 46 seconds.

 

Although these instructions mention the cabin air filter, they don't specify using a new one. If the ac system has become contaminated enough that this procedure is necessary, there will be mould spores in the filter, and it should be replaced. Otherwise, it's like having a shower and putting your dirty clothes back on.