# Smelly Airconditioner **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** hyundai\ **Created:** [May 4, 2010, 3:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smelly-airconditioner/48363 "2010-05-04T03:02:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gramy\_Mom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6de8d8/32.png) [@Gramy\_Mom](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Gramy_Mom)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 3:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smelly-airconditioner/48363/1 "2010-05-04T03:02:11Z")
My 2007 Hyundai Sante Fe has a terrible smell when I run the Air conditioner. In AZ we run the air daily. I think that I have identified that the smell is worse after I run it through the car wash. Please help me freshin my fe. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 11:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smelly-airconditioner/48363/2 "2010-05-04T11:21:06Z")
Have someone check the AC evaporator drain tube. If water, which condenses on the evaporator, is not draining away as it should it puddles in the HVAC system and allows mold and mildew to grow. Then you get the nasty smell. Cleaning the drain tube may help. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smelly-airconditioner/48363/3 "2010-05-04T13:45:25Z")
Does this car have a cabin air-filter??? If so when was it replaced last?? ---
**Author:** ![Gramy\_Mom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6de8d8/32.png) [@Gramy\_Mom](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Gramy_Mom)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smelly-airconditioner/48363/4 "2010-05-06T02:38:52Z")
Is this drain tube easy to get to or does it have to go to a shop? ---
**Author:** ![Gramy\_Mom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6de8d8/32.png) [@Gramy\_Mom](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Gramy_Mom)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 2:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smelly-airconditioner/48363/5 "2010-05-06T02:40:24Z")
Yes, I’m aware of the cabin air filter. It is located behind the glove box. I changed it out about 2 months ago. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 10:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smelly-airconditioner/48363/6 "2010-05-06T10:26:34Z")
Most show up under the car under the spot about where the passenger puts their feet. Carful use of some string trimmer line (found in the garden department) works well at cleaning it. ---
**Author:** ![Gramy\_Mom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6de8d8/32.png) [@Gramy\_Mom](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Gramy_Mom)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 3:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smelly-airconditioner/48363/7 "2010-05-07T03:26:03Z")
Thank you so much. I’ll let you know how it works. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 5:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smelly-airconditioner/48363/8 "2010-05-07T05:33:58Z")
A couple of cans of Ozium or similar product. Spray one slowly down the cowl vents when the AC is running and set to take in outside air. Then spray the other one into the floor vents with the AC on recirculate (or max-cool depending on the mfg.) Then stop using the recirculate all the time.