Quote:
Originally Posted by jmg
I never do this and none of my cars smell. This is a old wives tale, and turning the AC off could potentially make things worse.
First of all, the evaporator coil does not need to be dry. Mold and bacteria don't just grow out of nothing, spores need to be introduced. An effective cabin air filter prevents these spores from ever reaching the evaporator coil and the drain allows the moisture to escape.
Additionally, turning the AC off before you park actually increases the chance of mold and bacteria growth. When you turn the AC off while the fan is blowing, it quickly introduces humid air into the vent inner ducting. This dramatic increase in humidity and temperature causes condensation on the cool inner ducting walls. If you don't run the air long enough to dry out the system, then you risk potential growth of mold and bacteria on the residual condensate.
In comparison, if you simply let the AC run, humidity rises gradually when the car is turned off, which doesn't allow for condensation on the inner vent to form in the first place.
So really, by switching the AC off, you're creating a problem you didn't have to solve in the first place.
The final source of mold and bacteria growth is the cabin. Again, mold and bacteria don't just grow out of nothing, spores need to be introduced to a growth conducive environment. Air is filtered coming into the cabin, but air is not filtered from the cabin into the vents and inner ducts. So, if you turn the AC off before you park, and don't let it dry completely, then the potential for spores to grow on that [...]
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Yea, the smell happened right after they performed an oil change. It had a vinegar smell, immediately after getting the car back.
I no longer have the car anymore however.