Has anyone cleaned out their air vents?

[inigopete]

The car had a slightly mouldy smell when I bought it last summer. I thought it was just because it hadn't been used very often for the last couple of years, stored outside, maybe the drains were blocked, that sort of thing. I'd just drive it around, leave the top down whenever possible, dry out the inside, keep it clean and it would pass.

The smell is still there. As on my Reader's Ride thread, I have:
- cleaned out the fan motor
- removed the luggage bins, un-clogged the drains, removed standing water, cleaned and dried them
- cleaned out the drain bags
- left dehumidifier bags in the car and changed them regularly throughout winter
- and yesterday, hoovered every soft surface once again, shampooed and cleaned the carpet and seats and dried them thoroughly (top down on a sunny afternoon!)

...I'm thinking the smell might be in the heater / AC pipes; I used the search function but couldn't find a guide to remove and clean / replace them (I'm guessing it's probably complicated and involves removing the dash).

Or could it be the door / roof seals? They're probably original, the car's 23 years old and they could probably do with replacing as they're starting to show tiny cracks. Are they much of a hassle / expense to replace?

I'd appreciate any advice you can offer.

[Ardent]

I've used this in the past on the daily.
You cannot view this attachment.

[Gaz mr-s]

Did you have standing water under the plastic bins, if so, how deep?

[inigopete]

Oh that's interesting, thanks Ardent - silly question: where do you spray it?

[inigopete]

@Gaz mr-s on the driver's side, only about 1cm deep.

I'm also wondering whether I should go the whole hog and remove and clean out the soft top. That's definitely a job for a sunny weekend, by the sound of it.

[Gaz mr-s]

Maybe not then......I was wondering if the water had got up & over & the underside of your carpet got wet...there's sound deadening wadding that soaks it like a sponge.
You can eliminate any standing water under the bins by hauling out the rubber drain tubes...they're a poor design.

[inigopete]

Maybe not then......I was wondering if the water had got up & over & the underside of your carpet got wet...there's sound deadening wadding that soaks it like a sponge.
You can eliminate any standing water under the bins by hauling out the rubber drain tubes...they're a poor design.

I did wonder that about the carpets, but even sticking my nose close to them they don't seem to particularly smell. I was concerned that I may have become "nose blind" but it seemed like the smell returned yesterday evening when I took the (hoovered, shampooed, dried) car for a short drive, the smell definitely reappeared. :/

[Gaz mr-s]

I did wonder that about the carpets, but even sticking my nose close to them they don't seem to particularly smell. I was concerned that I may have become "nose blind" but it seemed like the smell returned yesterday evening when I took the (hoovered, shampooed, dried) car for a short drive, the smell definitely reappeared. :/

The carpet material doesn't absorb water. It has a very stiff backing that is impervious to water.  Minimal way to check is seat out (electrical connection underneath), lift out the sill covers, & feel underneath for the wadding.
Good luck !

[Ardent]

Oh that's interesting, thanks Ardent - silly question: where do you spray it?

Comes with a long tube attached to the nozzle. In the cap. You insert into and down the vents and spray until foam comes out the vent.  (I know I know)
Also good to insert via the condensate drain from underneath if you can.

https://www.burrowscarparts.co.uk/genuine-toyota-air-conditioning-system-cleaner.html

[Topdownman]

The carpet material doesn't absorb water. It has a very stiff backing that is impervious to water.  Minimal way to check is seat out (electrical connection underneath), lift out the sill covers, & feel underneath for the wadding.
Good luck !

This would be my guess. If any water has ever got under there, it is still there. Any hint of dampness under there then I would take out the bins and centre console, then the seats, then peel the carpet forwards to see what it is like under there (you dont have to fully remove it). Dry out any dampness in the wadding and treat any rust on the floor and hope that by keeping an eye on the bins that none gets in again.

While you have it stripped down and before you do anything else, pour some water into the bags and see if any leaks through by the plastic drains as any leaks will go straight down into the under carpet and will bring the problem back.

[Gaz mr-s]

While you have it stripped down and before you do anything else, pour some water into the bags and see if any leaks through by the plastic drains as any leaks will go straight down into the under carpet and will bring the problem back.

That's not my experience. If water runs external to the drain bags it gathers under the bins, - which is why there are secondary drains.

[inigopete]

This would be my guess. If any water has ever got under there, it is still there. Any hint of dampness under there then I would take out the bins and centre console, then the seats, then peel the carpet forwards to see what it is like under there (you dont have to fully remove it). Dry out any dampness in the wadding and treat any rust on the floor and hope that by keeping an eye on the bins that none gets in again.

While you have it stripped down and before you do anything else, pour some water into the bags and see if any leaks through by the plastic drains as any leaks will go straight down into the under carpet and will bring the problem back.

Crikey, I have some work to do...!

[inigopete]

I'm not sure what I've started now...

Thanks @Ardent for the Airco Cleaner tip, I ordered that and used it yesterday morning. Seeing foam coming out of the air vents, and then fluid dripping out from somewhere near the glove box when I took it for a drive yesterday evening, was a little disconcerting but it's definitely delivered a lot of cleaner somewhere deep inside the system. The smell of the cleaner is so strong it's hard to tell if the mouldy smell is still there, for now!

But I think something odd has happened to the actual heating. The dashboard temperature gauge showed the car was warmed up after about 5 minutes' driving (middle of the gauge), but there was no hot air coming out of the vents. I tried all the settings, directing air to the screen, footwells, etc., different blower speeds, different temperatures, switching the flap from outside air to recycling cabin air... nothing but cold air blowing. And then, stopped at lights, I heard the radiator fan come on.

I don't think I've heard the fan more than once since buying the car last summer - on a hot day when we were moving very slowly in dense traffic around a gyratory, I sort of expected it. But yesterday was the standard suburban drive I've done a lot in the car, on a fairly cool evening, and it came on and off during the drive, presumably to regulate the coolant temperature, while still the cabin air was not being heated.

Does anyone have a schematic of the system? I've googled but not come up with anything useful (although I've found lots of diagrams of the A/C, which I don't tend to use, and lots of pictures of exhausts, which wasn't what I was looking for!). I'm wondering if I've waterlogged, or cleaner-logged, a switch or a thermostat somewhere in the heating / airflow system that directs engine coolant through an interchanger... or if something else has got bunged up somewhere in there!

[Carolyn]

Sounds like your coolant level has dropped.  Time to look for leaks.  Start with the radiator, then the water pump.

[Gaz mr-s]

The most common radiator leak point is the bottom right corner as you look in....frunk off I'm afraid.
Until you find what the problem is don't trust the temp' gauge, there has to be something pretty major before it shows a problem.
I'd just top up with water until you find what's wrong. Get it properly hot & feel for heat right across the radiator, if it doesn't bleed it. Valve top left.