Does it happen that you get in your car for a drive and turn on the AC and suddenly you start smelling a weird and obnoxious smell and you ask this question to yourself why does my car AC smell like vinegar? If yes then this post will answer all your questions like why your car AC is smelling like vinegar and how you can prevent the car AC from smelling. So let’s start!
If you are experiencing an unpleasant and sour, vinegar like smell in your car then the first thing you need to check is if the smell particularly occurs when you turn the air conditioner of your car on. If yes then it indicates that the problem is in the car air conditioning system.
There can be a lot of different reasons why your car ac is smelling sour like vinegar smell that makes the whole atmosphere of the car irritating and annoying. However, the most common reason why the car AC is smelling so bad is likely due to some kind of organic material buildup in the air conditioning system or vents.
As the organic material starts to decay due to fermentation after some time it turns into alcohol which smells sour, just like the smell of vinegar.
You should know that your car’s air conditioning system does not produce cold air itself rather it takes moisture and heat from the air outside the car which is cooler than the air around you. The coils in the air conditioner condense the moisture in the atmosphere to take out all the humidity before releasing the cool air into the car.
Due to the reason that coils in the air conditioning system are colder than the air around, the air coming into the air conditioning system produces moisture pockets in the condensing unit of the car AC that gets drained outside the car through the drain line. If somehow the moisture doesn’t get a way out, it stuck inside the AC unit causing a nasty smell to come out of it after a few days.
If the drain line of your car AC is damaged or broken and the air conditioning system is used frequently then there are chances that the unit will become a breeding ground for mold and other forms of bacteria. Due to this, the air that will pass through the unit where mold build-up to carry the stinky smell inside the car through the dash vents.
In most cases, mold is the reason behind why you experience vinegar like smell coming out of your car’s air conditioning system. As the car gets older, the micro-organisms such as bacteria and mold start to grow in the car’s air conditioning area since it’s the ideal place for them to grow as it is always moist and dark there.
If you want to prevent the musty, vinegar-like smell that is coming from the AC of your car then the first thing you need to do is to check the drain tube in your car. Once you locate the drain tube, make sure that it is functioning perfectly fine. To get things done professionally, take the car to a trusted car repair shop to get the damaged drain tube repaired.
In case, if the drain tube is undamaged and is in perfect working condition then you need to think about how to kill and remove mold from the car’s air conditioning system. Moreover, you need to take measures to prevent mold from forming ever again in the future.
Here below are mentioned some of the ways that you can try to get rid of the vinegar smell in car AC.
There are a number of products that you can use to prevent AC smell in the car to make the car atmosphere pleasant for driving. Some of the top picks are mentioned below for your easiness.
Read out the complete best air fresheners for car review to explore more products.
There are various ways through which you can get the vinegar smell out of your car AC. One of them is to purchase the air conditioner air cleaner that contains enzymes that significantly eliminates the obnoxious odor. You can also try installing a quality air freshener in your car to make your car interior smell good while the AC is on.
A sour smell from the car AC is usually caused by the bacteria. An unclean car AC becomes home to mold, bacteria, fungi, and many other kinds of micro-organisms to grow, which causes an unpleasant smell to come out of the car’s air conditioning system.
Well, the first thing you will need to do to get the sour smell out of your car AC is to clean your car air conditioning system. Then you need to get an air conditioner air cleaner for the car for getting rid of the obnoxious sour odor completely.
One big reason why your car AC might be smelling weird is due to the accumulation of water in the drip lines or ducts. After a few time, fungus and mold started to grow in the accumulated water that produces a stale odor that you smell from your car’s AC.
If your car is smelling musty every time when you turn on the AC then it is most likely due to mold in the air conditioning system and that will be bad for your health especially when you have been suffering from allergies.