Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Anyone have a musty smell coming from their vents?

Hey Everyone,
I have a musty smell coming out of my vents whenever I turn on the blower. Anyone else have this problem? It seems especially bad when I have it on the defroster setting. Any help would be appreciated as I am taking it to the dealer (my waranty runs out in two weeks)Thanks,
Andreas

try changing your cabin air filter. theres a howto in the faq section. here

its mold. the air conditioning causes moisture so it turnes into mold.

you should run your heater after you use your ac to dry it out.

ford will have a temporary fix for it. you should also spray a disinfectant in there.

Probably 99% of people experience the same thing. When you shut off the car after running the A/C or defroster, water continues to condense on the evaporator coil. This water makes mold happy (yes, a spore or two gets past the cabin air filter).

What the dealer will likely do is spray a chemical disinfectant into the cabin air intake. This won't be a permanent fix, though. As long as you're not allergic to whatever is causing the musty smell, you may just have to live with it.

One thing to try is to turn off the A/C compressor a couple of minutes before you shut off the car. That is, turn the selector to VENT and maybe even turn the thermostat toward hot. This will help the evaporator coil warm up to ambient temperature before you shut off, and should get rid of some of the excess water (which will then be in the air of the cabin, but oh well).

yes I have it too, no solution though

There is a TSB on this subject that provides part numbers to add an "after blow" kit. I just tried looking up the TSB, but the site is down. The dealer should be able to find in on OASIS with an air conditioning problem code.

The "after blow" is a control module that runs the A/C blower about 1/2 hour after shutting off the engine to dry out the plenum. I don't know of anyone that has tried it on our cars, but it works very well on other makes, such as some GM products and Volvos. For some Volvos this was the absolute answer. This system is a little pricy if you needed to pay for it yourself if the car is out of warranty.

If you don't add this kit, it does help to change the cabin filter. It also helps to deoderize the system at the same time. If you are doing it yourself, it is hard to find the best deordizer for home use, but Lysol works reasonably well. With the cabin filter removed, turn the A/C fan on at a low speed, continuesly spray Lysol into the hole where the cabin filter belongs for about a minute, then shut the fan off and allow the Lysol to soak in for at least 30 minutes (overnight is not too long) while you install the new cabin filter. You want the Lysol to soak into the walls of the case as well as the A/C evaporator core.

Best of luck with this.

Yep.

Change the Cabin Air filter.

Also let turn the a/c off for a minute or two before you shut the car off. Less condensation.

I was goin got say the same thing

Hey Everyone,
Thanks for all your help! I still have about two weeks of warranty left so hopefully I can get the afterblow kit installed. I will try and look up the TSB for the kit.
Andreas

I found the recall. It is 99-19-5

Printable View (14 KB)
Article No.
99-19-5 AIR CONDITIONING - MUSTY AND MILDEW TYPE ODORS - SERVICE PROCEDURE

Publication Date: SEPTEMBER 13, 1999

FORD: 1994-98 MUSTANG
1995-98 CONTOUR, CROWN VICTORIA, ESCORT
1996-98 TAURUS
1995-98 WINDSTAR
1997-98 EXPEDITION
LINCOLN: 1995-98 CONTINENTAL, MARK VIII, TOWN CAR
1998 NAVIGATOR
MERCURY: 1995-98 GRAND MARQUIS, MYSTIQUE, TRACER
1996-98 SABLE
1995-98 VILLAGER


This TSB article is being republished in its entirety to add models.

ISSUE:
Musty and mildew type odors may come from the air conditioning/heating system. These odors may be caused by mildew-type fungi growth in the A/C evaporator. It is most noticeable when the A/C is first turned on.

ACTION:
A new Disodorizer® which encapsulates the mildew is now available to help reduce these odors. A new Moisture Purge Module (MPM) which operates the blower motor when the vehicle is parked to dry out the evaporator core is now available for these vehicles. Apply the Air Conditioning System Disodorizer® (F6AZ-19G210-AA or YN-18, or equivalent meeting Ford specification WSS-M99B187-A) product to the A/C system, install the MPM as directed in the following Service Procedure, and review the Odor Service Tips.


WARNING: AVOID CONTACT WITH EYES AND SKIN. CONTACT WITH EYES AND SKIN WILL CAUSE IRRITATION. WEAR SAFETY GLASSES WHEN USING THE DISODORIZER®.


WARNING: THIS PROCEDURE SHOULD ONLY BE PERFORMED IN WELL VENTILATED AREAS. OPEN ALL WINDOWS AND DOORS OF THE VEHICLE. LEAVE DOORS AND WINDOWS OPEN DURING THE ENTIRE PROCEDURE. AVOID BREATHING VAPORS.


WARNING: AVOID FLAMES, SPARKS OR LIT TOBACCO PRODUCTS. THIS PRODUCT IS COMBUSTIBLE.


WARNING: READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS PACKAGED WITH THE DISODORIZER®.


SERVICE PROCEDURE

A/C ODOR TREATMENT PROCEDURE

NOTE: THIS PROCEDURE WILL NOT BE EFFECTIVE ON ODORS EMITTED FROM AREAS OTHER THAN THE EVAPORATOR CORE. FOR EXAMPLE: MILDEW ODORS DUE TO WET CARPET WHICH ARE CIRCULATED BY THE A/C SYSTEM. BE SURE YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED THE TYPE AND SOURCE OF ODOR BEFORE PERFORMING THIS REPAIR.

The A/C System Disodorizer® (F6AZ-19G210-AA or YN-18) is a full strength disodorizer which requires no dilution or mixing. Each vehicle treated will require 240 mL (8 fluid ounces) to complete the procedure.


NOTE: THE ROTUNDA A/C DISODORIZER SPRAYER 164-R4700 IS ONLY TO BE USED WITH THE YN-18 A/C SYSTEM DISODORIZER AND SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE.

The A/C System Disodorizer® can be applied using the Rotunda A/C Disodorizer® Sprayer 164-R4700. The disodorizer must be applied through the blower motor or the blower motor resistor/controller opening for proper coverage. Refer to the following Disodorizer® Application Location Chart to determine which component to remove.

DISODORIZER® APPLICATION LOCATION
Model Year Vehicle Blower Motor Blower Motor Resistor/Controller
1995-98 Escort/Tracer X
1996-98 Taurus/Sable X
1995-98 Windstar X
1995-98 Town Car X
1994-98 Mustang X
1995-98 Contour/Mystique X
1997-98 Expedition X
1998 Navigator X
1995-98 Villager X
1995-98 Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis X
1995-98 Continental X
1995-98 Mark VIII X

NOTE: SPRAYER MUST BE CHARGED COMPLETELY FOR PROPER ATOMIZATION OF THE DISODORIZER®. FAILURE TO PROPERLY APPLY THE DISODORIZER® AS OUTLINED IN THIS TSB ARTICLE WILL NOT ALLOW ALL OF THE MICROBIAL GROWTH TO BE CONTAINED AND WILL RESULT IN AN INCOMPLETE REPAIR.

Open vehicle windows.
Disconnect A/C cycling switch electrical connector.
Set the following:
A/C in vent or panel mode
Temperature at full heat
Blower at high speed
Engine running at normal operating temperature
Vehicles equipped with a manually operated fresh air/recirculate air door, set the door to fresh air position
Run vehicle (Steps 1-3 conditions) for 15 minutes. This will dry out the system.
Turn ignition off.
CAUTION: BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR MAY BE VERY HOT.

Remove and disconnect blower motor or resistor/controller (refer to Disodorizer® Application Location Chart) by referring to the appropriate Service Manual, Section 12 or Workshop Manual, Section 412-02.
Insert the A/C Disodorizer® Sprayer (Rotunda 164-R4700) nozzle into the blower motor resistor/controller opening in the evaporator case and direct toward the face of the evaporator core. Spray the Disodorizer® until empty.
Wait 10 minutes before proceeding.
Reinstall and reconnect blower motor or resistor/controller.
Repeat Steps 1-5.
Reconnect A/C cycling switch.
Allow vehicle to sit for 30 minutes before returning to customer.
NOTE: REFER TO APPROPRIATE SERVICE LABOR TIME STANDARDS MANUAL FOR BLOWER MOTOR REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION OR RESISTOR REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION.


MOISTURE PURGE MODULE (MPM) INSTALLATION
Install the applicable MPM and wiring harness. Follow the procedure in the Instruction Sheet provided with the wiring harness.
Verify MPM operation.

ODOR SERVICE TIPS
Types Of Odors, Their Sources And Treatments

There are typically four (4) types of objectionable odors found in a vehicle, they are:

Chemical odors
Environmental odors
Microbiological odors
Human and other interior-generated odors
Odors can be described in a number of ways:

Musty
Mildew
Fishy
Sweet
Burning
Chemical
Fuel
Oil
Exhaust
Wet cement
Urine
Tar
Fragrance
Body odor
Chemical odors:

Coolant: sweet smell
Fuel: gasoline or diesel fuel smell
Oil: oil type or burning smell
Power Steering Fluid: oil type or burning smell
Transmission Fluid: oil type or burning smell
Washer Fluid: alcohol type smell
Gear Lube: garlic/sulfur smell
Refrigerant/Oil: ether type smell
Carpet/Trim Adhesives: fishy, urine, or sweet smell
Evaporator Core Coating: wet cement type smell
Environmental odors:

Exhaust: exhaust, fuel, burning type smell
Industrial Pollutants: all types of smells
Dust: musty, mildew, wet cement type smell
Pollen: sweet smell
Tobacco: burning, tar smell
Microbiological odors:

Microbial growth supported by warm temperatures and moisture may occur on:

Foam Seals: musty, mildew smell
Rubber Seals: musty, mildew smell
Adhesives: musty, mildew smell
Standing Water: musty, mildew smell
Water Soaked Carpet/Trim: musty, mildew smell
Human and other interior-generated odors:

Secretion From The Human Body: body odors
Perfuming Agents: sweet or fragrance smell
Dirty Clothes, Shoes, Socks: musty, mildew, body odors
Food/Beverage: sweet, musty, mildew, fishy smell
The first step in diagnosing an odor concern is to verify the concern. To verify an odor you must determine when and under what circumstances the odor occurs and what type of odor it is.

Chemical odors are usually constant regardless of A/C setting and can be enhanced by A/C system operation. Most chemical odors are caused by fluid leaks and some are caused by improperly cured carpet and trim adhesives or evaporator core coatings.

Environmental odors usually occur for a short time and go away after the vehicle has passed through the affected area. These odors are usually only detected when a window is open or the A/C system is operating in a function that allows outside air to enter the vehicle.

Microbiological odors, if in the A/C system, usually last for about 30 seconds when first turned on and will be detected in both Max and Normal A/C. Microbiological odors occurring elsewhere such as from standing water in doors or kick panels or wet carpeting may last indefinitely and will be more intense in Max A/C. Microbiological odors will not occur at temperatures below 10°C (50°F).

Human and other interior-generated odors occur while the source is present and may linger for a short time after removal. These odors can be more noticeable during operation of the A/C system. They can be detected in the outside air position and may be more noticeable in Recirc.

The first step in getting rid of odors is to find the source of the odor. Once the source is found, it must be removed and the affected area cleaned or treated .

Chemical odors can be removed by repairing or replacing the component that causes the odor and then cleaning any residue that may have accumulated from the component failure.

Environmental odors usually cannot be removed due to the fact that they occur from external sources and are an everyday occurrence. They can, however, be minimalized by switching to Max A/C or Recirc mode.

Microbiological odors can be eliminated by removing the source and then treating the affected area. Standing water must be allowed to drain and dry out. A/C systems may be disodorized by using Air Conditioning System Disodorizer® (F6AZ-19G210-AA or YN-18, or equivalent meeting Ford specification WSS-M99B187-A) as described in the Service Procedure in this article.

Human and other interior-generated odors can be eliminated by removing the source and cleaning the affected area.

PART NUMBER PART NAME
F6AZ-19G210-AA Air Conditioning System Disodorizer® (YN-18)
F78Z-14K095-BA Moisture Purge Module Wire Harness Kit (Mustang, Windstar, Expedition/Navigator, Contour/Mystique, Taurus/Sable, Escort/Tracer, Villager, Continental)
F7VZ-14K095-BA Moisture Purge Module Wire Harness Kit (Town Car, Mark VIII, Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis)
F8XZ-19980-AA Moisture Purge Module (MPM)

NOTE: REFER TO APPROPRIATE SERVICE LABOR TIME STANDARDS MANUAL FOR BLOWER MOTOR REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION OR RESISTOR REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION.


OTHER APPLICABLE ARTICLES:
NONE

SUPERSEDES:
98-10-2

WARRANTY STATUS:
Eligible Under The Provisions Of Bumper To Bumper Warranty Coverage

OPERATION DESCRIPTION TIME
991905A Disodorize And Install Moisture Purge Module (MPM) - Town Car 1.9 Hrs.
991905B Disodorize And Install Moisture Purge Module (MPM) - Mustang 2.3 Hrs.
991905C Disodorize And Install Moisture Purge Module (MPM) - Windstar 1.4 Hrs.
991905D Disodorize And Install Moisture Purge Module (MPM) - Contour/Mystique 1.5 Hrs.
991905E Disodorize And Install Moisture Purge Module (MPM) - Escort/Tracer 1.9 Hrs.
991905F Disodorize And Install Moisture Purge Module (MPM) - Expedition/Navigator 2.0 Hrs.
991905G Disodorize And Install Moisture Purge Module (MPM) - Taurus/Sable 1.6 Hrs.
991905H Disodorize And Install Moisture Purge Module (MPM) - Villager 1.9 Hrs.
991905I Disodorize And Install Moisture Purge Module (MPM) - Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis 1.9 Hrs.
991905J Disodorize And Install Moisture Purge Module (MPM) - Mark VIII 1.8 Hrs.
991905K Disodorize And Install Moisture Purge Module (MPM) - Continental 2.1 Hrs.

DEALER CODING
BASIC PART NO. CONDITION CODE
ODOR 49

OASIS CODES:
208000, 208300, 208999, 290000