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Odor after turning A/C off

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I don't need to use my A/C that often, but when I do, when I turn it off, there is a musty odor that lasts for a minute or two. There is no odor when the A/C is running, or at other times when A/C is off. It is not exhaust. Have had regular dealer service, and cabin  air filter has been checked and replaced. Any thoughts? I live in San Diego, so humidity or mold is not likely an issue.

Thanks

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Its probably either mold or mildew. What happens when the a/c evaporator enclosure drain gets plugged, the condensate can't drain out onto the ground. It starts to backup inside the enclosure. Warmth, water and dark causes mold to grow. 

 

Depending on your model year, you just locate to end of the drain tube and either blow it out with air (canned air if you don't have a compressor) or run a soft probe up to clear the jamb. In Gen1 MKXs its under the car, on the drivers side, near the accelerator pedal area. In later vehicles, its in the firewall, on the drivers side. Look for an open tube in either case.

 

Afterwards it's best to squirt a disinfectant onto the enclosure to kill the remaining mold. The best product for this is Kool-It. And you can just run the plastic hose down into the evap enclosure through one of the center dash vents. You squirt in in as foam, after a short period of time,  it luquidifies and drains back out.

Example: https://a.co/d/fBiEXLa

 

 

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