Where does the cold air for a/c blow from? Options

[GriffGirl]

When I turn on my air with the temp on cool, or w/the ac on, it's musty and wreaks of classic pacific northwest mildew. Goooooooood times. This is particularly the case when the airflow is set to draw in air from the outside.

Where does the air channel through before entering the cabin, and how can I clean whatever it channels through? It's gross and frankly borders on toxic I suspect. Damn the pacific northwest mold!

[creis]

I belive its under the windshele wipers, that plastic peace comes off and, theres a compartment with an air filter as well under there but I'm not 100% sure on this.

[D-Man]

yeah, that sounds right. IDK for sure on the 6gen's, but on almost every other car i've had or messed with, Right infront of the wipers is where the AC air intake is.

Wait for a sunny day and spray it with lysol

This post has been edited by D-Man: Jul 3, 2008 - 1:06 PM

[GriffGirl]

I thought our car didn't have a cabin air filter.

[D-Man]

IDK for sure, but it's gotta draw in air from somewhere. That sounds reasonable; Like on 98% of every other car on the road. Maybe we're special though. :shrugs:

[azian_advanced]

there's a mesh grill below the windshield cowl. i don't think there's another filter beyond that..

[BloodyStupidDave...]

I thought our car didn't have a cabin air filter.

It doesn't have a proper filter. What it does have is two foam pads. A long thin one for outside air and a more rectangular one for recirculating air. They don't do much more than keep large particles out of the aircon unit though.

[GriffGirl]

Are those foam pad things beneath that mesh grill below the windshield cowl? They could QUITE likely be the culprit! That would totally make sense!

I really truly hate it! I should've put that for Things you Hate About Your Celica. I'll take crummy cup holders over mildew air ANY old day!

[hurley97]

Put the air on recirculate and turn it up high, spray air freshener/disinfectant on the outside at that cowl. Leave the fans on for a while until it circulates into the cabin.

You can also take your blower motor out and see if that's dirty. Since there isn't a cabin filter, anything that gets through that mesh vent under the cowl goes right to the blower.

And that foam filtration stuff doesn't last too long, it disintegrates and you can see it all in the vents and a/c ducts, it's gross. I remember for a few months after I first got my car, every time I turned the fans on that dust would fly out of the vents.

This post has been edited by hurley97: Jul 3, 2008 - 5:10 PM