[Jsteen0213]

Everytime I turn on my A/C a smell comes out of the vents that would knock a grown man to his knees! I called the Nissan dealer and of course they want like $300 to change some filter behind the dash. Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[bbomar]

Yeah, filter $27.......

Labor $273!!!!

LMAO!!

Change it yourself, very easy to do!

 

[carver1titan4x4]

mine was not smelling to good either had the cabin air filter changed and believe it or not it smells like new again that thing really does work

 

[Arachnid]

This link will show you how to change the filter yourself. It looks pretty easy.

http://www.titantalk.com/forums/tit...abin-micro-filter.html?highlight=cabin+filter

 

[HudsonValleyTitan]

You can change your cabin filter every week. A/C smell, which is a problem on all vehicles, comes from stagnant moisture (mildew) in the air exchange box behind the dash....not from that filter (a charcoal filter may help...Titans isn't that type). You'll notice that you only get the smell for a minute or two when you first turn the AC on, then it subsides. Many places, including some dealers, have a process in which they inject a foaming cleaner into that box..cleaning and sanitizing it to help kill the smell. I don't know how long it'll last though. I've heard that turning the temperature to HOT for a minute before shutting off the truck helps dry any moisture and helps keep that mildew from forming and smelling up the truck again. It was 12* here just a day or so ago. AC is the last thing I'll be using...lol.

 

[37L1]

You can change your cabin filter every week. A/C smell, which is a problem on all vehicles, comes from stagnant moisture (mildew) in the air exchange box behind the dash....not from that filter (a charcoal filter may help...Titans isn't that type). You'll notice that you only get the smell for a minute or two when you first turn the AC on, then it subsides. Many places, including some dealers, have a process in which they inject a foaming cleaner into that box..cleaning and sanitizing it to help kill the smell. I don't know how long it'll last though. I've heard that turning the temperature to HOT for a minute before shutting off the truck helps dry any moisture and helps keep that mildew from forming and smelling up the truck again. It was 12* here just a day or so ago. AC is the last thing I'll be using...lol.

If you use your defroster your A/C will be on.

 

[Jsteen0213]

Thanks for all the feedback. I am going to try the filter and some of the other suggestions. Not too savvy when it comes to cars, but only one way to learn right?

 

[HudsonValleyTitan]

If you use your defroster your A/C will be on.

Not at these temps it won't. The AC compressor doesn't kick on under a certain ambient temperature. But even if it was warm enough outside, there's not much moisture to cause the problem in the winter months when the heat is used this much.
Maybe this will help explain it better as well as offer a few remedies:


http://autorepair.about.com/cs/heatingac/a/aa071601a.htm

 

[37L1]

Not at these temps it won't. The AC compressor doesn't kick on under a certain ambient temperature. But even if it was warm enough outside, there's not much moisture to cause the problem in the winter months when the heat is used this much.
Maybe this will help explain it better as well as offer a few remedies:


http://autorepair.about.com/cs/heatingac/a/aa071601a.htm

I believe you are wrong about this, the defroster activates your A/C, no matter the ambient temp. It was 11F here Thursday, defroster on with A/C, of course mine's a 2004 without individual temperature controls, since your's is the newest model, it may be different,

 

[Blackbeauty]

My '06 LE has the individual climate controls, and when I set the defrosters on manual, the A/C turns on. The defrosters apparently need the A/C compressor to run. When I select the A/C OFF control, the defrosters shut down.... So yes, there is definitely something different if yours does not act this way..... :dunno:

 

[HudsonValleyTitan]

I believe you are wrong about this, the defroster activates your A/C, no matter the ambient temp. It was 11F here Thursday, defroster on with A/C, of course mine's a 2004 without individual temperature controls, since your's is the newest model, it may be different,

I'll have to check it once it gets that cold again. Gonna be close to 60 this week! I remember reading in the owners manual about the compressor not coming on below certain temps. Not sure if it meant just using the AC or the defroster as well. But it still doesn't change what was said about moisture build up in the airbox. Get rid of the moisture, get rid of the smell...or at least find a product that helps prevent mold/mildew growth.

 

[mtofell]

You're wasting your time changing the filter in hopes of getting rid of any smell...

I've had the stinky A/C several times in the past. Just run the fan a lot and use as much heat as you can stand and it will go away quickly.

It's funny you mention the dealer wanting $300.... I called several for this exact same thing when I first got my truck. The difference in their advice was comical. I think I kicked it around here and eventually ended up just running the fan and it took care of it.

 

[Blackbeauty]

I seem to recall this has something to do with the recirc on the ventilation system. If you run the compressor and you have the setting on recirculate, you should turn that off to get some outside air before the end of your trip, which will allow enough time to remove any built up moisture in the vent ducts, thus minimizing the possibility of mildew.

 

[HudsonValleyTitan]

I seem to recall this has something to do with the recirc on the ventilation system. If you run the compressor and you have the setting on recirculate, you should turn that off to get some outside air before the end of your trip, which will allow enough time to remove any built up moisture in the vent ducts, thus minimizing the possibility of mildew.

It's amazing that in todays cars they can't get rid of that problem. I mean....they make it so the AC compressor stays on when the DEF is used and can't be turned off, yet they can't make an AC system that doesn't smell like asparagus!

 

[joeinstl]

I run an ozone generator in my titan every once in a while to knock out the funk (keep in mind I am not in the truck when I run it because it's dangerous to breathe in ozone). I turn the truck on, turn the fan to max, run my generator with the windows up for about 20 minutes.

 

[HudsonValleyTitan]

I run an ozone generator in my titan every once in a while to knock out the funk (keep in mind I am not in the truck when I run it because it's dangerous to breathe in ozone). I turn the truck on, turn the fan to max, run my generator with the windows up for about 20 minutes.

You run a what? Never heard of it. What is it, what's it do, and how do you use it?

 

[Blackbeauty]

:google: is your friend...

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=ozone+generator

I never heard of it before he mentioned it either... the small ones for $129 seem kinda puny, but $500 for one of these? :dunno:

 

[joeinstl]

You run a what? Never heard of it. What is it, what's it do, and how do you use it?

It creates Ozone (O3). When Ozone comes in contact with other particles such as bacteria/mold/smelly stuff, one of the Oxygen atoms separates from the Ozone and binds to the smelly particle and nuetralizes it. So what you have left is O2 (Oxygen).

I did not buy this specifically for my Titan, had it from a long time ago. It's usefull to knock out smoke damage smell, pet odor, mildew, cigarette smell etc.

A drunk girl puked Malibu and pineapple in my S2000 :crying: and the ozone generator was the only thing that could get the smell out.:gunz:

You know how it smells right before it rains? Kind of like a metallic smell? That's ozone being pushed down from the sky.

 

[Blackbeauty]

So, how big a unit would be recommended? I mean, if using it solely for a vehicle, the small one would probably more than suffice..... But if it's doing double duty in a house for say, basement mold/mildew smells, one of the $439 units?

 

[joeinstl]

So, how big a unit would be recommended? I mean, if using it solely for a vehicle, the small one would probably more than suffice..... But if it's doing double duty in a house for say, basement mold/mildew smells, one of the $439 units?

There are general guidelines depending on cubic footage. For a small application (like a truck) it doesn't take much. I have the Uvonair 1000, it's good for 1000 cubic feet (retails for a little over $200). Here's the link:

http://www.uvonair.com/uvonair.html