Are high gas prices making your car sick?
While "sick car syndrome" has been known about for quite some time now, the recent rise in gas prices may be causing a resurgence of sorts to the odd but mostly preventable issue. The cause of the problem is the air conditioning of your automobile, which features an evaporator which can be a haven for fungi, mold and mildew. If the AC unit is not switched on regularly, a buildup of the unwanted guests can be blown out the interior vents of your vehicle, which can then cause all manner of illnesses to the vehicle's occupants. An odd odor which only shows up when the AC is first turned on could be a sign that your car According to India Automotive, motorists are using their air conditioners less and less in order to curb fuel consumption. Regular usage of the AC, at least once a week, can prevent the problem. If the situation has already developed, the AC system can reportedly be cleaned by professionals.
[Source: India Automotive]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ping 6:44PM (5/22/2008)
I recently had this problem in my car, whenever I turned on the air, it smelled like a dog had taken a dump in my car.
fixed it in about five hours, after removing a bunch of panels, including my glove box, and spraying the a/c with lysol.
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pelliot 10:51PM (5/23/2008)
Reminds me of a customer who brought in a Ferrari 308GTB complaining of a foul smell inside. What we found was not fungi, but a large nest of dead mice in the evaporator box. Ewww!!
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Rick 2:16PM (5/23/2008)
I had a Jetta 2001 and I tested a full tank with A/C on full blast constnatly. Then I did a full tank without the A/C on at all and I got the same exact numbers. For me, I don't believe that the A/C uses more gas, or it's not an issue with all cars.
Most people also don't know they have filters to change for the cars interior.
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retro77 4:49PM (5/23/2008)
From what I have heard is that modern AC units are efficient enough to not make a difference in fuel consumption.
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