What the smell tells you
- Musty or sour: moisture and mold on the evaporator, or a clogged cabin filter
- Sweet, like syrup: coolant leaking from the heater core
- Burning plastic or rubber: an electrical fault or a slipping belt
- Exhaust smell inside: an exhaust leak, which needs attention right away
Fixing a musty smell
Replace the cabin air filter, have the evaporator cleaned, and make sure the drain line under the car is not blocked. A sweet or burning smell is a repair, not a cleaning: have it checked.
Need This Fixed?
YBE handles this at the Capitol Heights shop, seven days a week. Read about Auto Air Conditioning Repair, or call and describe what your car is doing.
Further Reading
Background on the parts and systems described above.