<FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><FONT size=4>My '03 Durango R/T has some pretty smelly</FONT> <FONT size=4>rancid musty A/C for the first 20 minutes after start up.</FONT></FONT></P>


<FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><FONT size=4>Dealer says its condensation and there is nothing you can do about it.</FONT></FONT></P>


<FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><FONT size=4>Does anyone know if there is a way to get rid of it or fix it so that its like all the other cars out there thatDONT smell?</FONT></FONT></P>

 

This doesn't help you now, but my '02 Dakotahad an odor in the A/C for awhile. It did go away and we don't have it now.</P>


My 2003 RAM doesn't have the odor that the Dakota had. It may go away after a few miles.. I can't remember how long it took the Dakota to smell better.</P>


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That smell is usually due to bacteria build up in the coil. Check your local auto parts store for a a/c coil odor spray that you spray through the cowl vent while it is running.</P>

 

I concur with the bacteria build up idea. All odors, as far as I know, are biological in nature... meaning something is or was alive. I have found using an deodorizing machine that produces ozone, similar to what Hotels use when someone smokes in a non-smoking room, really helps to oxidize living matter and destroy smells.

 

The ozone idea is great for the interior of the vehicle but, it will have a hard time getting up into the coil from inside the vehicle. Don't waste your money on one of those cig lighter ozone generator, they are garbage. The only ones I have ever seen or used that work are usually find at high end detail shops and to purchase one would cost you about $1900 and are kind of dangerous considering the amount of ozone they are capable of producing. If you did not know ozone is created in these machines by passing a very powerful arc of electricity through compressed air. Pure ozone is a very strong disenfectant and has quite an unpleasant smell. Nothing like smell most people associate with rain in the air. If you can not find the spray in your area try contacting this company in Tampa, Fl. Their name is MR. PREP INC. and they have a website. I belive it is www.mpiinc.com</P>


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Ozone greatly reduces the life of plastic and rubber parts<IMG src=smileys/smiley3.gif border="0"></P>


Before using such a costly and dangerous (ozone)procedure try what has worked for us Neon owners for years. </P>


Turn the A/C on full/ recirculate and hit the blower motor intake with Lysol. Yes, she probably has a can under the sink or in the bathroom<IMG src=smileys/smiley2.gif border="0"></P>


Open all the windows when you stick the can up there (no use killing brain cells without getting a cool hang over <IMG src=smileys/smiley2.gif border="0">)</P>


Check your drain to make sure it's free of blockages. Smell should stay away if you follow a couple tried and true rules.</P>


1)Turn A/C off and run fan only a couple minutes before shutting down vehicle. Helps to dry off coils.</P>


2)Don't park on incline that holds moisture in the evaporator (noise higher than tail on Neons I've never looked at the Dak system but Rams are the same).</P>


3) Keep the blower assy free from reciepts, cigarette wrappers (and cigarette smoke would be cool too), and dust/ grime. Compressed air to blow out the system once a year can't hurt. Just be mindfull of how much pressre your source has!</P></FONT>