On a recent trip home I had to use the dash defrost to remove some minor condensation from the windshield. Not the type of moisture that happens when there is a buildup in the coach, just your typical cool weather windshield variety. Anyway, when we turned it on there was an immediate musty smell from the vents. This happened periodically throughout the day. Our new coach only has 7k miles on it and we've had it less than a year but I guess somehow some moisture got down in the vents. Is there a cabin filter or anything I can check/replace? Is there anyway to remedy this?

Plugged drain tube is my first guess. That seems to be the vast majority of the cases anyhow.

Mine does that if it sits for awhile. I was told to turn off a/c a few blocks from home to let moisture escape. (don't know if this really works but...) I then used a product called FrigeFresh made by BG. I got mine at the Toyota parts counter. Sprayed that thru the outside intake with the unit running and the smell has not returned.

A lot of people keep the AC on until they are at home or at there intended destination. This practice will lead to moisture being trapped in the vents. A safer practice is turning the AC off about one or two miles from stopping. This allows the system to dry out, thus cutting down on trapped moisture in the vents. Leave the fan on high, but cut off the AC.

I've never used my dash air. I only used the heat and defrost to get rid of some moisture or to warm up my feet.

The "dash air" is a system, a single unit with both heat and cool capabilities.Defrost does run the A/C compressor to dry the air.You should use the system more, more is always better.Find and ensure the drain is clear. Easiest way to find it would be to run the dash A/C until the water starts dripping out.As was stated they do have various chemicals you can squirt into the intake to kill and mold or other smeely stuff that might collect in the system.

Musty smell from dash vents | Good Sam Community

Effy
Explorer II
Apr 21, 2014
bob213 wrote:
Mine does that if it sits for awhile. I was told to turn off a/c a few blocks from home to let moisture escape. (don't know if this really works but...) I then used a product called FrigeFresh made by BG. I got mine at the Toyota parts counter. Sprayed that thru the outside intake with the unit running and the smell has not returned.

Where is the outside intake? Same as the air cleaner for the engine? Sorry if it's a dumb question, I have had vehicles with a cabin air filter.
OhhWell
Explorer
Apr 21, 2014
Effy wrote:
I've never used my dash air. I only used the heat and defrost to get rid of some moisture or to warm up my feet.

The front defroster runs the AC to dry the air out regardless of the temperature selection. There were some passenger vehicles that cycled the AC compressor no matter what mode or temperature the climate control was set to. My wife's old Taurus wagon was like that. I guess the idea was to always dry the air out. To my knowledge, that was a short lived practice.
JimM68
Explorer
Apr 21, 2014
The "dash air" is a system, a single unit with both heat and cool capabilities.
Defrost does run the A/C compressor to dry the air.

You should use the system more, more is always better.
Find and ensure the drain is clear. Easiest way to find it would be to run the dash A/C until the water starts dripping out.

As was stated they do have various chemicals you can squirt into the intake to kill and mold or other smeely stuff that might collect in the system.
Effy
Explorer II
Apr 21, 2014
I've never used my dash air. I only used the heat and defrost to get rid of some moisture or to warm up my feet.
mpfireman
Explorer
Apr 21, 2014
A lot of people keep the AC on until they are at home or at there intended destination. This practice will lead to moisture being trapped in the vents. A safer practice is turning the AC off about one or two miles from stopping. This allows the system to dry out, thus cutting down on trapped moisture in the vents. Leave the fan on high, but cut off the AC.
bob213
Explorer
Apr 21, 2014
Mine does that if it sits for awhile. I was told to turn off a/c a few blocks from home to let moisture escape. (don't know if this really works but...) I then used a product called FrigeFresh made by BG. I got mine at the Toyota parts counter. Sprayed that thru the outside intake with the unit running and the smell has not returned.
donn0128
Explorer II
Apr 21, 2014
Plugged drain tube is my first guess. That seems to be the vast majority of the cases anyhow.

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Musty smell from dash vents

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