I'm beginning to experience the air conditioning stink smell upon the first minute of operation. It's getting pretty funky. It does clear up after a minute or so, but during the first minute its hold-your-nose time.

Has Chevy developed a permanent solution to this yet?

 

One more excuse to get that SS!!

 

Try changing the cabin filter under the glove box. About $16.00 and 10 minutes time.

 

Get some AC cleaning foam, squirt the bottle up your evaporator drain hose, let sit for a little while so it will drain back out. Then, run some Fabreez or something similar through your fresh air vents under your windshield.

 

I always shut my A/C off a couple miles from where it won't be running for awhile (home or work) that way the water can dry out and not get that mildew stench.

 

I read on a website that this happens because the coils and fins are smaller and closer together than they used to be. The solution the writer said to use was to turn off the a/c, and let the fan run for about 5 minutes before arriving and shutting the car off.

My friend's Lexus SUV does not have this problem. Considering the cleanliness of the dealership I bought my HHR from, I would think GM would do what is needed to fix this design flaw.

Superior Chevrolet of Decatur, GA is cleaner than my house.

 

You should be able to go by your Chevy dealer and get them to use some A/C deodorizer product that is offered by BG or the GM product. You basically tap a hole into the heater core or evaporator core and this stuff eats up the mildew that forms between the core fins and the case and then is drained out. The hole is then capped and can be reused at a later date. If you use recirculate alot this can accelerate the formation of mildew in the A/C system which leads to the smell.

Hope this helps you.

 

It has nothing to do with dealers or brands. There is also no defect.

Mildew is the problem ans it happens to all makes, models and brands but just not in all vehicles. It has more to do with conditions the car is subjected.

Yes, even some Lexus have this same problem.

 

I had a similar problem and there is a TSB about HVAC odour. The third time I brought in the car for this problem I gave them the TSB and had them do that work and it has really helped remedy the problem. The solution is to have an after blow module installed. My understanding is that this will run the fan on high setting for a short time after you have used the A/C and shut down the vehicle and left.

I think if you look up the "what that odour 2" thread you should find the TSB and some more posts about the smell.

I was told by the service manager that I should turn off the A/C a few minutes before I get out of the car but I told him that wasn't a good enough solution and had them put in the module. They seemed reluctant but did the work.

I know if works because I was sitting in the vehicle one time after getting home from a trip to the store and I was organizing some things and the fan came on at high setting. It surprised me at first but I was happy to see the after-blow working.