Anybody have a strange smell from ac now and then?

[edwx]

On occasion, maybe once or twice a day, I get an odd smell from the a/c. Strangely, it's not that unpleasant, but definitely noticable. Maybe slightly sweet....anybody else have this?

 

[94Eddie]

Usually a sweet smell indicates a heater core leak and what you might be smelling is coolant. I have had a few heater core leaks over the years. Most times it will cause some condensation to form on the inside of the windshield when the defrost setting is used on cooler mornings. This condensation will be hard to wipe off the glass. Typically, the symptoms I mentioned are more noticeable after the car sits for a while and then is restarted. This is due to coolant leaking while the engine is off with the cooling system pressurized and then the leaked coolant is being evaporated once it is restarted.

 

[edwx]

That might be it. I added 2 quarts to the coolant tank today, and it really shouldn't be low. Only 7k miles on this 2020.

 

[94Eddie]

That might be it. I added 2 quarts to the coolant tank today, and it really shouldn't be low. Only 7k miles on this 2020.

If you are also loosing coolant and can't pinpoint where it is leaking, then this also supports a leaking heater core.

 

[RickyG]

That might be it. I added 2 quarts to the coolant tank today, and it really shouldn't be low. Only 7k miles on this 2020.

If you’ve added 2 quarts to the coolant tank your passenger floorboard should be soaking wet if it has leaked those 2 quarts

 

[RickyG]

That might be it. I added 2 quarts to the coolant tank today, and it really shouldn't be low. Only 7k miles on this 2020.

Was your coolant tank completely empty? Your coolant tank only holds 1.5 L which equals 1.58 quarts and you stated you put 2 quarts

 

[edwx]

Sorry, 1quart, duh. Tank was below min, and a quart brought it to max. Thanks.