stale/musty odor from vents

[PJ-1]

First ten minutes or so after starting engine, a stale/musty odor is coming from vents in the dash. A/C blows extremely cold and smell tends to go away.
I checked the exterior vent panel (by the wipers) and there is no debris blocking any airflow.
Is there some other vent are I could check for leaves or something else that may be blocking air or holding some old, wet, mildewing debris?

PJ

 

[Maniak]

We had a similar problem on our '95 neon. When you first turned things on, the a/c smelled (even if I didn't turn on the compressor, just the outside air).

what fixed it for us was 1 can of lysol. Turn on the a/c (I did it on low and high) and spray the lysol into the outside vents (where the air comes in from the outside for the a/c). I used 1/2 can with the a/c on low, and 1/2 can with teh a/c on high. The car had a lysol smell for 2 days, and now there is no smell..

BTW.. when your doing this.. make sure you have all the windows/doors open or you may end up with a strong lysol smell for a few days.

~Mark

 

[PJ-1]

Thanks Mark.
All I need now is to find the vent opening you mention on my '99 Eddie Bauer. Any ideas??

PJ

 

[Maniak]

If it is like my '92 X is its the vented area at the base of the winshield (the vented cowl area between the hood and the winshield)..
I don't know which side has the intake (drivers or passenger side). You may be able to hear which side it is on by turning on the blower when the truck isn't running.

~Mark