_RS_

Bacteria build up around the condenser, all cars I've had do this, use Ozium anti bacterial spray into the cabin air intake with the AC on (Lysol was another suggestion above). If you leave your AC on all the time the condenser is too cold for you to smell the funk, it's when you use it, or don't use it occasionally that you can smell it.

Philip Goughary

_RS_

Under the hood up near the wipers, haven't been under there for a while so that's a little vague but when you spray you see where it goes

Philip Goughary

After replacing the cabin filter, spraying a lot of Lysol into the cabin intake, and checking the condensation drip lines (which are draining properly), the smell has slowly gone away. Over the weekend while it was very hot here in Houston (90s), the outside ambient thermometer sat stuck at 80 degrees and the air conditioning wouldn't function properly in response. That lasted a day and a half and then magically corrected itself just in time for me to bring the car into the dealership to have them look it over.

Of course the dealership was unable to recreate the problems, so back the car comes. When the issue pops back up, as I'm sure it will, I'll get it on video and make them start ripping panels and wires out. For now, I understand their hesitation and I'll take the car back.

I'll keep y'all posted. Thank you again for the suggestions.

Philip Goughary

The gremlin returned and the car is back at the dealership. The A/C smell did start to come back but only after the car has been sitting for a long time (overnight, for example) and not nearly as strongly. The ambient temperature sensor, however, is acting up again. While the exterior temp is in the high 90s / low 100s here in Houston, the ambient exterior temp will read 75 or 81 for the first 20 minutes of a given drive, then jump to 91 for another twenty minutes or so, then start to read normally.

I'll let you know what the techs find.

Philip Goughary

Just spoke with my service advisor. The ambient temperature sensor is being replaced under warrantee and there is an open campaign related to the issue.

clorigo

Same symptoms in your thread above applied to me with the 2015 Macan Turbo, tried lysol to no resolve, finally the AC stopped working. I took it to the dealer today to receive my $3500 estimate to replace the evaporator. Ugh..

Class5Kayaker

Moldy evaporator. Had this issue with my BMW....recently thought had it with my 911, but a cabin filter change solved the issue for the 911.

Anyway, I used this for the BMW and it worked as advertised. You shoot the foamy cleaner through a tube deep down through the vents so it reaches the evaporator and then the foam kills the mold. Some folks do it annually as maintenance, I haven't needed to do it again on the Bimmer since I last did it two years ago.

Here's the product: https://1z-usa.com/klima-cleaner-pro...l-application/

Here's a YouTube video (one of many) of someone using it:

Philip Goughary

Thank you for the replies! I'm going to try Klima this winter and see if that helps.

PSEE

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned performing the following when using the AC - a few miles before you get to your
destination (and have the AC running - assuming you're using the recirculation feature), turn the AC off and allow it to
run just in recirculation mode. This allows the evaporator/condenser/whatever a chance to thaw the ice built up on it
during the AC operation. The unit has a chance of drying out!

The mold grows/builds up when the system is shut off and the unit is covered with ice. It sits there for hours thawing
and stays wet for even longer. This provides an ideal habitat for things - like mold - to grow. Hence the stink!


I thought everybody knew about this... ? I learned about the procedure years ago when driving old BMWs

Philip Goughary

Fair point but not applicable to our specific driving habits. Though our Macan is daily driven, it travels very few daily miles in a very hot and wet climate. For reference, we took delivery of the car three years and six months ago and have less than 15,000 miles on the odometer.

Phil T

Changing the sensor didn't help......Phil

Phil T

See post #15.......I think all BMW drivers are aware of this ...........Phil

KOTYKB

I live in Scottsdale AZ and upon starting up my Macan, it has a musty smell that goes away after a minute or two. Is anyone else having this issue and if so, what was the corrective action?

wwahl

You might want to go over to the https://www.macanforum.com/ and use the search at the top of the page. This has been discussed at length.