2004-2017 Toyota Models HVAC Air Conditioning Odor Maintenance

MG

Moderator
SUPERSESSION NOTICE:
The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin No. T-SB-0142-13. Applicability has been updated to exclude 2016 – 2017 model year Prius vehicles. Service Bulletin No. T-SB-0142-13 is obsolete and any printed versions should be discarded.

Some 2004 – 2017 model year Toyota vehicles may exhibit odors naturally occurring from the HVAC system and/or related environmental factors. Although there is no way to eliminate these odors, follow the General Procedure in this bulletin to minimize the odors experienced.

General Procedure:
When diagnosing HVAC odors, it is important to remember the following possible causes:

*During use, various odors from inside and outside the vehicle may enter into and accumulate in the air conditioning system. These odors may then be emitted from the vents.

*Odors coming from the outside air and interior can accumulate on the evaporator. As the evaporator core changes temperature, some of these odors may be released resulting in an unpleasant smell from the HVAC vents.

*Interior odors from sources such as air fresheners, animals, dirt, or trash can also accumulate within the HVAC system and contribute to unpleasant odors.

*Odors emitted from the A/C system are a normal characteristic of automotive A/C systems.

NOTE: The procedure in this bulletin will NOT eliminate the odors described but is provided to help reduce intensity of the odors.

1. Confirm the condition exists. Does the vehicle exhibit odors that naturally occur from the HVAC system and/or related environmental factors?

2. Advise the customer to set the HVAC system to the outside (fresh) air mode when parking the vehicle to assist in the reduction of odors that could be trapped in the HVAC system.

3. Replace the HVAC filter on an annual basis or every 10,000 miles with a charcoal-impregnated filter (refer to the Parts Information section for the correct part).

4. If the odor condition persists, conduct an A/C evaporator cleaning service using a Toyota genuine A/C refresher kit (or equivalent) on an annual or bi-annual basis, depending on the climate conditions and customer preference.

NOTE: If the A/C evaporator cleaning service is NOT performed before installation of the high-performance filter, the filter may take several days to produce noticeable A/C odor improvement.

 
Top