Visitor Alisha presented this problem about a Pontiac G6 with possible mildew problems:
I have a 2009 Pontiac G6. I have had the car for 6 months. I bought it off the lot with 8,000 miles on it. It now has 14,000. Over the last month I have brought the car in 4 times b/c there is a mildew smell coming out of the ac vents. The dealership has taken the car in and done everything GM has told them to do and the problem still is not fixed. They said the a/c is running so cold that it sweats and the water pools up on the evaporator core and just sits there and doesn’t evaporate.
What can I do. PS I think the mildew smell might be making me sick. Funny, since I bought the car in October I have been sick almost every single month there after. What are my rights/options at this point? Obviously the car is still under bumper to bumper factory warranty.
There is a drain that comes through the firewall, it is a black rubber pipe which is pinched on the end to prevent air getting in but allows water out, make sure it isn’t blocked. It should be checked during a service. You can find it by getting under the car with the air conditioner on, water will drip from it after system is run for a little while on warm days.
Frigi-Fresh professional grade is formulated to help remove foul, musty odors from automobile air conditioning systems. It kills mold, mildew and other odor-producing organisms that grow in the evaporator core and housing. The problem for the dealer is getting to it. The heater will not heat the air conditioner coils as it is down stream in the system in all cars I know of, but running the fan with warm air from outside or the cabin will dry the coils some. It is a good idea to turn off the air conditioner, leaving the fan on and recirculating for a few minutes before you reach your destination to allow it to dry out but again not a long lasting remedy.
If odor continues the a/c evaporator core in the dash would need to be replaced. All are considering there is no other water leaking or collecting in the carpets in the vehicle interior from other sources like a leaky sunroof.
A consumer in this situation definitely has legal rights and should contact a Lemon Law Attorney as soon as possible. For a list of Lemon Law Attorneys, click here. For a summary of the Lemon Laws for each state, please click here.
