Model 3 AC Smell Update...

[iwannam3]

I

One of the biggest problems that Tesla's software has for this is that when the system is run on AUTO, it always will configure the A/C to use recirc with low fan speeds, as this is the maximum cooling for the least battery power. This is also what causes maximum condensation and maximum mildew.

Taking in humid outside air will have more condensation than recirc air that has had moisture removed from it by passing through the evaporator. the second time through the system there will even be less humidity in the recirc air while outside air is continuously bringing in humidity and moisture.

 

[android04]

As I stated in a earlier post, I would update on the matter.

So today I changed the 2 cabin filters and used Kool-It evaporator coil spray because after just 4 months I had that vinegar smell in the car when the AC started up. It did not matter whether the AC was on re-circ or not. So here are some observations, not in any particular order:

1. The Model 3 filters which I purchased (2 of them) from the service center look a little different. There is no more yellow on one side. I will post a picture, front and back of the new filters.
2. I viewed many YouTube videos how to do this and they were quite helpful, but none are up to date on the model year 2021. Tesla has hidden or moved the orange high voltage wires so you do not have to move them out of the way, they are just not there anymore. Second, the door screw is now at the bottom of the door, not the top, so it is easier to reach and unscrew with a Torx #20 screwdriver. I used the screwdriver most of the way and then the final turns by hand, did not want to drop the screw and not find it.
3. There is some discussion that the quantity of foam in the Kool-It can is not enough and you should buy 2 cans. I used one and was satisfied. So did it work and clean? I think so, my driveway had a pretty good size stream and puddle of water, but when the water started to dry I did notice some sludge or brown tint to the water so I think it did clean. The smell is gone and replace by a faint fragrance of the cleaner. The question will be if it lasts, can’t answer that now. I hope so.
4. I live in the NYC area and my car is garaged each night and always in the garage when not in use during the day, but the filters were just loaded with debris and dust balls. I should note my car is only 4 months old! So when I looked at these filters, they really needed to be changed.
5. The whole job took about 1 hr start to finish. If I had to do it again it would probably be about 40-45 minutes. I did let the spray cleaner sit on the coils and do their job for 30 minutes. Then I put the cabin filter door back and ran the fan on low speed for about 5 minutes. The car has been used a few times today since this project and there is no smell of vinegar. Also the filters that were removed did not smell so definitely it was on the evaporator coils. Opened the filter door and inserted the new filters, they dropped in easily and seem to be snug.
6. When I went to remove the panel below the glove box instead of 4 pin type fasteners, there were only 3 fasteners. Either they are only using 3 or one was missing. There is a hole for the 4th one so I will be taking a trip to the nearby service center and asking them for a pin fastener. When removing them I used a straight edge screw driver on a few and just my nails on one, they were easy to remove. When re-inserting, I pushed the outer piece in first and then the middle piece, it was easier to insert this way. When I lowered the glove box piece, I did not have to remove the 2 wires, just slid the panel to the side and had plenty of room. It is a little tricky lining this piece back up, so be patient but the front grooves do slide under the main piece. It only goes on one way.
7. Putting the side passenger panel back was also easy. Make sure that all the clips are on the panel, 2 of my clips remained and I just pulled them off and re-inserted on the panel. It took a little doing to line it all up, but once lined up it snapped easily into place.

That’s it. Will the smell go away? Time will tell.

The first picture is one side of the new filter, the second picture is the flip side, third picture is the original dirty filter removed and the last picture of dust and debris in the old filter. Both old filters were dirty and filled with dust balls.
View attachment 708271View attachment 708272View attachment 708273View attachment 708274

In regards to the orange HV cables, your car and all newer cars with the heatpump won't have them because they went to the PTC cabin heater. The heatpump gets rid of that component and the heatpump is under the hood. Good to know that Tesla has made some improvement in the process and materials.

 

[dduffey]

I have an update as well. Got into the Y yesterday and could smell the vinegar smell. Not sure why but this is the first summer where koolit and new filters didn't make it through the summer. We had more rain/humidity in Austin this year so that may be why.

We don't use cabin overheat protection, we garage park, our garage has A/C, the 3 used cheap Amazon filters, the Y used new redesigned Tesla OEM filters.

As temperatures are starting to cool will try the Amazon "HEPA" filters that have the plastic casing next. It's sad that every experiment basically takes a year to figure out if it works or not.

I wish Tesla would redesign and recall like Toyota did.

 

[Willy’sEV]

When I dropped the plastic piece below the glove box I removed 3 push-pin fasteners. Prior videos show 4 fasteners. Today I visited the service center near me and spoke to a service writer about it. He had no idea what I was talking about so I took him to a Model 3 in the showroom and he took a picture to show his techs. So after disappearing for a few minutes he came back and said they did not have the size I needed but he also looked with the tech on cars in service and told me they had 3 not 4 fasteners. I call BS to that given the hole for it and the showroom car had 4 of them. Does anyone have experience with this?

 

[Pied]

you can buy the push pins from Home Depot or Ace Hardware if you want to add a 4th back in

 

[GregD60]

When I dropped the plastic piece below the glove box I removed 3 push-pin fasteners. Prior videos show 4 fasteners. Today I visited the service center near me and spoke to a service writer about it. He had no idea what I was talking about so I took him to a Model 3 in the showroom and he took a picture to show his techs. So after disappearing for a few minutes he came back and said they did not have the size I needed but he also looked with the tech on cars in service and told me they had 3 not 4 fasteners. I call BS to that given the hole for it and the showroom car had 4 of them. Does anyone have experience with this?

My car was missing one as well. When I mentioned it to the service advisor when the car was in for an unrelated matter, they went ahead and installed the additional pushpin with no pushback.

 

[Willy’sEV]

you can buy the push pins from Home Depot or Ace Hardware if you want to add a 4th back in

I have looked around and did not see it.
Can you provide a link to Home Depot or Ace hardware?
thanks.

Edit: I just learned they are called “push in rivets”

 

[android04]

I have looked around and did not see it.
Can you provide a link to Home Depot or Ace hardware?
thanks.

Edit: I just learned they are called “push in rivets”

Get them from an auto parts store. They usually have a rack or bins with different kinds of push pins that you can match up with one of your own.

 

[Frank99]

Yeah, that’s a lot of crap in the filters for only four months.

good luck to you. The first two years I owned my Model 3, I replaced the filters three times and cleaned the coils twice. Car smelled good for a couple months, but then the smell came back. Haven’t had any issues in the last year, though; so either the Firmware fix of running the fan for 15 minutes after parking has kept the coils dry and kept the spooge from growing, or the spooge that’s growing this time doesn’t stink. Either way, I’m happy.

 

[Willy’sEV]

I would like to buy the plastic rivet clip that goes under the glove box.
As stated earlier, there are holes for 4 of them, my 2021 had only 3.
Does anyone know the Tesla part number or who have bought the right size plastic rivet clip?

 

[Flybyglass]

I would like to buy the plastic rivet clip that goes under the glove box.
As stated earlier, there are holes for 4 of them, my 2021 had only 3.
Does anyone know the Tesla part number or who have bought the right size plastic rivet clip?

This may be it. I have 4 but the diagram shows 3. The web site is Parts Catalog

10

SCREW,PF,5x19.5,STL,ZNNI

1118707-00-A

Over-the-Counter(No VIN)

45

10

 

[Willy’sEV]

Thanks Flybyglass, that is not it

 

[GregD60]

The only thing I'm seeing in the parts catalog that might be it is the following.

16 PUSH RIVET, 6-6.4 HOLEx2-6 GRIP,PA6/6 1099269-00-B

It shows a quantity of 6 for the car.

 

[Willy’sEV]

I don’t see how you order from the parts catalogue

 

[McMoo]

I paid to have this done by Tesla in February and the smell came back last month. Thankfully they did the cleaning and replaced the filters again as goodwill this time. Very annoying for a $50k car. Their suggestion was to not use recirculate, which is fine, but auto defaults to recirculate so it’s obnoxious.

 

[WhiteWi]

We had smell in our 3 after a year, I bought hepa filters on Amazon, 2 years later no smell. I am not sure if firmware or filters helped. Didn’t clean coils by the way.

 

[dduffey]

We had smell in our 3 after a year, I bought hepa filters on Amazon, 2 years later no smell. I am not sure if firmware or filters helped. Didn’t clean coils by the way.

Were they the filters with the plastic casing?

 

[WhiteWi]

Were they the filters with the plastic casing?

Since it was so long ago I am not 100% sure but I think it was foam.

 

[bluetrep1]

this is design issue. no way to fix it permanently. both of my 2012 and 2009 golf made same smell. my the 2019 golf never has such issue because VW fixed it in design.

 

[WhiteWi]

this is design issue. no way to fix it permanently. both of my 2012 and 2009 golf made same smell. my the 2019 golf never has such issue because VW fixed it in design.

And you created account just to tell us that. Wow Thank you so much.