Evaporator coils help enhance the performance of air-conditioners and heat pumps. They are found in any type of automobile. Through use, they can become worn and smelly, causing a car to smell bad. One way to improve the smell is to clean the evaporator coil.
Remove the glove compartment to access the evaporator coils. Locate all the screws holding the glove compartment in place and unscrew them.
Reach under the center storage compartment and push up on it. Pull it out to remove the console. Unscrew the shift knob and the shift boot. Disconnect the switches and remove the shifter trim piece along with the ash tray holder.
Reach underneath the control panel in the front center of the car and push up to remove it. Look to see that the evaporator coil is clearly visible and is showing enough to be cleaned.
Spray the evaporator coil thoroughly with evaporator coil cleaner. Begin on one side of the coil and work throughout the whole piece. Spray a heavy dose to remove the odor. Wait five minutes for the cleaner to settle and turn on the air-conditioning.
Run the air-conditioning to for a few minutes and repeat the process two more times to eliminate as much of the smell as possible. Turn off the air-conditioner once the last round of cleaner has dried.
Reattach the pieces that were removed, beginning with the control panel and working backwards until all of the pieces have been put back in the proper places. Turn on the air-conditioning and run it a few minutes to make sure the smell is still gone.
