Does your car have a musty smell? Here's how to fix it

If the air coming out of your vehicle’s ventilation system has a musty smell like old hockey equipment or a damp basement, the reason why is likely a build-up of mould or bacteria.

“What you’re probably smelling is the condensation that comes from the evaporator inside your heating and cooling system,” Mike Monticello with Consumer Reports explains. “Basically water collects in that area and if it sits long enough, creates that musty smell.”

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Most of the water is meant to exit your car through the evaporator drain under the vehicle, which is why you may have noticed a small puddle of water under your car in the past.

However, sometimes that water collects in the evaporator, and if it sits in there for a while, bacteria and mould can form.

The good news, according to Consumer Reports, is that the solution likely won’t require a trip to the mechanic, it's an easy fix you can do yourself.

First, turn the fan to the low setting and open up the vehicle’s windows and get a disinfectant like Lysol or an air conditioning disinfectant from an auto parts store and spray it into the climate system's air intake, also known as the plenum.

“The plenum can be found at the base of your windshield where your wipers are located. That’s where the air comes from that goes into your heating and cooling system,” Monticello said.

With the engine on and interior fan running, spray plenty of cleaner on both sides of the plenum intake vent and the fan will pull it into the system, where it will kill the bacteria and help get rid of that musty odor.

Keep the windows open to help air out the car and if you have a cabin air filter, remove that before you spray the disinfectant to help it move through the system.

It might be a good time to change the air filter as well because a dirty filter can prevent optimal airflow and changing it yourself can save you time and money.

Another source of smells, according to Consumer Reports, could be your sunroof. There are small drainage holes on the sides that can get plugged and if they're clogged up water can seep into the roof's liner or even drip onto your seats.