How to Fix Your Car’s Musty Air Conditioning Smell

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Now that summer is in full swing around the country; you may have gone to cut on your Ford Bronco’s (whoever has one of those) AC for the first time since last summer, and instead of feeling a manufactured cool breeze on your face, you were met with a locker room-esq stink that nearly burned off your eyebrows. What is this smelly AC problem, and how do you fix the musty air conditioning smell? 

Ait conditioning knob Michal Fludra/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Why does my air conditioner smell bad? 

This has to be one of the more upsetting car problems. What really makes this problem so brutal is that the air conditioner will typically keep working just fine, but driving is tough to do when your eyes are watering from the foot stink blowing in your face. What could possibly make this musty air conditioning smell? 

“What you’re probably smelling is the condensation that comes from the evaporator inside your heating and cooling system,” says Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports’ senior director of auto testing. “Basically, water collects in that area and, if it sits long enough, creates the musty smell.” 

Luckily, this air conditioner smell is easy to fix

1950s 1960s MAN 3/4 PROFILE HAND HOLDING NOSE CLOSED HAND OUT TOWARD CAMERA FACIAL EXPRESSION DISGUST STINKING
Stank face | H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty Images

Like a sweaty glass of cold water on a hot day, your car’s air conditioner makes condensation, and that liquid has to go somewhere. If it has nowhere to go, it gets funky and turns ugly fast. Air conditioners have a drain that allows this condensation to drip below the car. If you pay attention in the summer, you’ll likely see water puddles underneath your car after running the AC for a while. 

Although it’s meant to all escape via this drain, a little water can sometimes collect in the evaporator and get stuck there. This water begins to grow mold and bacteria, and then your air conditioner smells like a high school locker room. Aside from the horrible stink, this is also not the healthiest air to breathe. If this smell starts, it’s important to get it taken care of quickly. 

How do you fix a car’s smelly air conditioner? 

Consumer Reports suggests that you roll your windows down and cut on the interior fan (not AC) on low. You’ll also need some disinfectant spray like Lysol or another AC disinfectant and spray it into the plenum. 

The plenum is a box connected to your car’s HVAC system. The intake is usually found near the base of your windshield, where the wipers are located. You’ll see two small vents there, and that is where the plenum is and where your AC sucks air to cool and pump into the cabin. Spray your disinfectant into these vents liberally. The fan will then suck the spray through the system, killing the stinky bacteria. 

If you have a cabin air filter, this would be a good time to check if that needs cleaning or replacing. The cabin air filter is typically located behind the glove box. Either way, take the filter out before spraying to allow the spray to more easily move through the system. The better the flow of disinfectant, the more of the musty air conditioning smell it’ll kill. 

Once you have successfully fixed your car’s musty air conditioner smell, remember to run just your fan from time to time, especially once the weather cools down, to dry that excess condensation, keeping the smelly bacteria at bay. 

RELATED: My Car Smells Like Rotten Eggs: Why It Smells and What to Do

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Will the 2022 Ford Maverick Outshine the Chevy Montana?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Ford Maverick has critics buzzing around with every spec that is released. The size, price, and design are all making waves in the truck world. However, Chevy has raised a hand to get into the game with a truck under the GM brand. What is the Chevy Montana, and will it be able to steal the thunder of the 2022 Ford Maverick?

The 2022 Ford Maverick started the trend

Will the 2022 Ford Maverick Outshine the Chevy Montana? | Ford

The 2022 Ford Maverick has created quite a buzz since it popped onto the truck scene, primarily for its compact size. The Maverick is barely bigger than a Ford Mustang! According to the 2021 Ford Mustang specs, the Mustang EcoBoost, 2.3-Liter High-Performance Package, Mustang GT, and Mach 1 are all 188.5 inches long. The 2021 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is 189.5 inches long. The 2022 Ford Maverick is 199.7 inches long. That’s just about 11 inches bigger than the Mustang – a surprising fact given this is a pickup truck versus a car.

But that’s the point. The Maverick is for drivers who want the capability of a truck without the size of a truck. It seems that the Maverick has started a trend. Or has it?

The Chevy Montana and the Global Emerging Market

The Chevy Montana is a pretty big deal in Brazil, where the small pickup is transforming. It is currently a unibody truck with two doors and looks like many other Chevy vehicles from the front. However, Chevy has announced that the third-generation Montana is growing a bit.

In 2019, Reuters reported that GM was centralizing manufacturing to lower the cost of vehicles in specific markets. This project, titled GEM, stood for Global Emerging Market. Due to GEM, cars like the Chevy Montana are made where the vehicles are sold, i.e., Latin America.

Another facet of GEM is the philosophy that fewer parts on these vehicles translate to a lower cost. The brand pulled out of some markets that didn’t make sense, profit, or design-wise. GM wanted to create a vehicle that had a lower cost but did not lack safety features or look like a “lower-cost” car.

GEM project chief engineer Doug Houlihan commented to Reuters that GM gave the green light for spending more on machines and specific aspects of the vehicles. “This gives the customer more than they would expect,” Houlihan noted.

For now, the Maverick will remain king of the compact trucks

However, that doesn’t make the Chevy Montana affordable once it arrives here. According to The Drive, The United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA) specifically exempts light-duty trucks from a 1964 import tariff on such trucks. This means the Maverick, which is made in Mexico, is exempt from the 25% tax. However, since the Montana is made in Brazil, that exemption does not apply.

After taxes, travel, fees, and an expedited passport for the Montana (just kidding), the cheap truck wouldn’t be cheap any longer. So while the Chevy Montana might be Brazil’s answer to the compact truck trend, it likely won’t be stateside anytime soon. If Chevy decided to make the Montana in Mexico, that would change things. But until then, the Maverick will have to battle it out with the Hyundai Santa Cruz instead. The 2022 Ford Maverick will shine on, despite the GEM project and the 2022 Chevy Montana.

RELATED: 2022 Ford Maverick vs. Hyundai Santa Cruz: Spec Battle

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4 Best Gasoline Backpack Leaf Blowers According to Consumer Reports

by Gabrielle DeSantis

When it comes to lawn maintenance, we often think of riding mowers or lawn tractors, but there’s more you can do for your lawn than just that. Leaf blowers offer a way to clean up your yard by removing leaves and other debris after you’re done cutting the grass. 

There are quite a few types of leaf blowers to choose from, including gasoline, battery, and electric models and handheld and backpack styles, Consumer Reports shows. So we’ve narrowed down the choices to gasoline backpacks because they’re easier to carry for larger jobs, and you don’t have to deal with batteries or a cord.

Husqvarna 350BT backpack leaf blower

A man uses a gas-powered backpack leaf blower to clean up a yard in Santa Fe, New Mexico | Robert Alexander/Getty Images

Husqvarna is a popular brand for lawn care, including its line of lawnmowers. With a score of 84 out of 100, the Husqvarna 350BT excels at sweeping and loosening, which means it can move a pile of leaves quickly or get stubborn leaf particles loosened up from the lawn and moved in a short amount of time. 

CR’s testers say this model is easy to handle and control, and it doesn’t make enough noise to bother your neighbors. However, it’s loud enough that you would need ear protection while operating it. Another great perk: When trying to get a larger area of debris, you can set the speed to a fixed position to avoid having to press the switch constantly. 

The price for the Husqvarna 350BT with a 50.2-cc motor ranges from $329 to $412, depending upon where you purchase it at. It can cost more, so be sure to shop around to find the best price. 

Stihl BR-200 backpack leaf blower

This model follows behind the Husqvarna by only one point and rivals it pretty closely. The Stihl BR-200 gas-powered backpack leaf blower gets 5 out of 5 from Consumer Reports for sweeping, loosening, and ease of use. Its powerful 27.2-cc engine makes this model relatively loud, so you should wear ear protection while operating it. However, from a distance, it isn’t quite as noisy. 

The price for this Stihl leaf blower is about $280, slightly lower than the Husqvarna 350BT. Bonus: It also comes with a two-year warranty. 

Husqvarna 150BT backpack leaf blower

Multiple backpack leaf blowers in action in Fairfax Station, Virginia
Multiple backpack leaf blowers in action in Fairfax Station, Virginia | Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

This Husqvarna leaf blower scored 82 out of 100 from Consumer Reports. It packs a 50-cc motor, providing enough oomph to move leaves fast, including stubborn ones. And weighing only 22.6 pounds, it’s easy to handle and simple to use. 

Like the other models CR reviewed, the Husqvarna 150BT is also noisy up close, but it’s not too bad the further you get from it. As for price, expect to pay around $300 for it, depending on where you shop. 

Stihl BR 350

The most powerful gasoline backpack leaf blower on the list is the Stihl BR 350, boasting a 63.3-cc motor. Like the previous models, it moves leaves quickly and efficiently. And at only 22 pounds, this model is easy to haul around your yard. 

The Stihl BR 350 leaf blower costs around $350, one of the more expensive models on the list. However, if you shop around, you might be able to find a lower price. 

One final note: The above four gasoline backpack leaf blowers are two-cycle motors, which means you have to provide the right amount of oil/gas mix to run them. If you follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, you can find a top-notch one in any of these four that Consumer Reports recommends. 

RELATED: Riding Lawn Mower Safety Rules You Should Never Break

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4 Steps You Should Take to Escape a Sinking or Submerged Car

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Some drivers throw car safety out the window and take risks at some of the most dangerous times, like driving through flooded streets. Though certain modifications can help off-road vehicles navigate a few feet of water, there’s nothing that can save a car from a lake, pond, or canal once it is sinking or submerged. 

It’s one of the most horrific events you could ever experience. Unless you drive a sQuba vehicle that can drive underwater, you’ll need to figure out how to save yourself from a sinking or submerged car. How often does it really occur, though, and what you can do about it if you find yourself in that situation? 

When learning about car safety, should you know how to escape a sinking or submerged car?

Are sinking cars as common as they are on TV, like in this episode of ‘CSI’? | Robert Voets/CBS Photo Archive via Getty Images

Some people fear bodies of water as they drive past them. It’s not uncommon for some drivers to be petrified that they will suddenly lose control of their car and veer off into a lake, pond, or canal. But how often does this really happen?

According to Murray Guari, this is one of the deadliest types of accidents. However, it accounts for only about 11 percent of all drownings, which is relatively rare. Florida leads the nation in deaths when it comes to vehicle submersions thanks to its abundant bodies of water.

Even though your chances of getting into this situation are relatively low, it’s still important to have a plan for what to do in case it should happen to you one day. Experts say you have only about two minutes before the car fills with water, so what you do counts in those few minutes. 

The 4-step process to escape from a sinking car

If you find yourself in a situation where your car is sinking, remember the following steps.

The first step is to unbuckle your seatbelt. You need to free yourself to get out of the vehicle. In some cases, you might have to cut it. The point is, get out of the seat belt no matter what you have to do, ABC News reports.  

The second step is to roll the window down so that you can get yourself or others out of the vehicle. If children are in the back, it would be best to break the window back there because it’s closest to them. You might have time before the car submerges to roll the window down if you have power windows. If not, have something handy, within your reach, to break the window if you need to.

The third step is to take care of any small children. You would have to get to the back seat, unbuckle them, and get them out of their car seats. Cut the belts if you need to. It’s more important to get them and yourself out as safely as possible.

The fourth and final step is to leave through the open window you rolled down or broke for escape. 

Other safety tips to prepare yourself for a submerged car

It’s recommended that you don’t call for help if you land in water and your vehicle is sinking, Reader’s Digest reports. Get out of the car first, get to a safe area, and then call for help. It will take first responders some time to arrive, so don’t waste precious time that could be spent escaping the vehicle and saving you and others’ lives. 

If the car sinks quickly and the water is pressing against the door, you won’t be able to open it quite yet, nor will the window break. When the air inside the vehicle equalizes with the air outside the car, the door will open. If the door doesn’t open, break the window. Try as hard as you can not to panic because you need your wits about you to get through each step. 

Leave personal items behind. Focus all your time and effort on getting out of the vehicle. Stopping to gather your wallet, phone, or other items will only make you lose time and could hinder you from getting out of the car safely. Also, don’t worry about the car itself. It’ll likely be considered totaled due to the flood, so having good insurance coverage on your vehicle is a good idea. 

Although vehicle submersions are fairly rare, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a plan. Practice by going through the motions in your mind so that you can be ready if you find yourself in that scary situation. 

RELATED: How to Stop Your Car if the Brakes Fail

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