Cigarette Smell from AC in 2000 626

RonO · 06-18-2007, 09:10 PM

just bought a 2000 6262 fro my new 16 year old driver. Car is in great shape but apparently one of the previous owners smoked. When you turn on the AC you get the smell. The dealer said for$100.00 they will "foam clean the AC box by the heater core" is this something I can do myself? And whewre is this located? thanks, I am new to Mazdas

HotCarl · 06-18-2007, 09:34 PM

I'm not a 626 expert, so I can't say where the box is, but I can give you a couple hints though.

Smoke is a very hard smell to get out.. I smoke, so I don't even notice it, but they tell me it's bad

I assume you have cleaned the interior already and gotten it out of the seats and carpet etc?

as for the AC.. what I do once or twice a year is spray Fabreeze ( a lot of it ) on the vents that are on the outside of the car, just before the windshield.

Then crank up the AC and let it run full blast for a while, it will cycle the fabreeze through the system and get rid of 99% of it.
I've heard the smell comes back eventually, but again I wouldn't know.

It's a cheap fix, and worth a try. Cleaning just the AC box won't completely solve the problem as the smell is in all the piping, vents, etc.

I think the only way to truely get the smell out is find a detail place that has an ozone machine.. that will get any smell out and for good.

HTH

SoFast · 06-19-2007, 11:42 AM

I've done the same thing as Carl, and it works just as well as what you're dealer will do, if not better.

A pro detail shop would be able to take care of it, but you're looking at a min. of a $100.

Do the Fabreeze trick every couple months for a while and the smell will be gone for good.

brent_strong · 06-19-2007, 02:04 PM

Look into if the car has a cabin air filter. If so, replace that. Most newer cars have them.

XRRX76 · 06-19-2007, 10:20 PM

Need that Alejo guy in here, he'll know where that box is.. but thanks for the tips guys, I'm going to try the fabreeze trick

RonO · 06-20-2007, 12:25 AM

Thanks tried it, so far so good

Mindcore · 06-20-2007, 12:37 AM

I do this from time to time myself.. Ron, you'll have to do it a couple times before it sticks. But it always works for me.

Johnny Drama · 06-21-2007, 10:46 AM

Glad to hear it Ron, not much worse then the smell of stale smoke

Supersonic · 06-21-2007, 12:50 PM

I think I need to try this too.. thaks for the tip

06-18-2007, 09:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
RonO Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2	Cigarette Smell from AC in 2000 626 just bought a 2000 6262 fro my new 16 year old driver. Car is in great shape but apparently one of the previous owners smoked. When you turn on the AC you get the smell. The dealer said for$100.00 they will "foam clean the AC box by the heater core" is this something I can do myself? And whewre is this located? thanks, I am new to Mazdas

06-20-2007, 12:37 AM	#7 (permalink)
Mindcore Administrator Join Date: May 2007 Location: Look Out!!! Posts: 1,299	I do this from time to time myself.. Ron, you'll have to do it a couple times before it sticks. But it always works for me. __________________ core Mazda Forums .

06-21-2007, 10:46 AM	#8 (permalink)
Johnny Drama Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 555	Glad to hear it Ron, not much worse then the smell of stale smoke __________________ MazdaSpeed6

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06-18-2007, 09:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
HotCarl Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 195	I'm not a 626 expert, so I can't say where the box is, but I can give you a couple hints though. Smoke is a very hard smell to get out.. I smoke, so I don't even notice it, but they tell me it's bad I assume you have cleaned the interior already and gotten it out of the seats and carpet etc? as for the AC.. what I do once or twice a year is spray Fabreeze ( a lot of it ) on the vents that are on the outside of the car, just before the windshield. Then crank up the AC and let it run full blast for a while, it will cycle the fabreeze through the system and get rid of 99% of it. I've heard the smell comes back eventually, but again I wouldn't know. It's a cheap fix, and worth a try. Cleaning just the AC box won't completely solve the problem as the smell is in all the piping, vents, etc. I think the only way to truely get the smell out is find a detail place that has an ozone machine.. that will get any smell out and for good. HTH

06-19-2007, 11:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
SoFast Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 95	I've done the same thing as Carl, and it works just as well as what you're dealer will do, if not better. A pro detail shop would be able to take care of it, but you're looking at a min. of a $100. Do the Fabreeze trick every couple months for a while and the smell will be gone for good.

06-19-2007, 02:04 PM	#4 (permalink)
brent_strong Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 157	Look into if the car has a cabin air filter. If so, replace that. Most newer cars have them.

06-19-2007, 10:20 PM	#5 (permalink)
XRRX76 Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Knoxville Posts: 59	Need that Alejo guy in here, he'll know where that box is.. but thanks for the tips guys, I'm going to try the fabreeze trick

06-20-2007, 12:25 AM	#6 (permalink)
RonO Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2	Thanks tried it, so far so good

06-21-2007, 12:50 PM	#9 (permalink)
Supersonic Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: New York, NY Posts: 345	I think I need to try this too.. thaks for the tip