Another Musty Smell-help!

My 2014 4 Runner had a musty smell in 2016. I took it to dealer, they did something and all was good with me following instructions to cut off a/c & recirc before I got home-I had no further issues with it. Now my daughter has the vehicle. She hasn't been good about cutting off the a/c. Also, she left the back window down briefly, but the carpet didn't seem wet or smelly. The musty smell came back so bad when she would get to work people could smell the must on her. We took it to a mechanic who ozoned it twice. Smell improved but came back just as strong. My husband bought something to spray in the evaporator & vents- when he did water poured out. We had someone steam clean the head liner, carpet and seats. If you smell them, I smell no must. The air that blows out of the A/C is fresh- no must, but the car still has the musty smell. I have smelled ever inch of the car and can't smell must on anything. One note- I have noticed since we bought it when I run it through car wash the rubber strips on the top rack will come off but go right back
in the grooves. I really don't know what to do at this point. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Welcome

 

Did you swap the cabin air filter yet?

Does it smell if you run the fan, recirculate off, without AC on?

When I had to tackle my HVAC smell, I had that foaming cleanser sent up the drain tube (and since water came out, maybe it was clogged?) and a bunch of spray Lysol (or comparable) into the intakes beneath the wipers and also into where the cabin air filter sits. (with the fan set at maximum)

 

We did put in a new cabin filter. Last night I took it out (it has been in about 2 weeks since the ozone/steam cleaning), and it had no smell to it and was very clean. He put the foaming cleanser up the drain tube and into the intakes- still didn't solve the problem. We just did what you said and sprayed the Lysol- will see if that helps. Thanks.

 

welcome