Hello,

I have a 1993 Honda Accord LX.

There is an intermitten chemical smell coming in through the vents. I can't seem to find any pattern to what makes it occur, and it has been doing this for some time now (over a year). It seems to come and go. Sometimes when the A/C is on, sometimes when it is off, much of the time not at all.

It is a very distinct smell, could possibly be refrigerant, but I really don't know. Is there anything aside from refrigerant that it could be? It gives me a headache...Can't be good! Any ideas? The A/C seems to be working fine and a trusted mechanic told me a few months back that the system was charged.

Thanks!

Chris

 

not sure how it would smell to your nose,
but I had a car that developed a mouse nest in the vent system...

 

Honda uses PAG as the lubricant for the AC system. It has a distinctive chemical smell (reminds me of medicine or paint smells, but this is highly subjective). Any AC mechanic will know the smell.

PAG leaks would likely arise from evaporator connection leaks; expansion valve and thermal feedback bulb. Fix is to discharge AC system, remove evaporator, fix leaks, install evaporator, and recharge. In my experience accords are prone to evaporator leaks w/ age, and yours has that for sure.

good luck

 

Don't take it the wrong way, but would you recognize the smell of anti-freeze? Open the radiator cap when it's cold & smell it to see if it's the same. I just don't want to take anything for granted.

 

Thanks for the responses, everyone!

I do think I would recognize the smell if it was antifreeze, pretty sure it's not...But I am going to take a good whiff just to make sure, so thanks!

I think it is likely refrigerant (PAG) as TexasHonda suggested. I just got this vehicle running again after sitting for about a year, and my girlfriend is now driving it; I always just cracked the window, in the past, when the smell was noticable, but now I want to get it taken care of since she it driving it...So, I think I will talk to my mechanic about evaporator leaks.

Thanks again guys! Really appreciate it.
Chris

 

PAG *lubricant* rather.

 

It's not the smell of a cat converter is it.?

 

I had a strange smell in my car before the clutch burned up on my compressor. Although it had more of a burning smell mixed with a chemical.

 

If your mechanic does AC work, he should recognize the smell of PAG oil. Or take it to an AC shop.