[Lalapro]

from the day 1 i experiencing very bad odor coming through the vents, especially when it hot outside and the fan is running. It smells like vomit. After i turn the AC on, the smells gone in about a minute or so. Then i stop, leave the car...open the door, and again.... If i dont run the AC, then this unpleasant odor stays for long time. Seriously, jumping into my car after lunch is a challenge as the smell is so bad i could throw up...
Im already replaced the cabin filter...didnt solved the problem. Does anyone has the same experience? If so, what can or what should i do to stop that odor?

 

[mikem]

I have that smell! I sometimes get that vomit-type smell when I first turn the air conditioning on. It lasts for about 30 seconds and goes away on its own. I wondered if something crawled under the hood and died, but I didn't poke around (circle of life, and the smell goes away). I don't know if it's as intense as yours. It smells bad, and it would be a big problem except that it does go away after 30 seconds.

I have not related it to how hot it is outside, but that sounds reasonable to me, now that you mention it. I had not paid attention to that. (I've had the car since May, mostly in FL.)

This started for me after I needed to have my a/c compressor replaced, at about 1500 miles (it died during a long trip through SC). I don't know if the timing of this was a coincidence.

 

[Greenmanedlion]

Take it to the dealer!

 

[Styles]

Take it to the dealer!

What he said. The only time ours has smelled like vomit was after our toddler projectile vomited all over the place. Hint: the floor grill in the passenger van comes out with 2 screws.

 

[Lalapro]

I took it to the dealer, and they had no clue. They gave me an air freshening or whatever spray that was.

 

[Grich]

I took it to the dealer, and they had no clue. They gave me an air freshening or whatever spray that was.

In that case, it's time to find a dealer that cares about their customers and will take the time to properly fix the problem. It sounds like you have mold or mildew growing in your ventilation system, most likely due to a blocked drain for the air conditioner evaporator. There are some disinfectant sprays that will temporarily clear up the problem, but the permanent fix is to unclog the drain.

 

[BrightTherapy]

Have the same problem, bad smell in the air conditioner. Had the dealer check it and there was no smell that time as the car had been running for a while. Uggg May have to leave it with them overnight so they can get the full effect. Cannot figure out where its coming from.

 

[howvood]

I think that I read that after the car is shut off, a fan continues to run so any water that accumulates in the evaporator is eliminated to prevent odors. Is it possible that this is not happening in yours?

 

[petemccutch]

I had the same "vomit smell" in my 2017. It occurred only once, and the ac has operated several times since without any bad smell at all.

 

[MBWorkVan16]

Experiencing the same vomit/moldy smell when AC runs on hot day. Search google for Mercedes-Benz Air Conditioning Mold Lawsuits I filled out the form on the class action site at lieffcabraser and recommend everyone with same problem does as well. The Metris owners deserve to be heard as well. The Metris is not listed but I think it should be added with my own experience and the similarities I’m seeing on this forum. The least that MB could do is a recall with a solution to fix problem. I love my Metris and use it for my business and would hate to have to get rid of of. But if it’s a health hazard....

 

[Lalapro]

Experiencing the same vomit/moldy smell when AC runs on hot day. Search google for Mercedes-Benz Air Conditioning Mold Lawsuits I filled out the form on the class action site at lieffcabraser and recommend everyone with same problem does as well. The Metris owners deserve to be heard as well. The Metris is not listed but I think it should be added with my own experience and the similarities I’m seeing on this forum. The least that MB could do is a recall with a solution to fix problem. I love my Metris and use it for my business and would hate to have to get rid of of. But if it’s a health hazard....

Just filled out the form...thanks for the tip.

 

[rjericksonaz]

Hopefully that lawsuit will help us get organized and come together to get our own lawsuit for the mold. In less than 24k miles, we have had cabin filters replaced 5+ times, and a full dismantle and scrub of HVAC at least 3 times, disinfectant treatment multiple times, and the smell keeps coming back. That disinfectant spray has also created a permanent vinegar smell in the van which does not help the rotting death stench it creates on its own.

 

[SR vanman]

I had the same issue during summertime in FL with heavy A/C use. I found that using the "Rest" function of the climate control uses residual engine heat to evaporate any moisture in the A/C system. The only issue is that you have to manually press the button every time you shut off the vehicle, and I sometimes forget... I wish I could program it to automatically run every time key is turned off.

 

[950271775]

Try leaving your AC on year around, even in the winter you can get heat from the AC mode. This cleared up the smell for me.

 

[ColoradoDave]

I filled out the form on the Mercedes-Benz Air Conditioning Mold Lawsuits website (Mercedes-Benz Air Conditioning Mold Complaints), even thought the Metris is not listed, figuring, what the heck, it can't hurt to do so.

I have been experiencing the odor issue on our 2017 since it was new. I recently had the cabin air filter replaced by an in independent auto shop that specializes in European imports, as I didn't have the special tools that it seems to take to replace the filter. I mentioned the foul odor to the manager and he said he could spray some stuff into the A/C system that should help. The shop used a product called Frigi-Fresh from a company called BG Products (https://www.bgprod.com/catalog/climate-control/bg-frigi-fresh/l) and, so far, it seems to have helped. I found it for purchase on the Detail King website for $21.95 (Frigi Fresh Aerosol Kills Bacteria).

Here is a description of the product:

• Kills mold, mildew, fungi, and other odor-causing organisms
• Works without costly manual cleaning of the system
• Keeps the vehicle interior smelling fresh and clean

It seems that this is an inexpensive solution to the problem. Time will tell how effective it actually is.

 

[Greenmanedlion]

All A/C systems have the propensity for mold under the right conditions. It is possible the Metris is subject to the same design flaw, but even if it is, you are not actually eligible because they are not actually suing the company that makes the Metris.

They are suing Mercedes-Benz of North America, which despite the fact that they share the same ultimate parent (Daimler AG), and they share the same corporate campus in Atlanta, the Metris is imported not by MBNA but by Mercedes-Benz Vans North America, which is a division of Daimler Trucks North America. You might be able to sue them based on this suits research but you won’t be part of the class.