Evaporator
Evaporator
Section titled “Evaporator”The evaporator is located inside the HVAC box and cools the air flowing into the cabin.
Symptoms of Failure
Section titled “Symptoms of Failure”- Reduced cooling performance
- Musty smell (bacterial growth on wet evaporator)
- Refrigerant leak inside the cabin
- Wet passenger footwell (evaporator drain clogged or leaking)
Evaporator Drain
Section titled “Evaporator Drain”A clogged evaporator drain is a common cause of water in the passenger footwell. The drain tube exits under the car on the passenger side — clear with compressed air if clogged.
Replacement
Section titled “Replacement”Similar to heater core, requires dashboard and HVAC box removal. If doing heater core, inspect and potentially replace the evaporator at the same time.
Odor Prevention
Section titled “Odor Prevention”Run the blower on high with A/C off for the last few minutes of a drive. This dries the evaporator surface and prevents mold/mildew growth.