I bought a 2012 Malibu LTZ with the 3.6 V-6 a couple months ago, and I'm having a problem with the air conditioning. Problem is that especially when the humidity is high it blows a vile, sour smell for the first minute or two at start up. Like the smell of leaving a load of wet clothes in the washer for a day or two. Any ideas? Thought I'd test the waters here before taking it in to the dealer...

 

your probably getting microbial growth on the evaporator. Condensation is forming on the evaporator and microbes are growing in the condensate. Your car may have an blower motor afterblow function. When enabled the blower will run after the car is shut down to evaporate the condensate. The dealer may also apply an anti-microbial/deodourizer spray to the evaporator.

 

Suppose at 22000 miles this would fall under "warranty" work?

 

warranty should cover anything under 3years 36000miles

 

My 2012 has BEEN doing that. I went in to have it fixed. They claimed to have cleaned off some funk from my evaporator coil, and put a special coating on it. Whatever...the smell came right back. I just live with it now. lol.

 

Hey Jared_Morgan,

You should definitely try to have the dealership correct the odor problem before you are outside of your warranty. You can always go to another dealership as well for the work to be done.

Amber N.
Chevrolet Customer Care