The AC blows cold as ice but whenever i turn the dial at all to make it warmer the fans blow out a sweet smell, almost like syrup. It goes away after a minute or less but it does it everything i turn the dial (unless i go all the way to cold). Any idea?

 

that sweet smell is more than likely antifreeze! Sounds like heater core may be going south

 

today i was driving and floored it to pass someone and i swear i smelt antifreeze for a few seconds. any chance its related?

 

Some of the new oxygenated fuels smell slightly sweet out the exhaust. My Vic started doing it suddenly a couple years ago. I instantly thought "coolant leak" and made myself crazy looking for the source. What had me flummoxed was that I could only smell it in the morning while backing out of the garage and at times times during the week. I dug through everything under the hood and dash searching for any kind of leak. No joy, and frustrating as heck.

I finally realized it was the fuel when I switched service stations to start using Chevron. After a tank or two I realized the smell had gone away. I checked by filling up at the old station after running several tanks of Chevron. Smell came right back.

In my case switching to heat made no difference. That's why I was so confused. If you smell it when you switch to heat then it points to a leaking heater core as the source.

Brad

 

why are you using heater in May, almost June?

 

it was night and chilly. i put it to the halfway between cold and hot mark