Vapor coming out of CX-5 air vent even after stopping

[georgist]

Hi,

had zero problems with my CX5 2021 GT non-turbo until today.
Wife took it for a drive to the shops, parked, was in there 90 minutes and then on returning the cabin was full of "mist / vapour".
She still drove home about 25 minutes, then on returning brought me out to look.
She said on driving back it didn't seem anywhere near as bad, when the engine and aircon was on.

I could see what kinda looked like air infused with vapour, almost like cigarette smoke but less so, and without any real smell.
This continued to come out, not pour but also not a tiny amount, out despite the engine being off and the electrics.
When I turn on just the electrics, not the engine, the aircon pumped even more into the cabin, again no real perceptible smell.
This makes me think it can't be the exhaust.

I'm going to leave it 20 minutes, if it's still coming I'm going to disconnect the battery in case this is an electrical short, however I'd expect that to smell?

Attached photo shows the extent of the smoke, not a small imperceptible amount as it's captured on camera.

Anyone got ideas on what this might be?

 

[georgist]

Update - disconnected the battery, kept going.
Waited until the engine temp dropped - it stopped. Some kind of evaporation based issue and the "smoke" is vapour.
Drove around again with the aircon on, nothing, kept going until the temp hit 100, still nothing.
Stopped the car, turned off the engine and aircon, vapour began pouring out again!

 

[200955]

Sounds like the evaporator for the A/C inside the car has developed a leak.

 

[georgist]

Sounds like the evaporator for the A/C inside the car has developed a leak.

Interesting, thanks for replying.
I had noticed that my coolant had gone down a little below the "full" level, I wonder if this is related.
I suspect this could be expensive as labour intensive to repair?
Would you take this to a dealer? To an independent shop or can anywhere do it?

 

[200955]

If it were, by any chance a coolant leak you would definitely smell the coolant. Before commiting to any repairs know what and where the leak is. Are you sure your cars not still under warranty? When it comes to reliable disassemby and reassembly I would think a dealer would be best but when it comes to cost a good independent A/C shop can do the job. Like I said earlier, know what you're dealing with because maybe what you describe is steam.

 

[georgist]

If it were, by any chance a coolant leak you would definitely smell the coolant. Before commiting to any repairs know what and where the leak is. Are you sure your cars not still under warranty? When it comes to reliable disassemby and reassembly I would think a dealer would be best but when it comes to cost a good independent A/C shop can do the job. Like I said earlier, know what you're dealing with because maybe what you describe is steam.

I did have a very good sniff of it and I couldn't detect any odour. I read online coolant has a "sweet" odour. Not sure if you have smelled it and could confirm if it is possible to confuse "nothing/steam" and coolant?
If it is just steam could this be some kind of trapped water evaporating on engine/aircon off with only the air vents to escape through ?

 

[GrampaSlade]

I believe the a/c condenser drain is right under the center console/dash. Pop that plastic off and see what you can see

 

[georgist]

I believe the a/c condenser drain is right under the center console/dash. Pop that plastic off and see what you can see

thanks, it's pitch black now but I'll do this first thing tomorrow and report back!

 

[GrampaSlade]

thanks, it's pitch black now but I'll do this first thing tomorrow and report back!

I think it's on the passenger side of the hump, so "easier" to get to. I'm only assuming that the vapor is coming from that area.

 

[georgist]

Okay so before I proceed further, am I right in thinking the AC drain is "number 1"?
Or something behind 2?
What do I do here? detach the rubber with a cup under it and get water flowing out?
If I do have "too much water", how can I proceed to find the root cause?
Are we hoping that something int that small segment has blocked it?
I don't have a wetvac (yet!)

Thanks!

 

[GrampaSlade]

Yes. I would fire the beast up and see if you get that vapor from somewhere. Does running the a/c get you water dripping under the car?

 

[Jmaz]

Many years ago I saw what the OP is describing. Basically the temperature and humidity inside were such that the cold air from the A/C caused the air to hit dew point. In other words fog. The cold air escaping the vents immediately caused the warmer, moister (relatively speaking) interior air to hit dew point and it looked like fog or vapor escaping the vents.

 

[RedBaron]

Yeah, I second Jmaz. I used to travel a lot for work, and planes often had this vapor coming out of the vents (and had the stewards reassuring everyone there was nothing to worry about!)

I doubt it's anything to do with the A/C drain. A blocked drain's more likely to cause smells than vapor.

 

[georgist]

Many years ago I saw what the OP is describing. Basically the temperature and humidity inside were such that the cold air from the A/C caused the air to hit dew point. In other words fog. The cold air escaping the vents immediately caused the warmer, moister (relatively speaking) interior air to hit dew point and it looked like fog or vapor escaping the vents.

This is what it was like in the car with the missus.
I did check the a/c drain, it seemed dry, couldn't recreate the issue today but it was a bit cold so the engine temp didn't get up to 100C.