Musty Air after Leaky Sunroof

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01YukonSC

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Hey all,
Previous user when I first bought my 01 Yukon 8+ years ago but no longer remember that password or have the email. So back again.

I've had a leaking sunroof due to multiple issues over the years (drains clogged, glass not set right, seal worn out). I've relegated myself to simply tape the sunroof up with flex seal tape until I am ready to purchase new roof since I can't find a place that sells the seal separately.

I live in the south on the coast so have been in some hurricanes over the years and after this last storm, the mustiness in the air of the Yukon has gotten terrible. I've used ozium through the outside cabin air intake vents and replaced the cabin air filter but still have a musty smell. I know the ceiling likely has mold in it and will need to be replaced but I'm hoping with a few more hot summer days it will dry up.

My question is: is there an order that anyone would recommended of which to go about cleaning/replacing items to try to get rid of the smell?

I've read of cleaning up the heater core but would it be better to try to physically get into the ventilation system to clean first? Or go with the heater core first? Or try replacing the ceiling as that could be causing the whole problem?

Any recommendations on what to check, clean, replace in order of likelihood would be greatly appreciated.

For further info, Ozium did seem to help and when the vents blow it doesn't become more musty. It's really probably the worst when you first get in and the truck has been sitting.

Thanks.
 

wjburken

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Hey all,
Previous user when I first bought my 01 Yukon 8+ years ago but no longer remember that password or have the email. So back again.

I've had a leaking sunroof due to multiple issues over the years (drains clogged, glass not set right, seal worn out). I've relegated myself to simply tape the sunroof up with flex seal tape until I am ready to purchase new roof since I can't find a place that sells the seal separately.

I live in the south on the coast so have been in some hurricanes over the years and after this last storm, the mustiness in the air of the Yukon has gotten terrible. I've used ozium through the outside cabin air intake vents and replaced the cabin air filter but still have a musty smell. I know the ceiling likely has mold in it and will need to be replaced but I'm hoping with a few more hot summer days it will dry up.

My question is: is there an order that anyone would recommended of which to go about cleaning/replacing items to try to get rid of the smell?

I've read of cleaning up the heater core but would it be better to try to physically get into the ventilation system to clean first? Or go with the heater core first? Or try replacing the ceiling as that could be causing the whole problem?

Any recommendations on what to check, clean, replace in order of likelihood would be greatly appreciated.

For further info, Ozium did seem to help and when the vents blow it doesn't become more musty. It's really probably the worst when you first get in and the truck has been sitting.

Thanks.

You might try and just remove your head liner and get it out of the vehicle for a while and see what that does to the smell. I would also park it with the windows down in the sun so it can air out.

As for the ventilation system, spraying stuff into it will not get the dust/dirt that is holding moisture and odor out of the system so you may need to physically go in and remove it. The heater core is probably the first place I would try and clean as the coils are a great dirt/dust trap.
 

Doubeleive

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01 should have a cabin filter, have you ever changed it?, when i had my 00 I had no idea it had a cabin filter for a good while, when I did eventually discover it had one and went to change it there was dirt and leaf's and it was pretty bad, that could be one source of your odor to address.
 

Big Mama

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And I’d guess most of the moisture is in the A pillars and the area right above your head when you drive. I’m a little surprised the headliner isn’t sagging. The moisture destroys the foam. If you take it out yourself (once you fix the leaks) you can save a lot of money stripping it and taking it to the upholstery shop. I’d also guess there’s quite a bit of moisture under the carpet in the front foot wells as that’s where leaks from the sunroof end up.
 
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01YukonSC

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Thanks for the replies.

To respond:
*Yes, I have replaced the cabin air filter recently
*The headliner is sagging and even some of the foam is falling apart, which makes me think I'll need to replace the entirety of the ceiling (core included), not just the upholstery, eventually. With the sunroof, though, I believe I can't just take the ceiling out without replacing it since the sunroof components are attached to the ceiling.
*I've been parking it in the sun to let it dry out for a bit. Still has the smell though. The front passenger side stored a lot of moisture prior to cleaning out the drains this last time but that doesn't get soaked any more.

I'm assuming mold will grow on the back of the foam in the ceiling, so I've assumed I'm going to have to take it out but perhaps the best place to start is the heater core and then physically cleaning out the ducts myself. That will be quite a project from what I've seen.

Thanks for the replies so far. Any other thoughts are also appreciated.
 

Big Mama

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Good plan. The thought was taking the headliner out during the new sunroof or repair job and taking it to the pro to kill both at once. You might even find the headliner guy can fix all of it except the core and duct work. Good luck.
 
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