Debris in AC vents?

[8inAZ]

Hi, gang! New to the group but 3 days ago bought an immaculate garage-kept 1998 LSC with 30K miles -- silver frost clearcoat metallic with light graphite interior and preferred equipment package 810A (I think).

Since I live in Arizona, thankfully this 8 does NOT have heated seats --at least not from the factory.

I already feel like part of the gang cause on day 2 I got the heinous "right door ajar" message -- but after only 2 quick sprays of WD40, the situation is under control.

HOWEVER, another situation has developed = a few tiny rectangular shreds of brown foam debris are blowing up into the AC vents across the dash. The lil foamies tend to get trapped behind the vents' gridwork, and when I fish them out, they instantly compress between my fingers and become black and very greasy.

A mechanic friend of mine suggested they are part of a "master" filter that is likely disintegrating under the dash due to the hot dry desert heat. Any ideas?

 

[badbolr]

vent stuff

I live in the Mojave desert and have the exact same stuff on one I just bought. DO NOT let it get on the carpet. It stains badly. It must be coming from the dash somewhere. I keep a tweezer in the car and just pick them up as I find them and drop them in a trash AWAY from my car...

If you find the exact cause please post.

 

[MonsterMark]

I also tweezer and vaccum as they occur.

 

[MrScalia]

from the shape of the foam I would think that it a foam gaskit from A/C ducts to dash. Just my guess.
Where BlackIce he would know he knows it all....

 

[blknblumark]

I had the same thing. Found it to be the foam seals around the AC/vent ductwork flaps just as someone mentioned above. It'll eventually stop once all of the foam stuff dry rots away. You have to go pretty deep into the dash to get rid of all of it if I remember correctly. I went hunting for creaks and rattles in my dash quite some time ago and found the stuff everywhere. There is some surrounding the Message Center display as well, 'cept it's not propelled out by the vents, and in my case just hung down, partially obscuring the clock. It's mostly heat related I guess (my interior's Portofino Blue).

Sean

 

[meangy9]

when I took apart my dash for my stereo the black foam from the ac vent smeared on my hand and was sticky and stained black. So thats my guess. :soapbox:

 

[formerknown]

Many drivers don't realize that the ac vents are breeding havens for bacteria, mildew, and molds. I clean the living hell out of mine by spraying disinfectants down each of the vents in the dash and the ones under the steering column and floors. Lots of people get sick and have no clue as to why; it's the bacteria in your car's vents.

An old friend of mine kept getting allergies and illnesses, and couldn't figure out why. Her clueless dotors had no idea what was going on. One day, she paid me to detail her car and the AC vents were f_cking fuzzy! TONS of bacteria. I sprayed and cleaned the bastards spotless and she never got sick again.

Your probelm may be bacteria growing in the vents...

 

[Derrick Bagley]

Good news for you tweezer guys, if you take a standard screwdriver and gently pry on the side of the AC vents, they come out quite easily. As far as the black crap, my guess it would be left over remnants of the adhesive that holds down the mesh in the defrosters. The substance you described is just exactly like that, and if you live in a consistantly warm climate, I could see the heat causing the adhesive to break down.