There have been many posts on foul air coming from the vents. With help from Bill2r and his pictures, I removed the glove box and checked out the electrical switch that controls the vacuum to the mechanism that moves the flap controlling the outside/inside air flow. The Crossfire computer automatically puts the air on recirculating for 30 minutes before it will sometimes switch to fresh air (outside) depending on the temperture and humidity. This can create a moist enviroment in the evaporator that can do a number of things like create a mold or just a stinky odor. To allow me to control the air flap I put a single pole single throw switch in the wire that is hot going to the electrical switch controlling the flap. The switch (AKA as the recirculated air switch valve circuit {RASWVC} in the service manual chapter24 page 46). By throwing my SPST switch off, it cuts power to the RASWVC and that stops vacuum from putting the flap into recirculating mode. When I want recirculating I turn my added switch on, vacuum is restored and it works normal. I installed the switch on the passenger left side plastic up under the glove box just to the rear of the passenger vent on the transmission hump. It can't been seen but is reachable from the drivers seat. No more stinky foul smell.

 

Hi there - Brilliant detective work.
This is a perfect example of German thinking: We will make it smarter than those idiot worldwide consumers.
In fact their ingenious ideas often make life difficult.
I also have a Merc A190, and a Toyota Glanza Turbo.
Only the Toyota never frustrates me by taking the decision out of my hands. Regards, Jim.

 

I am a little lost on your explaination... but I do it the simple way. I never use the recirc button. I run the AC every time I use the car (it is hot down here). Sometimes I turn the AC off while driving and leave the vent on so the outside air blows through and drys everyting up. As a matter of fact, in the 4 years of owning the car I never turn the vent off completely.

Or while the car is turned off I hit the ricirc button and let it blow the cool air out and dry everything up... a really nice feature our crossfires have (I didn't even know about it until someone on this forum told me). It also helps keep the car cool or warm if you are running into a store.

Never had any wierd smells.

 

The computer automatically turns on the recirculation for 30 mnutes whether or not you push the recir button. The rest button is good for drying out the system after the car is shut off if you don't mind the battery drain

 

Not in my car.... the recirc button never goes on unless I push the button.

As for pushing the button while the car is off... someone said it isn't a big drain on the battery but I am too afraid to test it. Sometimes I turn it on for a few minutes then turn it off.

 

The light might not come on but it does recirculate for 30 minutes after your AC is turned on. Keep your fan on high and turn off the AC then switch from recirculate to normal and you will hear a difference in the fan sound, then turn on the AC and do the same and there is no difference in the sound because the recirculation is already engaged and cannot be turned off for 30 minutes minimum.

 

I am not an expert on how the AC system works. I just know I constantly leave the vent open so air is always blowing through as I am driving down the road. I guess the moisture never builds up and sits in there. 4 years as my daily driver and I never had a stink problem. No need for me to put switches and gadgets in there!

 

Unless you remove the underhood plastic cowling as I did you can not see whether the flap is set to outside/fresh or recirculating air. Once you do that you will understand how it works. Again when the car is started the system defaults to recirculating for 30 minutes, that fact is in the owners manual. The simplest way to manually control it is to put a switch as I did. If you have no cabin odor then you have no need for it. If you do then this is a solution.