Cooling system stinks up car even in winter

[Mattken Moore]

I was wondering the same thing until two months ago when mine started smelling.

Now, it is routine with A/C or heat to open the windows when the HVAC is first used.

Yeah mine started like that too. It just kept on getting worse. Seemed like more humidity, and moisture there was the worse it got. When the air started to dry up and get windy it would lessen.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Mattken Moore

[hybridbear]

I've never doubted anyone who is having this issue. I'm only wondering why my two cars are not experiencing it.

I'm also wondering if our new white FFH will end up plagued by this issue when the black one didn't have it. For all the issues we had with the black one, we never had this issue...

[fusionTX]

I was told by legal council to seek out people with the same issue. To ask them to come forward as witnesses and to give the information I asked for.

I just PM 'd you the information you requested. Not sure why others are so skeptical. I really would like this issue resolved. It makes me never want to drive another Ford again. Good luck with your case.

[fusionTX]

My impression is that most Ford models and many other brand vehicles that use this newer downsized HVAC unit have the same problem and there is nothing going to change that.

Google this subject, it occurs in many other cars besides Ford.

The climate (humidity, etc) and your particular choices of HVAC settings can cause it to be worse than for others, and frankly, most people don't even notice such things.

 

Ford knows about this, Mercedes knows about this, Ashley knows about this, my regional CSM knows about this - and replacing the current parts in our cars isn't going to help until some way is found to kill this bacteria/mold/mildew buildup.

What does Ford do? They brag about a Cabin Filter that requires half the dashboard to be removed to change but still blows mold/mildew smells.

Mercedes lets the fan blow thru the system for 5 minutes when the car is turned off. That won't work for us, we have a 390CCA LVB and we'd all get the BS message constantly.

Acdii had a great idea, put a UV unit in-line to kill the mold/mildew, a simple and elegant solution. Do you think that will happen soon? Hahaha.

 

My wife just cracks the window, puts the fan on high until the smell goes away and then sets the HVAC how she wants it. She also reminded me that our Crown Vic and Expedition did the same thing.

I don't hold out any reasonable expectation that this issue will be solved in our cars, ever.

Maybe in the future someone will patent a real fix for this but don't hold your breath - oh, wait - do hold your breath and open the windows until the smell goes away.

 

Edit: I know, at -9F it's hard to open the windows.

Grey, 7 years with a Camry, I never had this issue. It turns my otherwise awesome car, into something I dread getting into. Winter is here now so it's not as noticeable, but summer is lurking and I expect it will be worse than ever.

[Riggo]

It's definitely much worse in the summer. I'll be interested to see if this issue escalates when spring/summer rolls in. Hopefully by then Ford will have figured out a cheap and easy fix.

[acdii]

It occurs under just the right conditions, and some of us have those right conditions, while others do not. I have smelled it in mine, but since I rarely used AC last year it didn't "stick" around long. For those in high humidity conditions and use AC all the time it will have a much higher chance of "sticking" to the AC and once it does, it wont go away. I have mold in my house, and after doing a 100% scrub down of everything downstairs with bleach and mold killer, after a few months, and a bad rain storm that filled up the sumps and raised humidity, the mold was back. Once it sticks, you cant get rid of it.

[Riggo]

It occurs under just the right conditions, and some of us have those right conditions, while others do not. I have smelled it in mine, but since I rarely used AC last year it didn't "stick" around long. For those in high humidity conditions and use AC all the time it will have a much higher chance of "sticking" to the AC and once it does, it wont go away. I have mold in my house, and after doing a 100% scrub down of everything downstairs with bleach and mold killer, after a few months, and a bad rain storm that filled up the sumps and raised humidity, the mold was back. Once it sticks, you cant get rid of it.

 

Well that's maybe the most depressing thing I've ever heard. I hope there is some way to get rid of it or there are going to be a lot of unhappy people out there once spring/summer gets here!

[GrySql]

Grey, 7 years with a Camry, I never had this issue. It turns my otherwise awesome car, into something I dread getting into. Winter is here now so it's not as noticeable, but summer is lurking and I expect it will be worse than ever.

Some manufacturers use a slightly different HVAC design, I didn't say ALL cars.

As far as Mattken's Canadian arbitration, this Thread will serve as a good example to any lawyer as proof the issue exists.

Besides, how does Canadian law affect a USA vehicle? I don't know if it does.

Edited February 4, 2014 by GrySql

[Mattken Moore]

Our laws are different but Ford Motor Company is all North America. I got transfered to Michigan Whenever talking to liability and was giving a US address to send anything legalwise.

[Mattken Moore]

Double post.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Mattken Moore

[Riggo]

It occurs under just the right conditions, and some of us have those right conditions, while others do not. I have smelled it in mine, but since I rarely used AC last year it didn't "stick" around long. For those in high humidity conditions and use AC all the time it will have a much higher chance of "sticking" to the AC and once it does, it wont go away. I have mold in my house, and after doing a 100% scrub down of everything downstairs with bleach and mold killer, after a few months, and a bad rain storm that filled up the sumps and raised humidity, the mold was back. Once it sticks, you cant get rid of it.

 

The only thing that doesn't make sense with this explanation though is that I've lived in the same area for decades and have never had this problem with any other car. It could be what GrySql is saying though, that there is a new downsized hvac unit that newer cars are using which is causing the problem. I have no idea though, I'm not an engineer. :play:

[GrySql]

http://bjsautospa.com/2011/06/06/solving-smelly-air-conditioner-problem/

 

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/311-4th-generation-2013/579345-sour-smell-air-vents.html

 

Edited February 5, 2014 by GrySql

[Riggo]

Those solutions are all well and good, but how do you explain the smell returning after using a professional grade mold and bacteria cleaner like bg fridgi clean and fridgi fresh? My smell came back a day later after using those products. Not once, but twice. They were applied by the dealer so it wasn't something I did at home.

[Mattken Moore]

http://bjsautospa.com/2011/06/06/solving-smelly-air-conditioner-problem/

 

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/311-4th-generation-2013/579345-sour-smell-air-vents.html

 

 

 

Tried all those things. Wish it would have helped would have made my life way less stressful, money and time consuming.

[inco]

I hope your third party inspection works for you. Maybe they will award you a new car and you can try again.
The problem is that water or condensation is being trapped and the mold ensues. Nothing new there and most folks do not always encounter the same situations to try and solve it.
Something is going on that encourages, fosters or stimulates mold happening. Looking forward to see how this pans out. I know I'm not alone.

Edited February 5, 2014 by inco

[GrySql]

Tried all those things. Wish it would have helped would have made my life way less stressful, money and time consuming.

I was not suggesting these were cures, only that it is fairly common out there in the world.

The recurring theme in all of these 'remedies' is that you have to do it over and over again, and if the evaporator gets too clogged it has to be cleaned by removing it, a big job.

In Riggo's case they sprayed it with a product that made the smell different and worse.

BMW heats the evaporator so it can't grow mold and kills bacteria.

 

Maybe Ford's evaporator is situated in a place that makes these contaminants grow easier, who knows, not me.

I'm in the same boat here, but I still don't think this 'fix' will be easy or soon.

My car will see the Dealer in the next month and I will be just another digit in the Case numbers game.

[acdii]

Mold grows in dampness, which is the "stick" I was referring to. So whatever Ford did on the design of the Evap box is what is causing the mold to "stick", and stink. Usually Evaps are mounted with the fins vertical so water drains off them, so it is possible the angle of the core is in such a way that it doesn't fully drain, OR, it is possible the system seals after shutting down, and traps the moisture in. Whatever the cause, a fix is going to cost Ford a lot considering it will most likely need a redesigned core or box.

 

Or install a UV lamp and be done with it.

 

http://www.freshaireuv.com/mini.html

[hybridbear]

It's interesting that the C-Max likely has the exact same AC components and yet doesn't have these issues. It's also interesting that there are gas Fusion owners with the issue since the FFH has different AC components from the gas Fusion. This would indicate that the issue isn't the part, but is possibly the location or implementation of the part.

[Riggo]

Is there diagram online somewhere that shows how and where the evaporator is housed in the car? I can't find one if there is. Engineers are smart, I can't believe they can't come up with some kind of fix that isn't too cost prohibitive.

[acdii]

It's interesting that the C-Max likely has the exact same AC components and yet doesn't have these issues. It's also interesting that there are gas Fusion owners with the issue since the FFH has different AC components from the gas Fusion. This would indicate that the issue isn't the part, but is possibly the location or implementation of the part.

Only the underhood components differ from models, the interior parts are the same. The Evap core and housings are identical. The Cmax though is based on the Escape platform, so the interior parts will be different, only the underhood parts would be shared between the Cmax and FFH. SO, would be interesting to see if the Escape does or doesn't have this issue.

[GrySql]

SO, would be interesting to see if the Escape does or doesn't have this issue.

http://www.justanswer.com/ford/42vt1-2009-ford-escape-hybrid-running-ac.html

 

http://www.escape-city.com/search.php?keywords=musty+smell&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sr=posts&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

[acdii]

Those are the prior body style though, I believe 2013 is a total redesign? It does show that it is quite common though.

 

http://community.cartalk.com/discussion/32609/mold-mildew-in-the-a-c

[Riggo]

Post deleted by Riggo for excessive complaining.

 

I'm getting so frustrated with this issue that I tend to rant a tad too much about it. :sos:

 

I"m sure Ford knows about this problem, let's just hope there is some kind of remedy so those of us that have it won't have to breathe in mold this summer

Edited February 7, 2014 by Riggo

[inco]

_{At this stage it appears all the conjecture in the world isn't going to matter and I would say leave it alone. The only two responses I want to see on this thread will be from Ford if they found a fix and from Mattken Moore about resolution with the arbitrator with their car. Sorry if this upsets anyone. :salute: ;(}

[GrySql]

Delete...

Edited February 8, 2014 by GrySql