Cooling system stinks up car even in winter

[Easy Rider]

If it took THAT long to show up it might be the classic mold problem and not the one caused by defective parts.

 

I think it's worth at least one shot of cleaning and de-odorizing and making sure the drain is open before you panic.

 

It also might be worth checking your VIN against the spec's of the service bulletin.

You might be able to wrangle a "warranty extension" out of them and get it fixed if it IS one of the affected units.

[BK Fusion]

Got the car back. Now the heater doesn't work.

[GrySql]

Got the car back. Now the heater doesn't work.

In the 2013 Owner's Manual, page 228, there is a guideline for filing a complaint to THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU (BBB) AUTO LINE PROGRAM.

[gkinla]

I guess I'm the lucky one here. I had the Climate Control Housing TSB done the first week of June. I've had no issues relating to the CCH change. All controls still work, no rattles or squeaks. Air is still new car fresh. Come to think of it, the only thing that has come up again is the BS message when shutting the car off. I'll need a 20,000 mile service soon. I'll have the BS message looked at again. I think there is another TSB or SSM regarding this.

[FordService]

...Come to think of it, the only thing that has come up again is the BS message when shutting the car off. I'll need a 20,000 mile service soon. I'll have the BS message looked at again. I think there is another TSB or SSM regarding this.

 

Let me know when you head in to have this looked at, gkinla. I'll be happy to loop in your regional customer service manager and ensure things go smoothly. All I need to make that happen is a PM from you with your full name, best daytime phone number, VIN, current mileage, and preferred servicing dealership.

 

Crystal

[Barsoom]

Thanks. I'm in the SF Bay Area so won't be tempted to go there because of the distance.

 

I go to WC. I think they've been great.

[mwr]

 

I go to WC. I think they've been great.

WC?

[Barsoom]

Walnut Creek

[mwr]

Walnut Creek

Thanks.

[Barsoom]

I got my car back today. They did it in two days, and did my first 10,000 mile service.

 

So far, I think everything is okay. The musty smell is gone, but there was a brief smell that's probably just a first use of the new part.

 

There were a few panels that weren't snapped back in properly, but the SA snapped them in and now they seem fine. A little disappointed that they didn't notice it before turning the car back to me.

 

Also, on the drive home I noticed a few very light scrapes on the dash right above the steering wheel. I wouldn't have noticed it at all if the setting sun hadn't hit it just right. It's probably from a bite mark from a tool that was used to pull the dash out. Something I will have to live with.

 

Regarding the electronics, everything seems to be working just fine. In fact, none of my settings were reset except the EV+ memory. Radio settings, driver settings, even the mirror/seat settings, were intact. That surprised me. I guess they didn't disconnect the battery when they did the work.

 

Invoice says:

 

TSB 140099A Replace Climate Control Housing

1 EG9Z*19B5*D Evaporator and Housing Asy

1 *W714878*S430 Bolt

Performed TSB 14-0099- Replaced climate box per musty smell. Removed both doors to access dash side bolts. Recovered freon. Removed dash per WSM. Removed and replaced climate box. Reverse all parts together, charged A/C. Checked operation of all climate controls-OK. Musty smell no longer present.

************************************************************

 

Let's hope that this is the last TSB to true up the 2013 Fusions to what it should have been from the start.

[hybridbear]

Also, on the drive home I noticed a few very light scrapes on the dash right above the steering wheel. I wouldn't have noticed it at all if the setting sun hadn't hit it just right. It's probably from a bite mark from a tool that was used to pull the dash out. Something I will have to live with.

I wouldn't. Call the SA and tell him that your car was damaged during repair. The dealership is responsible to replace the damaged dash part on their dime.

[Barsoom]

Update...

 

I took the car on a road trip today, San Ramon to Capitola over the Santa Cruz Mountains on Hwy 17. Four adults in the car, so a full load. I think I'm working myself up to a major pissed.

 

1. The AC was fine. No musty smell.

 

2. The road noise and engine noise was much louder than I remember it being. Is it possible that the removal and reinstallation of the dash somehow broke the active noise cancellation? Is there even a way to test that if I brought it back to Ford? I doubt that it's hooked up to some monitor. It's just mic to a circuit board to the speakers? How would they even know if it was still working or not?

 

3, The dashboard rattles. It didn't before. I don't know how they fix that short of uninstalling and reinstalling... slowly... the dashboard again. :-(

 

4. I was using the Descent Assist. There were times where it seemed that the engine starting racing loudly but the Empower meter showed no power being generated. Turning off the button stopped the engine racing and put EV back on, and then pressing the button again started the engine slowly speeding up the racing. It seemed abnormal to me.

 

I'm going to call my SA on Tuesday to see what I can do. I don't want to be ha hypochondriac about my car, but the 2013 had multiple serious build and design flaws, and I'm not satisfied that the servicing didn't break something else. And yet, it's easy to think that it's all in my mind because I don't do steep hill driving every day.

 

But it's the cabin noise thing that really bothers me. It just seems to me that it used to ride a lot quieter before. That, and the dashboard rattle.

 

I don't think I'll ever be happy with this car now, after it having had a lung transplant. A new car experience shouldn't be this way, especially after spending $36K on it. Trading off a noxious smell for a chronic rattle just doesn't seem like a fair trade. This wasn't what Ford meant by random acts of Fusion.

[murphy]

If the HVB is fully charged regeneration can no longer take place while going down hill because there is no place for the regenerated electricity to go. In that case the only option is to use the ICE to provide the back pressure. The ICE is running but no fuel is being fed to the cylinders. In effect it becomes an air pump.

[GrySql]

Update...

I'm going to call my SA on Tuesday to see what I can do. I don't want to be ha hypochondriac about my car, but the 2013 had multiple serious build and design flaws, and I'm not satisfied that the servicing didn't break something else. And yet, it's easy to think that it's all in my mind because I don't do steep hill driving every day.

 

But it's the cabin noise thing that really bothers me. It just seems to me that it used to ride a lot quieter before. That, and the dashboard rattle.

I don't think I'll ever be happy with this car now, after it having had a lung transplant.

A new car experience shouldn't be this way, especially after spending $36K on it. Trading off a noxious smell for a chronic rattle just doesn't seem like a fair trade. This wasn't what Ford meant by random acts of Fusion.

Stick with your plan, go back and tell the SA what you know about the rattle and the possible ANC issue - make them fix it.

 

I admit to a bit of paranoia because mine had the same repair but in reality my car is still new, drives great and is quiet.

My wife was just commenting on that yesterday as we were cruising down the highway, to her it's just a car, it works or it doesn't, no emotion.

Don't let your mind play tricks on you, the car is mechanical and computers, they can be repaired.

 

Now, I just have to find the time to get the trunk release button fixed and the rear view camera looked at, my SA knows about it and is ready to get to work.

You are right, a new $36k car shouldn't have problems like this but fixing them solves that. The new models have benefited from our experience.

[aschulz261]

I use the hill descent control frequently. It's always nice to get off the highway and head downhill to get a full battery charge while nearing home. I haven't been able to figure out exactly how it works, but it seems to want to try and hold whatever speed you were traveling when you let off the accelerator. If the hill is too steep and the regen can't hold the speed down, it will use the ICE for speed control. I have noticed that when that happens, there is no longer any regen occurring. The same thing will happen if the HVB becomes full. The ICE is used from that point on.

 

I have found one awkward point in the software. If you are heading down a fairly steep hill with hill descent on, and the HVB is full, engine braking is used to try and control vehicle speed. If you need to stop in this set of circumstances, there is a lot of engine braking from the ICE and the service brakes get used. BUT, once you get down to about 5mph, the engine braking is shut off. It makes the last 5 mph kind of exciting if you aren't expecting it.

[hermans]

Back to the cooling system. What has me wondering - what is the causation factor with the climate box issues. I have two 2013s and have not had a hint of a bad oder and I have the same evaporator system as the cars that are needing the change out. Many do not have this issue and yet many do.. Is it where you live? The amount of use? What settings you use most frequently? There has to be something that sets the cars apart.

[hybridbear]

I use the hill descent control frequently. It's always nice to get off the highway and head downhill to get a full battery charge while nearing home. I haven't been able to figure out exactly how it works, but it seems to want to try and hold whatever speed you were traveling when you let off the accelerator. If the hill is too steep and the regen can't hold the speed down, it will use the ICE for speed control. I have noticed that when that happens, there is no longer any regen occurring. The same thing will happen if the HVB becomes full. The ICE is used from that point on.

 

I have found one awkward point in the software. If you are heading down a fairly steep hill with hill descent on, and the HVB is full, engine braking is used to try and control vehicle speed. If you need to stop in this set of circumstances, there is a lot of engine braking from the ICE and the service brakes get used. BUT, once you get down to about 5mph, the engine braking is shut off. It makes the last 5 mph kind of exciting if you aren't expecting it.

You are correct. The 5 MPH thing is a bit startling. However, we're getting off-topic as hermans pointed out. If we want to talk more about hill descent we can do it in one of the threads that is dedicated to that topic.

[GrySql]

Back to the cooling system. What has me wondering - what is the causation factor with the climate box issues. I have two 2013s and have not had a hint of a bad oder and I have the same evaporator system as the cars that are needing the change out. Many do not have this issue and yet many do.. Is it where you live? The amount of use? What settings you use most frequently? There has to be something that sets the cars apart.

Excellent question.

Being retired, and as my wife and I still like each other, we use the FFH as 'our' car.

We go places together and we travel quite often, so far it's about 15k miles a year in this FFH.

Because of my wife's health issues, and our warm climate, the HVAC is on almost all the time - an easy way to say it is - if she's in the car, it's on.

The A/C system gets a lot of use, in any car we're in.

 

So, our system is one that is in use all the time.

Ford seems to think the evap housing was at fault but the 'why' is unexplained.

Edited September 1, 2014 by GrySql

[Easy Rider]

 

4. I was using the Descent Assist. There were times where it seemed that the engine starting racing loudly but the Empower meter showed no power being generated. Turning off the button stopped the engine racing and put EV back on, and then pressing the button again started the engine slowly speeding up the racing. It seemed abnormal to me.

 

I think that part is probably normal.

I used mine for the first time last week.

The descent thing didn't seem to be doing much and I was gradually picking up speed.......so I shifted it to B.......and it scared the crap out of me; sounded like a jet plane taking off.

It slowed down nicely but next time I will probably not be using B and will supplement the DA with a little brake if needed.

[hybridbear]

I think that part is probably normal.

I used mine for the first time last week.

The descent thing didn't seem to be doing much and I was gradually picking up speed.......so I shifted it to B.......and it scared the crap out of me; sounded like a jet plane taking off.

It slowed down nicely but next time I will probably not be using B and will supplement the DA with a little brake if needed.

Using the button on the shifter should not allow you to pick up any speed. It should hold your speed steady. It will turn on the ICE for engine braking if it cannot charge the HVB fast enough to consume the gravitational energy from the descent. When the HVB is full the car will only use engine braking. Sometimes engine braking alone is not enough and you will pick up speed. If the HVB is not full then the car should be able to maintain your speed.

 

Shifting to L (it's B in your Prius ;)) will make things act very differently. L in the Ford is not like B in your Prius.

 

Using Cruise Control combined with the hill button on the shifter usually works quite well.

[gkinla]

Using the button on the shifter should not allow you to pick up any speed. It should hold your speed steady. It will turn on the ICE for engine braking if it cannot charge the HVB fast enough to consume the gravitational energy from the descent. When the HVB is full the car will only use engine braking. Sometimes engine braking alone is not enough and you will pick up speed. If the HVB is not full then the car should be able to maintain your speed.

 

Shifting to L (it's B in your Prius ;)) will make things act very differently. L in the Ford is not like B in your Prius.

 

Using Cruise Control combined with the hill button on the shifter usually works quite well.

I never did care much for the Downhill Assist button. I have Adaptive Cruse Control, this will hold your downhill speed to whatever it's set for. If your speed increases the brakes will be applied to hold your set speed downhill. If you don't have ACC then it's a combination of Downhill Assist, normal cruise and brakes to hold your set speed.

[Easy Rider]

 

Shifting to L (it's B in your Prius ;)) will make things act very differently. L in the Ford is not like B in your Prius.

 

Using Cruise Control combined with the hill button on the shifter usually works quite well.

Hahaha. No way I could have gotten the two confused with each other......is there ?? :)

 

I will have to try it again. I think the cruise was off at the time.

[Barsoom]

I called my SA yesterday about the tool scratches / bite marks on the dashboard, and the rattles.

 

I'm especially peeved about the perceived loudness of the ride now. I hear road noise and engine rumble that I didn't hear before. I'm guessing that they broke the active noise cancellation when they removed the dashboard, but I also wonder if they didn't put it back tightly enough? It might again just be my imagination, but it seems like the MyFord Touch screen is deeper in the frame before, that is, the gap around the edge where I have to press to open a quadrant seems deeper than before.

 

Is it possible that road/engine noise is leaking into the cabin because the dashboard is not as tightly sealed as before, or is it a busted active noise cancellation? I don't even know if they can test the noise cancellation feature...

 

sigh...

[GrySql]

I called my SA yesterday about the tool scratches / bite marks on the dashboard, and the rattles.

 

I'm especially peeved about the perceived loudness of the ride now. I hear road noise and engine rumble that I didn't hear before. I'm guessing that they broke the active noise cancellation when they removed the dashboard, but I also wonder if they didn't put it back tightly enough? It might again just be my imagination, but it seems like the MyFord Touch screen is deeper in the frame before, that is, the gap around the edge where I have to press to open a quadrant seems deeper than before.

 

Is it possible that road/engine noise is leaking into the cabin because the dashboard is not as tightly sealed as before, or is it a busted active noise cancellation? I don't even know if they can test the noise cancellation feature...

 

sigh...

'Sigh' is right, sorry to hear all that.

Anything is possible.

 

If your dashboard is as marked up as you describe they should be replacing it.

Send a PM to our Forum Ford Rep Crystal, she can really help you.

 

When you take the car back to the Dealer have the SA take you to another FFH and compare the dashboard, look closely at the fit and finish.

Ask to get a test drive of that demo FFH to compare road noise too.

 

Mine goes back next Tuesday for the remaining fixes for my HVAC repair, they seem simple compared to yours.

[hybridbear]

I called my SA yesterday about the tool scratches / bite marks on the dashboard, and the rattles.

 

I'm especially peeved about the perceived loudness of the ride now. I hear road noise and engine rumble that I didn't hear before. I'm guessing that they broke the active noise cancellation when they removed the dashboard, but I also wonder if they didn't put it back tightly enough? It might again just be my imagination, but it seems like the MyFord Touch screen is deeper in the frame before, that is, the gap around the edge where I have to press to open a quadrant seems deeper than before.

 

Is it possible that road/engine noise is leaking into the cabin because the dashboard is not as tightly sealed as before, or is it a busted active noise cancellation? I don't even know if they can test the noise cancellation feature...

 

sigh...

I second the recommendation to involve Crystal. Sorry to hear about your issues. Please let us know how things go. GrySql's recommendations are all excellent. Edited September 7, 2014 by hybridbear