Smelly AC since new, can’t see condensate drain.

[vbfr850]

Hi everyone,

I want to love my 2025 XLT so badly, and I do for the most part, but the extremely strong putrid smell that comes out of the AC vents all the time is making it very hard.

I got my truck in mid April of this year, and the AC has had a sour mildew smell since the second day I had it.

I let it go for a few days because I was hoping it would go away, but it did not.

I took it to Young Ford of Ogden in Ogden, Utah (I don’t care about name dropping dealerships), and they kept the truck overnight and told me there was nothing they could do for me outside of charge me $90 to replace the cabin air filter and there’s “absolutely no way” warranty would cover it. So I bought the filter myself and replaced it (saved $50). This helped the smell for a few days but it came back just as strong as before. So clearly the filter is not the issue.

I’m trying to find the condensate drain so see if it looks plugged or something but I can’t.

Any advice on how to see/access the
drain a bit better? Thanks in advance.

The smell is of mildew/sweaty socks, and it’s always strongest when I first start the truck and usually goes away after ~15 minutes of driving. But it’s unacceptable that my brand new truck is having this issue.

Sponsored

 

[ace]

Hi everyone,

I want to love my 2025 XLT so badly, and I do for the most part, but the extremely strong putrid smell that comes out of the AC vents all the time is making it very hard.

I got my truck in mid April of this year, and the AC has had a sour mildew smell since the second day I had it.

I let it go for a few days because I was hoping it would go away, but it did not.

I took it to Young Ford of Ogden in Ogden, Utah (I don’t care about name dropping dealerships), and they kept the truck overnight and told me there was nothing they could do for me outside of charge me $90 to replace the cabin air filter and there’s “absolutely no way” warranty would cover it. So I bought the filter myself and replaced it (saved $50). This helped the smell for a few days but it came back just as strong as before. So clearly the filter is not the issue.

I’m trying to find the condensate drain so see if it looks plugged or something but I can’t.

Any advice on how to see/access the
drain a bit better? Thanks in advance.

The smell is of mildew/sweaty socks, and it’s always strongest when I first start the truck and usually goes away after ~15 minutes of driving. But it’s unacceptable that my brand new truck is having this issue.

Have the same thing with my Ranger raptor. Changed it to a k&n air filter. Helped a lot but on really hot days if you have the air circulating button on it seems like it happens again

 

[bigb]

Sorry to hear, I just ordered a 2025 and hope it's not going to be an issue. One thing that can help that I do on all my vehicles, 1. use fresh air as much as possible instead of recirc and 2. shut the compressor off and switch the fan to high a minute or 2 before arriving at your destination to dry the evaporator.
It's fairly common on many of todays vehicles due to the compactness of the evaporator and tightly packed fins. Some vehicles, like Mercedes, will run the fan automatically after shutdown to help dry it.

 

[Jason B]

IIRC, on vehicles with dual zone AC, the drip line is in the center, above the trans.

 

[ChronciallyChronic]

Hi everyone,

I want to love my 2025 XLT so badly, and I do for the most part, but the extremely strong putrid smell that comes out of the AC vents all the time is making it very hard.

I got my truck in mid April of this year, and the AC has had a sour mildew smell since the second day I had it.

I let it go for a few days because I was hoping it would go away, but it did not.

I took it to Young Ford of Ogden in Ogden, Utah (I don’t care about name dropping dealerships), and they kept the truck overnight and told me there was nothing they could do for me outside of charge me $90 to replace the cabin air filter and there’s “absolutely no way” warranty would cover it. So I bought the filter myself and replaced it (saved $50). This helped the smell for a few days but it came back just as strong as before. So clearly the filter is not the issue.

I’m trying to find the condensate drain so see if it looks plugged or something but I can’t.

Any advice on how to see/access the
drain a bit better? Thanks in advance.

The smell is of mildew/sweaty socks, and it’s always strongest when I first start the truck and usually goes away after ~15 minutes of driving. But it’s unacceptable that my brand new truck is having this issue.

You're smelling mildew because you have mildew in your air intake, which is the plastic grill between your hood and windshield. The fact that your dealer is telling you nothing they can do and not under warranty is pure bullsquint. The fix is to get yourself a can of auto mold and mildew disinfectant spray (Autozone has this stuff). Fire up the truck, get your AC blowing on high using outside air and start to spray the stuff into your intake. If there is more than one intake spray this stuff into both of them. You will want to use the entire aerosol can (half in each). Run you AC on full blower for 15 - 20 minutes. Let set with everything off for another hour or so and you should be good. If there is any odor left repeat the process.

Did you order your XLT or did you buy off the dealer lot? If you bought off the lot, its very possible it sat there for a few months not running much if at all, hence the mildew formation and the smell.

 

[ace]

You're smelling mildew because you have mildew in your air intake, which is the plastic grill between your hood and windshield. The fact that your dealer is telling you nothing they can do and not under warranty is pure bullsquint. The fix is to get yourself a can of auto mold and mildew disinfectant spray (Autozone has this stuff). Fire up the truck, get your AC blowing on high using outside air and start to spray the stuff into your intake. If there is more than one intake spray this stuff into both of them. You will want to use the entire aerosol can (half in each). Run you AC on full blower for 15 - 20 minutes. Let set with everything off for another hour or so and you should be good. If there is any odor left repeat the process.

Did you order your XLT or did you buy off the dealer lot? If you bought off the lot, its very possible it sat there for a few months not running much if at all, hence the mildew formation and the smell.

I have a brand new afe intake so I doubt that’s my problem. But it might be for him. Gonna try drying the evaporator.

 

[RonM_TX]

I had a mold issue in my old Ford Escape smelled bad, irritated my sinuses just a bad experience all around so I know what you are going through. I first sprayed a can of Lysol spray into the fresh air intake. It helped but didn't kill all the mold or stop the smell from coming baack. Researched issue and found Toyota has a kit to kill the mold. Ordered from Amazon, worked like a champ, killed the smell and didn't come back. It's a foam spray you you fill the heater box with, it converts to a liquid and runs out the drain hole. Simple and easy. Takes 30 minutes or so.

 

[ace]

I had a mold issue in my old Ford Escape smelled bad, irritated my sinuses just a bad experience all around so I know what you are going through. I first sprayed a can of Lysol spray into the fresh air intake. It helped but didn't kill all the mold or stop the smell from coming baack. Researched issue and found Toyota has a kit to kill the mold. Ordered from Amazon, worked like a champ, killed the smell and didn't come back. It's a foam spray you you fill the heater box with, it converts to a liquid and runs out the drain hole. Simple and easy. Takes 30 minutes or so.

You have a link or the name of the product?

 

[ChronciallyChronic]

You have a link or the name of the product?

This is the stuff I've used:

https://www.autozone.com/a-c-chargi...o154&gStoreCode=4899&gQT=1&new_store_set=true

 

[RonM_TX]

You have a link or the name of the product?

GENUINE TOYOTA APPROVED S.E.T. SERVICERITE AC EVAPORATOR REFRESH KIT 00053-00008 on Amazon

https://a.co/d/fcOFwyc
I bought two kits thinking it would need both but one took care of the odor completely.

 

[Jason B]

I have a brand new afe intake so I doubt that’s my problem. But it might be for him. Gonna try drying the evaporator.

That's an intake for the engine. He was talking about the intake for the AC/cabin.

 

[Tony_B]

Hi everyone,

I want to love my 2025 XLT so badly, and I do for the most part, but the extremely strong putrid smell that comes out of the AC vents all the time is making it very hard.

I got my truck in mid April of this year, and the AC has had a sour mildew smell since the second day I had it.

I let it go for a few days because I was hoping it would go away, but it did not.

I took it to Young Ford of Ogden in Ogden, Utah (I don’t care about name dropping dealerships), and they kept the truck overnight and told me there was nothing they could do for me outside of charge me $90 to replace the cabin air filter and there’s “absolutely no way” warranty would cover it. So I bought the filter myself and replaced it (saved $50). This helped the smell for a few days but it came back just as strong as before. So clearly the filter is not the issue.

I’m trying to find the condensate drain so see if it looks plugged or something but I can’t.

Any advice on how to see/access the
drain a bit better? Thanks in advance.

The smell is of mildew/sweaty socks, and it’s always strongest when I first start the truck and usually goes away after ~15 minutes of driving. But it’s unacceptable that my brand new truck is having this issue.

Hi, did you notice whether condensation water from the A/C is actually dripping under your Ranger onto the ground?
I am asking because I have a 2025 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X and I am dealing with a similar smell from the ventilation/A/C system.
The A/C cools properly, but even after longer driving with the air conditioning on, I do not see any condensate dripping under the vehicle.
My authorized Ford service checked the evaporator drain and told me that the drain outlet itself is not blocked.
However, they found that the condensate does not drain freely outside the vehicle, but falls into the area above the transmission.
In my case it seems to land on the transmission cover, which has a porous felt-like material.
Because this cover is closed/flush along the sides, the water may stay trapped there instead of dripping freely down.
My concern is that repeated moisture, together with heat from the engine/transmission area, could create a good environment for bacteria, mould, bad smell and possibly corrosion.
This may explain why disinfection of the A/C only helps temporarily, but does not remove the real cause.
Could you please check or confirm whether your Ranger actually leaves A/C condensate on the ground, or whether the water disappears somewhere above the transmission area?

 

[vbfr850]

Hi, sorry to hear your having this problem also. Unfortunately I cannot check because my Ranger was totaled by a drunk driver 8 days after I posted this… so I am unfortunately no longer apart of the Ranger 6g family. Best of luck to you though.

 

[vbfr850]

You're smelling mildew because you have mildew in your air intake, which is the plastic grill between your hood and windshield. The fact that your dealer is telling you nothing they can do and not under warranty is pure bullsquint. The fix is to get yourself a can of auto mold and mildew disinfectant spray (Autozone has this stuff). Fire up the truck, get your AC blowing on high using outside air and start to spray the stuff into your intake. If there is more than one intake spray this stuff into both of them. You will want to use the entire aerosol can (half in each). Run you AC on full blower for 15 - 20 minutes. Let set with everything off for another hour or so and you should be good. If there is any odor left repeat the process.

Did you order your XLT or did you buy off the dealer lot? If you bought off the lot, its very possible it sat there for a few months not running much if at all, hence the mildew formation and the smell.

I know it’s been a long time since this reply was written, but maybe it’ll help other people having this issue. I special ordered my truck. So when I picked it up at the dealer it was fresh off the train and hadn’t been sitting, unfortunately.

As I mentioned in another reply, I sadly no longer own my Ranger but thank you nonetheless for your suggestions.

Sponsored