Rust under dash? Could somebody post pics of under their dash for comparison?

[Beckta10]

The last couple of days we’ve had a strange smell come through the vents when first starting our 2017 expedition. This evening I pulled our floor mats to see if maybe an ac condensation line was leaking into the cab. I didn’t find any wet spots so that mystery is still unsolved but I did notice that the metal structure of the dash has a bunch of surface rust. Is this normal? We’ve had plenty of issues with this vehicle so I’m concerned maybe it’s a sign this thing was flooded out or something.

Would anyone be willing to take pics of under their dash? Below are pics I took of both the driver side and passenger side. I had to let the glove box down on the passenger side to get those shots.

Thank you in advance to anyone that posts pictures!



















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[bobmbx]

Thats normal. You can't stop rust, only slow it down.

 

[16plati]

The last couple of days we’ve had a strange smell come through the vents when first starting our 2017 expedition. This evening I pulled our floor mats to see if maybe an ac condensation line was leaking into the cab. I didn’t find any wet spots so that mystery is still unsolved but I did notice that the metal structure of the dash has a bunch of surface rust. Is this normal? We’ve had plenty of issues with this vehicle so I’m concerned maybe it’s a sign this thing was flooded out or something.

Would anyone be willing to take pics of under their dash? Below are pics I took of both the driver side and passenger side. I had to let the glove box down on the passenger side to get those shots.

Thank you in advance to anyone that posts pictures!



















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I’ll snap some shots of my 16 in the morning for ya. Don’t think Thts normal. Rust is formed from Oxygen and water. Tht much rust tells me something’s up

 

[bobmbx]

I’ll snap some shots of my 16 in the morning for ya. Don’t think Thts normal. Rust is formed from Oxygen and water. Tht much rust tells me something’s up

Rust, or oxidation, is formed with contact with oxygen. Water has a big fat oxygen molecule in it. Thats why metal rusts underwater. Salt water accelerates the process.

Everything, except gold, oxidizes over time.

 

[JExpedition07]

Here’s my 2007, the surface rust on the unprotected metal is perfectly normal and it will eventually patina throughout. That’s not your smell.

 

[ExplorerTom]

Yep, normal. It’s just surface rust. Those parts are uncoated. But that rust will take forever to do any actual damage. But worry about it.

And definitely don’t look at the metal under your seats......

 

[Yupster Dog]

I'm with @16plati that is not normal. There is moisture getting in there from somewhere

 

[JExpedition07]

Here is a better pic of mine

 

[Trainmaster]

Certainly normal in New York. My 08 has lots more. There's no coating on that steel. Of course it rusts.

Make sure your a/c plenum is draining. Sometimes the drain hose clogs, leafs and debris get trapped with mucky water and smell. If water's not coming out on the ground when the a/c is on, the drain is clogged. Hunt it down under the truck and poke it clean with a wire.

 

[cmiles97]

 

[Plati]

My 2014El looks mostly like that.
That might be rusted a bit more extensively than mine but I say normal.

I had to spin my neck like Linda Blair in the Exorcist to be able to see it.
I think I may have popped my C4 vertebra doing that

Corrosion is a cool science, an offshoot of Materials Science & Chemical Engineering
I wanna be a Corrosion Engineer when I grow up

http://nace.org/about

http://nace.org/resources/general-resources/corrosion-basics

 

[MuddySpokes]

Last I checked, air carries water in its gas form. It is called humidity.

Photos look like surface rust to me as well.

Toward the source of the rust, if worried about a leak, I'd pull back the carpet (under the floor mat) in a few places and see if there is evidence of water accumulation or mold. If none, then the water is most likely coming from the stuff you breathe.

 

[HawkX66]

Perfectly normal. Every single one of my cars gets that. Even my Mercedes SLK350. 69 Camaro that doesn't go out in the rain, 07 Expedition, 17 Expedition, Mini Cooper. Every car that I've ever had has gotten that. The metal under the dash is raw steel. As others have said, the air has plenty of moisture to cause that too happen. The only way that will be lessened is by leaving the vehicle in a temperature controlled environment from day 1. It is not your smell. Mice can easily get into your HVAC system and leave everything from a light smell to an overpowering urine smell. You won't smell it until you turn your a/c on.

 

[Beckta10]

Thank you everyone for the replies!

The mice comment hit home...we park in a garage in what would be considered a suburban type area but we are close to corn fields and a couple weeks ago I removed my skid plates/splash guard coverings and found a dead mouse in one of them. Perhaps the mouse is the culprit!


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[HawkX66]

Thank you everyone for the replies!

The mice comment hit home...we park in a garage in what would be considered a suburban type area but we are close to corn fields and a couple weeks ago I removed my skid plates/splash guard coverings and found a dead mouse in one of them. Perhaps the mouse is the culprit!


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The little buggers can wreak a lot of havoc. It took forever to get the light smell out of my 07 when one got in after leaving it parked for quite a while. They cost me a $1,000 engine last month in my zero turn mower when one destroyed some wiring and packed nesting material up around the flywheel. It caused it to break the magnet and dislodge the top crank seal enough to leak oil. It was just enough oil to starve the top bearing (which is just the aluminum case) and it seized within 15 to 20 seconds of starting it. I noticed the smoke and smell, shut it down and it was already too late.
The mice can get to anything anywhere unfortunately. Dryer sheets seem to keep them away and smell a lot better than mothballs. Good luck.

 

[Traveler]

Normal rust. Dad was a car dealer in KS for 40 years. There is enough humidity in the air to cause that much rust. I never gave it much thought. Though now that I think about it I dont know why they dont painy those parts.

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[cmiles97]

I've got a 2019 Expy rental with 10,000 miles on it. Maybe they did fix the rust issue with the redesign or when does it start? 20,000 miles?

I'll check my 17 when I get it back from the repair shop. Then again maybe I don't want to know.

Edit: I zoomed in on the pic. Yep it's already begun on the edge of the bracket in the middle.

 

[MuddySpokes]

. . . I dont know why they dont painy those parts.

Easy math:
- paint costs money.

- painting costs money.

- parts handling costs increase presuming there is a goal to keep from putting dings in the paint.

- the typical customer never sees it.

- painting does nothing toward usefulness / function over the expected life of the vehicle.


Add them all up and we get added expense for no benefit.

 

[Traveler]

LoL well yea... I mean besides those reasons.. [emoji16]

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[Plati]

No paint helps dehumidify the air