Vinegar-like smell

[Matthew Hoover]

2018 Expy. I note a brief but strong vinegar smell coming from the AC when I start up on a warm day. I thought it was just me but other passengers have noticed it as well.
The smell is not related to cleaning products- it’s been a while since it’s had a bath, especially on the inside.
Anyone else notice a similar smell?

 

[scottdm]

Perhaps you have mold, etc growing in your A/C ducts. Houston does have VERY high humidity in the summer, so maybe that's when something started growing. You should be able to purchase disinfectant spray that you spray into your vents to take care of the issue.

 

[2018expyXLT4wd]

Acetic acid. First thing would be to check the cabin air filter
https://www.carcarekiosk.com/video/2018_Ford_Expedition_Max_XLT_3.5L_V6_Turbo/air_filter_cabin/check

 

[Going_Going_Gone]

Thanks for the link. It would have been a real head-scratcher trying to figure this out on the fly.

 

[aggiegrad05]

My vents smell awful. Any ideas? I try to drive it every couple days or so but I assume it’s related to the increased downtime. Should I be worried a drain tube is suddenly plugged up somewhere?

My cabin air filter was just changed a couple months ago.

 

[AAOO]

Wash your feet bro!

 

[Soliyou]

My vents smell awful. Any ideas? I try to drive it every couple days or so but I assume it’s related to the increased downtime. Should I be worried a drain tube is suddenly plugged up somewhere?

My cabin air filter was just changed a couple months ago.

I noticed that some air fresheners result in a very bad smell out of the vents.

It also helps to turn off the AC and keep it on fan only for couple of minutes before reaching your destination.

 

[AAOO]

What about putting it on recirculate just before shutting it off? This way there are no open vents to the outside air. Not sure if this is how the system works but maybe worth a try.

 

[aggiegrad05]

I noticed that some air fresheners result in a very bad smell out of the vents.

It also helps to turn off the AC and keep it on fan only for couple of minutes before reaching your destination.

No air fresheners.

I feel like it has to be the downtime, the AC runs for 8 minutes while I run to the grocery store and then sits for three days. Then we do it all over again. I’ll just deal with it until life is back to normal and then see how it does.

 

[Bobmc]

You might consider an ozone generator. Here's a detailing forum discussion about using one for cigarette odor...

http://www.adamsforums.com/topic/25619-using-an-ozone-generator/

 

[JExpedition07]

Ozone:

 

[Dclr]

Give Ozium a try. It's an inexpensive aerosol that eliminates the source of the odor rather than masking it. I found it very effective on eliminating cigarette smoke from a vehicle I purchased in the past.

Leaving the truck running with the A/C on high/recirculate, I fogged up the cab and walked away (doors and windows closed) for about 5-10 minutes. After a couple iterations of this and leaving the windows while parked outside during the day for a few days a week, the smell was completely gone.

 

[Fozzy]

Are you sure you didn’t get some bad hand sanitizer?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[aggiegrad05]

Are you sure you didn’t get some bad hand sanitizer?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Haha, yes. It was definitely a mold/mildew smell out of the vents. I had a 20 minute drive today and shut the a/c off and ran the fan on full blast. Seems to have corrected it. I guess we’ll find out next time I get in.

 

[aggiegrad05]

This issue has never really gone away, still smells most mornings I get in.

Was at the dealer for oil change and tire rotation so I asked them to take a look. Cabin air filter is good and the condenser is draining as it’s supposed to. So they deodorized the system and said I should be good. Fingers crossed.

(My loaner is an EcoSport. Which is decidedly not the same thing as my Platinum Expi. Haha)

 

[Bow512]

What about putting it on recirculate just before shutting it off? This way there are no open vents to the outside air. Not sure if this is how the system works but maybe worth a try.

Actually I think it’s the opposite that needs to happen. BMWs have an issue with this as well. I learned from my last one that when you’re running the AC on “auto” and it’s really hot and humid out it runs on recirculating mode most of the time. When you turn off the Vehicle while still in that mode, the moisture on the coils has nowhere to go (thus the moldy smell). I learned on mine to turn the ac completely off prior to shutting down the vehicle on the hot humid days and it 100% solved the problem as it moves the actuator back to pulling outside air in thus letting the moisture escape while sitting overnight.

If you have any Lysol, spray some where the filter goes with the air on to suck it down onto the coils and it should help clear it up as well.

 

[Squark]

I also get the vinegar smell when I first start the car (often, but not every time). I park in a garage that stays pretty hot in the summer. I changed the cabin air filter but it didn’t help much. I’ve had A/Cs smell like mildew, but this is distinctly more like vinegar. I’m curious if the dealer deodorizer helps.

 

[Vipersinu2]

I will try and give that a shot
I will move the dial to fresh air b4 I shut off the truck.

My truck stinkes just like vinegar for the first 2 mins.

I hate it

 

[aggiegrad05]

This issue has never really gone away, still smells most mornings I get in.

Was at the dealer for oil change and tire rotation so I asked them to take a look. Cabin air filter is good and the condenser is draining as it’s supposed to. So they deodorized the system and said I should be good. Fingers crossed.

(My loaner is an EcoSport. Which is decidedly not the same thing as my Platinum Expi. Haha)

The deodorization didn’t work. Oh well. At least they didn’t charge me for it.

 

[Vipersinu2]

What i did on my mountaineer

I got scented bleach water mixed in a pump sprayer.

I found the ac drain line under the truck. I put the wand in the drain hose and pumped in the beach.