Most of us have automatic climate control. If you turn the air off, it closes the outside air door and traps the moisture. Shutting the truck off with the air or heater on WITHOUT the recirculate mode active should leave this door open and help a bit. Not a good design.

 

I was having this problem in the spring where it blew this foul smell out in the mornings in the spring time (4 season climate). However it seems to have gone away now that the summer weather is here.

With regards to running the heat for 5-10 mins that would be an acceptable solution if this were the 60s but we are talking 2008 here!

 

Referance A/C leak

I emailed the information and pictures to my local Ford dealer, who in turn called Ford, who said they have had no reports of this issue and had no fix for it. Ford advised the dealer to apply insulation tape to the outside of the evaporator coil housing box. This is black colored tar looking stuff that comes in rolls about 2.5 inches wide that is in the dealer’s inventory.

When I get time I will drop it off for the dealer to do this, but I do not think the R-factor will be enough. I think for better insulation that a fiberglass on one side and aluminum on the other would have a much higher R-factor.

Since the dealer’s inventory is limited, I think I will stop by Home Depot and see what insulation tape they have with the highest R-Factor , because I know I am going to end up fixing this myself.

p.s.
The R-factor determines the level of insulation provided by a substance, the higher the number the better.

 

Yeah, I would try fixing it yourself to save you the headaches. I would find that insulation, with the fiberglass on one side and aluminum on the other. Get some 3M double sided tape and apply the insulation with that. Shouldn't take long or cost much.

 

Funny, my 08 has developed the same smelly a/c problem at about the same mileage as my 07. When I took my 07 in they just added some deodorizer to the condenser and it lasted a month before the smelly socks were back. Doesn't help I live in a semi humid area.

 

Berry, you may have just hit on the answer to the cause of the odor, are you missing any of your work socks?
By the way, I believe we had a discourse a month or so back about this spending money on new pieces and parts for a new truck, and now your on to buying something else. The stock markets down, my retierment funds are getting none existent, as are my wife's-ya get my drift- I'm having a hard time keeping up.
By the way the HID lights had a problem and are going back for refund. Taking the head light assemblies out to work on them makes me nervous . One day I'm going to drop or scratch one. Ya all have a good day, ya hear!

 

I wish it was my work socks, I can burn those and get rid of the smell!

Time to give the service rep a working over.

 

Best of Luck.........

 

Has anyone ever gotten victory over this? I am getting the mildew smell in my 08 with 62K and can't seem to isolate it. Is it in the same box with the heater fan?

 

Not that this will help the smell, but back in January of 2009 the dealer replaced under warranty/recall? on my 2008 Expedition the A/C evaporator coil to fix my complaint about the air ducts making a whistling noise, the air fins that the air passes through have a different design on the new evaporator coil, this did stop the air noise. The replacement kit included a new blower housing and a condensate pan with a longer drain, the installer told we it was about a 1/4" longer, a lot more are also blew out of the air ducts, the new design allowed for a lot more air flow.

I never did get the waster leak fixed.

I maintain a website with all the repairs and fixes I do at
My 2008 Ford Expedition Limited ownership experience, maintenance, defects, add-ons, service tips and more

 

Nice write up. Does anyone know where I can find instructions on how to remove the housing so I can clean the coil?

 

 

 

I know all of the posts were concentrating on the AC drain being the issue. But also be sure it is not a coolant odor.

I thought my AC condensate was the source of my odor. Had a local Dealer check it out and do the disinfectant spray. Smell came back. Eventually one day about 2 months later while driving I got a puff of vapor out of the passenger side of the hood. When I stopped, I found the upper heater hose had sprung a leak and it was pooling on top of the engine. Same smell. Turns out the heater hose had been leaking minutely all along but so little that I never had noticed a puddle of coolant on the engine until that final day when it started leaking more (dealer service missed it too). Even this was still not enough of a leak to puddle on the ground. Replaced that heater hose and no more odor.

 

Thanks for the replies. I used the ozium spray and it seems to be much better. I will check on the condensate line and check the heater hose this weekend.