musty cabin interior

[David Youngblood]

My '05 Sport Trac XLT recently passed the 100,000 mile mark and, aside from having to replace the thermostat a few months ago, remains an awesome, problem-free vehicle.



Recently, however, I've noticed a very musty, unpleasant odor from my cabin. I have no idea where it is coming from. I'm pretty diligent about cleaning my truck and keeping it free of clutter and debris, aside from the inevitable sand that my work boots and shoes track in (I live in southern Alabama).



I suspect one of two things: either standing water has infiltrated one of the door panels or the rear sliding window which is stagnating and leaving an unpleasant smell, or the cabin air filter needs to be replaced.



I am unable to locate the cabin air filter and don't even know if my ST has one. Does anyone know if '05 XLTs have cabin air filters? Has anyone encountered water infiltration in any of the door or body panels? If so, how did you address the problem?



All feedback is welcome.



Dave

 

[Scott Tanner]

no cabin filters on gen 1 tracs- could be plugged a/c drain- go under trac and find the drain, and put a shop vac to clean it out, and/or poke a coat hangar in there. they sell spray to take care of odors that you spray into return air plenumn.

on the other hand, maybe it a forgotten sammich under the seat

 

[Richard L]

Yep, Check the AC drain. If they clog, algae, mold and mildew can grow on the AC evaporator core.

Once you are sure that the AC drain is clear, you need to clean and deodorize the system. There are some commercial products on the market just for that....most are just sprayed into the AC vents and the outside intake vent in front of the windshield. Also be sure to clear the leafs and other debris from collecting around the intake vents and under the hood. That greenery which triggers the algae and mildew.



I have used a product called Ozone which is a deodorant spray and reportedly kills mold and mildew around the house, but it worked great for the car AC vents. :grin:



...Rich

 

[Jamie Rosenthal]

Check to see if it's wet under the rubber flooring, that's my issue, I have a leak on the driver's side.

 

[JohnnyB]

where are the drains on the gen 2?

 

[Vic Sorlie]

For Gen2 Trac check the passenger side firewall - because of the engine size you may have to look from under the car. The attached video is done by a former Ford technician who's gone out on his own. His videos are some of the best I've seen, and I've gotten a lot of tips from them. For you 4.6L owners check out his work on replacing the exhaust manifolds (including removal of the broken studs) and camshaft phaser info.

 

[EddieS'04]

If you have a sun roof. I think there are drains in the B-Pillar that can get your floor wet under the rubber mat.

 

[JohnnyB]

I was wondering that too. I rarely open the moon roof. Any info on where the drains are and how to clear them?

 

[Vic Sorlie]

The (front) drains go down the A pillars. There are plenty of DIY videos on YouTube that'll give you tips on how to clear them. Search "Ford Explorer sunroof leak" for starters. Video I've attached covers how to repair leak coming through the satellite antenna, but you'll see the common steps as Brian goes through it.

 

[Steve S 3]

Also, check for a leak around the high mounted 3rd brake light. Mine leaked onto my headliner causing a smell.

 

[Vic Sorlie]

That 3rd brake light leakage is a common issue for all Ford pickups. I recently replaced mine with part purchased from RockAuto.

 

[JohnnyB]

Looks like I have the 3rd brake light leak. During a heavy rain I noticed a drip inside the cabin above the passenger side head rest in the back. Do I just remove the 3rd brake light and seal around it with silicone or is there a better method?



Also have a musty smell which I assume is from that too.