So here is the puzzle of the week. We have an Ecoboost that is emitting what smells like the odor from engine blow by, which is coming through the AC ducts into the cab of the truck.
1. AC on MAX - Recirc, we smell the odor the most
2. AC on Recirc or Fresh , no odor

Per Dealer the PCV valve hose was not connected to the engine by the factory, but after it was connected the odor is still present

Any Ideas

Dog Lady

 

Not sure but I have an almost Ether(Starting Fluid) odor in my cab on occasion. It's seems to be when the turbo is spooling. I have no idea what is causing it.

Would like to know for sure too!

 

Don't know how many miles on your rig, if it is a new truck like a leather smell? Or a coolant sweet smell. Possibly someting on the right exhaust up by the frame rail? Had a gourd on mine from a friendly furry creature last spring.

 

My wife's 2012 Explorer with the 3.5 V-6 has the same smell under hard acceleration, brought it in and was told Ford is aware of the problem and are working on a fix. Check out explorer forums and you'll find a lot of owners with same problem. Don't know if it's related but thought I would share this tidbit of info.

 

Thanks for the info. I wrote to Ford about it because the dealer saw that the pcv valve hose wasn't attached and thought that would take care of it, but it didn't and you're right especially on hard acceleration that smell comes in.
Hopefully we'll get it resolved and will be able to report back

Annette

 

do you still get it when you turn off the heat/ac? the vent air is pulled in from the openings by the windshield wipers. so if there is something under the hood that smells it may be sucked in there.

 

We only get the odor on hard acceleration, and when AC is on in recircl mode

Annette

 

It only take a teaspoon of dust to wreck an engines rings and piston bore. The motor is probably junk and Ford should replace it. The dust was injested with the PCV not installed properly. All you gotta do is look at a sunbeam inside a window across the floor to see the dust floating around in the air. All that dust would be injested into the motor with the PCV not installed. Suck in dust, blow out piston rings,

 

well, i suppose that kills that guess.

 

The dealer has had my Ecoboost for 2 Days and doesn't know at this point what is causing the odor but we have determined that you have to have the engine warmed up and driven at least 20 miles before the odor starts coming through the AC while it is set on recirc.
They told us this is a new one and they will be consulting Ford on Monday.

Wish me Luck

Annette

 

Here is the answer Ford gave me after going through 30 days of service tickets and 2 field service engineers, plus going for a second opinion to another dealer. Everyone smelled the chemical like odor but told us that it was a characteristic of Ford AC and even the brand new 2013 Ecoboosts had the odor, so basicly live with it. I have gotten to the point of lemon law with this truck but we love the truck so are hanging in there waiting until spring when the weather gets hot and we can produce the odor more easily to show the lemon law people. I have almost 9000 miles on my 2012 and it still is producing the odor.
Dog Lady in FL

 

Do they mean all new Fords have this characteristic or all Fords, cuz I have had my truck since 06 and I have never smelled anything like what you describe. Sounds like Ford has no idea and is washing their hands of this issue hoping you just go away.

 

How the Ford Field Service Engineers decided to tell us to live with it was by having us as well as them test drive different 2012 and 2013 F150's. Some were not Ecoboost but mostly all the ones that produced this chemical like odor were with manual AC not the dual control ones. They did determine that it was coming from the inside of the cabin and when the AC was on recirc, but discounted it because other F150's produced it too, so mine I was told was not a unique problem. Therefor live with it.

 

Why do you run the A/C in recirc? I *NEVER* do, always normal (fresh).

 

I live in Florida and the AC doesn't get cold enough on hot days without using recirc