It could gag a maggot...

[Maui]

Wife's Kia had a mouse climb into the HVAC ducting and die there. $1,500 quote to rip out the entire dashboard to get to it. We just traded that thing.

I have had mice in my older camry in the past. Once in the blower motor, and in the air filter box. This is a different stink. I bought a new Kia Soul while waiting 18 months for my Maverick. It is my Honey's ride now. Since she works from home, I'll drive that, and the Maverick will be a very expensive lawn decoration.

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[Aherpa]

My otherwise loved Maverick stinks to high heaven. In service date May 11, 2023. Every day I got in it, I had a big stupid smile on my face. I had it to my selling dealer for the problem in October, as by that time, my eyes were watering. They did what they could, as far as looking for leaks or moisture. They found nothing for moisture under carpets, a/c drains fine, NOTHING! I hoped that time would make it un-stink. No luck!

Here if my question: what is under the floor? Is the floor section a single layer of metal, or more like a metal sandwich with space in between, and perhaps insulation? is the metal sandwich opened all the way to the pickup bed? I ask that as I car washed it often, and have had a modular drop in bed liner installed by a total hack, that drilled holes where I don't believe they belong. Also, on the pick up bed led light near the tailgate was full of moisture often. (replaced by my dealer under warranty) I wonder if water got into the floor sandwich and it became a petri dish like environment.

Anybody have pictures of a floor cutaway? Perhaps pictures from a body repair that shows what makes up the floor? Any advice?

I can't help with your floor questions but I can relate an experience we had with a horrible smell in our Crown Vic. It was worse when the fan was running.
I don't know if it will help your situation but . . .

I bought a spray can of BP brand 'Frigi-Clean' heater/evaporator core cleaner and took the car to my dealer to have them address the issue (I figured if something needed to be taken apart, best they do it).

It worked so well that my dealer asked where I got it. He said they usually use a Ford product but this stuff worked so much better and they were going to use it instead. He said a bunch of 'liquefied' crap drained out. He was impressed and we were glad it was an easy fix.

 

[MetalsGeek]

It sure sounds like something crawled inside one of the doors and died, or someone left something in there. Disgruntled employees can do a LOT. The source could even be above the headliner...

 

[mcluvin]

I bought a spray can of BP brand 'Frigi-Clean' heater/evaporator core cleaner and took the car to my dealer to have them address the issue (I figured if something needed to be taken apart, best they do it).

That reminds me, Lowe's is blowing this stuff out for $3.67. Retail, according to the shelf tag, is ~$15. It's not just for fish boxes

Fish Box Deodorizer

 

[Maverickman74]

If you smell it coming out of the vents, try it with recirculate on vs off. Maybe something somehow got in the fresh air intakes?

 

[My Maverick and Me]

Bag of hot peppers left in the door or stuffed behind something or in it. Food hidden where a person wouldn't look normally look

Funny story about food left in a car. When I was 16 I had a hand-me-down 1970 Ford LTD 4dr sedan and I worked at a cafeteria and me and a co-worker used to screw with each other at work. One day I took a raw hamburger patty and smashed it into his mini-truck cluster gauge speedometer for fun. Well the next day he put a bag of frozen chicken pieces under my seat in my car without me knowing. I drove it home that night and I was trying to sell the car and a man called me to look at it the next day so I left it at home that day when I went to work. My sister was going to show the car to the man that day for me while I was at work. She decided to clean the car out of items in case the man bought the car. She reached under the seat and felt something weird and pulled it out and thought I was a serial killer and had dead body parts under the seat. She was shocked as hell. She eventually realized they were chicken parts but couldn't understand why they would be under my seat. She said they were just starting to get a bad smell when she found them. haha. We had a big laugh when she told me she thought I was a serial killer and was saving body parts.

I told the story to my friend at work an we had a big laugh as well. I was lucky my sister cleaned them out because they would have been a big mess and terrible smell within another day or so. This was Arizona and I believe it was summertime so it wouldn't have taken long in that heat to go bad.

I guess it would have been worse had the new owner found the rotten chicken haha.

 

[Silver23]

I revisited the assembly line video I saw long ago, and the cab floor looks single sheet.

I had all the carpet out of mine to install sound deadener. It is one thin sheet for sure.

 

[Maui]

I had all the carpet out of mine to install sound deadener. It is one thin sheet for sure.

Thanks for the info.

 

[wax87]

Hi Dad!
(haven't said that for awhile) When at the dealer, I was told they had to take the underside apart to access the a/c drains. They did a cadaver hunt. I looked at the cabin filter and surrounding area, which was pristine. It doesn't smell like death, or out of sight lost food. I looked under all seats, including the rear. Checked door drains to make sure there are no stinky puddles in there. When I pre-start the vehicle with my Ford app, when you approach it, you can smell it blowing out of the cabin vents. I removed the all weather mats and installed my carpeted mats to eliminate those being the problem. Now my garage stinks. Are they the issue, or do they stink due to their environment? Time will tell.. It is breath taking, literally.

did I ride in your truck and take my boots off???

 

[93nighthawk]

It is a solid piece under the carpet/insulation.

But there is a bunch of fiberboards covering the bottom that can hide critters.

 

[DCBoy]

While attending college (on and off in the early 70s) I sold Triumphs and Volvos. A customer came in and complained about a terrible smell in his brand new Spitfire. A mechanic and I tore the car apart. Under the spare tire we found a British auto workers (we assumed) half finished fish and chips lunch in a bag with the British store's name on the bag.

OK, that narrows it down! All that's needed now is for OP to check and see if some fish-and-chips-loving Brit had anything to do with assembling his Maverick.

 

[Maui]

A bunch of us went fishing at Boston Haaabaah (accent) one fine summer day. Many alcoholic beverages later, we returned, I with a bag full of iced down flounder in a plastic bag, which was on the rear floor of my Mustang convertible. Someone suggested a weekend at a mutual acquaintances vacation rental in the Lakes region of New Hampshire (where we are referred to as "Mass-holes"). I jumped in my friends pickup with his boat in tow, and left the Mustang with the fish on the rear floor for the nice hot summer weekend. TALK ABOUT STINK!!!!

 

[Dad]

I'm surprised they didn't suggest he needed a new cabin filter. He probably actually does. Massachusetts is notorious for mice getting into engine bays and other places. They like to make nests in cabin filters.

You're right! I had not thought it might be the cabin filter. Good point. I understand his mother-in-law hasn't been seen for a couple of weeks. JK.

 

[Dad]

Hi Dad!
(haven't said that for awhile) When at the dealer, I was told they had to take the underside apart to access the a/c drains. They did a cadaver hunt. I looked at the cabin filter and surrounding area, which was pristine. It doesn't smell like death, or out of sight lost food. I looked under all seats, including the rear. Checked door drains to make sure there are no stinky puddles in there. When I pre-start the vehicle with my Ford app, when you approach it, you can smell it blowing out of the cabin vents. I removed the all weather mats and installed my carpeted mats to eliminate those being the problem. Now my garage stinks. Are they the issue, or do they stink due to their environment? Time will tell.. It is breath taking, literally.

I thought only cops did a cadaver hunt . . . who knew?! Sounds like you are not leaving any stone uncovered. Truly a head scratcher. Someone here mentioned the cabin filter.
PS: Thanks for the salutation and glad that you see me as somewhat filling those shoes.

 

[Scottprinz]

Check for roof seam leak. My 22 had that destroyed the interior threwout. Dealer nick name was old stinky. They had to get a specialist to find it. Hope that helps.
Enjoying my new 24. Dealer traded me out of my 22 when my 24 order came in if they couldn't fix my 22. Dealer did fix it though justed didn't want it after. 24 going threw a zero defect policy as per ceo. Say thats Why there full of f150s at Michigan speedway.

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