Ford explorer 2012 burnt smell

**mic2x** · July 23rd, 2012 12:00 PM

Hi all,

I have a Ford Explorer Limited 2012, with a 2k plus milage already. I noticed that when I do a hard acceleration at 3k up RPM, I would notice a mild burnt smell inside the cockpit, my airconditioning is at recy, so the smell is not from outside.

I noticed this because I recently had a roadtrip with my family, and each time I rev-up, this happens.

Has anybody experienced this?

**foresterx** · July 23rd, 2012 01:05 PM

i also experience this but only when i floor the gas pedal and the smell isn't a burnt smell but more of the smoke of others cars from infront of you. from what i noticed if you push the car the a/c recirculation mode turns off automatically to give you more power or feedback from the gas pedal like most modern cars. i'm trying to find out if the auto recirc.mode off can be turned off, i'll probably ask casa on my next pms if that is possible.

**glntVR** · July 23rd, 2012 05:04 PM

Same experience here, it's been like that ever since we got our unit. Everytime i smell that i check the engine temp but it reads normal so it's not a big issue for me. I hope there's a fix for it though

**niky** · July 23rd, 2012 05:22 PM

If it's the rotting egg smell ( burnt and... well... rotten... smelling), then it's simply the catalytic converter heating up.

If it's just a regular burnt smell, it could simply be the AC compressor turning off and the system letting outside air in.

**foresterx** · July 23rd, 2012 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by niky

If it's just a regular burnt smell, it could simply be the AC compressor turning off and the system letting outside air in.

this is what happens to my car, when i floor the gas pedal or go faster than average the compressor automatically turns off. i want to find out if it's possible to not let the car automatically turn the compressor off.

**JohnM** · July 23rd, 2012 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by foresterx

this is what happens to my car, when i floor the gas pedal or go faster than average the compressor automatically turns off. i want to find out if it's possible to not let the car automatically turn the compressor off.

It's the pressure switch that's most likely turning the compressor off at high revs. Since the compressor is tied to the engine speed the higher the revs the higher the pressure inside the compressor. At a certain point the switch disconnects the AC clutch to keep the system from going BOOM.

Also happens on my Vios after a few pedal to the metal runs. That's the most basic AC you can get with manual recirc etc.

**foresterx** · July 23rd, 2012 05:57 PM

as long as it's normal i don't have a problem with it, i just wish there was a way to not let it turn off automatically.

**niky** · July 23rd, 2012 10:17 PM

If it doesn't turn off, compressor go bye-bye-boomy-boom-boom at high revs... Unlike turbo compressors, AC compressors don't have wastegates, because you can't vent freon to the atmosphere. I think on older cars, the turn off point was much higher... If I recall, mine was about 4k plus. Thanks to stricter fuel economy requirements, new ones shut down sooner. Drive anywhere over 2.5k rpm on a Swift and the compressor shuts off automatically.

**rensom** · July 24th, 2012 11:26 AM

Same issue with my Mitsubishi ASX

**foresterx** · July 24th, 2012 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by niky

If it doesn't turn off, compressor go bye-bye-boomy-boom-boom at high revs... Unlike turbo compressors, AC compressors don't have wastegates, because you can't vent freon to the atmosphere. I think on older cars, the turn off point was much higher... If I recall, mine was about 4k plus. Thanks to stricter fuel economy requirements, new ones shut down sooner. Drive anywhere over 2.5k rpm on a Swift and the compressor shuts off automatically.

on the current explorer i think it's some where around 4-5k. how come on all the other cars my family owns and we own the air from the outside doesn't go in from the a/c when we rev it really high? it's only my explorer that i can smell the smoke of the cars infront of me, i was thinking because our other cars we're a lot more expensive than the explorer but even on my forester i never encountered this problem. on my forester what happens is the a/c isn't as cold when in hataw mode but air from the outside doesn't go inside the car.