There are a bunch of threads on the nasty mildew or moldy odor in our trucks. Been lots of help and ideas but I have a question. If you CAN NOT find any evidence of water intrusion at all and have the smelly nasty odor in your truck DO you have the Ford rubber floor mats or all weather lines (whatever ford calls them)?

I can find no trace of water intrusion and supposedly the dealer can't either.
I have done as some have suggested and run the fan on high without the AC on for a few minutes before shutting off the truck.
BUT I am noticing that the floor mats have the smell. I routinely wash the mats but accidentally discovered that the underneath side of the mats stink too.

Could the Ford mats be the problem??? Trying to find the stock carpeted mats to see if the smell goes away but can't seem to find them after our move.

 

Seems like a really easy theory to test. I wonder how you can determine if it's the mats?

 

Don't like the rubber or hard floor mats and only used them but for very short time in any of my vehicles. Didn't like stepping into a puddle of water after tromping through heavy snow having it melting and freezing the water left on/in the mats.

Take the mats out for a week it shouldn't hurt just the carpet for a brief time period...... See how the truck smells.....

 

Your padding under the carpet can absorb water and still feel dry to the touch. If your mats smell on the underside the carpet got wet at some point period.

 

I don't have any of the nasty looking yellow crap others have shown on their padding or floor pan BUT it is the passenger side mat that smells even underneath.

 

I'd be pulling the carpet and waiting for the water to appear.