I have smoke in the cab and condensation on the windshield... I think something's wrong.

There's the abbreviated version because I'm a lil' wordy, here's the full thing. I just returned from a 2500 mile trek across the US (Kansas to South Carolina to Alabama then home). On the last leg of my journey I made a pitstop, and upon pulling out I smelled the faint smell of anti-freeze. I stopped and checked my coolant levels and everything was good, so I carried on. The smell persisted for the last week, but my coolant levels didn't show a noticable drop. Today, I was returning home for lunch when I realized there was smoke boiling out of the passenger side from under the dash. It wasn't smoke from a fire, but rather resembled the smoke of a liquid burning off. I did not have the heater/AC on, and when I turned it on, it pushed the smoke out. I was within a quarter mile of home, so I pulled in and checked the coolant levels... again, not low. To try and get a repeat of the problem, I drove it back to work where I had the tools to do a search around the engine compartment. I can't find any leaks inside there either, or the evidence of previous leaks. On the ride home, I didn't get smoke again, but rather my windshield started "fogging" over. The fog was condensation coming from inside the vents, and yet again, the heat/AC was not on. The other "symptoms" I am experiencing is no heat and it sounds like it's taking a drink of water when I accelerate and I'm hearing sloshing when I make sharper turns.

I will add that some of this sounds like heater core to me, but I don't have any wet carpet on the passenger side. I've searched through some of the posts and found a way to "backwash" the heater core, and I might attempt this, or I might just replace it completely if I get a general concensus this might solve my issues.

Thank goodness it's waited for warm weather to start all of this so I can ride my bike, however I do need my baby in a good state of repair, because the wife owns a *$%#ing Ford Focus that is about as reliable as the weatherman.

HELP!

 

Yah it does sound like a bad heater core to me. Have you checked under the hood at your collant lines and line running to heater box for leaks? Also have you tried placing news paper or cardboard under the engine compartment to see if any drips appear?

 

Check the floor on the passenger side. Definitely sounds like your heater core is gone. Coolant is always supposed to be circulating through the heater core regardless of the HVAC mode selected.

 

I would assume that it would be the heater core also. You may not be noticing damp carpets because it could be leaking behind the carpet or rubber matting. You would then be basically blowing moisture through your vents. Eventually the fluid will soak through, but I have seen stranger things.

 

Thanks for the info guys, that was my thoughts and seems to be the general concensus, so I'll pursue it further tomorrow.

 

Farleyod......chris farley fan?lol Let us know what you find out

 

Quick update. Truck's under warranty, so I took it in (only had to pull over twice to let it cool back down... so much for the coolant level and not overheating). Heater core was busted, thermostat gasket was "bad" and they're flushing the radiator which it needs in the worst kind of way. I'm feeling a lil' violated over the price of all of this work when know I could have done it myself but I need the truck before this weekend. Anyone give me a ballpark figure of what a radiator flush runs in your area?

 

$150 here.

 

This sounds like what is happening to my truck, how tough is it to replace the heater core and thermostat? I am not under warranty so I am either paying for it or doing it myself.