NHTSA Complaint #10522939 — 2013 FORD EXPLORER

I BOUGHT MY EXPLORER JANUARY 3, 2013. A FEW WEEKS LATER I BEGAN TO SMELL GAS FUMES COMING FROM THE AIRCONDITIONER VENTS WHEN STARTING THE IGNITION. IT ONLY LASTED A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE FUMES WERE NO LONGER SMELT. THIS CONTINUED TO GO ON FOR MONTHS, RANDOMLY, WHETHER THE GAS TANK WAS FULL OR EMPTY, WHETHER IT WAS DRIVEN FOR MILES OR IF IT WAS STARTING FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT DAY. MULTIPLE PASSENGERS, INCLUDING MY DAUGHTER, HAVE SMELT THE FUMES AND QUESTIONED WHETHER IT WAS SAFE. MY MOTHER AND COUSIN BOTH PURCHASED AN EXPLORER AS WELL & BOTH IMMEDIATELY HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. I CALLED THE SALESMAN THAT I PURCHASED IT FROM AND HE ADVISED THAT I HAVE IT LOOKED AT. SHORTLY AFTER, I LEARNED ABOUT THE MASS RECALL THAT FORD HAD PLACED ON THE EXPLORERS. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT (JUNE 6, 2013) & WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT ACCORDING TO THE COMPUTER. I INSISTED THAT THEY TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT BECAUSE THIS WAS HAPPENING TOO OFTEN & BY THIS TIME MY GARAGE HAD STARTED TO SMELL LIKE GAS. THE DEALERSHIP DECIDED TO PLACE ME IN A RENTAL CAR & TAKE A LONGER LOOK IT. I WAS TOLD THAT NEXT MONDAY THAT FORD WOULD HONOR MY COMPLAINTS & HAVE THE PARTS REPLACED. THIS HAS YET TO HAPPEN. I AM CURRENTLY STILL IN A RENTAL DUE TO FORD NOT WANTING TO REPLACE MY PARTS UNTIL THEY MASS PRODUCE THE FAULTY PART. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WILL BE THIS OCTOBER BEFORE THEY CONSIDER REPLACING MY PART NOW. THIS EXPLORER IS DANGEROUS DUE TO THE FUMES AND CHANCE OF EXPLOSION. IT IS ALSO A FIRE/EXPLOSION HAZARD FOR ME TO HAVE IT PARKED AT MY HOUSE. MY EXPLORER REMAINS USELESS AT THE DEALERSHIP. MY MOM WAS TOLD SHE SHOULDN'T BRING IN HER VEHICLE UNTIL OCTOBER SOME TIME DUE TO NOT HAVING THE PART. THIS IS 3 NEW EXPLORERS THAT ARE NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL AND THAT ARE DANGEROUS TO MY FAMILY AND OTHER FAMILIES ON THE HIGHWAYS. I CAN ONLY WONDER IF THERE ARE MORE. *TR