NHTSA Complaint #10573079 — 2013 FORD EXPLORER

EXHAUST ENTERS THE VEHICLE CABIN ANY TIME THE ENGINE IS OPERATED AT HIGHER RPMS, SUCH AS CLIMBING A LONG HILL OR TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND PASSING OTHER TRAFFIC. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN PRESENT SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE (NEW), BUT WE INITIALLY THOUGHT THE ODOR WAS COMING FROM SURROUNDING VEHICLES. WE SHORTLY DISCOVERED THAT THE EXHAUST ODOR OCCURRED WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF ANY OTHER TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE FORD DEALER WHO CONTACTED FORD ENGINEERING FOR A FIX. THE "FIX" DIDN'T HELP. I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ESTABLISHED A "CASE" IN AUGUST, 2013, AND WAS PROMISED THE PROBLEM WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF. FORD TOLD US TO OPERATE THE VENTILATION SYSTEM IN THE RECIRCULATION MODE UNTIL THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. THIS ONLY AMPLIFIED THE ODOR BECAUSE THE EXHAUST STILL ENTERED BUT WAS THEN TRAPPED IN THE CABIN. AT FORD'S DIRECTION THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT SAT FOR 3 WEEKS BUT WAS NOT TOUCHED. THE DEALER THEN CALLED AND ASKED US TO COME GET THE CAR BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. SINCE THEN, DESPITE MY CONTINUING EFFORTS, I HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY STALLED AND TOLD "WE'RE WORKING ON IT". THE ODOR IS PRESENT YEAR ROUND BUT SEEMS TO BE STRONGER IN WARMER WEATHER. *TR