NHTSA Complaint #10758647 — 2014 FORD EXPLORER

A FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING OUR 2014 EXPLORER, WE NOTICED AN EXHAUST/SULFUR ORDER IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FOLLOWING A MEDIUM ACCELERATION ENTERING AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. WE REPORTED THE ODOR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TURNED THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR. DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO RECREATE THE ORDER SO NOTHING WAS DONE. A FEW MONTHS LATER, UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES, THE ODOR RETURNED. ONCE AGAIN, WE TURNED THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER PERFORMED A REPAIR BASED ON A TSB. A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE ODOR RETURNED AND ONCE AGAIN TURNED THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER PERFORMED A CONTINUATION OF THE SAME TSB. A FEW MONTHS LATER, WHILE PULLING A BOAT, THE ODOR RETURNED. ONCE AGAIN, WE TURNED THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER OWNER AND THE SERVICE TECH DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND WERE UNABLE TO DETECT THE SMELL. THE VERY NEXT DAY WHILE PULLING THE BOAT, THE ODOR RETURNED. THE DEALER NOW SAYS THEY DON'T WANT TO PERFORM THE LAST PART OF THE TSB BECAUSE IF THEY SEND FORD A PART THAT'S NOT DEFECTIVE, FORD WILL CHARGE THEM BACK FOR THE PART....MEANWHILE I'M STUCK DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT MAY BE PUTTING SULFUR AND/OR CARBON MONOXIDE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER WANTS ME TO BRING MY BOAT AND VEHICLE IN SO THEY CAN TEST IT WHICH ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE IF THEY WRECK THE VEHICLE WITH THE BOAT, MY INSURANCE HAS TO COVER IT THROUGH THE PERMISSIVE USE CLAUSE AND MY RATES WILL GO UP.