NHTSA Complaint #10914850 — 2015 FORD EXPLORER

SMELL OF EXHAUST FUMES AND/OR SULFUR-TYPE ODORS COMING THROUGH AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM UNDER HEAVY ACCELERATION, PASSING ON HIGHWAY, OR WHEN ENGINE IS UNDER A LOAD. FUMES/SMELL GET SO BAD THAT I HAVE TO ROLL DOWN ALL WINDOWS AND OPEN SUNROOF TO VENTILATE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. TOLERATED THE HEADACHES, NAUSEA, AND LIGHT-HEADEDNESS WHILE DRIVING UNTIL SITUATION BECAME INTOLERABLE AND HAD BEGUN TO AVOID DRIVING THE EXPLORER. FIRST SERVICED IN 10/2015, DEALER HAD VEHICLE FOR 4 OR 5 DAYS. I WAS TOLD THAT A TSB WAS PERFORMED WHICH INCLUDED REMOVING THE REAR BUMPER AND USING SEALANT, BUT THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. FUMES IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT PERSISTED. ON 9/26/2016 TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS AND REPAIR ATTEMPTS FOR SAME PROBLEM. DEALER HAD VEHICLE THROUGH 10/4/16, AND CALLED TO TELL ME TO COME PICK-UP VEHICLE AS IT WAS "FIXED" BY CLEANING A/C EVAPORATOR, AND ALSO "SPEAKING WITH FORD ENGINEERS". WENT FOR TEST DRIVE WITH SERVICE MANAGER. AFTER APPROX. 4-5 MILES ON HIGHWAY, UNDER VARYING ACCELERATION CONDITIONS, CABIN BEGAN TO SMELL LIKE FUMES AGAIN, COMING THROUGH THE A/C VENTS. THEN I BEGAN TO FEEL LIGHT-HEADED AND INFORMED SERVICE MANAGER OF SAME. COULD NOT VENTILLATE VEHICLE DUE TO HEAVY RAINS, BUT TAKING A/C OFF OF "RECIRCULATE AIR" HELPED ONLY A LITTLE, AND CHANGED NATURE OF ODOR SLIGHTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS USING A METER TO MEASURE WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE CARBON MONOXIDE. WAS CONSISTENTLY TOLD THROUGHOUT THAT MEASUREMENTS WERE "LOW" AT 900PPM TO MAX 1500PPM. WHEN DRIVING WITH SAME METER, IT ALARMED MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT I WAS TOLD IT WAS BECAUSE METER RESPONDS TO BREATHING IN THE CAR. I DETERMINED THAT METER WAS FOR CARBON DIOXIDE NOT CARBON MONOXIDE. RETURNED VEHICLE TO SERVICE, WAS TOLD FORD IS HAVING REGIONAL REP EXAMINE VEHICLE ON 10/11/16. I HAVE FILED A LEMON LAW COMPLAINT WITH BBB.