NHTSA Complaint #10934168 — 2012 FORD EXPLORER

ABOUT A YEAR AGO I BOUGHT 2012 FORD EXPLORER XLT WITH A 2.0 FOUR CYLINDER ECO BOOST ENGINE FROM A DEALER IN AKRON OHIO. I LIVE IN ROCHESTER, NY. DURING THE FIRST WINTER MONTHS I HAD THE CAR, WHEN I HAD THE HEAT ON I NOTICED A STRONG EXHAUST SMELL IN THE CABIN. AT FIRST I THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY BECAUSE THE CAR WAS IN SUCH GREAT SHAPE, BUT THE MORE PASSENGERS WOULD SAY THE SAME THING I STARTED TO REALIZE IT WAS A REAL ISSUE. I DID SOME SEARCHING ONLINE AND SEE THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. WHEN I HAVE THE HEAT ON AND I PUT THE CIRCULATION IN RECYCLE MODE, IT SEEMS TO SUBSIDE THE PROBLEM A LITTLE, BUT THEN THE RECYCLE MODE SHUTS OFF AND GOES INTO FRESH AIR MODE AUTOMATICALLY AGAIN I GET BLASTED AGAIN WITH THESE HORRIBLE FUMES. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT EVERY 5 MINUTES WHILE I AM DRIVING AND I HAVE TO KEEP HITTING RECYCLE AND OPENING UP THE WINDOWS WHILE I AM DRIVING TO AIR OUT THE FUMES. WHEN I AM MOVING AT 50 OR MORE IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE AN ISSUE, I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT WHEN I COME TO A STOP IT IS BAD, EXHAUST FUMES SPEW INTO THE CABIN. I GET HEADACHES ALL THE TIME WHILE DRIVING. I AM AFRAID TO TAKE MY KIDS IN THE CAR BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. IF I START THE CAR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING AND I FORGOT TO TURN THE HEAT OFF THE NIGHT BEFORE, THE HEATER KICKS IN WHEN I START IT AND IT IS BAD. THIS MORNING IT SNOWED HERE IN ROCHESTER SO I WENT OUT AND STARTED THE CAR AND LET IT WARM UP FOR 5 MINUTES, WHEN I CAME OUT IT SMELLED SO BAD I COULDN'T EVEN GET IN. I HAD TO ROLLS DOWN THE WINDOWS AND LET IT AIR OUT, AND EVEN THEN WHEN I CAME TO WORK TODAY I HAVE HAD A HEADACHE ALL DAY AND I SMELL LIKE AN EXHAUST STACK. PLEASE HELP ME. I LOVE THE CAR, EXCEPT FOR THE FUMES ISSUE.