NHTSA Complaint #11011596 — 2014 FORD EXPLORER

PURCHASED A 2014 FORD EXPLORER IN FEBRUARY 2014, AND WITHIN WEEKS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE I STARTED TO NOTICE A FOUL SMELL ENTERING THE CABIN IMMEDIATELY AFTER ACCELERATION. IF ACCELERATION OCCURS QUICKLY, WITH A HIGHER THEN NORMAL RPM OCCURRING, THE SMELL BECOMES WORSE. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO MAC HAIK FORD IN HOUSTON FOR REPAIR. THE FIRST TWO VISITS WERE WERE NON-PRODUCTIVE, AS THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE ISSUE. ON THE THIRD VISIT, I ASKED THAT THEY TECHNICIAN GO ON A TEST DRIVE WITH ME IN THE CAR. THIS VISIT FINALLY RESULTED IN AN ADMISSION FROM THE TECHNICIAN THAT HE COULD ALSO SMELL THE ODOR, AND THEY AGREED TO KEEP THE VEHICLE AND IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF THE ISSUE. AFTER A FEW DAYS, I WAS TOLD THAT THE ISSUE HAD BEEN CORRECTED BY ADDING AN ADDITIONAL VENT LINE TOWARDS THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. WITHIN HOURS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE BACK, IT HAD BECOME OBVIOUS THAT A PERMANENT FIX WAS NOT INSTALLED, AND THE ODOR INSIDE THE CABIN HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR REGULARLY OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS.