NHTSA Complaint #11021382 — 2016 FORD EXPLORER

2016 FORD EXPLORER XLT V6 TI-VCT FLEX FUEL VEHICLE (FFV). EXHAUST ENTERS CABIN DURING ACCELERATION. PUTRID ODOR OF EXHAUST RESEMBLES A FOUL BLEND OF VOMIT, ROTTEN EGGS, BURNT HAIR, BURNT WAX. HEADACHE AND HORRIBLE SMELL LINGERS IN SINUSES CONTINUES TO DAY FOLLOWING EXPOSURE. STENCH IS MUCH WORSE UNDER HEAVY ACCELERATION AND/OR DRIVING UPHILL WITH REAR A/C ON HIGH FAN SPEED. FORD SERVICE ACKNOWLEDGED WIDE-SPREAD PROBLEM PERFORMED TSB 17-0044 SEALING UNDERBODY SEAMS, REPROGRAMING REAR A/C AND REPLACING EXHAUST COMPONENTS. TSB 17-0044 IS INEFFECTIVE AND PROBLEM PERSISTS. 1. FORD HAS NOT ISOLATED SOURCE OF EXCESSIVE CARBON MONOXIDE (CO), HYDROCARBONS (HCS) AND NITROGEN OXIDES (NOX). IS ENGINE DEFLECTION UNDER ACCELERATION IMPACTING EXHAUST MANIFOLDS CAUSING LEAKAGE IN PIPE JOINTS? IS RICH FUEL MIXTURE IN ENGINE WITH UNBURNED FUEL PRODUCING ELEVATED CATALYTIC TEMPERATURES DAMAGING MANIFOLDS OR JOINTS? ARE FFV ENGINES FITTED WITH UNDERSIZED OR FAULTY CATALYTIC CONVERTERS? 2. EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILS TO EXPEL EXHAUST AWAY FROM VEHICLE. FORD ACKNOWLEDGES AS EVIDENCED BY TSB 17-0044 REPLACING MUFFLERS AND EXHAUST TIPS. 3. EXHAUST GASSES POOL IN BUMPER COVER AND NUMEROUS CAVITIES UNDER BODY. 4. AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM FANS ACTIVELY PULL EXHAUST INTO THE VEHICLE LIKELY THROUGH AIR EXTRACTOR VENTS IN QUARTER PANELS. FORD ACKNOWLEDGES AS EVIDENCED BY TSB 17-0044 REPLACING AIR EXTRACTOR VENTS AND REPROGRAMMING REAR A/C TO SLOW OR HALT FANS UNDER VARIOUS BRAKING SCENARIOS. FORD MISREPRESENTING ELEVATED CO LEVELS ONLY FOUND IN POLICE INTERCEPTORS. AFTER FORD SERVICE SEALED SEAMS PER TSB 17-0044, I DETECTED 17 PPM OF CO IN TWO DETECTORS. FORD MUST EVALUATE EVERY EXHAUST COMPONENT UNDER LOADING FOR DEFLECTION AND EXCESSIVE HEAT. CAN EXHAUST ENTER VIA MID BODY, ENGINE COMPARTMENT OR COWL IN ADDITION TO REAR OF VEHICLE? PICS ILLUSTRATE REAR INFILTRATION.