NHTSA Complaint #11025199 — 2015 FORD EXPLORER

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE EXHAUST ON MY 2015 FORD EXPLORER. EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR THERE'S A STRONG EXHAUST SMELL IN THE CAB OF THE CAR WHEN YOU ACCELERATE ENOUGH TO MAKE THE CAR DOWNSHIFT TO PICK UP SPEED. WE TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP SHORTLY AFTER BUYING THE CAR AND IT SEEMED TO BE OK. WHEN TAKING THE CAR ON VACATION IN AUG 2017 TO THE MOUNTAINS WE ONCE AGAIN BEGAN SMELLING THE EXHAUST FUMES AGAIN. AS THE MAIN DRIVER, I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING TERRIBLE HEADACHES WHEN DRIVING THE CAR - FINE BEFORE I GET IN, HEADACHE WITHIN MINUTES, AND THEN FINE AFTER BEING OUT OF THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES OR MORE. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP WHO KEPT IT FOR A WEEK STATING THEY INSTALLED A COMPLETELY NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE (AS DESCRIBED IN THE TSB). ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP IN AUG 2017 I EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL BLACKOUT ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP. IT WAS A VERY HOT DAY, I WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY CITY TRAFFIC GOING FROM LIGHT TO LIGHT, I HAD THE AIR BLASTING IN MY FACE, I OPENED THE SUN ROOF AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO FEEL AS I WAS BEING DRUGGED. EXTREMELY DIZZY, SICK TO MY STOMACH, AND BEGAN LOSING VISION IN MY RIGHT EYE. THANK GOODNESS THE DEALERSHIP WAS WITHIN 7 MILES - BUT I BARELY MADE IT WITHOUT PASSING OUT. I ENDED UP IN THE EMERGENCY THE FOLLOWING DAY FOR EXTREME HEADACHES AND GROGGINESS. NOW WE ARE AGAIN EXPERIENCING VERY STRONG EXHAUST FUMES WHEN THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS. THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE REPORTED BY THE SHERIFF DEPUTIES AS MY INCIDENT IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHEN THE DEPUTY BLACKED OUT AT THE WHEEL AND CRASHED THIS SUMMER. IT DOESN'T SEEM FORD KNOWS HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THEY ARE NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THIS IS A 'CONSUMER' PROBLEM. NOT JUST A PROBLEM WITH DEPUTY VEHICLES.