NHTSA Complaint #11121155 — 2016 FORD TRANSIT

IF YOU OPENED EITHER FRONT WINDOW WHILE DRIVING, HOT AIR WOULD BLOW FROM UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AT A HIGH VOLUME ON THE BACK OF THE FRONT PASSENGERS LEGS. THE VAN WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THEY COULD DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT SAID THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. I LOOKED UNDER THE SEAT AND SAW A @3"X 4" OVAL HOLE IN THE FLOOR AND I COULD SEE THE GROUND. FORD HAD NOT INSTALLED THE PLUG THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THAT HOLE. THAT HOLE IS DIRECTLY ABOVE A HEAT SHIELD AND THE EXHAUST PIPE AND THERE IS ALSO A CONNECTION AT THAT LOCATION ON THE PIPE. AFTER I DISCOVERED THE HOLE, I RETURNED TO THE DEALER, WHO SAID THAT THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A PLUG INSTALLED THERE, AND THEY ORDERED THE PART(S). AFTER A RECENT 12 HOUR TRIP IN THIS VEHICLE FAMILY MEMBERS HAD COMPLAINED OF HEADACHES, AND A COUPLE COMPLAINED OF NAUSEA AND VOMITED. ALTHOUGH ON THAT TRIP WE HAD THE WINDOWS CLOSED AND THE AIR CONDITIONING ON, I WONDER IF WE WERE ACTUALLY SUFFERING FROM BEING EXPOSED TO EXHAUST FUMES.