NHTSA Complaint #11196870 — 2016 FORD EXPLORER

ONE MORNING, I BEGAN TO SMELL A SULFUR OR GAS-LIKE SMELL INSIDE THE CAR. I THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT BUT IT PERSISTED FROM 5:00 A.M. -9:00 A.M. MY 7 YEAR OLD SON EVEN SMELLED IT WHEN ENTERING THE CAR. AFTER DROPPING HIM OFF AT SCHOOL I DROVE TO DEALERSHIP TO GET IT INSPECTED. DURING THAT DRIVE, WITH THE WINDOWS CRACKED, I BEGAN TO FEEL A DULL HEADACHE, DIZZINESS AND MUSCLE WEAKNESS. ONCE I DROPPED MY CAR OFF FOR INSPECTION AND WAS OUT OF THE CAR I DIDN'T FEEL ANY BETTER AND MY HEADACHE AND WEAKNESS GOT WORSE. MY WIFE TOOK ME TO THE ER OUT OF PRECAUTION AND AFTER BLOODWORK WAS TAKEN, I WAS CONFIRMED TO HAVE HAD CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. I AM A NON-SMOKER AND MY COHB LEVELS WERE TWICE THAT OF A NON-SMOKER : 3.8% IT WAS RAINING OUT SO I COULD NOT UNROLLI WINDOWS AS MUCH AS I WANTED TO. I WAS NOT DRIVING WITH THE A/C ON, WAS NOT SITTING IDLE. MINIMUM SPEED WAS 5-10 MPH AND MAX SPEED WAS 70 MPH FORD IDENTIFIED THE SMELL AS A FAILING PTU BUT CLAIMED THERE WAS NO CO PRESENT AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH A CO SENSOR INSIDE THE CAB. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 32 MONTHS WITH NO ISSUE BUT I CANNOT IGNORE THAT I DID IN FACT HAVE CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSURE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE EXISTENCE OF THE STRONG SULFUR SMELL SHOWING UP. I AM NOT CONVINCED CARBON MONOXIDE GETTING INSIDE THE VEHICLE WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.