NHTSA Complaint #11306220 — 2019 FORD EXPLORER

NOTICED SEVERE EXHAUST SMELL WHEN DEFROST IS ON WHILE DRIVING, AND MORE MODERATELY WHEN THE RECIRCULATED AIR IS ON. LOOKED UP THE ISSUE ONLINE AND FOUND THAT OUR 2019 FORD EXPLORER IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES THAT CAUSED A SOFT RECALL FROM FORD FOR THEIR 2011-2017 MODELS. TOOK IT TO LOCAL FORD SERVICE CENTER, BUT THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE. HOWEVER, THE TECH AT FORD SERVICE CALLED THEIR HOTLINE, WHO STATED "REAR AIR VENTS WERE LOOSE CAUSING THIS CONCERN". FOLLOWING THIS CALL, FORD SERVICE CENTER DID THE FOLLOWING (ALL QUOTES ARE FROM SERVICE INVOICE): "REMOVED REAR BUMPER COVER AND INSPECT[ED] AIR EXTRACTORS. INSPECTION FOUND BOTH EXTRACTORS WERE NOT CONNECTED ON THE LEFT REAR CORNER OF BOTH SIDES, LIKE THEY ARE BROKEN WILL NOT PROPERLY SEAT. INSPECTION ALSO FOUND LIFTGATE DRAIN VALVE WAS MISSING AND LR TAILLAMP GROMET WAS NOT SEATED TO THE BODY. REPLACED BOTH EXTRACTORS AND DRAIN VALVE, RESEATED LR TAILLAMP BODY PLUG, REINSTALLED REAR BUMPER AND TEST DROVE." WE HAVE NOT NOTICED THE EXHAUST SMELL SINCE THE FIX ONE WEEK AGO. I AM REPORTING THIS SO THAT NHTSA AND ANYONE READING THIS KNOWS THAT THE FORD EXHAUST ISSUES THAT CAUSED SO MANY PROBLEMS ARE STILL ONGOING THROUGH THE 2019 MODEL, AND ALSO SO THAT CONSUMERS WHO HAVE THIS MODEL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO TELL THEIR LOCAL FORD SERVICE CENTERS TO DO TO FIX IT.