NHTSA Complaint #11317342 — 2011 FORD EXPLORER

WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY VEHICLE REACHES 50MPH, I EXPERIENCE HESITATION AND/OR A PUTTING SENSATION THAT CONTINUES UNTIL I ACCELERATE TO 60MPH OR DROP TO 49MPH OR BELOW. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO KOONS FORD OF BALTIMORE FOR SERVICE, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM THE FACT THAT OIL HAS BEEN SEEPING INTO MY AIR INTAKE SYSTEM AND SATURATING MY AIR FILTER. I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS DUE TO THE DESIGN FLAW ON THE FACTORY INSTALLED VALVE COVER GASKET. I LEARNED THAT THE ISSUE OCCURS ON SEVERAL FORD VEHICLES INCLUDING 2011-2013 EXPLORERS AS THE DEFECTIVE VALVE COVER WAS USED ON THOSE MODELS AT THE TIME THE VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED. IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM I WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE EXISTING VALVE COVER REPLACED WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED VALVE COVER THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY CREATED TO RESOLVE THE OIL LEAKAGE/OIL SEEPAGE ISSUE. MY AFTERMARKET WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIRS AS THEY DEFINE THE REPLACEMENT PART AS "BETTERMENT" TO THE VEHICLE OR INSTALLATION OF AN UPGRADED PART. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT KOONS, THE VALVE COVER INSTALLED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IS OBSOLETE AND WOULD NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE EVEN IF IT WERE STILL AVAILABLE. I MUST HAVE THE NEWLY DESIGNED VALVE COVER INSTALLED IN ORDER TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE, STOP THE OIL FROM SEEPING IN AND AROUND THE AIR INTAKE SYSTEM AND THROTTLE BODY AND TO ALSO PREVENT CONTAMINATION OF THE MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR. THE COST FOR THE REPAIRS IS APPROXIMATELY $700. I CONTACTED THE FORD CORPORATE OFFICE AND LEARNED THAT THEY COULDN'T OR WOULDN'T BE OF ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS ADVISED ME TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA.