NHTSA Complaint #11597824 — 2022 FORD MAVERICK

In October 2023, we took our 2022 Ford Maverick to a local Ford dealership for a front airbag recall. However, after we picked up our Maverick and we got home we noticed a deep scratch across the top of the dash and the tool from the technician in the console. We contacted the dealership about this scratch. Our Maverick was taken to the dealership in January 2024 for this repair. Upon the completion of installing the dash, the technician scratched the outside of the driver’s side front door causing yet another delay. The Maverick was then taken to their body shop (on premises) to repair the scratch and repaint the door. Within a week of having our Maverick back, we started smelling a very foul odor in the truck. This smell made my throat and nose burn and was nauseating while riding in the truck even with the windows down. We went back to the dealership to meet with the owner about this odor. They removed the seats, carpet, and dash to locate the problem. They discovered a place at the bottom of the windshield that had not been sealed from the manufacturing production department. They discovered black mold in the insulation behind the dash near the firewall and under the carpet. They have discussed this with Ford Motor Company on how to handle this problem. Currently our Maverick is still on the lot at the local dealership, since the first week of April 2024. We have reservations about the mold/mildew odor as a health/breathing issue to continue driving this vehicle. Ford Motor Company has been attempting to come to some agreement of handling this situation but not addressing the odor in the vehicle. After some online research of the 2022/23 Ford Mavericks this seems to be a bigger issue across the nation. There are not any recalls to correct this problem for water intrusion into the vehicle.