2015 FORD EXPLORER Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WOULD BE AN EXHAUST ODOR COMING INTO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS, WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE EXHAUST ODOR WAS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10.

I PURCHASED MY 2015 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED IN NOVEMBER 2015 . I SPECIAL ORDERED THE VEHICLE WHICH TOOK JUST ABOUT SIX WEEKS TO ARRIVE. SINCE THE FIRST DAY I NOTICED AND ALSO FAMILY MEMBERS NOTICED A SMELL . AT FIRST I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS THE NEWNESS OF THE VEHICLE AND THE BREAK IN PERIOD . OVER THE MONTHS I'VE NOTICED THE SMELL NEVER DISSIPATED WHEN ACCELERATING TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS . I'M IN AVIATION AND HAVING ANY TYPE OF FUMES ENTERING THE CABIN AREA WOULD IMMEDIATELY RAISE THE RED FLAG , NOTIFYING CUSTOMERS . I DO UNDERSTAND THE AUTO INDUSTRY IS MUCH DIFFERENT , BUT IN THE SAME BREATH THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF CONSUMERS BREATHING IN THESE FUMES COULD AND WILL CAUSE HEALTH PROBLEMS . I'VE READ MOST OF THE POST CONCERNING THE DIRECTION SOME DEALERSHIPS ARE BEING GUIDED FROM FORD WITH THE RESULTS NOT FIXING THE ISSUE...

I RECENTLY CAME ACROSS AN ARTICLE ABOUT EXHAUST FUMES INSIDE THE 2015 FORD EXPLORER. THIS IS WHAT MY WIFE AND I EXPERIENCED. I HOPE THIS HELPS IN YOUR REVIEW IN A POTENTIAL RECALL OF THIS VEHICLE. IN AUGUST 2014 WE PURCHASED A NEW FORD EXPLORER 2015 XLT. CURRENTLY HAVE APPROXIMATELY 40K MILES ON IT. WHEN EITHER OF US ACCELERATE TO ENTER A FREEWAY QUICKLY, OR DRIVE UP A HILL THERE IS A STRONGER ODOR OF EXHAUST FUMES INSIDE THE CAR. OF COURSE WE OPEN THE WINDOWS, BUT MY WIFE IS ASTHMATIC AND IT GREATLY AFFECTS HER BREATHING AND OTHER ASTHMA SYMPTOMS INCLUDING COUGHING, WHEEZING AND NEEDING TO USE A 'RESCUE' INHALER. THIS OCCURS DURING THE WINTER AS WELL AS WHEN THE AC IN ON. WE LOVE OUR BEAUTIFUL FORD EXPLORER AND ARE TROUBLED BY THIS PROBLEM, BUT BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS FAULT AND SHOULD JUSTIFY A RECALL.

EXHAUST GAS FUMES COME INTO THE INSIDE CABIN WHILE DRIVING, MOSTLY FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR CONDITIONING OR HEATER IS ON AND THE RECIRCULATION FAN CAN BE EITHER ON OR OFF. FAILURE MODE CAN BE ON FLAT SURFACE BUT MOSTLY OCCURS GOING UP AND DOWN HILLS. NOT SURE IF THE DECELLERATION OF THE VEHICLE IS PART OF THE CAUSE. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, MAY NOT OCCUR FOR WEEKS AND THEN MIGHT OCCUR 3-4 TIMES IN A DAY ONE SPECIFIC EXAMPLE IS ON NOVEMBER 30, 2015, AT 2:30 PM HVAC SYSTEM IS SET TO HEAT, SET TO 73 DEGREES HEAT IN DUAL TEMP CONTROL IS ON, RECIRCULATION IS ON, ELEVATION IS 3100 FEET, GOING UPHILL ON CATRON BLVD TOWARDS HIGHWAY 16 IN RAPID CITY, SD,(OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN), DECELERATED FROM 50 TO 40 MPH AT 40MPH SPEED LIMIT SIGN, SEVERAL VEHICLES AROUND US, ODOMETER READING WAS 5482.5 MILES, AND SMELLED...

I JUST READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT FORD EXPLORER EXHAUST ODOR POTENTIAL CONCERNS SENT TO NHTSA. I OWN A 2015 FORD EXPLORER XLT WITH ABOUT 11,500 MILES. ON TWO OCCASIONS I HAVE ENCOUNTERED THE EXHAUST ODOR IN THE VEHICLE CABIN. IN BOTH INSTANCES THIS OCCURRED DURING NEAR WIDE-OPEN-THROTTLE ACCELERATION WHILE MERGING ONTO AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE ODOR IS AN EXHAUST ODOR WITH AN ADDITIONAL "ROTTEN EGG" ODOR CHARACTERISTIC WHICH IS INDICATIVE OF AN OVER-RICH FUEL CONDITION THAT LIKELY OCCURS AT WIDE-OPEN-THROTTLE. I HAVE NOT SMELLED THIS ODOR AT ANY OTHER TIMES, WHICH I SUSPECT IS BECAUSE I HARDLY EVER ACCELERATE SO INTENSELY. I HOPE THIS WILL BE A LITTLE HELPFUL IN YOUR REVIEW OF WHETHER THIS IS AN ISSUE OR NOT. I AM A HAPPY LIFETIME OWNER OF FORD VEHICLES AND I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY, SO I AM NOT COMPLAINING,BUT WANTING TO HELP.

SINCE WE TOOK POSSESSION OF OUR 2015 FORD EXPLORER WE HAVE HAD IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP MORE THAN ANY OTHER VEHICLE WE HAVE EVER OWNED. THE SMELL FROM EXHAUST IS HORRIBLE. IN JUST OVER A YEAR OF OWNERSHIP WE HAVE HAD IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM NUMEROUS TIMES AND IS STILL AS BAD IF NOT WORSE THAN WHEN WE STARTED SMELLING IT. THEY TRIED EVERYTHING THAT FORD TOLD THEM TO DO AND THEN THEY (THE DEALERSHIP) TRIED FIXES ON THEIR OWN OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET AND THEY STILL CAN NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM. WE SMELL EXHAUST FUMES FILL UP THE ENTIRE VEHICLE NOT ONLY ACCELERATING BUT DRIVING JUST NORMALLY SOMETIMES AND IT GETS SO BAD THAT WE HAVE HAD TO OPEN ALL THE WINDOWS AND EVEN PULL THE VEHICLE OVER AND OPEN ALL THE DOORS JUST TO AIR OUT OUR VEHICLE. WE CONTACTED FORD DIRECTLY...

IN APRIL 2015, WE PURCHASED A 2015 FORD EXPLORER 3.5 LITER ECOBOOST V-6. FROM THE FIRST DRIVE ON THE INTERSTATE GOING HOME WITH OUR NEW CAR. WE HAD AN EXHAUST SMELL ON THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. EVERY TIME WE ACCELERATE TO GO UP HILLS OF NORTH EAST GEORGIA ENTERING THE INTERSTATE, OR PASSING CARS, WE SMELL EXHAUST FUMES AND HAVE TO ROLL DOWN OUR WINDOWS TO BE ABLE TO BREATH. WE HAVE GONE TO THE DEALER, A "SUPER STORE" , AND THEY SAID THAT IT IS ONLY THE NEW BURNING OFF THE ENGINE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM! WE HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS VEHICLE AND SPENDING THE EXTRA MONEY, THESE PROBLEMS SHOULD BE FIXED IMMEDIATELY! THESE FUMES COULD CAUSE A HEALTH PROBLEM INTERNALLY. PLEASE FIX THESE PROBLEMS...

UNDER HARD ACCELERATION THERE IS AN EXHAUST SMELL INSIDE THE CABIN. DEALER CLAIMS THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AND NO ONE ELSE HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SMELL. DEALER IS WRONG THERE IS A SMELL WHEN ACCELERATING FULL THROTTLE.

I BOUGHT THE CAR IN SEPTEMBER OF 2015 AND NOTICED UPON HARD ACCELERATION SUCH AS ENTERING THE INTERSTATE OR PASSING A CAR THERE IS A SMELL OF EXHAUST THAT COMES INTO THE CABIN AREA AND IN ORDER TO RELIEVE THE SMELL THE WINDOWS NEED TO BE CRACKED A LITTLE BIT AND THIS ONLY HAPPENS UPON HARD ACCELERATION.I HAVE NOT HAD THIS EXPERIENCE WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION BUT THEY CANNOT SEEM TO FIGURE OUT WHEN ACCELERATING BETWEEN 20 AND 40 MILES PER HOUR YOU FEEL A SHIFT IN THE TRANSMISSION WHICH FOR A NEW VEHICLE IS A BIT ODD. AT 10,000 MILES I HAD TO HAVE A STABILIZER BAR IN THE FRONT AND REPLACED I NOTICE A LOT OF HEAVY CLUNKING AS I DROVE MY CAR AROUND AND THIS SEEMS TO BE THE PROBLEM. I I HAVE ALSO HAD ISSUES WITH THE HEADLINER...

DURING MODERATE TO HEAVY ACCELERATION, SULFUR-LIKE EXHAUST FUMES ENTER THE CABIN THROUGH THE A/C VENTS CAUSING AN UNBEARABLE SMELL. TSBS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED, INCLUDING A NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM, WITH NO POSITIVE RESULTS. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. I AM CONVINCED IT IS DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH A/C CONTROL UNIT AND THE 3.5L ENGINE. ECO-BOOSTS DO NOT PRODUCE THE SMELL. I EVEN ASKED A POLICE OFFICER ABOUT HIS UNIT, AND NO COMPLAINTS. THEY DRIVE ECO-BOOST ENGINES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL ODOR IN THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45-65 MPH. THE FAILURE HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 20 HOLES THAT NEEDED TO BE RESEALED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VENTILATION CABIN NEEDED TO BE RESEALED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,000. UPDATED 08/30/16*LJ; UPDATED 5/9/18*JB *CN

EXHAUST SMELL ENTERS THE CABIN UPON MODERATE TO HARD ACCELERATION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, AN ABNORMAL ODOR EMITTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE VENTILATION SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VENTILATION CABINS NEEDED TO BE RESEALED AND THE VENTS NEEDED TO BE CLEANED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

LEASED VEHICLE NEW ON OCTOBER 18, 2014. PROBLEM BEGAN IMMEDIATELY AT APPROXIMATELY 200 MILES. WHEN PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE OR ACCELERATING FROM STOP, EXHAUST FUMES FILL THE CABIN THROUGH THE A/C VENTS. OCCURS TO THE EXTENT THAT ALL WINDOWS AND SUNROOF MUST BE OPENED IN ORDER TO CLEAR FUMES. HAS MADE DRIVER AND PASSENGER(S) LIGHT-HEADED, UPPER RESPIRATORY IRRITATION HAS HAPPENED, AS WELL. GENERALLY OCCURS WHEN WINDOWS ARE UP AND A/C IS OPERATING. REPORTED TO DEALER, WAS TOLD "THERE IS NO TSB FOR THIS PROBLEM BASED ON YOUR VIN" (THOUGH ALL PRIOR YEAR EXPLORERS 2011-2014 HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND IT HAS NOT YET BEEN RESOLVED BY FORD, AND THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT IN FL WHICH WAS GIVEN CLASS ACTION STANDING BY A JUDGE IN OCTOBER, 2014. MY VEHICLE IS NOT "YET" LEMON LAW ELIGIBLE BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF REPAIR ATTEMPTS HAS BEEN LIMITED BY HEALTH PROBLEMS. FORD SHOULD OFFER TO...

WHEN PERFORMING A HARD ACCELERATION ENTERING THE INTERSTATE OR QUICKLY MANEUVERING AROUND ANOTHER VEHICLE, THERE IS A STRANGE ODOR THAT COMES THROUGH THE VENTS. SMELLS LIKE EXHAUST. THIS BOTH WHEN THE WINDOWS ARE UP AND THE A/C IS ON OR IF WIDOWS ARE DOWN AND A/C TURNED OFF. THE SMELL LASTS A FEW SECONDS BEFORE GOING AWAY. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF THIS ON PERSONAL HEALTH. MY 2015 EXPLORER IS CURRENTLY AT FORD BEING CHECKED OUT. I'VE BEEN TOLD THERE IS A TSB OUT ON THIS ISSUE, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO REPAIR IT. WAITING ON SOME KIND OF POSITIVE OUTCOME AT THIS POINT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, THERE WAS A SMELL OF SULFUR INSIDE THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE SULFUR SMELL EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE FROM THE VENTS. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE MECHANIC RESEALED THE CABINS AND CLEANED THE VENTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,600. UPDATED 11/09/15*LJ UPDATED VEHICLE DETAILS 4/13/18*JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE SULFUR SMELL THAT EMITTED FROM VEHICLE WAS CAUSED BY THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE SMELL WAS MORE FAINT INSIDE BUT, NOT OUTSIDE AFTER REPAIRS WERE MADE ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN UPDATED 2/2/2016 *JS CONSUMER STATED THE SULFUR CAN STILL BE SMELLED INSIDE CABIN, BUT LS NOT AS STRONG. THE SULFUR SMELL IS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND FORD HAS ONLY ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO SEAL...

DRIVING HOME UP A HILL WITH A NEWLY PURCHASED 2015 FORD EXPLORER MY WIFE AND I NOTICED A BAD SMELL LIKE EXHAUST FUMES; WE PUT THIS DOWN TO THE NEW ENGINE/EXHAUST BURNING OFF ANY FACTORY GREASE ETC. SUBSEQUENT TRIPS WITH ALL OF MY FAMILY IN THE SUV WE ALL EXPERIENCED A FOUL EXHAUST AND SULFUR SMELL WHEN GOING UP A HILL OR ACCELERATING ABOVE 3K RPM; THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES IN FRONT OF US TO BLAME FOR THE ODOR. WE HAVE TAKEN THE SUV TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES NOW AND THEY IN CONJUCTION WITH FORD TECHNICAL SUPPORT CANNOT FIND THE ROOT CAUSE. THEY HAVE REPLACED/ INSTALLED: EGR VALVE COVER (TECH BULLETIN), BOTH EXHAUST DOWN PIPES, FRONT TRANSFER CASE. THE DEALER HAS NO TEST EQUIPMENT TO FIND THE PROBLEM OR CONFIRM WE ARE SMELLING ENGINE EXHAUST CONTAINING TOXIC GASES INCLUDING CO.

DURING HARDER THAN NORMAL ACCELERATION, THERE IS A VERY POWERFUL SULFUR (ROTTEN EGG SMELL) THAT FILLS THE CABIN. THE SMELL ID SO POWERFUL THAT YOU CANNOT STAY MORE THAN 10 MINS IN THE CAR WITHOUT BEING SICK

ON ACCELERATION GETTING EXHAUST FUMES IN CABIN ( BAD FUMES ) TALKED TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD ACCELERATE SLOW GREAT WORDS FOR PROBLEM HAVE FOUND THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM WITH THE EXPLORER IS ANYTHING BEING DONE ON THIS ISSUE.

I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2015 FORD EXPLORER XLT, 3.5 V6, IN NOVEMBER 2014. AT APPROXIMATELY 7,000 MILES (BEGINNING IN APRIL 2015) I STARTED TO NOTICE A ROTTEN EGG ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE DURING ACCELERATION, WHILE ENTERING THE FREEWAY. THE SMELL WOULD OCCUR ESPECIALLY DURING A HARD ACCELERATION. THE SMELL WAS NOTICEABLE WHILE THE A/C SYSTEM WAS ON "VENT" AND "RECIRCULATE" MODE. ON 7/6/2015 I TOOK THE EXPLORER TO MY FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE COMPLAINT AND STATED THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN 14-130 TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THEIR DESCRIPTION ON THE FIX, WAS THAT A SPECIAL AIR-FILTER LOCATED INSIDE THE REAR BUMPER AREA NEEDED TO BE REPLACE. THEY STATED THAT THE SMELL IS COMING FROM MY EVAP-CANISTER. I LEFT THE EXPLORER THERE FOR THE REPAIR AND IT TOOK THEM ALMOST TWO DAYS. THEY SAID, IT WAS AT LEAST A FULL DAYS LABOR TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY...

A FOLLOW UP ON A CO PROBLEM, THAT HAPPENED ON 7/7/15. DEALER TOOK THE EXPLORER IN ON THE CO ISSUE ALONG WITH FORD KNOWING OF IT. GAVE US A RENTAL FOR A WEEK, AND CAME UP WITH NO CO LEVELS AFTER A WEEK. WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO TAKE A RIDE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, EXHAUST WAS PRESENT BUT HE SAID IT WAS A HOT ENGINE SMELL. NO LEVELS WHERE FOUND BUT SYMPTOMS IN MY BODY OF CO WHERE INDICATED WHILE THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS IN THE VEHICLE. LEFT THE VEHICLE FOR THE DAY AND WAS TOLD BY FORD THE SERVICE MANAGER FOUND NOTHING WRONG AND TO COME GET THE VEHICLE. UPON THE RIDE HOME MY CO DETECTOR INDICATED LEVELS AT 534PPM. WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN AND THE SUN ROOF OPEN AT 70MPH. ALONG THE WAY I STOPPED IN THE LOCAL HOSPITAL, WAITED AN HOUR IN A HALF FOR BLOOD...

EXHAUST SMELL ENTERS CABIN UNDER HARD ACCELERATION

WE HAVE ALSO ENCOUNTERED EXHAUST FUMES IN THE VEHICLE. ON LONG TRIPS WE HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED FATIGUE DIZZINESS AND NAUSEA. WHEN WE GO ON THE TRIPS WE HAVE A SHELTIE WHICH COMES WITH US, AND HE HAS NOT LOOKED GOOD AT TIMES ALSO. SO ON A TRIP TODAY 7-7-2015 WE BROUGHT ALONG A CO DETECTOR, ON THE WAY DOWN FOR THE HR TRIP THE LEVEL WAS @ 81. THAT'S WITH THE AC ON WITH TEMPS OUTSIDE @ 82. ON THE WAY BACK FROM ARE HR TRIP WITH TEMPS STILL IN THE 80'S THE CO LEVEL WAS @ 183. IF YOU LOOK AT THE CPSC.GOV WEBSITE YOU CAN SEE THAT @ THE LEVELS OF 150-220 IT WILL CAUSE DISORIENTATION / UNCONSCIOUSNESS & DEATH!!!!!!!!!!!! SO @ THIS POINT IN OUR LIVES IN OUR 50'S WE DO NOT WANT TO DIE. WE WILL BE ASKING FORD TO TAKE OUR EXPLORE XLT LIMITED BACK...

PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2015 FORD EXPLORER. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BEGAN SMELLING EXHAUST FUMES. CONCERNED THAT THIS WASN'T "NEW CAR BREAK-IN", I PURCHASED A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR WITH MEMORY. OVER A COUPLE OF WEEKS OF DRIVING THE DETECTOR REGISTERED 97 PPM AT PEAK. AFTER CHECKING ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM. *TR