Ford Offers Repairs to Prevent Exhaust Leaks in 1.4 Million Explorers
WASHINGTON — Ford Motor Co said on Friday it will offer free repairs to North American owners of more than 1.4 million Explorer sport utility vehicles to help ensure that carbon monoxide and other exhaust gases cannot get into the vehicles, following the U.S. government's decision to upgrade an investigation in July.
Several U.S. police agencies have raised concerns about potentially deadly carbon monoxide gas entering the cabins of Ford Explorers that had been adapted for law enforcement uses. Federal regulators have said they are aware of more than 2,700 complaints for exhaust odors as well as reports of three crashes and 41 injuries that may be linked to exposure to carbon monoxide among police and civilian 2011-2017 Explorer vehicles.
Ford said its investigation has not found "carbon monoxide levels that exceed what people are exposed to every day" in the 1.4 million civilian vehicles. There is no U.S. government standard for in-vehicle carbon monoxide levels. Ford says it believes the vehicles are safe and is making the offer, which it is not classifying as a recall, in response to customer concerns.
The second largest U.S. automaker said starting November 1, dealers will reprogram the air conditioner, replace the liftgate drain valves and inspect sealing of the rear of the vehicle. The fix covers about 1.3 million U.S. vehicles and about 100,000 in Canada and Mexico.
Ford declined to comment on the potential financial impact of the service offer that will last through the end of 2018.
Ford shares fell 0.7 percent to $12.04 in afternoon trading.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in July upgraded and expanded a probe into 1.33 million Ford Explorer SUVs over reports of exhaust odors in vehicle compartments and exposure to carbon monoxide.
Police agencies have reported two crashes that may be linked to carbon monoxide exposure and a third incident involving injuries related to carbon monoxide exposure.
NHTSA said it is evaluating preliminary testing that suggests carbon monoxide levels may be elevated in certain driving scenarios.
Ford has issued four technical service bulletins related to the exhaust odor issue to address complaints from police fleets and other owners.
In July, Ford said it would pay to repair police versions of its Ford Explorer SUVs to correct possible carbon monoxide leaks that may be linked to crashes and injuries after some police reports temporarily halted use of the vehicles over carbon monoxide concerns.
The city of Austin, Texas said in July it would remove all 400 of the city’s Ford Explorer SUVs from use for additional testing and repairs after the city said 20 police officers were found with elevated levels of carbon monoxide. The department returned the vehicles to service after repairs and testing.
In 2016, Ford agreed to settle a U.S. class-action lawsuit involving 1 million 2011-2015 Explorer SUVs over exhaust odor complaints, including reimbursements of up to $500 for repairs and the company agreed to make repairs. That settlement was approved in June but has not taken effect because of a penidng appeal.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
Ford Offers Repairs to Prevent
Exhaust Leaks in 1.4 Million Explorers
By REUTERS
OCT. 13, 2017, 3:18 P.M. E.D.T.
[This “issue” actually was first reported way back in 2011 by owners
on at least one Ford Explorer forum, back on July 24, 2011 – (at bottom).]
The Ford spokesmen just plain “lied on camera, or in print,”
when “they claimed” there were “no reports” of “civilian”
Ford Explorers experiencing “carbon monoxide” leaks; even as
the recent TV reporters “had proof” of elevated CO levels
using quality high accuracy CO meters, right on-camera! But
they finally, came clean (to a limited degree). NHTSA “should
technically and legally ” assess a verylarge fine, but “my guess is,”
“something,” has been “worked-out” in the last week or two.
And of course there were OVER 2700 reports of exhaust smells
and/or CO poisoning to NHTSA (who of course “ignored them”
all these last SIX years. Of course, both Ford and NHTSA “figured”
it “would be cheaper” just to “sweep the issue under the rug,”
and they nearly got away with it – had it NOT FINALLY AFFECTED
POLICE OFFICERS – injuring, and/or nearly killing several of them.
American corporations are really, truly bad;, but unbelievably,
the Germans and Japanese corporations are even worse! They will
deny, deny, and deny some more, “until hell freezes over,” before
admitting anything is ever wrong with their vehicles, in private, or public.
In the VW diesel emissions scandal, it was actually an American
VW executive “who finally admitted” the truth of the matter, in
the face of overwhelming hard evidence of the cheating.
This is at least “a small victory” or sorts. Of course, the manufacturer,
NHTSA, insurance companies, and media. all have a lot of explaining to
do, as “to how” this took “so long” to finally be admitted to and addressed.
Bad or Burnt Exhaust smell in cabin during acceleration.
Discussion in 'Stock 2011 - 2018 Ford Explorer Discussion'
started by 1banger, July 24, 2011. #1
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(see posts, page 97): (Dated: Sept 15, 2017)
#2402, #2405, #2407, #2408, #2410, #2412
by
Albert (CO Toxicologist)
New Member)
=============================================
Testing Ford Explorers and their drivers for Carbon Monoxide
Discussion in 'Stock 2011 - 2018 Ford Explorer Discussion'
started by Albert (CO Toxicologist) #1
September 14, 2017 at 6:33 PM.
Last edited: September 15, 2017 at 9:20 AM
-------------------------------------------------------------------
? If someone has measured carbon monoxide in a Ford
Explorer, what was the highest CO level ?
0 ppm 0 vote(s) 0.0%
1-5 ppm 0 vote(s) 0.0%
6-10 ppm 0 vote(s) 0.0%
11-20 ppm 0 vote(s) 0.0%
21-30ppm 1 vote(s) 100.0%
31-100 ppm 0 vote(s) 0.0%
over 100ppm 0 vote(s) 0.0%
Albert (CO Toxicologist)
New Member
Joined: September 14, 2017
Messages: 8
Likes Received: 2
Trophy Points: 3
City, State: Maryland
Year, Model & Trim Level:
1961 Falcon 2-door sedan
I am toxicologist who joined the forum so I can share information on how to test carbon
monoxide (CO) levels in Ford Explorers and the drivers of Ford Explorers.
#1. If you can smell vehicle exhaust, odorless CO is always also present, but CO may
be present even if you do not smell exhaust, or after the smell fades. The only way to
know the level of CO you are breathing is with a portable professional CO detector that
displays from 1ppm, and preferably one that records CO measurements automatically (called
a datalogger) or at least one that records the peak CO level (which you can then recall by
pressing a button). Any CO level above 0 in a vehicle is abnormal unless in heavy traffic or a
tunnel, and healthy non-smokers start absorbing CO as soon the level they inhale exceeds
the 1-2ppm they normally exhale.
#2. Do not test vehicles with home CO alarms built to UL2034 or UL2075 standards.
These are worse than worthless for use in vehicles because they give a false sense of
security. They do not display any CO levels below 30ppm in real time, nor do they give any
CO warning below 70ppm, even though EPA average limit for public is just 9ppm. Home CO
alarms also don't provide any warning until CO has been continuously over 70ppm for 1 – 4
hours at the low end or over 400ppm for 4 - 15minutes at the high end. By the time they
alarm, you have already been poisoned for anywhere from 4 minutes to 4 hours.
#3. To get your Ford dealer to take you seriously, ask a passenger to use a smartphone
to video the CO levels your detector displays while accelerating over 45 mph with both
front and rear AC on high, all windows closed, and recirculate ON. From my testing of
2015 and 2016 Explorers, this appears to be the worst case scenario and so the only
condition you need to test. To quickly lower the CO level in the cabin after testing, leave the
AC on and turn recirculate OFF (or just open 2 or more windows). Since Ford dealers do not
have CO detectors, I recommend you test your vehicle again after anyone attempts any
repairs. As long as you can detect CO entering the cabin under these conditions, the vehicle
is not safe to drive.
#4. If you want to know how much CO you absorbed from your exposures while
driving, you can use any professional CO detector to measure the level of CO in your
tissues. You just need to hold your breath for 35 seconds before exhaling into the detector.
This method is faster, more accurate and less painful than measuring COHb in blood, which is
most hospitals can't even do in-house. If you do get your COHb tested, make sure they take
both arterial and venous samples. Both are needed to determine if CO is being absorbed
(a>v), excreted (v>a) or in equilibrium (a=v).
During CO exposure, you inhale more CO than you exhale, but afterwards, once back in fresh
air, you exhale more than you inhale, until the level of CO in your blood and tissues tissues
returns to healthy equilibrium. This can take days to years, depending on how much CO you
absorbed, or until you are exposed to a higher level and start absorbing CO again. Symptoms
like recurring headaches, chronic fatigue, brain fog, muscle pain and multi-sensory sensitivity
can last as long as you have more CO in your tissues than your blood.
Last edited: September 15, 2017 at 9:20 AM
Albert (CO Toxicologist), September 14, 2017 at 6:33 PM Top of Page
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