Is Ford Explorer making its drivers sick?
Automaker says SUV safe, but feds are investigating
Ford is dismissing the need to recall its Ford Explorer SUV despite a growing number of drivers who have reported incidents of dizziness, nausea and vomiting to federal regulators, who are conducting an active investigation into the complaints.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed Tuesday its investigation into Ford Explorer model years 2011 to 2017 is ongoing after a consumer safety group repeated its appeal for a recall. The issue has extended to the Explorers modified for police use. Ford said it hasn’t found any problems or carbon monoxide intrusion into the vehicles’ cabins that could explain the problem.
“Explorers are safe,” said Elizabeth Weingandt, safety communications manager. “Ford’s investigation and extensive testing has not found carbon monoxide levels that exceed what people are exposed to every day.”
She said customers can bring their vehicle to their local Ford dealer for a free service designed to reduce their concern. NHTSA officials, however, say Ford’s customer satisfaction campaign does not bring closure to this issue.
More than 1,300 Ford Explorer owners have reported issues to federal safety officials, who began investigating in 2016. On Tuesday, the non-profit Center for Auto Safety sent a letter to Ford CEO Jim Hackett renewing an October 2017 request for the Dearborn, Mich.-based company to recall 1.33 million Explorers from model years 2011 to 2017 for suspected carbon monoxide leaks.
In July 2017, federal transportation officials expanded their probe into reports of exhaust odors in vehicle com- partments and exposure to carbon monoxide that may be linked to crashes and injuries. The oversight agency said at the time it was aware of the growing complaints and crashes that may have been linked to exposure to carbon monoxide and dozens of injuries among police and civilian vehicles.
Ford has issued multiple technical service bulletins related to exhaust odor to address complaints from police fleets and other owners, the federal agency noted. And Ford has said a dedicated team was working to investigate and resolve issues. The federal investigation is now in “engineering analysis” status, a step before the agency can formally demand an automaker conduct a recall if it believes vehicles pose an unreasonable risk to safety.
The agency obtained preliminary testing that suggests carbon monoxide levels may be elevated in certain driving scenarios, “although the significance and effect of those levels remains under evaluation,” according to 2017 reports.
“Unfortunately, the only thing that triggers action is tragedy,” said Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety. “We’re hoping to see action taken by America’s leading auto brand before something awful happens.”