Quick News About Ford Problems

We try to boil down the news about Ford to the most important bits and pieces -- recalls, service bulletins, and lawsuits that can help you solve you car problems. Oh, and the occasional interesting story as well. If you're interested in getting these quick story summaries as an email, signup for free over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. Another day, another police officer accusing Ford of negligently poisoning them while on the job.

    Austin police officer Ryan Hancock says his symptoms (nausea, headaches and vision problems ) continued the next day and caused him to seek medical help. According to the lawsuit, tests conducted at the hospital showed his symptoms were from carbon monoxide poisoning. Furthermore, the plaintiff says his nervous system has been damaged by the fumes.

    Hancock is represented by Brian Chase, the same attorney repressing officer Zachary LaHood in another carbon monoxide lawsuit against the automaker.…

    keep reading article "Texas Police Officer Says Ford’s Negligence Resulted in Nerve Damage"

  2. The free customer program may sound good to some Explorer owners, but the Center for Auto Safety says the program doesn't go far enough and the automaker should not be allowed to get by with anything less than an official recall.

    Recalls are reserved for safety-related issues. Ford obviously doesn’t think this qualifies, but in my opinion they’re wrong.

    By calling it a “service campaign,” the automaker doesn’t have to follow the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) rules for notifying all owners. Instead, only owners who hear about the campaign through other means will get the repairs.…

    keep reading article "Consumer Group Urges Ford to Issue a Recall for Exhaust Fumes and Carbon Monoxide Problems"

  3. Ford will finally address Explorer owner’s concerns about exhaust entering their cabin. Just don’t call it a recall.

    From David Woods on CarComplaints.com Ford announced "complimentary service" for 1.4 million model year 2011-2017 non-police Explorers in North America. Ford insists the SUVs are perfectly safe to drive and the "complimentary service" is not an official recall.

    For whatever reason, Ford appears dead set against recalling this problem. In July 2017, the automaker created a “special program” to fix carbon monoxide (CO) exposure in Explorer Interceptor police vehicles.…

    keep reading article "Without calling it a recall, Ford will make repairs to 1.4 million non-police Ford Explorer SUVs"

  5. NHTSA isn’t too happy with Ford’s response to the carbon monoxide problem. Welcome to the club.

    Ford tested 4 Explorers, some that had been repaired using the steps recommended in TSBs, and didn’t find a problem.

    “Ford says all these CO levels are well below any standards, especially since investigators found only “momentary" levels that quickly disappeared. In addition, when investigators allegedly drove the SUVs without using wide-open throttles, the carbon monoxide levels were zero.”

    NHTSA took Ford’s “there’s nothing to see here” conclusion under advisement, and then promptly upgraded their investigation to an “engineering analysis.” They also expanded it to include the 2011-2017 Explorer, roughly 840,000 vehicles total.

    Game on.

    keep reading article "Feds Have Upgraded Their Explorer Carbon Monoxide Investigation to an Engineering Analysis"

  6. Ford has been sued for switching to a 2-piece lug nut design that features an aluminum cap.

    When exposed to the elements, the cap swells in the heat, cracks and delaminates, and corrodes from moisture. This leaves owners and lessees who get flat tires often stranded on the roads without the ability for even tow truck drivers to remove the swollen lug nuts. This means a tow to the shop just to have the lug nuts removed and the tire replaced.

    The two-piece capped lug nuts are cheaper than a one-piece stainless plug, but they look nice because of the cap. Most owners never think twice about the lug nut when buying a vehicle, only to be met with this headache down the road.

    keep reading article "Ford Sued for Using Two-Piece Lug Nuts That Swell"

  7. There’s a new Explorer carbon monoxide lawsuit in town, and this one is expanding the size of the problem.

    [Plaintiff Mary] Boatner says that on July 6 she drove the Explorer from Alabama to Michigan and noticed a strong chemical odor. Ms. Boatner rolled down her windows for fresh air but the odor was still there … When Ms. Boatner arrived in Michigan, and for several days thereafter, she allegedly experienced restlessness, lack of focus, fatigue, nausea and headaches.

    Mrs. Boatner owns a 2017 Explorer, which falls outside the scope of the current NHTSA investigation.…

    keep reading article "Ford Sued (Again) for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning "

  8. Ford Explorer Police Interceptor carbon monoxide problems have led to three police officers suing the automaker after they allegedly crashed their patrol vehicles.

    One of the officers is from Austin. The other suffered a dangerous crash after passing out in their patrol car.

    Ford has been working with police departments to inspect the SUVs and seal any spaces created when aftermarket police-related equipment was installed in the rear of the Explorers.

    keep reading article "3 Police Officers Are Suing Ford Over Carbon Monoxide Exposure"

  9. Takata says there are 2.7 million Ford and Nissan vehicles that should be recalled because they contain dangerous airbags.

    Given their propensity to explode in people's faces, it seems only logical to follow that advice. Nissan’s on board but Ford isn’t sold on the idea because the airbags contain a drying agent that’s supposed to protect the inflators.

    “Unlike the tens of millions of airbag inflators already recalled in millions of vehicles, the 2.7 million inflators have a drying agent (desiccant) called calcium sulfate used to protect the explosive chemical, ammonium nitrate, from moisture.”…

    keep reading article "Ford Isn’t Sold On This Whole “Takata Recall” Thing"

  10. Ford Police Interceptor carbon monoxide leaks will be repaired by Ford in a special program created for Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicles, including sedans and Explorer SUVs.

    Hey, look who showed up! Nice of Ford to finally join the discussion. Ford is limiting this program to the police fleet, because it believes the modifications made to these vehicles – for lights and special equipment – are causing the problems.

    “The repair program does not apply to non-police Explorers because owners of those vehicles report exhaust fumes entering the cabins, while Explorer Police Interceptor drivers report getting sick from carbon monoxide.”

    Since when are fumes entering the cabin are ok?…

    keep reading article "Ford Creates Program to Fix Carbon Monoxide Leaks in Police Fleet"

  11. A NHTSA Ford Explorer exhaust manifold investigation has been upgraded and expanded to include more than 1.3 million model year 2011-2017 Ford Explorer consumer SUVs and Police Interceptors.

    I’m not sure what the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was waiting for here. Ford has already settled one lawsuit, consumers continue to complain about headaches, police officers are passing out, and city officials want the SUVs off the road.

    Out of 2,719 complaints filed to NHTSA, there were 41 reported injuries and 3 crashes. For what it’s worth, NHTSA says there’s currently no proof that carbon monoxide caused these problems.

    Ford, meanwhile, has received 1,254 warranty claims, 606 reports from dealers and 55 legal claims.

    What. A. Nightmare.

    keep reading article "Feds Upgrade Investigation into 1.3 Million Explorers For Leaky Exhaust Manifolds"

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