Ford’s popular Explorer SUV is under scrutiny in the US for exhaust gas intrusion into the passenger compartment.
The National Highway Safety Traffic Administration told Reuters it was reviewing reports that gases, including carbon monoxide, may enter the passenger compartment of some Explorers, a potential safety issue that has prompted customer complaints and a recent lawsuit.
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The agency said it was aware of complaints involving 2011-2014 Explorers from owners who claimed they experienced exhaust fumes or other strange odours in the cabin.
NHTSA was “reviewing all available data and will take appropriate action as warranted,” it said in a statement cited by the news agency.
In a lawsuit filed on 9 June in a Florida federal court, Angela Knutson, the owner of a 2013 Explorer, said a defect in hundreds of thousands of Explorers could cause “lethal quantities of carbon monoxide” to enter passenger cabins while the vehicle was being driven, putting occupants at risk.
Knutson filed the lawsuit on behalf of a proposed class of owners of 2011-2013 Explorers, Reuters reported.
In December 2012, the lawsuit said, Ford issued a technical service bulletin to dealers acknowledging that some 2011-2013 Explorers “may exhibit an exhaust odour in the vehicle with the auxiliary climate control system on”.
Knutson said Ford failed to warn customers or address the possibility that passengers may be exposed to deadly carbon monoxide, according to the lawsuit.
A Ford spokeswoman said the company was reviewing the case and would act promptly to address any issues if needed.
