I bought my 2013 Ford Explorer back in March 2015. Really liked the crossover. I bought there extended Ford Premium Warranty. I notice a bad exhaust odor in the cabin using the AC and the heater at times and had a engine light on the dash that would come and go. Took it to the Ford dealer and they fixed a purge valve sensor to get rid of the engine light. To my surprise they said the exhaust odor in the cabin has a TSB and they would have to charge me $700.00 to fix it. WHAT? But I have the Premium Warranty! They said Ford won't cover it. The people there were nice and seemed professional. The guy said he felt bad and give me a break 20% break off my $100 deductible for fixing the purge valve sensor. I declined to have the exhaust problem fixed at my expense, after paying for a expensive Premium Warranty.

For those who are on the fence on purchasing Ford products I would skip the warranty and save that money back. They seem to just pick and choose what they want to cover. Being a Industrial Service Technician for the last eighteen years I should have seen this coming. Sadly it's not just Ford. The auto industry is a dirty business. The smell gets so bad the fumes will make you sick. For now I never drive it without a window cracked. Hopefully if enough people register and complain they will recall this problem. Lots of people are having this issue. Also don't forget to join the class action lawsuit against Ford on this site. Together we can get it Ford to recall this issue.

I have also come to known where the vehicle was repaired under the TSB and they still have the same issue. Will keep you posted with any new information.

The first time I took the Explorer out two years ago, and got on it, definitely noticed a sulphur/exhaust smell in the cabin. Sometimes, especially if it down shifted, such as going up a steep bridge, I had to open the windows it was so pungent. Mentioned to dealership and they never heard of the problem. I put up with it for two years until I sold it a few weeks ago, (a definite reason I wanted to sell).

I bought a 2015 Explorer Sport with 7,000 miles on it and guess what, it still does the same thing. It almost smells like the catalytic converter isn't working properly or the exhaust system cannot handle the higher rpms. Considering the other complaints Ford was aware of it but never made any changes in the two model years. I will definitely pursue it with this one and very unhappy. I travel with small children in the car and will have to think twice about using this car.

This has been an ongoing problem with this car. I have had it checked at the dealer numerous times. They said, of course, that there was no problem. It is working correctly according to them. I have been in touch with Ford and I get the same crap. "We're not having any problems." This is a crock of excrement. You have to be an idiot to not smell the inside of the car and say there's no problem. It's as if there is no filtering for air coming into the car. On acceleration the smell is even worst. We have to roll down the windows to get the crappy smell out. Sometimes that doesn't even work.

I believe Ford knows they have a problem, but chose to ignore it rather than fix the problem. To them, there's NO PROBLEM. Well, after reading some of the complaints from others on this site, it appears that there IS A PROBLEM. I don't know what to do. It's like talking to the federal government. Heads stay in the sand. Until this problem is fixed, I believe anyone considering an Explorer should stay away from it. IT STINKS.

We bought our new Ford Explorer 3.5 new in September 2013 and straight away there was a very bad smell in the vehicle when accelerating over 3,000 RMP. We took the it back to the Ford dealer and they told us it was because its new. It has since been back 4 times for the same problem and every time we get it back it’s just the same.

My wife is getting very bad headaches now when she drives it for more than 2 hours. We have taken it back again and they have had it for over 1 week. If I get it back this time it’s not fixed, we are going to complain to the Dubai RTA. It’s a bit like the US fed. I would NOT recommend this vehicle to anyone. It should come with a health warning, they are worse than cigarettes.

When I accelerate fast, the exhaust enters the vehicle from the AC unit. My car was in 3 times before the prescribed Technical Service Bulletin (12-12-4) was performed, which by the way does not fix the issue. Cant even imagine hooking up our boat to this vehicle as it will probably kill us with Carbon Monoxide poisoning. My 10 year old son has had bronchitis 4 times since we have had this vehicle.. hmmm possibly related!!

It is only a matter of time before a child that is strapped into his seat dies of C.M. poisoning! The smell is extremely worse in the back seat, never mind sitting in the 3rd row! You would probably die a silent death rather quickly!!

And the worst part of all... Ford's CEO Mr. Mullaly and Ford as a whole is VERY AWARE of this issue.

The car cannot exceed 3000-3500 RPM. If you exceed it, a strong exhaust stinking smell comes through the A/C-ventilation system. It seems like the exhaust fumes go directly to the A/C system. We went to the distributor to present the complaint and the response was vage. They acknowledge that there were several Explorers-2013 with the same problem, and there is no idea of how to solve it. They check the A/C ventilation system and in some cases it has worked for them, but in most, it hasn't. They explained that Ford is checking that problem and whenever the "fix" comes, they will supply it to its customers.

I am quite worried about this since we do not know if the fumes always go through the vent system and not only when over 3000-3500 RPM. How do they know that is not happening, if they don't even know how to solve the problem? My daughter and I suffer from allergies and I have noted she sneezes more than usual whenever she is in the vehicle.

Like it happens with cigarettes, they should put a warning label in these vehicles saying "exhaust fumes are hazardous to your health. Purchase this vehicle at your own responsibility"!!!!.... Unfortunately, here in Panama there is little we can do, but I hope in the U.S. the pressure mounts and force Ford the fix this problem.

WHEN I ACCELERATE FAST, I SMELL EXHAUST FUMES COMING FROM THE A/C UNIT. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN I OPEN THE FRESH AIR AND WHEN I AM STOPPED. DON'T TRY AND HOOKUP A TRAILER WITH THE ENGINE ON AS IT COULD BE THE LAST THING YOU EVER DO. DON'T TRY AND LOAD GROCERIES WITH THE HATCH BACK OPEN AND THE ENGINE ON, THE EXHAUST SMELL WILL KILL YOU. NEVER DO THIS WITH KIDS IN THE SUV AS THIS SITUATION WILL PROBABLY COST YOU YOUR KIDS LIVES.

IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE A CHILD THAT IS STRAPPED IN DIES IN HIS SEAT. THE PROBLEM AS I SEE IT IS THE DUAL EXHAUST COMING FROM THE ENGINE GOES INTO ONE PIPE AND THEN SPLITS INTO TWO PIPES AND THERE IS NO MORE PRESSURE FOR THE EXHAUST GASSES TO BE PUSHED AWAY FROM THE SUV. THE EXHAUST GASSES ACCUMULATE AROUND THE BACK AND UNDER THE SUV UNTIL YOU MOVE THE SUV OR THE WIND MOVES THE EXHAUST FUMES AWAY.

Update from Aug 10, 2013: OUR FORD DEALER BOUGHT OUR EXPLORER BACK. WE HAD TO PAY FOR THE USEAGE OF THE SUV. FORD WENT OUT OF THERE WAY TO GET US INTO A NEW F-150 XLT 5.0 2013. AFTER THE DEAL WAS OVER, I BELIEVE TO GET INTO A NEW VEHICLE, THEY HAD TO LOOSE MONEY. I TALKED TO ONE OF THE PEOPLE AT THE DEALER THAT WE WERE DEALING WITH AND HE TOLD ME THAT MONEY IS NOT THE BOTTOM LINE, MAKING THINGS RIGHT IS EQUALY AS IMPORTANT. THESE PEOPLE BENT OVER BACKWARDS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. THIS IS MY 5TH FORD TRUCK AND THIS IS THE ONLY TRUCK I WILL EVER BUY...