2011 Ford Explorer UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
AFTER DRIVING FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND THEN STOPPING AT A STOP LIGHT I SMELL EXHAUST COMING IN THROUGH THE VENT.I ONLY NOTICE IT WHEN AT A STOP.
THERE IS A EXTREME EXHAUST SMELL THAT COMES IN MY TRUCK WHENEVER I TURN THE HEAT ON. THE EXCESSIVE FUMES ARE CAUSING MY CHILDREN AND ME TO EXPERIENCE DIZZINESS AND HEADACHES. THE SMELL ONLY COMES IN THE TRUCK WHEN THE HEAT IS ON. THE SMELL IS STILL STRONG EVEN WHEN I CRACK THE WINDOWS. IT'S UNBEARABLE AT THIS POINT AND I'M AFRAID I MAT EXPERIENCE AN ACCIDENT, BECAUSE I'M BECOME SO LIGHTHEADED. THE FUMES ARE STILL EXCESSIVE WHETHER THE TRUCK IS SITTING OR IN MOTION.
STRONG EXHAUST SMELL WHEN YOU START THE CAR AND THEN AGAIN WHEN YOU ACCELERATE TO GET ON TO THE HIGHWAY. INTERMITTENT SMELL AS YOU ARE DRIVING. IT DOESNT MATTER IF YOU ARE SITTING STILL OR ON THE HIGHWAY, YOU WILL INEVITABLY SMELL THE EXHAUST. I HAVE BEEN HAVING HEALTH ISSUES WITH MY HEART THAT WE NOW BELIEVE ARE RELATED TO THE CARBON MONOXIDE FROM THESE FUMES.
WHEN WE TAKE A DRIVE IN OUR FORD EXPLORER- OUR CHILDREN ARE GETTING NAUSEA AND VOMITING. THIS HAS BECOME A CONSTANT PROBLEM-EVEN ON SHORT DRIVES OF 30 MINUTES OR LESS. THEY COMPLAIN OF HEADACHES AS WELL. WE HAVE HAD TO GO TO THE DOCTORS JUST TO GET ANTI NAUSEA MEDICINE HOPING IT WOULD HELP, BUT- IT HASN'T. THERE IS AN EMISSIONS PROBLEM WITH OUR VEHICLE THAT IS CAUSING MAJOR SICKNESS WITH OUR YOUNG CHILDREN- AGES 11, 8, 7 AND 2.
WHILE DRIVING I 77 NORTH (MOORESVILLE NC TO THE BACK SIDE OF STONE MOUNTAIN NC) WITH THE AIR CONDITION ON, I STARTED SMELLING GAS FUMES COMING THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. MY SON ALSO SMELLED THE GAS FUMES. WE HAD TO TURN THE AC OFF AND TRAVEL WITH OPEN WINDOWS.. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHILE WE WERE ON VACATION. I DIDN'T SMELL THE FUMES AS WE WERE RETURNING HOME BUT ALSO RODE WITH THE WIDOWS DOWN A BIT AS WELL. I HOWEVER NOTICED THAT WHILE I WAS NOT DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL DAYS, THAT MY HEADACHE WAS NOT WITH ME. I HAVE NOT USED THE AIR CONDITION SINCE I HAVE ARRIVED BACK IN TOWN. I HAVE NOT FELT GOOD FOR MONTHS AND HAD A CONSTANT HEADACHE, BLAMING IT ON STRESS BUT NOW FEEL THAT IT IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING CAUSED BY MY VEHICLE. I WILL BE CALLING A DEALERSHIP TO INQUIRE IF THERE IS A POSSIBLE PROBLEM AND HOPE TO GET IT FIXED.
FORD EXPLORER CARBON MONOXIDE. WHEN DRIVING CAR FOR OVER 15 MINS AT A TIME THE CABIN FILLS WITH A ROTTEN EGG SMELL AND CAUSES A SEVERE MIGRAINE. IF YOU DO NOT TURN AC/HEAT OFF AND ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS YOU WILL BECOME LIGHTHEADED AND DIZZY. KIDS COMPLAIN OF BECOMING VERY SLEEPY WHEN IN THE CAR AND THE AIR OR HEAT IS ON. WE HAVE TO CONSISTENTLY DRIVE WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN TO INSURE THAT WE ARE NOT BEING POISONED WITH CO2. I HAVE TAKEN MY EXPLORER IN TWICE NOW AND HAVE BEEN TOLD BOTH TIMES AFTER EXTENSIVE TESTING THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHETHER YOU ARE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, CITY STREET, OR SITTING STILL IF YOU ARE IN THE VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN 15 MINUTES THE CO2 STARTS UP IF THE AIR OR HEAT IS ON.
OFTEN WHEN I ACCELERATE QUICKLY, AND EVERY TIME I ACCELERATE WHEN GOING UP HILL THERE IS A HORRIFIC SMELL FROM THE EXHAUST AND IT FILLS THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN THE BEGINNING OF 2017, AND STILL OCCURS TO TODAY (8/13/18).
SYNC 2 PROBLEMA EL RADIO SE FRIZA LOS MAPAS TARDAN EN ABRIR EL LA CMARA DE REVERSA SE ENCIENDE CORRIENDO FUNCIONA ALGUNAS VECES Y OTRAS NO EL RADIO SE APAGA Y SE ENCIENDE A MENUDO SIN RAZN ALGUNA.
I HAVE LEAKS IN MY REAR CARGO AREA THAT ARE ELUSIVE BUT MY DEALER HAS BEEN WORKING ON RESOLVING THE ISSUE. DURING RAINY WEATHER I FIND WATER IN THE REAR OF MY CARGO AREA.
MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT OUR EXPLORER LESS THAN A WEEK AGO AND WE SMELL A REALLY BAD ROTTEN EGG SMELL, SULFUR , CARBON MONOXIDE SMELL IN THE VEHICLE BADLY. WE SMELL IT WHEN PARKED, IDLING AT A STOP, ACCELERATING AND CRUISING DOWN THE ROAD, SO BASICALLY IN ALL ASPECTS OF DRIVING WE SMELL IT. THIS IS VERY UNHEALTHY FOR ALL OF US TO BE BREATHING THIS IN ECSPECIALLY OPERATING A MOVING VEHICLE AT THE RATE OF SPEEDS UPWARDS TO 70MPH AND HAVING SOMETHING HAPPEN TO US WHILE DRIVING. I'VE SEEN NEWS ARTICLES OF POLICE EVEN CRASHING AND CIVILIANS BECAUSE THEY BLACK OUT OR PASS OUT BECAUSE OF THE STRONG SMELL. ITS'S SO BAD IT'S BEEN GIVING MY WIFE AND I HEADACHES. WE HAVE A 1 YEAR OLD SON THAT RIDES WITH US AND I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT'S GOOD FOR HIM TO BE BREATHING IN. WE HAVE TEACHES OUR DESTINATIONS WITH VERY BAD HEADACHES. WE HAVE RESEARCHED AFTER WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND IT'S A BIG PROBLEM WITH ALL EXPLORERS 2011-2015. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND I WILL NOT BE DRIVING THIS CAR UNTIL IT'S FIXED BECAUSE I'M NOT RISKING MY LIFE AND CERTAINLY WON'T BE LETTING MY SON BE EXPOSED TO IT. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL AND FIX THIS ISSUE. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS A TOP RATED USED SUV TO BUY FOR OUR GROWING FAMILY. PLEASE CONTACT ME ABOUT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THIS NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF ASAP.
INSIDE OF CAR FILLS UP WITH EXHAUST FUMES WHEN DRIVING
I HAVE A REALLY BAD EXHAUST ODOR IN THE CABIN OF MY EXPLORER. DURING A 2500 - 5000 RPM ACCELERATION, YOU CAN SMELL EXHAUST IN THE CABIN. MY MOTHER HAS BECOME SICK RIDING IN THE VEHICLE AND VARIOUS PEOPLE WHO I HAVE DRIVEN ON LONG ROAD TRIPS WITH IN THE EXPLORER HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT HEADACHES. COMMUTING DAILY WITH MY EXPLORER RECENTLY HAS MADE ME FEEL VERY NAUSEOUS. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO FORD IN 2013 AND 2014 ABOUT THE EXHAUST ODOR ISSUE BUT THEY SAID I DID NOT HAVE IT WITHOUT TESTING FOR CARBON MONOXIDE LEVELS. I HAVE THIS DOCUMENTED IN DEALER RECORDS AT FORD KOONS OF SILVER SPRING. BELIEVE THIS IS RELATED TO THE CARBON MONOXIDE ISSUE THAT FORD HAS REFUSED TO FIX, AND I BELIEVE MY FAMILY AND I ARE DEVELOPING HEALTH PROBLEMS DUE TO THESE CONCERNS. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY CAR TESTED FOR CARBON MONOXIDE IF POSSIBLE.
CAR HAS NAUSEATING SMELL WHEN AIR CONDITIONER/HEATER IS ON. AIR CONDITIONER OVERHAULED AT MY EXPENSE JULY 26, 2017. SMELL REMAINS, ALTHOUGH SLIGHTLY BETTER AT TIMES. SMELL IS A CROSS BETWEEN BURNED ROPE/URINE-TYPE SMELL. IF DRIVING ALL DAY, OR LONG DISTANCES, I GET A HEADACHE. PLEASE RESPOND
EXHAUST FUMES COMING INTO THE CABIN WHILE IN MOTION. I NOTICED THIS ISSUE WHEN WE BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2015. I COMPLAINED TO FORD IN DECEMBER 2016 AND WAS TOLD THAT I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE HOSES REROUTED SO THAT THE EXHAUST FUMES DON'T COME INTO THE CABIN. I CALLED FORD AGAIN TODAY AND ONCE AGAIN THEY TOLD ME I HAD TO PAY TO FIX THIS ISSUE. I DRIVE WITH MY WINDOWS CRACKED OR OPENED DUE TO MY CONCERN OF THE POSSIBILITY OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING WHILE DRIVING THE CAR BY MYSELF OR WITH MY CHILDREN AS PASSENGERS.
TODAY 09/09/2017 MY FRIEND CALLED ME AS INFORMED ME THAT HE SAW YESTERDAY 09/08/2017: ON THE NEWS THERE WAS A LAW SUIT AGAINST 2011 FORD EXPLORER ABOUT CARBON MONOXIDE EMISSION. THE REPORT STATED THAT PEOPLE WERE HAVING HEADACHES, WERE NAUSEOUS, ETC.., WHICH IS EXACTLY THE SYMPTOMS I AM HAVING SINCE ROUGHLY A YEAR. ON FEBRUARY 2017, I WENT TO SEE A NEUROLOGIST AS MY HEADACHES AND NAUSEA WERE WORSE. I WENT THROUGH SEVERAL MEDICAL TESTS AND I AM TAKING A PRESCRIPTION FOR THE HEADACHES. NOW I HONESTLY AND STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THIS PROBLEM MIGHT BE THE TRIGGER OF THE SYMPTOMS SINCE I NEVER BEEN SICK LIKE THAT BEFORE.
ONE WEEK AFTER PURCHASING A PRE-CERTIFIED VEHICLE, THE CAR DIDN'T WANT TO ACCELERATE & GO INTO GEAR. 4 MONTHS LATER HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES & FELT LIKE THE CAR GOT REAR ENDED WHILE DRIVING ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS ON THE HIGHWAY THAT SAME WEEK. I WAS DRAWN BING IN THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY IN NJ AND HAD TO SLOW DOWN FOR TRAFFIC. ALSO AT THE END OF THE WEEK THE CAR DIDN'T WANT TO ACCELERATE & GO INTO GEAR WHILE DRIVING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY.
MY EXPLORER HAS HAD AN EXHAUST SMELL IN THE PASSENGER AREA. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO SEARS AUTO AND FORD DEALER AND BOTH TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG, YET I CONTINUE TO SMELL THE EXHAUST WHEN I AM DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND UP HILL, WITH MY AC ON. I AM WORRIED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE I AM NOW SEEING THAT POLICE AND OTHER EXPLORERS ARE HAVING THEM SAME PROBLEM.
FUMY ODOR WHEN ACCELLERATE
WHEN I DRIVE WITH THE WINDOWS CLOSED FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME I HAVE TO OPEN THE WINDOWS AND MANY TIMES I PULL OVER TO TAKE A BREATHER. I MENTIONED TO A FRIEND TODAY THIS PROBLEM AND HE TOLD ME HE HAD SEEN THE NIGHT BEFORE THAT THIS MODEL VEHICLE HAD MANY COMPLAINTS AS CARBON MONOXIDE MAY BE THE PROBLEM. I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT THAT BUT DISMISSED IT. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN WITH MY OTHER VEHICLES. I AM GOING TO BE VERY CAREFUL NOW BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS. PLEASE MAKE FORD REPAIR THIS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE.
FOUL SMELL WHEN DRIVING AND AIR CONDITIONER ON AT TIMES. HAPPENED MANY TIMES OVER THE LAST YEAR. EXCESSIVE SLEEPINESS WHEN DRIVING AND HAVE TO PULL OVER.
EXHAUST MAKING ME SICK,BAD SMELL LIKE ROTTEN EGGS INSIDE THE CAR EVERY TIME I TURN ON THE A/C AND MY KIDS GET SICK OF THAT SMELL
THE REAR VIEW CAMERA SYSTEM STARTED SHOWING A REVERSE IMAGE TO WHAT IS ACTUALLY BEHIND US WITHOUT WARNING (THE VIDEO WAS SHOWING MIRRORED/BACKWARDS VIEW). THIS CAUSED US TO THINK SOMEONE WHO WAS ACTUALLY ON ONE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS IN A SAFE PLACE, WHILE IN REALITY THEY WERE IN THE PATH OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS LARGE BLIND SPOTS IN THE BACK SIDES MAKING AN ACCURATE PICTURE A MUST-HAVE
SHORTLY AFTER I BOUGHT MY 2011 FORD EXPLORER, I NOTICED A CARBON MONOXIDE SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND MY DAUGHTER WAS ALWAYS "TIRED" WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I OPENED THE WINDOWS. THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR IN THE CAR FOR YEARS. I KEEP A COMFORTER IN THE CAR FOR COLD DAYS WHEN I NEED TO KEEP THE WINDOWS DOWN. I'M GLAD HIS ISSUE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE PARENTS WHO DRIVE THEIR CHILD AROUND UNTIL THEY FALL ASLEEP.
EXHAUST LEAK PROBLEM IN MY CAR WHILE THE AIR CONDITIONING IS ON OR WHEN I ACCELERATE. THE CAR SMELLS LIKE GAS CONSTANTLY, EVEN WHEN IT IS PARKED AND IN MY GARAGE. I AM TERRIFIED FOR MY THREE CHILDREN. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO FORD TWICE ALREADY AND THEY CAN'T FIX IT AND EXPECT ME TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. NO WAY! WE ARE ALL SICK ALL OF THE TIME. I AM TERRIFIED TO EVEN DRIVE IT.
WITHIN THE PAST YEAR WE HAVE SMELLED ROTTEN EGGS IN THE CAB OF OUR EXPLORER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BUT ASSUMED IT WAS NOTHING. UPON READING AN ARTICLE ABOUT AN INVESTIGATION INTO CARBON MONOXIDE SEEPING INTO THE CAB WE ARE EXTREMELY NERVOUS. WE HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN. THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN THE BEHICLE IS DRIVING.
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Quick Summary
The 2011 Ford Explorer has 70 UNKNOWN OR OTHER complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.