2015 Ford Explorer: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Dec 18, 2017 · Engine · 37,900 miles · NY

There is a strong smell of what I could only at first describe as natural gas or propane (rotten eggs) entering the cabin. It was compounded when I put turned the cabin heat on. With winter upon us the smell enters the heating ducts making it nearly unbearable. Furthermore while driving under normal acceleration on a minor road there was an audible pop (as if a hose beneath the engine came off) and a fluttering noise with loss of power. I am assuming a turbo or waste gate hose came off on its own. Once the hose popped off the smell was undeniably singed motor oil. After 30 years of doing oil changes I can assure you it is the smell of burning motor oil. I have seen many such odor complaints on the 3.5 litre eco boost turbo. There is definitely a problem affecting many if not all turbo eco boost engines. Please investigate this dangerous noxious singed oil odor. I purchased this vehicle in may 2017 as a certified used car, it is currently in the dealership for repair. I am available to assist in any way to help with the investigation. I am an owner of a vehicle with the takata recall, this condition and nauseating smell is far far worse. Please help.

Filed Aug 16, 2017 · 40 miles · FL

Evidence of carbon monoxide coming into the cabin of my ford explorer - please be advised I leased a 2015 ford explorer xlt from al packer ford in west palm beach florida on 3-21-2015. Immediately after purchasing the vehicle when I got on the highway to drive home I smelled a burning smell and thought it may be the typical engine burnoff smell that happens on some new cars. After the burning smell continued for many months after rapid acceleration of the car, I took the car to the fire department. Multiple firemen rode with me in the car and tested the vehicle for carbon monoxide with their drager x-am 2500. The device came back positive for carbon monoxide in the vehicle. The carbon monoxide levels appear as soon as you accelerate. The fire department tested 3 minutes of driving but within 3 minutes the level got to 38 ppm. I bought my own co detector after that and have seen levels get higher into the 50's after driving 20 minutes and making multiple accelerations. I didnt want to continue the testing further as I was concerned for my health. I have both the fire department fire incident report stating that carbon monoxide was building in the car, along with a service invoice from al packer ford stating that a carbon monoxide tester shows evidence of exhaust fumes in the vehicle. I kept bringing the car back to ford multiple times complaining, I brought the service employees in the vehicle with me and showed them the co readings. They stated their service department did not have a co meter. Each time they tried to fix the problem with no success. I started the lemon law process but ford made the process so difficult that while I was waiting for the engineer to come out to see the car I traded it in. I was in fear of my family's health breathing in the constant exhaust fumes that were coming in my vehicle every time I did a rapid acceleration.

Filed Jul 28, 2017 · 3,000 miles · CA

When excelerating onto freeway a burning smell coming out of vents into car. When idling car at stop light burning smell coming out of vents into car. White smoke coming from under hood while idling along with the burning smell. Have taken it to ford many times and they couldn't find anything. Was documented when I had my 1st oil change on the car.

Filed May 25, 2017 · 20 miles · IL

When I notice my car wasn't right. 1-when I was in motion,every time I accelerated a burning smell came from the inside,had to open my window but the smell got stronger. 2-I notice a yelloish brownish stain on the passenger side windshield. 3-when I drove my car and got out of car,the burning smell was around my car.

Filed Apr 21, 2017 · Fuel system · LA

We bought a 2015 ford explorer in april of 2015. One week after we had the truck we were noticing a nasty rotten egg smell every time we would drive it. We went back to the dealership to have them check it. The service manager drove the truck and said that it was the new smell burning off the exhaust. Here we are 2 years later and we are still smelling the same nasty smell. We don't drive very far in the truck because we live very close to everything. So we took the vehicle on a long out of state trip and could not stay awake and had severe headaches. At one point on the trip we thought our 18 year old cat had died because we could not wake her up. Now I am finding out that the carbon monoxide fumes could be leaking into the cabin of the vehicle which would explain the symptoms we were all having. I now find out that there have been several tsb issued regarding these same problems. I am so frustrated!

Filed Aug 15, 2016 · Engine · 3,000 miles · OK

I have noticed this smell some since I purchased the vehicle, but it has progressively gotten worse. Upon heavy acceleration (such as merging onto the highway), there is a very strong burning smell that takes over the inside of the vehicle. The smell seems to be exhaust coming into the vehicle. I have noticed an increase in "sleepy driving", or getting sleepy even if it is just on my way home from work. In july 2016 I took the vehicle in to be fixed, however, the fix did not work. This morning I took it back to the dealership for more repairs. I have a young child, and these fumes coming into the vehicle is not acceptable and needs to be taken care of immediately. Ford needs to do something, or provide a major discount towards a new version that doesn't have this defect. I finally got the vehicle I wanted, and I can't drive it because of this issue. Please make ford fix this problem. 7 years of this being an issue with ford vehicles is way to long!!!

Filed Jan 15, 2016 · Airbags, Electrical · 17,000 miles · GA

Keeps having check engine light come on, also keeps having aibag deactivated signal come on instrument panel. Also, keeps having issues where windows won't go up or down even when pushing any of buttons. Keeps having problems with wipers not wanting to work too. (all these things are not consistently on or happening. They happen daily at any given time) 2nd row captain seat the push button won't work on folding the seat. Navigation system keeps having issues of not wanting to properly work or says no navigation card when there is one there. Also, radio has not wanted to work; the whole system ent, nav, phone, climate wouldn't work. There has been few times smell something burning coming through vents. Have tried doing the owner report with ford like owners suppose to be able to do. Have not been able to ever get a reading, or a diagnosis. Have had it to dealership 3 times still issues. All these issues happen no matter what temperature is outside, no matter whether driving or sitting still. To try get things working right have pulled over to turn off vehicle and back on several times to try get things working properly. It isn't safe to drive in south georgia or in florida in down pour of rain when don't have working wipers!!! It isn't reassuring about deactivated airgbag signal on the instrument panel. Definetly aggregating considering we just purchased this 6 months ago! (we have 13 different video footage to all this for proof that we 've shown dealership, and service department; videos to big for here)

Filed Apr 19, 2015 · Body, Electrical · 900 miles · NY

I am going into the 5th month of leasing my 2015 ford explorer and I am not happy with this vehicle. Currently the odometer reads 2,100 miles and they were not enjoyable miles. I have to say that this 2015 explorer has the worst design on the inside that I've ever seen. The outward visibility from the driver's seat for the front and rear of this vehicle is severely compromised by the huge c pillars which create blind spots within the vehicle. Although this model has blis, I've almost been in 2 collisions because I cannot see my right side rear or left side rear due to the faulty design of the interior of the vehicle. The blis system did not warn me that there was a tractor trailer approaching me on the left side. This is a problem that the dealer cannot remedy. This is a factory design flaw that is going to get someone seriously injured or killed because the driver can't see what's coming. The blis is useless. Navigating through tight spaces is almost impossible because you cannot see the front end to judge your distance between vehicles/objects and the wide front pillars also add to the frustration of trying to see what's on the side of the vehicle. The blower motor for the heating/AC system just turns off as well as the dashboard cluster lights and then comes back on after 10 - 15 seconds. This has occurred a few times. There is a burning smell inside the vehicle upon start up. Not sure if it's exhaust gas entering the vehicle or if it's something in the heater/AC system. (I was told at the dealership that this is a common problem and will dissipate after a few thousand miles). Not the answer that I wanted to hear. I do not feel safe driving this vehicle. The sensation of not feeling safe while driving makes for unsafe driving. My life and the lives of my passengers and other motorists is of my utmost concern. I am returning this SUV to ford.

Filed Mar 4, 2015 · Fuel system · 2,900 miles · MN

Horrible rotten egg, burning smell when accelerating in the cabin. Have taken it in 3 times and they tell me it will burn off between 10-15000 miles. I can't imagine that the fumes in the cabin are good for me and my family and the lack of concern from ford is laughable. We have contacted ford with minimal, unhelpful responses from them. Along with health concerns, the smell coming out of the exhaust is awful and probably should be brought to the epa. I attempted to drive 2 new 2015 straight of the train and they both were just as bad. This is not an isolated problem.