Lawsuit claims Ford Explorers can leak poisonous gases inside SUV More than 400 people have filed complaints
By Priya Mann - Reporter , Nick Monacelli - Reporter , Derick Hutchinson
Posted: 10:52 PM, February 13, 2017 Updated: 7:21 AM, February 14, 2017
DETROIT - A lawsuit against Ford Motor Co. claims a defect in Ford Explorers can leak poisonous gases inside the SUV.
More than 400 people have filed complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alleging the fumes made them sick.
In one case, the consequences could have been deadly, as a Newport Beach police officer suffered a traumatic brain injury after he passed out while driving...
By Priya Mann - Reporter , Nick Monacelli - Reporter , Derick Hutchinson
Posted: 10:52 PM, February 13, 2017 Updated: 7:21 AM, February 14, 2017
DETROIT - A lawsuit against Ford Motor Co. claims a defect in Ford Explorers can leak poisonous gases inside the SUV.
More than 400 people have filed complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alleging the fumes made them sick.
In one case, the consequences could have been deadly, as a Newport Beach police officer suffered a traumatic brain injury after he passed out while driving...
Posted 4:34 pm, February 13, 2017, by CBS News, Updated at 05:57PM, February 13, 2017
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Based on customer complaints and Ford's own documents, the issue seems to occur while accelerating with the air conditioning active and in circulation mode.
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Ford has known about the issue since at least 2012, when the company issued its first of three repair bulletins to dealers aimed at fixing the problem.
"Ford has tried to fix it and they can't," Booth said.
In a 2015 deposition, a company representative acknowledged it appears to be a 'design issue'. That remains unresolved -- or as he said - 'we're working on it.'
The automaker has stopped short of notifying customers, but told CBS News -- "in rare circumstances, there have been instances where customers detected an exhaust odor in Explorers," adding the issue "poses no safety risk."
Booth can't afford a new car so he's now driving with a carbon monoxide detector. Newport Police also told us they had implemented new "safety measures" in the vehicles after McDowell's accident....
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Based on customer complaints and Ford's own documents, the issue seems to occur while accelerating with the air conditioning active and in circulation mode.
...
Ford has known about the issue since at least 2012, when the company issued its first of three repair bulletins to dealers aimed at fixing the problem.
"Ford has tried to fix it and they can't," Booth said.
In a 2015 deposition, a company representative acknowledged it appears to be a 'design issue'. That remains unresolved -- or as he said - 'we're working on it.'
The automaker has stopped short of notifying customers, but told CBS News -- "in rare circumstances, there have been instances where customers detected an exhaust odor in Explorers," adding the issue "poses no safety risk."
Booth can't afford a new car so he's now driving with a carbon monoxide detector. Newport Police also told us they had implemented new "safety measures" in the vehicles after McDowell's accident....