Bad or Burnt Exhaust smell in cabin during hard acceleration. | Page 4 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Has anyone heard of, found, or experienced a solution to the Ford Explorer exhaust issue?


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Since when is an engine still breaking in at 1,000 miles? The maximum I have ever seen was 500 miles and that was 15 years ago. Nowadays it is around 300 miles or less.

That's what I thought too. My EX now has 4,500 miles on it, and the smell is still present. I would have thought a new vehicle would be broke in far before his many miles. I just think that the Ford technicians don't have a clue of how to fix this problem, so they came up with the reason of the break in period of the engine as the only plausible answer, to them, that they could muster. After reading some replies here, even at 10,000+ miles, I'll still have that smell. This is like when you go to the doctor and he can't figure anything out, so he chalks it up to stress, well, this is Ford's idea of "stress" I guess on my new EX engine. I'm thinking that Ford possibly should have waited another year before releasing this new model, especially with all the other problems this newly designed Explorer has encountered.
 



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I have this issue as well and mine currently has 6500 miles. I towed with it for the first time this weekend and damn it was bad. I still have the wiggle in the chassis during acceleration too!
 






I had the same problem with my USB/card reader and they had to replace the module.
 






Got vehicle back, and the Ford techs have determined that it is the break-in period of the engine and that's where the smell is coming from. I'm up to around 3,400 miles, and they're telling me that it should be gone by 10,000, so I'm going to give it the old "wait and see" to see if it actually disappears. I just don't understand why some have it and some don't.

Kind of sounds like a cop-out to me, I hope that's all it is. That kind of answer almost makes me think the they either didn't want to look for it or know the problem exists, but don't know how to fix it. JMHO
 






Hate to disappoint.... but I have over 30 000 km on mine and it still makes the smell. They will have to come up with something else. It's broke in. I read on here an explanation of what it is. However I don't care anymore. That and it only happens on certain climate settings.
 






Hate to disappoint.... but I have over 30 000 km on mine and it still makes the smell. They will have to come up with something else. It's broke in. I read on here an explanation of what it is. However I don't care anymore. That and it only happens on certain climate settings.

Is it my imagination, or is this issue confined to the 2011 model year? If so, they must have done something already.
 






Boys somewhere I read something about catalytic converters are the cause, whatever it is nothing serious, a smell of oil that spreads quickly, in my 2010 Honda Pilot is also felt the smell of high acceleration and the Honda Civic 2009 my wife also, do not worry so much
 






Is the smell present with the A/C on?

I have been pushing my Explorer pretty hard recently with no smell. I had the smell originally before 500 miles. I haven't had A/C running recently though.
 






Hello, my first post and eventual new owner!
I test drove the '12 AWD Ltd and I too noticed the oil burning smell...I asked the sales guy and he just said it's just the break-in period, I couldn't argue b/c it only had 10 miles on it :)

well, it put me off so I didn't buy it, thinking I could wait until any mid-year changes... but reading these posts it appears it only happens to some X's and not others???

I had the heater on since it was cold here in MD and just drove it a little harder than I normally would and smelled it after I stopped.
I don't buy the over 1000 mile break-in period as no other cars/trucks I've test driven have had this problem.

keep the updates coming as I'd like to know if Ford addresses this issue or not...Thank you
 






For those who have experienced this,

I mentioned this before in a previous page, and I’d like to post here as well: I’m here to help by sending this to the Customer Service Manager in your area. So I can assist, please send a PM with your VIN, contact information, approximate mileage, and dealer name/state.

Cory
 






I reread this thread the other day.

Interesting issue because it does not seem to affect everyone.

I do not have any of the issues or symptoms notes. 2011 V6 XLTm April build, with about 7K miles now. I tried to produce the issue yesterday afternoon and could not.

So, something must be up.
 






Is the smell present with the A/C on?

I have been pushing my Explorer pretty hard recently with no smell. I had the smell originally before 500 miles. I haven't had A/C running recently though.
I have the smell whether the air conditioner is on or off. I read somewhere on this thread to push the recirculate cabin air button to turn it off, and the smell isn't as strong, but this is a way to go around the smell, and this shouldn't be happening, in my view anyways it shouldn't be happening. After a few seconds I then again turn the recirculate cabin air button back on so I can breathe. I don't understand how an engine could still be in the break-in period at 5,000 miles. That's what I have on mine now, but I'm just a woman and know just enough to get me around under the hood of a car, but sometimes I think women are taken as not too smart when it comes to a vehicle. This smell is there and they can't do anything about it, so I guess I've sort of given up since I've had my back to the dealer twice with this problem. They kept my vehicle for 2 days to thoroughly look through and make sure nothing else was wrong, and still it is being chalked up to "break in period." Well, the break in period, exactly how many miles is that? I heard a person on this thread has 30,000 miles and still smells that smell. I'm assuming 30,000 miles is pass the break in period!
 






I have a 2012, got it two weeks ago, and I noticed the smell this weekend, with the AC on.

I used to have a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe, and it did the very same thing every time, under hard acceleration, I had it for 54.000 kilometers and the smell, under the same conditions, never dissapeared.

Im In Ecuador, so no Corey here also :(
 






I had this problem up to around 5000 miles. Since then the smell during hard acceleration has disappeared. I hope it was only a breaking in smell.
 






I recently got my first oil change. I have about 5200 miles on my 2011 X now, and I don't notice the smell as much. It's really wierd, before the oil change, every single time I accelerated I would smell that smell, but now I don't smell it as often. Every once in a while I do smell it, but all-in-all, I believe the smell has gone. Now, I'm getting my A-pillars replaced due to wind whistle, and my front windows looked at due to streaking. After these are resolved, surely nothing else will pop up wrong with my vehicle.
 






I had a similar situation with the smell not as bad just after an oil change. The smell did end up coming back as strong as ever though. The a pillars are a design flaw. I had mine replaced and the noise just got different. I will take it back and try again as soon as I have the time.
 






For those experiencing a smell,

I can help by forwarding the details to the Customer Service Manager in your area. If you haven’t already done so, please send a PM with your contact information, approximate mileage, VIN, and dealer name/state.

Cory
 






So..... I have the burning oil smell and my 2011 Ex is at 5100 miles. No sign of the smell stopping yet .
 






I visited the dealership for the second time this morning. The smell wasn't happening this fateful morning though. I guess because it was unusually cold. Whatever. This is getting old...

The smell decided not to show up with the mechanic along for a ride, and he said to come back in as soon as it happens. Ugh!

They probably think I'm imagining it. I don't get it. Yesterday it happened every time I had to accelerate. I'm almost at 20k miles.

The customer service rep from Ford has tried to work between me and the dealership, but for whatever reason, the problem won't happen when I'm with the mechanics. I asked if they could just replace the catalytic converter, but of course, they won't do it until there is concrete evidence. I understand, but I am completely frustrated with this!

Thanks Ford...
 



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The Problem May Have Been Found!

Well, it looks like our Ford dealership here in Abilene, TX might have found the culprit. Evidently the cooling vent for the catalytic converter is right by the drain pipe for the air conditioner. To test their theory, they temporarily plugged that drain and are having me drive it. So far I have not been able to smell that nasty burnt exhaust.

They are going to submit their findings to Ford, so hopefully it won't take long for a permanent fix to be found. Good thing the cold weather is setting in, no need to use the A/C!

Maybe someone else can take theirs to their dealer and have them do the same thing and see if the smell goes away. If they need to contact my dealership, they can call (325) 692-9500, Arrow Ford, ask for Jason Murphy.
 






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