Bad or Burnt Exhaust smell in cabin during hard acceleration.

[613GT500]

Google how many of those 10200 hits also contained carbon monoxide???????

But you said the EGG SMELL is CO2...
So there's egg smell that is CO2 free?

 

[midnightsun]

So while DRIVING the Exhaust is leaking into the cab of the explorer from the tailpipe? What crack are you smoking? The "smell" would be coming from under the hood to leak into the cab. Carbon Monoxide also doesn't SMELL of rotten eggs. Its 7ucken odorless. If the smell IS coming from the exhaust when you put your nose to the tailpipe its fuel / catalytic converter related...probable a fuel additive that isn't burning during combustion OR its oil being burnt in the exhaust. If DARK smoke is exiting the exhaust you are burning oil. I'm MY EXPLORER the sickening in the CAB smell is OIL leaking on the engine. This might not be everyones case, but some of you just seem to make $h!t up to as you go along.

 

[pup5581]

When i first got my truck it had this..but not that bad..not it's pretty bad when i get on it..but of course dealer couldn;t find anything and basic warranty is now out so i won't be trying to get this fixed anymore..


Although i am curious how unhealthy this is to breath especially when going up a hill on the highway when it smells like this for a good 5-10 seconds with it around 4-4500 RPM...can't be healthy

 

[peterk9]

So while DRIVING the Exhaust is leaking into the cab of the explorer from the tailpipe? What crack are you smoking? The "smell" would be coming from under the hood to leak into the cab. Carbon Monoxide also doesn't SMELL of rotten eggs. Its 7ucken odorless. If the smell IS coming from the exhaust when you put your nose to the tailpipe its fuel / catalytic converter related...probable a fuel additive that isn't burning during combustion OR its oil being burnt in the exhaust. If DARK smoke is exiting the exhaust you are burning oil. I'm MY EXPLORER the sickening in the CAB smell is OIL leaking on the engine. This might not be everyones case, but some of you just seem to make $h!t up to as you go along.

FYI, the exhaust smell IS being pulled into the cabin from the rear. That is why the 'fix' involves the rear vents. The 'rotten egg' smell is also pulled in from the rear as it is produced by the catalytic convertor expelling the gases from the tailpipe. That smell is caused by the sulphur that is in the gas. Gasoline contains varying levels of sulphur since there is no regulation covering the amount.

Peter

 

[huie1983]

Solved my problem...

Well, after 3 years of "ownership" the lease on my 2013 was up and I turned the Explorer in. What a feeling of relief! Leasing in this scenario turned out to work in my favor.

As my first Ford I really wanted to like the Explorer and Ford as a company in general. Too many small quality issues as well as the dreaded exhaust smell in the cabin made me decide not to keep it. Add on the poor buying experience I had and unfortunately I don't think a Ford will be on my next shopping list.Even the lease turn in was unorganized and kind of a fiasco. I'm really pretty bummed about the whole experience.

Anyways, good luck with the exhaust smell battle. I'll probably check this forum periodically, i'll be in the SUV market again in a few years. Maybe, just maybe, if they fix the smell/quality issues I'll check out Ford again.

 

[CC Rider]

So while DRIVING the Exhaust is leaking into the cab of the explorer from the tailpipe? What crack are you smoking? The "smell" would be coming from under the hood to leak into the cab. Carbon Monoxide also doesn't SMELL of rotten eggs. Its 7ucken odorless. If the smell IS coming from the exhaust when you put your nose to the tailpipe its fuel / catalytic converter related...probable a fuel additive that isn't burning during combustion OR its oil being burnt in the exhaust. If DARK smoke is exiting the exhaust you are burning oil. I'm MY EXPLORER the sickening in the CAB smell is OIL leaking on the engine. This might not be everyones case, but some of you just seem to make $h!t up to as you go along.

Nobody's making up anything; why would Ford have issued Technical Service Bulletin 14-0130, Exhaust Odor In Vehicle, in July 2014 if there was no problem? And why do you have to be so hostile when we are discussing a legitimate problem? I just took my 2015 Explorer Limited to the dealer yesterday, they confirmed the issue and have ordered parts to address this TSB.

If you don't have the problem, don't troll those of us here who do, and are looking for solutions, not ignorant bashing from an uninformed source.

 

[Sixonemale]

If that's the case EVERY make and model (low end to high end) produces rotten egg smell during hard acceleration/WOT!

In general, the rotten egg smell is Hydrogen Sulfide or H2S. Below is the reasoning:

"When a lead-acid battery is discharged, the electrolyte (sulfuric acid) and the active material on the plates of the battery (lead) are consumed to produce water and lead sulfate and current flow. The chemical equation for a lead-acid battery during discharge is: PbO2 Pb 2H2SO4 -->PbSO4 2H2O +Electrical energy. The chemical equation for a lead-acid battery during charge is the reverse with lead, sulfuric acid, and heat being yielded as well as some Hydrogen gas. Ideally, all of the lead sulfate is recombined with the hydrogen from the water to replenish the sulfuric acid. When a lead-acid battery is charged, electrical energy is added to the battery, causing the water and lead sulfate to be recombined to produce electrolyte and the active plate material. During normal charging, hydrogen gas is given off, however if internal damage to the plates or low electrolyte levels exist, internal gassing may create hydrogen sulfide gas. In sealed batteries this would normally not vent to the outside."

 

[peterk9]

Since most modern batteries are sealed, the following is the more likely cause.

On some vehicles, a sulfur smell or 'rotten egg' odor may be noticed coming from the exhaust system. The odor is usually noticed after a cold start, fast idle, extended periods of idling and full throttle acceleration. Sulfur smell
is not an indication of an engine concern and will not cause reduced driveability or durability of the engine or any of its emission components.
The sulfur smell or 'rotten egg' odor is caused by high amounts of sulfur in the gasoline being used in the vehicle.
Sulfur is normally eliminated during the refining process, but the EPA regulation of sulfur in gasoline differs from state to state. Vehicles using fuel containing high amounts of sulfur will most likely emit sulfur smell from the exhaust system.
When high sulfur fuel is burned, there is a chemical reaction in the catalytic converter causing the sulfur to oxidize.
As the vehicle is driven, the oxidizing reaction odor in the converter will decrease with mileage and age.
Replacing the catalytic converter will not eliminate sulfur smell and replacement will just extend the period of time needed for the converter to 'age' allowing it to reduce sulfur smell to an acceptable level.
http://www.delphifaq.com/faq/f1188.shtml

I recall that this smell started to become noticeable when the catalytic converter was first introduced.

Peter

 

[Sixonemale]

Since most modern batteries are sealed, the following is the more likely cause.

On some vehicles, a sulfur smell or 'rotten egg' odor may be noticed coming from the exhaust system. The odor is usually noticed after a cold start, fast idle, extended periods of idling and full throttle acceleration. Sulfur smell
is not an indication of an engine concern and will not cause reduced driveability or durability of the engine or any of its emission components.
The sulfur smell or 'rotten egg' odor is caused by high amounts of sulfur in the gasoline being used in the vehicle.
Sulfur is normally eliminated during the refining process, but the EPA regulation of sulfur in gasoline differs from state to state. Vehicles using fuel containing high amounts of sulfur will most likely emit sulfur smell from the exhaust system.
When high sulfur fuel is burned, there is a chemical reaction in the catalytic converter causing the sulfur to oxidize.
As the vehicle is driven, the oxidizing reaction odor in the converter will decrease with mileage and age.
Replacing the catalytic converter will not eliminate sulfur smell and replacement will just extend the period of time needed for the converter to 'age' allowing it to reduce sulfur smell to an acceptable level.
http://www.delphifaq.com/faq/f1188.shtml

I recall that this smell started to become noticeable when the catalytic converter was first introduced.

Peter

Very plausible since hydrocarbons are in the chemical equation with sulfur and during hard acceleration there would more than likely be incomplete combustion resulting in unburned hydrocarbons bonding with sulfur. No matter what the source it has to end up as H2S to cause a rotten egg odor, but in any event should not be detectable in the cabin.

 

[Professorfingers]

This makes sense. I vaguely remember my 09 Edge having this smell when I first got the car and when accelerating about as hard as it would go.
The smell eventually went away.
I haven't noticed it on the EX but then again, I don't "kick it in" like I did with the Edge because it isn't required to go quit fast in a hurry.

 

[Mouse75]

My 2016 Base model Explorer with 4x4 is making the same exhaust/oil burning smell as described in this thread. It only occurs when I do a hard acceleration up a hill hitting around 4,000 rpms. My car only has 4,200 miles on it so far and it has not cleared up. The smell is not sulfer-based. I bought it to the dealership once and they "could not replicate" the smell. The smell seems to be coming through the A/C vents in the front, however it is hard to tell. The older TSBs are saying it is coming from the rear vents.

Does anyone know if the 2015 TSB applies to 2016 models or if there is any fixes yet?

 

[CC Rider]

I don't know if the TSB applies to 2016 model, but my 2015 Limited is going in for repair Monday May 16. Like your Explorer the smell seems to be coming from the front vents vice the rear, but we'll see if this TSB fixes the problem.

 

[Mouse75]

Thank you for the insight. Which TSB number are you having completed? I intend on calling the dealer this week to see if they will address it. Does yours happen all the time when accelerating hard, or just up a hill?

 

[peterk9]

Thank you for the insight. Which TSB number are you having completed? I intend on calling the dealer this week to see if they will address it. Does yours happen all the time when accelerating hard, or just up a hill?

Welcome to the Forum.:wavey:
To help members when replying to future posts, please add the 'trim' level (Base, XLT, etc) of your Explorer to your profile so it appears in the margin. Thanks.

Peter

 

[89imf]

Nobody's making up anything; why would Ford have issued Technical Service Bulletin 14-0130, Exhaust Odor In Vehicle, in July 2014 if there was no problem? And why do you have to be so hostile when we are discussing a legitimate problem? I just took my 2015 Explorer Limited to the dealer yesterday, they confirmed the issue and have ordered parts to address this TSB.

If you don't have the problem, don't troll those of us here who do, and are looking for solutions, not ignorant bashing from an uninformed source.

We own a 2015 Explorer Limited too. We bought it used in February of this year. We have a smell in the cabin also. I know there have been lawsuits filed about this. If I had know about this problem, we never would have bought the Explorer. I going to call our local Ford Dealer. Thanks for supplying the TSB #

 

[bburzycki]

Way to many here are mixing issues and thinking they are related.

 

[613GT500]

Way to many here are mixing issues and thinking they are related.

What are you interpreting from all of this?
I'm sensing buyers remorse from some folks

 

[bburzycki]

What are you interpreting from all of this?
I'm sensing buyers remorse from some folks

Well I own a Sport and every day I get on the freeway and accelerate at all the cab fills with strange exhaust smells. I have had the TSB done twice for resealing the rear AC ports and it has never solved the issue.

It is a known issue that I assume is much harder to resolve than we must all think.

I would only hope many have buyers remorse as the car does have a failing that is not being addressed.

I also have done testing with a carbon monoxide meter and the internal levels are not even close to anything that is dangerous and it dissipates quickly even with the windows closed. Does that make it ok - no.

So I am hoping that Ford still releases a fix - but I own a 2014 and its 2016 - I am not holding my breath, but still need too under heavy acceleration and on most on ramps.

 

[dudefish]

Has anyone tried disabling the driver side exhaust outlet?

 

[CC Rider]

I just had the TSB for this done on my 2015 Limited at my local Ford dealer, I immediately took the vehicle on a highway and merged into traffic as before. I didn't detect the exhaust odor, so we will see if the TSB addressed the issue over time; I hope so, because otherwise I really like my Explorer.