1,759 complaints filed with NHTSA describe exhaust fumes or carbon monoxide getting inside a vehicle. 853 of them, almost half, are about one model: the Ford Explorer, nearly all from the 2011 to 2017 generation.
| Ford Explorer model year | Complaints about exhaust in the cabin |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 29 |
| 2012 | 31 |
| 2013 | 134 |
| 2014 | 151 |
| 2015 | 186 |
| 2016 | 163 |
| 2017 | 105 |
| 2018 | 28 |
The next vehicles on the list are far behind. The RAM 1500 has 45 complaints and the Nissan Titan 31.
What owners describe
Half of these complaints describe a smell, and almost a quarter say it comes on under acceleration. A quarter describe headaches, dizziness or nausea. 8.6% record an injury, more than twice the 3.8% across all complaints. That is one of the highest injury rates for any fault that doesn't involve a crash.
The investigation
| Complaints filed | Exhaust in the cabin, all vehicles |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 69 |
| 2015 | 78 |
| 2016 | 129 |
| 2017 | 456 |
| 2018 | 178 |
| 2019 | 142 |
| 2021 | 53 |
| 2025 | 63 |
Filings jumped in 2017, the year NHTSA upgraded its inquiry into the Explorer to a full engineering analysis. The agency reviewed more than 6,500 reports from every source, tested vehicles and measured carbon monoxide in them.
It closed the case in January 2023 without a recall. NHTSA found that properly sealed Explorers kept cabin carbon monoxide below accepted health limits. The highest readings came from two kinds of vehicle: police Interceptors, whose sealing had been broken when sirens, lights and cages were fitted, and civilian cars with badly repaired rear-end damage. Ford's service action for civilian vehicles, which includes reprogramming the climate control, cut levels further.
The deaths are a different problem
Eleven complaints in this group record a death, and none of them involve an Explorer. Most describe a car with keyless ignition left running in an attached garage after the driver walked away with the fob. This is the failure that injures people when no crash is involved, and with push-button start, a quiet engine running in a garage is easy to miss.
Buying a 2011 to 2017 Explorer
The investigation tells you which Explorer to worry about: one with rear-end crash damage or a police past. Run the VIN for accident and title history and look closely at the tailgate and rear floor seams. Ask a Ford dealer whether service action 17N03 was carried out, which they can check from the VIN. On the test drive, accelerate hard with the air on recirculation and pay attention to any smell.
The full Explorer complaint record covers this generation's other weak points, from water pumps to the rear suspension.
Frequently asked questions
Do Ford Explorers have an exhaust leak problem?
The 2011–2017 Explorer generated 853 NHTSA complaints about exhaust or carbon monoxide in the cabin, almost half of all such complaints, peaking with the 2015 model year. NHTSA investigated from 2016 to 2023 and found no safety defect in properly sealed vehicles.
What did NHTSA conclude about the Explorer carbon monoxide complaints?
That cabin carbon monoxide stayed below accepted health limits in properly sealed Explorers. The highest readings came from police Interceptors with compromised seals from equipment installation, and from civilian vehicles with poorly repaired rear-end damage. Ford's service action, including a climate-control reprogram, reduced levels further.
How do you check a used Explorer for exhaust smell?
Check accident history for rear-end damage and whether the vehicle was a police unit, ask a Ford dealer to confirm service action 17N03 was done, inspect the tailgate and rear floor seams, and accelerate hard on the test drive with the air on recirculation.
Denis Kataev is a serial solopreneur and the founder of ForCar. With 15+ years in software engineering and 10 years in SEO, he builds data-driven products end to end — backed by a sharp eye for design. At ForCar he mines proprietary vehicle datasets, turning raw numbers into buying advice you can actually trust.
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