Reports of leaking exhaust fumes in Ford police vehicles, no problems for mid-Missouri

A national story from ABC News explained that some Ford Explorer patrol vehicles have been leaking exhaust fumes, making officers sick with carbon monoxide poisoning.

ABC 17 News reached out to local law enforcement agencies to see if they were having trouble with their Ford Explorers.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said that they have about 450 Ford Explorers in the patrol statewide. The MSHP have not had any problems or complaints so far, but is in contact with Ford and closely monitoring their vehicles.

The Columbia Police Department said that some of their patrol vehicles are Ford Explorers and that they are aware of the issue. CPD is installing carbon monoxide detectors into their vehicles.

The Jefferson City Police Department said, “There’s a significant amount of specialized equipment installed in law enforcement vehicles, which would require extreme care in properly sealing the holes drilled to install that equipment. This might explain why there has not been a problem with vehicles sold to the general public. We’re not drawing an absolute conclusion, however.”

JCPD also said that they will get some type of carbon monoxide detector in the near future and are looking at different options.

Ford also reached out to ABC 17 News. Their entire press release about the issue can be read below:

FORD TAKES ACTION FOR FIRST RESPONDERS; UNDERSCORES NO ISSUE WITH CARBON MONOXIDE IN REGULAR EXPLORER

DEARBORN, Mich., – Ford Motor Company is taking action to help address the concerns of first responders driving Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicles. Drivers of regular, non-police Ford Explorers have no reason to be concerned.

While there have been reports of exhaust odors in some regular Explorers, those instances are unrelated to reports of carbon monoxide described by some police departments. If a vehicle has such an odor, customers should bring it to a Ford dealer to address that issue.

Addressing specific concerns from Ford police customers, Hau Thai-Tang, executive vice president, Product Development and Purchasing said, “There is nothing we take more seriously than providing you with the safest and most reliable vehicles.”

Ford’s investigation into this issue is ongoing. However, the company has discovered holes and unsealed spaces in the back of some Police Interceptor Utilities that had police equipment installed after leaving Ford’s factory.

When a police or fire department routinely install customized emergency lighting, radios and other equipment, they have to drill wiring access holes into the rear of the vehicle. If the holes are not properly sealed, it creates an opening where exhaust could enter the cabin.

To address these concerns, Ford is announcing today it will cover the costs of specific repairs in every Police Interceptor Utility that may have this concern, regardless of age, mileage or aftermarket modifications made after purchase.

Ford will:
Check and seal off the rear of the vehicle where exhaust can enter
Provide a new air conditioning calibration that brings in more fresh air during heavy acceleration typical of police driving
Check for engine codes that could indicate a damaged exhaust manifold.

Ford will continue investigating all reports from its police customers, including the exhaust manifold issue referenced by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

If a customer believes their vehicle may be experiencing an issue, they should bring it to a Ford dealer, who is equipped to assess the vehicle and address the problem. Customers also can call a dedicated hotline at 888-260-5575.