Ford to Fix Carbon Monoxide Problem in Police SUVs

Ford Motor Co. says it will repair an unspecified number of police versions of its Explorer SUV to stop carbon monoxide from seeping into the cabin.

The company asserts that the police car problem is unrelated to an expanded investigation announced last week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into complaints of exhaust odors in the passenger compartment of conventional Explorers.

That probe covers 1.3 million Explorers made between 2011 and 2017. Ford advisers owners of those vehicles who suspect a problem to bring their vehicles into a dealership for inspection.

In the case of Police Interceptor Explorers, fumes can get into the cabin through unsealed holes drilled into the rear bodywork by aftermarket installers of such custom equipment as radios and emergency lighting.

Ford says it will seal any such holes in police-version Explorers regardless of the vehicle’s age, mileage or type of modification. The company also will check vehicles for exhaust manifold leaks and recalibrate the air conditioning system to increase the intake of fresh air during heavy acceleration.