Ford preliminary evaluation PE16008
Ford Explorer Exhaust Odor. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the exhaust system on 10 model years (2011–2015). Opened Jul 1, 2016, closed Sep 12, 2017 after 14 months without a recall. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedDuring the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration?s (NHTSA?s) investigation into the Ford carbon monoxide allegations, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) identified additional Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports with similar exhaust odor claims. Presently, ODI has identified 791 VOQs for Model Year 2011-2017 Ford Explorers pertaining to exhaust odor claims. ODI has identified three crashes and 41 injuries potentially linked this issue. The reported injuries range from unspecified to loss of consciousness, with the majority being nausea, headaches, or dizziness ? all of which can be symptomatic of carbon monoxide exposure. Additionally, Ford provided 2,400 reports including owner complaints, warranty claims, dealer field reports, and legal claims, that involve 2,051 vehicles that may be connected to the exhaust odor issue. NHTSA's Vehicle Test and Research Center tested multiple vehicles, including complaint vehicles, during the investigation. ODI also conducted field inspections of complaint vehicles and crashes involving police units that occurred while the officers were on duty. When possible, data was collected to quantify carbon monoxide levels in the examined vehicles. Based on the information gathered to date, NHTSA upgraded this investigation to an Engineering Analysis (EA17-002).
A Preliminary Evaluation is the first formal stage: NHTSA has decided the complaints and other information it screened are worth a closer look, and asks the manufacturer for its own data on the condition. The summary is the agency’s own text from its investigation file, unedited; the opening and closing resumes with the full reasoning are on NHTSA’s site under this number.
What this means for an owner
Source: and what happens nextAn investigation is not a finding that a defect exists, and it puts no duty on anyone. NHTSA opens a Preliminary Evaluation when complaints and other reports suggest a condition worth asking the manufacturer about; it upgrades to an Engineering Analysis when the answers warrant testing; it closes either when it recommends a recall, when the manufacturer recalls on its own, or when no defect trend is found. The agency’s own goals are about four months for a petition, eight for a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query and eighteen for an Engineering Analysis; many run longer.
This one closed without a recall. That means NHTSA found no defect trend it chose to act on at the time, or the manufacturer addressed the condition another way (a service campaign or a bulletin, which have their own pages). A closed file can be reopened if new reports arrive.
Model years it names
Source: as NHTSA filed themAlso named: 2011 Ford Explorer; 2012 Ford Explorer; 2013 Ford Explorer; 2014 Ford Explorer; 2015 Ford Explorer; 2011 Ford Police Interceptor Utilit; 2012 Ford Police Interceptor Utilit; 2013 Ford Police Interceptor Utilit; 2014 Ford Police Interceptor Utilit; 2015 Ford Police Interceptor Utilit.
A vehicle page’s investigation list carries the same action; a name here is the scope NHTSA opened, not a list of affected VINs.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationIs PE16008 a recall?
No. A preliminary evaluation is NHTSA asking questions, not a recall. A safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number and a duty to repair for free; this one closed without one. Whether one particular vehicle has an open recall is a VIN question at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Is PE16008 still open?
No. It closed on Sep 12, 2017 without a recall.
Which vehicles does PE16008 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 10 model years: 2011 Ford Explorer, 2012 Ford Explorer, 2013 Ford Explorer, 2014 Ford Explorer, 2015 Ford Explorer, 2011 Ford Police Interceptor Utilit and more. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.