Automotive News: Germany scrambles to resolve diesel crisis, Investigation Into Fume Leak Widens to 1.3MN Vehicles, Ford to repair U.S. police vehicles after carbon monoxide concerns
Germany scrambles to resolve diesel crisis
A court's threat to ban diesel cars from Stuttgart's inner city has sent German politicians, carmakers and labor leaders scrambling to clean up toxic emissions.
The auto industry, which has focused its lobbying efforts on influencing emissions standards being crafted by lawmakers in Berlin and Brussels, has been caught off guard by efforts to enforce pollution standards at a regional level. read more »
Investigation Into Ford Explorer Fume Leak Widens to 1.3MN Vehicles
What started as varied complaints on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration site has snowballed into an ever expanding probe into Ford's 2011-2017 Explorer model ( F ), as consumers report dangerous exhaust fumes being present in the passenger cabin.
The complaints first surfaced on the NHTSA vehicle page for the model, with reports claiming that when the air conditioning is on, the vehicle's exhaust gets circulated back into the cabin of the car. Some consumers even went as far as using carbon monoxide detectors to test the levels, as others say they've seen the problem in multiple models with little word from Ford as to why. Elevated levels of carbon monoxide can make you sick, cause you to lose conciousness (which leads to accidents when driving), or kill you with prolonged exposure.
The NHTSA is now expanding the probe to over 1.3MN Explorers as they conduct an "engineering analysis". Over 2,700 complaints, 3 accidents, and 41 injurires have already been reported. Injuries range from loss of consciousness, headaches, crash-related injuries, and up to one carbon monoxide-related exposure injury. read more »
Ford to repair U.S. police vehicles after carbon monoxide concerns
Ford Motor Co. said Friday it will pay to repair police versions of its Ford Explorer SUVs to correct possible carbon monoxide leaks that may be linked to crashes and injuries after U.S. regulators escalated an investigation into 1.33 million vehicles.
Ford said it will cover the costs of specific repairs in every Police Interceptor Explorer SUVs that may be tied to after-market installation of police equipment. The company said the modifications may have left holes in the underbody of the vehicles.
"If the holes are not properly sealed, it creates an opening where exhaust could enter the cabin," Ford said in a statement. read more »
