BUY WITH CARE

Exhaust odor and carbon monoxide entering the cabin is the defining safety topic of the 2011-2019 Explorer: NHTSA opened investigation PE16008 (2016) and escalated it to Engineering Analysis EA17002 (2017), reviewing thousands of owner complaints and VOQs of an exhaust smell -- often under acceleration or with the HVAC running -- with alleged nausea, headaches and lightheadedness consistent with CO exposure. It is worst on the Police Interceptor Utility. In closing EA17002 (2023) NHTSA did NOT find a base-vehicle defect: the highest measured cabin CO traced to police up-fitting and to rear crash-damage sealing, and Ford field service actions (an HVAC reprogramming plus sealing repairs) reduced CO below accepted health limits. The odor complaints are real regardless; hundreds appear in the federal record.

Check — Confirm Ford's customer-satisfaction / field-service work for exhaust odor was performed (the consumer 17N03 and police 17B25 actions, including HVAC reprogramming). On the test drive, accelerate hard with the HVAC on and windows up and smell for exhaust in the cabin. Be extra wary of ex-police units and any Explorer with prior rear-end collision repair, where sealing was most often compromised.