2018 Ford Explorer

Traveling 50mph, noticed smoke rolling from under the dash. Got to the side of the road. The entire dash was engulfed in fire. I had to fight my way out of the car after the doors locked. After I got out of the vehicle I called 911. Fire department came. It has been ruled as electrical. I am not sure whom I need to reach out to yet in regards to this matter and a total loss.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the engine overheated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact inspected the vehicle and discovered that the serpentine belt had failed. The contact replaced the serpentine belt, and the vehicle was repaired. Later, while operating the vehicle, several electrical warning lights were displayed. The battery was replaced, but the failure persisted. The contact replaced the alternator; however, after replacing the alternator, the transmission remained stuck in park(P), rendering the vehicle undrivable. The cause of the failures was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 155,000.

I previously reported a battery 'explosion' in this 2018 Ford Explorer with ODI 11678705 due to my concern for a potentially highly dangerous situation for my grandchildren who were riding with me. And myself. An unpleasant smell intermittently followed this car that morning July 10 Upon opening the hood it was evident that battery acid had leaked out of the battery and 'exploded' covering most visible engine parts. Entire time of drive there was no 'alert' showing up on my dashboard July 11 car would not start to take to Ford dealership. AAA towed car with AAA driver remarking 'looks like your battery exploded!' Engine compartment cleaned by service, battery replaced July 12 July 18 engine light came on. Ford dealership contacted, no service appointment available until Aug 20. Advised by Ford service to take short trips only, and stop driving if engine light started flashing. I restricted my driving. July 27 started car for trip to church. Loud banging coming from under hood. Stopped driving. Car towed July 28 to Ford dealership repair. Car was not into service dept until Aug. 5. Aug 6, Ford service decided to get input from a more experienced technician to diagnose the problem with 2018 Ford explorer Aug 7, Ford service escalated case to Ford corporate for engineering help with identifying 'electrical' problem with my car. Ford service rep stated 'you car is throwing a code not typically seen with explorers) How can be safe if these my car had a battery issues mechanics freely admit they have not seen before. And now trained Ford mechanics cannot even find or fix the broken link that truly may be responsible for back to back engine failures? Dealer has finally been able to provide a rental. This car has been maintained according to factory recommendations at Sunset Ford and Bommarito Ford St. Loui

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was an abnormal acidic odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. Upon raising the hood and inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware that the battery cap was unsecured, and the battery acid had covered the interior of the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where the engine compartment was cleaned, and the battery was replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the battery was previously replaced at a different dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 73,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle and the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the clicking sound was the doors locking and unlocking continuously. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the keyless entry keypad on the driver's side door, resulting in battery drainage. The contact was informed that the keypad needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

I was pulling into my apartment division I heard a loud pop and the vehicle then died. I tried starting it back up and it then caught on fire. My door locks were stuck in the locked position and I could not get them to unlock. Within a few seconds (which felt like several minutes) the doors did unlock and I was able to get out. There were no warning lights or messages prior to this. Fire department did arrive and put out the fire. The car was a total loss. Report has been filed with insurance company. I purchased this car from BX Fort Myers LLC. I just purchased this vehicle from them and had for a total of 32 days. I did purchase the 12 month/12,000 mile extended warranty. I also purchased Gap insurance and informed them of what had happened. The one GM gave me a loaner for a week, got in trouble for giving me one and got demoted. the new GM said "definitely not" will not give me a loaner. I drive over an hour daily for my job and do need a vehicle.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was black smoke coming from under the hood. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the battery was faulty. The battery was replaced. The contact stated that while driving, there was black smoke coming from under the hood, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The transmission was replaced. Later, while driving again, the black smoke was again present coming from the hood of the vehicle, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine and turbo were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000.

The High-Speed Cooling Fan Motor Relay (Recall 21N01) and the Exterior A-Pillar Apical Molding (Recall 24V031) failed on my vehicle. The cooling fan caused the engine to overheat repeatedly, and the vehicle became undrivable. Unfortunately, I no longer have the vehicle, as it was surrendered to my bank and later sold at auction. However, service records, diagnostic reports, and recall information are available upon request. The overheating engine presented a significant safety risk while driving, as it could have caused the vehicle to stall or catch fire. A AAA roadside technician confirmed that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the overheating issue. This defect left me stranded, requiring alternative transportation and creating a hazard for others on the road had I continued driving the vehicle. Yes, the problem was confirmed by a AAA roadside technician, who performed a diagnostic scan and identified that the engine overheating was due to a defective cooling fan relay. The issue aligns with Recall 21N01. The molding defect (Recall 24V031) was not specifically inspected, but it was noted as part of the recall documentation. No, the vehicle was not inspected by Ford or any other representatives after the issues arose. I checked Ford’s website in February 2024 and learned about the recalls, but I was never notified by Ford about these safety defects while I owned the vehicle. AAA provided the only diagnostic assessment before I surrendered the vehicle to my bank. Yes, there were symptoms prior to the failure. The vehicle’s engine temperature warning light came on repeatedly, and the battery required constant recharging. The overheating symptoms first appeared in February 2024, and the vehicle became completely undrivable the next day.