Ford Explorer Police SUVs Have CO Monitors Installed
Blue Oval pledges to keep officers safe after recent carbon monoxide scare.
Ford has pledged to help keep our officers safe after a recent carbon monoxide scare related to some of its vehicles. Last week an officer in Auburn, Massachusetts, was found with elevated levels of carbon monoxide in his system, reports the Fairfield Citizen. This was the medical diagnose after he crashed his Ford-issued police cruiser while on patrol. Soon thereafter, the police department conducted mechanical testing and pulled its Explorer-based cruisers out of rotation to install CO monitors.
In a similar move, the Austin police department in Texas pulled all of its Ford Police Interceptors after reports of high CO levels. This came after an officer was severely injured and filed a lawsuit against Ford Motor Company.
Reports claim that many law enforcement agencies are going out of their way to install these CO monitors in their Explorers, at least until Ford is able to service all the affected units. It’s not clear when this process will begin, but no one wants to take any chances.
As we shared with you before, the culprit seems to be police modifications made to cruisers after delivery. When departments install their equipment such as radios and extra lights, holes need to be drilled to run wiring, attach brackets, etc. Ford says that these holes are not being sealed properly, and that’s allowing excess carbon monoxide into the vehicles.
Despite Ford’s findings claiming that these leaks are due to modifications made after the vehicles left the factory, the automaker is stepping in to play hero and has agreed to cover the costs for repairs in every Interceptor. Ford says it is still researching the matter, in order to learn how these dangerous gases are making their way into the cabin.
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