Ford Repairs Austin Police SUVs, But Questions Linger

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - Ford Motor Co. has begun repairing Ford Explorer SUVs in Austin, Texas, that were pulled off police duty because exhaust containing carbon monoxide was seeping into them.
But the company faces lingering questions about the safety of thousands of other Explorers on the road.

Austin city spokesman David Green said a team from Ford took five of the police department's Explorers to local dealers Monday to teach them how to fix the problem.

Green says the city will likely send its entire fleet out for repairs. He didn't know how long it would take to get them all fixed.

Austin pulled nearly 400 Explorers off its patrol fleet late last month because of concerns about carbon monoxide.

Explorer Chief Engineer Bill Gubing telling WWJ AutoBeat Reporter Jeff Gilbert that in every case where they've filled holes caused by the addition of lights and other after market gear, the change has been immediate.

"And in the retest process the C-O monitors have picked up little to no C-O in the cabin of the vehicle," said Gubing.

Ford says it's still investigating complaints of exhaust fumes in its non-police Explorers and is cooperating with the government investigation.

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