• Sign Up! To view all forums and unlock additional cool features

    Welcome to the #1 Explorer ST Forum and Explorer ST community dedicated to Explorer ST owners and enthusiasts. Register for an account, it's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the Explorer ST Forum today!


2020 Burning Smell + Smoke Right Hand Side

lamesST

New Member
Messages
2
Reactions
0
Points
1
Location
Champaign, IL, USA
#1
Evening Gents,

Bought my ST last April right at the start of COVID and has been perfect for the most part other than screen going blank a few times and got the software updated awhile back. For the past two months or so, wife had noticed a burning smell and some smoke coming out of the passenger side wheel well after parking, even on short trips. I did not personally notice much until about 3 weeks ago when we did a 3hr trip down to STL for a long weekend and the smoke actually made it into the cabin when stopping for gas.

Called the dealer I bought it from and schedule a service 1.5 weeks out. They finally got it in and took a look and said the valve cover was leaking - at 14.5k miles.... they order parts and said it will take a week to get here. Finally dropped it off on Thursday morning for the repair and told me it should only be a 4hr job or so. No problem, just need it by the weekend to take a small trip. I call this morning for an update as I did not get a call yesterday and they said they are buttoning it up and test driving and will be ready in the afternoon. 30mins later, FordPass App on my phone calls off for Powertrain Malfunction.. then that goes away and an hour later I get Service Engine Soon alert from the app. So I wait until he calls and he says it is good to go. I mention what I got from the App and the App still shows the SES light and he tells me it is good to go.

I go pick it up and SES light is still on and I give it a few miles because I have had other cars that take it a moment to clear after service work. When trying to get on the highway, there was a huge lack of torque until 30mph or so until it finally felt the turbos kick in... I should have just turned around and gave it back... I get home and park in the garage and light is still on and throwing a P0523 code while smoking probably worse than what it was before I got it 'fixed'.. I call my service rep and tells me to bring it in Monday...

TLDR: 15k miles - smoking and burnt small from passenger side - dealer said valve cover - replaced - SES light still on after picking up and still smoking - now with a lack of power until 30mph or so.

I could not find the location of the oil sensor to see if it was just loose or not and it is 100+ in my garage + hot engine and did not pay $60k to work on my own stuff :|

Anyone else having similar issues?
 

zdubyadubya

Active Member
Messages
813
Reactions
632
Points
232
Location
Utah
Vehicle
2020 ST
#2
No issues like that here (I also have a 2020 with about 12,000 miles on it), but I despise every dealer around me so much that when my master window switch panel stopped working, I bought one from a DIFFERENT Ford Dealer online and paid a shop i trust to install it rather than have my car there for warranty work. i would be calling corporate if i was you and getting your car taken somewhere else.
 

OP
L

lamesST

New Member
Messages
2
Reactions
0
Points
1
Location
Champaign, IL, USA
Thread Starter #3
No issues like that here (I also have a 2020 with about 12,000 miles on it), but I despise every dealer around me so much that when my master window switch panel stopped working, I bought one from a DIFFERENT Ford Dealer online and paid a shop i trust to install it rather than have my car there for warranty work. i would be calling corporate if i was you and getting your car taken somewhere else.
I am going to give them Monday to figure it out then start making calls. Since everyone is short handed, all dealers seem to be a week out on appointments, which sucks. When I first dropped it off for them to look at, I did mention seeing oil on the subframe cross member right below the right hand turbo/catalytic converter area and I looked at that again when I got it home today and they either did not clean it up or oil dripping there again.
 

Messages
404
Reactions
108
Points
37
Location
Toronto, ON, Canada
#4
I have noticed on my '21 since I got downpipes put in I've been noticing more of a burnt oil smell coming from the engine bay after driving some time. I did get the ST sprayed at Krown recently (just before the dp's went in) and noticed it then as well. I popped the hood and found oil (from the rust spray) saturating the engine bay. I cleaned it up best I could but still notice the smell. Anyone else notice this?
Thank you.
 

Jeff

New Member
Messages
14
Reactions
2
Points
2
Location
Wisconsin
#5
yes on the smell, in shop 3 times last time finally diagnosed as a cracked valve which leaks oil into the cylinder when not under pressure. i do not smell when vehicle is running only on start up. dealership replace cylinder head and valve as they come as one part. no problems for 3 days after repair, now we have the same problem and A/C doesn't work. no help from ford corporate, getting close to going lemon law with an attorney
 

Strabismo

New Member
Messages
1
Reactions
0
Points
1
Location
Ohio City, OH, USA
#6
We had the exact same issue with our 2020 ST. Had it in the shop numerous times and never fixed it. We sold it because no one could duplicate, even though the GM and a salesperson could smell how bad it was at times. They fixed a coolant leak and a few other things, but never the problem. Hopefully our new one doesn’t do this as well.
 

Jeff

New Member
Messages
14
Reactions
2
Points
2
Location
Wisconsin
#7
We are in the process of Ford replacing with a 2022. Not only was there an oil leak now the exhaust is rattling and sounding like it has glass packs, air leaking from window gasket and plastic cross bar on panoramic room rattles something fierce. love the car but cant believe how many issues this has
 

Jack45

New Member
Messages
1
Reactions
0
Points
1
Location
Dayton, OH, USA
#8
Evening Gents,

Bought my ST last April right at the start of COVID and has been perfect for the most part other than screen going blank a few times and got the software updated awhile back. For the past two months or so, wife had noticed a burning smell and some smoke coming out of the passenger side wheel well after parking, even on short trips. I did not personally notice much until about 3 weeks ago when we did a 3hr trip down to STL for a long weekend and the smoke actually made it into the cabin when stopping for gas.

Called the dealer I bought it from and schedule a service 1.5 weeks out. They finally got it in and took a look and said the valve cover was leaking - at 14.5k miles.... they order parts and said it will take a week to get here. Finally dropped it off on Thursday morning for the repair and told me it should only be a 4hr job or so. No problem, just need it by the weekend to take a small trip. I call this morning for an update as I did not get a call yesterday and they said they are buttoning it up and test driving and will be ready in the afternoon. 30mins later, FordPass App on my phone calls off for Powertrain Malfunction.. then that goes away and an hour later I get Service Engine Soon alert from the app. So I wait until he calls and he says it is good to go. I mention what I got from the App and the App still shows the SES light and he tells me it is good to go.

I go pick it up and SES light is still on and I give it a few miles because I have had other cars that take it a moment to clear after service work. When trying to get on the highway, there was a huge lack of torque until 30mph or so until it finally felt the turbos kick in... I should have just turned around and gave it back... I get home and park in the garage and light is still on and throwing a P0523 code while smoking probably worse than what it was before I got it 'fixed'.. I call my service rep and tells me to bring it in Monday...

TLDR: 15k miles - smoking and burnt small from passenger side - dealer said valve cover - replaced - SES light still on after picking up and still smoking - now with a lack of power until 30mph or so.

I could not find the location of the oil sensor to see if it was just loose or not and it is 100+ in my garage + hot engine and did not pay $60k to work on my own stuff :|

Anyone else having similar issues?
I bought a 2021 ST in Dec 2021 and on test drive with salesman, I noticed a faint burning smell. He said it was probably just new paint that got on engine or something similar to that. I agreed because it had 12 miles on it. There’s no smoke or error codes showing. I have 8 year bumper to bumper warranty so I’m not going to worry about it.
 

Last edited:


Top