What 2,224 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Ford Explorer Police Intercept

THERE IS AN EXHAUST SMELL COMING THROUGH MY VENTS WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. WHEN PARKED IN THE GARAGE, THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE GARAGE SMELL AS THOUGH THERE IS A VEHICLE RUNNING WITH THE DOORS SHUT. WHEN I GET IN THE VEHICLE AFTER WORK AND IT HAS BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE ALL DAY, THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE SMELLS LIKE EXHAUST.

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THE POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY STOPPED WORKING. THE POWER STEERING NEEDS A NEW STEERING WHEEL RACK AND PINION TO PROPERLY OPERATE AT 65000 MILES. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS BUT FORD WILL NOT HONOR MY VIN NUMBER EVEN THOUGH IT FALLS IN THE YEAR OF 2013. THIS PROBLEM MAKES IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS IT IS HARD TO STEER THE WHEEL. TO FIX THIS PROBLEM IT IS $1,500, WHICH WILL NOT HONOR THE RECALL THAT HAS BEEN SET.

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I'VE NOTICED THIS SMELL EVERY TIME I TURNED MY CAR ON/OFF OR WOULD GET FINISHED DRIVING. IT WOULD BE IN THE DRIVERS CABIN DOWN AT THE FLOOR WHERE IT CAME FROM. I FIRST NOTICED IT THERE AND HAD MENTIONED IT TO FORD WHEN THERE FOR SERVICE. IT SMELLS LIKE A NATURAL GAS ( LIKE AT HOME ) LEAK. I'D SMELL IT IF HE AIR OR HEAT WAS ON BRINGING IT INTO THE CABIN. THE SAME SMELL WOULD BE PRESENT WHEN I STOPPED DRIVING AND WOULD OP N THE DOOR. SMELLED LIKE IT WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL AREA. IT PERSISTED FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. I'VE TOLD FORD MANY TIMES BUT THEY SAY THERE'S NO RECALL. OR THAT MY CAR WAS OUT OF ITS MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY. AT THE TIME IN 2014, WHEN I REALLY TOOK NOTICE, MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I BOUGHT MY CAR OUT OF ITS LEASE IN 6 OR7/2016 AND THERE WERE REPORTS OF EXHAUST ISSUES WITH PEOPLE HAVING A SMELL ON THE CABIN. IRONIC THAT I'VE BEEN COMPLAINING OF THIS TWO YEARS PRIOR TO IT COMING OUT IN THE NEWS. WHEN ASKED, I WAS UNSURE TO BUY A CAR WITH EXHAUST ISSUES, THEY REASSURED ME THERE WERE NO ACTIVE RECALLS. AND THAT THE EXHAUST WASN'T A PROBLEM. I THOUGHT I HAD ROADKILL ROTTING UNDER MY CAR, BUT AFTER NUMEROUS UNDER CARRIAGE CAR WASHES AND THEEE YEARS LATER, THE CAR STILL HAS THAT NATURAL GAS SMELL.

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PURCHASED A USED 2013 FORD EXPLORER XLT WITH 127,158 MILES ON IT. DROVE IT FOR 5 DAYS WITHOUT PROBLEMS. ON DAY 6, I DROVE THE CAR ON THE FREEWAY FOR 73-MILES. AT 127,400 MILES I STOPPED AT A BURGER JOINT FOR 35-MINUTES BEFORE RESUMING MY DRIVE TO MY DESTINATION, SEVERAL WARNING MESSAGES APPEARED ON THE INFORMATION SCREEN WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AGAIN. 1)SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW. 2) TERRAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FAILURE. 3)SERVICE ADVANCETRAC. THE POWER STEERING WAS DEAD FROM THAT POINT ON. THE CAR WAS DRIVABLE BUT IT TOOK GREAT EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE CAR WASN'T MOVING OR WHEN MAKING ANYTHING MORE THAN GRADUAL TURNS. A SEARCH FOR THIS PROBLEM SAYS THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING (EPAS) HAS DIED. THERE WAS A HUGE RECALL TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM, BUT MY VIN# IS, SADLY, NOT INCLUDED IN THAT RECALL. THIS MEANS THAT ALL EPAS UNITS CAN BE FAULTY, NOT JUST THE ONES BUILT AT THE CHICAGO ASSEMBLY PLANT FROM MAY 17, 2010 TO FEBRUARY 28, 2012. (THE IDENTIFIED UNITS OF THE RECALL)

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DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD TRIM FLEW OFF WHILE DRVING

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LACK OF ACCELERATION EVEN WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JACKY JONES (LOCATED AT 714 NEW HIGHWAY 68 SWEET WATER, TN 37874) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TURBO BOOST FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE PART BEING ON BACKORDER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000. *TT THE CONSUMER STATED THE REPAIR WAS MADE BY REPLACING THE ENGINE. *TR

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I WAS DRIVING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES FROM MY HOME TO RUN AN ERRAND. I WAS USING THE HANDS-FREE DEVICE ON MY PHONE AS PER TEXAS LAW. THERE IS ONE WAY EACH WAY WITH A YELLOW DOUBLE LINE DIVIDER AND MANY PEOPLE PARK ON THE SIDE TO CHECK MAIL WALK DOGS ETC. SO I TEND TO DRIVE SO THAT I WON'T HIT THOSE INDIVIDUALS. THE ROAD IS CURVY AND I NOTICED THAT I WAS STARTING TO VEER OFF INTO THE GRASS AND I TRIED TO STEER BACK LEFT AND PRESS MY BRAKES AT WHICH TIME I REALIZED THAT MY BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING AND I COULD NOT GET BACK ON THE ROAD. I THEN RAN OVER A FIRE HYDRANT WHICH DID NOT DECELERATE MY CAR NOR DID IT DEPLOY MY AIRBAG; CONTINUING TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES I AM THEN HIT A LARGE LIGHT POST WHICH CONTINUED TO NOT DECELERATE THE CAR AND NOT CAUSE ANY AIRBAG TO DEPLOY, AND I STILL COULD NOT TURN MY WHEEL TO THE LEFT (OR TO THE TO THE ROADWAY); THERE WAS A LARGE DELIVERY TRUCK WAITING TO GET INTO THE GATED COMMUNITY ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE AND I RAN INTO THAT VEHICLE STOPPING MY CAR AND TOTALING IT WHERE ARE THE COMPLETE FRONT END OF MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED (PUSHED IN) YET MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS GOING TO POSTED SPEED OF 35 MPH AS I ALWAYS DO. MY CAR HAD RECENTLY BEEN INSPECTED AS REQUIRED BY THE STATE BECAUSE IT IS OUT FOR RENEWAL IN AUGUST 2017. I BOUGHT THE CAR LESS THAN THREE YEARS AGO AS A FORD CERTIFIED USED CAR WITH A 10 YEAR 100,000 MILE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY ON IT. IT HAD LESS THAN 67,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. IF THE TRUCK HAD NOT BEEN THERE TO STOP MY CAR, THERE IS NO OTHER OBSTRUCTION OTHER THEN A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND I PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE SURVIVED.

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ENGINE EXHAUST ENTERS VEHICLE INTERIOR WHEN RPMS GO OVER 3,000 AND CONTINUES TO COME INTO THE CABIN THROUGHOUT MOST TRIPS. IT DISAPATES A BIT WHEN THE AIR VENTS ARE SHUT AND ALL AIR (HEATING/AC) IS TURNED OFF COMPLETELY. THE OVERWHELMING SMELL HAS CREATED A DANGEROUS DRIVING ENVIRONMENT IN THE VEHICLE WHICH CAN ONLY BE DRIVEN WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN.

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NOTING TWO BIG RECALLS IN DOOR LATCH MECHANISMS, THIS MODEL YEAR, MY RIGHT REAR DOOR HAS BECAME INOPERATIVE. DOOR IS LOCKED, WILL NOT UNLOCK. CANNOT OPEN DOOR. HAD KIDS IN THE BACK SEATS LAST WEEK. IF THIS FAILURE HAPPENED THEN, KIDS FACED GRAVE DANGER IF EGRESS REQUIRED. PLEASE ADD MY VIN TO THIS RECALL. AS IS, REAR SEATS ARE A DEATH TRAP. EGRESS MALFUNCTION INABILITY TO EGRESS VEHICLE

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EXHAUST FUMES IN CABIN - SINCE WE HAVE BEEN WITHOUT THE EXPLORER FOR THREE MONTHS (IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP GETTING AN UPDATED TURBO), MY WIFE HAS NOT HAD ANY UNEXPLAINED HEADACHES AFTER SPENDING ALL DAY RUNNING ERRANDS IN THE EXPLORER.

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LOSS OF STEERING WITH CODE SHOWING ADVANCED TRAC SYSTEM FAULT. CANNOT TURN STEERING WHEEL AND BLINKERS WILL NOT COME ON. IT CAN HAPPEN WITH VEHICLE IN MOTION OR STOPPED AND RUNNING. PROBLEM HAPPENS RANDOMLY AND CAUSES THE CAR TO BE UNCONTROLLABLE.

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WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION, THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE GEAR IN THE STEERING ASSIST SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A RECALL ITEM FOR THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR, BUT I'M BEING TOLD THAT MY VIN# IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

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SHIFT TO PARK/TRANSMISSION NOT IN PARK MESSAGE: FORD HAS TECH SERV BULLETIN TSB-0047 ON FILE. A SWITCH OR COMPONENT IN MULTIPLE FORD (EXPLORER, EDGE, TAURUS, LINCOLN MKX; YEARS 2011-2015) AND MAZDA 6 VEHICLES IS FAILING AND INDICATING THAT VEHICLE IS NOT IN PARK. THE SWITCH IS WITHIN THE SHIFT LEVER ASSEMBLY. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD WHEN A VEHICLE IS NOT SECURED IN A PARKED POSITION. FORD IS CHARGING CUSTOMERS $250-1000 TO FIX - DEPENDING UPON THE DEALER & CUSTOMER (MALE, FEMALE, WHITE, BLACK, HISPANIC) - & IT REQUIRES COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF THE SHIFT LEVER ASSEMBLY. THIS COMPONENT IS PART OF THE POWER TRAIN BUT FORD WILL NOT COVER IT UNDER THE 5 YR/60000 MILE WARRANTY. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS WERE FOUND DURING GOOGLE SEARCH FOR "FORD SHIFT TO PARK LEVER ASSEMBLY PROBLEM." IF A VEHICLE IS POSITIONED ON A SLOPE, IT COULD EASILY ROLL AWAY AND INJURE SOMEONE. THIS FAILED ELECTRONIC COMPONENT COULD RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED BEFORE SOMEONE IS SEVERELY INJURED, NOT AFTER. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE THAT MY VEHICLE IS ACTUALLY IN "PARK" ANY LONGER EVEN WHEN THE DISPLAY DOES NOT SHOW THE INDICATOR. IN 9 OF 10 TIMES THE LAST THREE DAYS, THE INDICATOR HAS SHOWN THAT THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN PARK. IT DISPLAYS THE "SHIFT TO PARK" MESSAGE EACH TIME. IT IS HAPPENING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY. I VISITED MY DEALER TODAY. THEY FIRST DENIED A TSB EXISTED. THEN, I EXPLAINED THAT I KNEW THERE HAD TO BE ONE. SHOCKINGLY, THEY FOUND IT - ONLY AFTER I SAID I WOULD FILE THIS COMPLAINT. NHTSA SHOULD FORCE FORD TO ACT NOW BEFORE THIS BLOWS UP IN THE NEWS. THE NEGATIVE PR WILL BE BAD FOR THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, NHTSA, FORD, AND THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE. A RECALL WILL NOT BE PERCEIVED AS BAD AS THE COVER-UP ONGOING BY FORD. I FULLY UNDERSTAND RECALLS. I AM A FORMER CPSC INVESTIGATOR. THANKS. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB

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PAINT IS CHIPPING FROM THE HOOD FOR THE PAST YEAR!

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POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET. WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. DEALERSHIP SAYS THE POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. LOW MILEAGE...51,597 MILES.

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EXHAUST FUMES ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE IN MOTION WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER MADE A REPAIR THAT WAS GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT IT MADE IT WORST. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK AND THEY ADVISED THAT THEY ARE WAITING FOR FORD ENGINEERS TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. ITS BEEN OVER TWO YEARS NOW.

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I RECENTLY WENT INTO MY CAR AND BEGIN DRIVING IT AND NOTICED AN AWFUL SMELL OF BOILED/ ROTTEN EGGS OR SULFUR SMELL AND COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS COULD BE, SO AFTER DURING SOME RESEARCH ON GOOGLE I SAW THAT THIS WAS A COMMON ISSUE AND BROUGHT IT INTO MY DEALERSHIP WHO I TAKE MY CAR TO FOR ALL OF MY ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. I AM ABLE TO PRESENT THEM WITH ALL OF THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS (TSB) ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THE FOLKS HERE HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT. IF THE CAR IS DRIVING AT ANY RATE WINDOWS UP OR DOWN THE CAR HAS THIS AWFUL ODOR. THE ODOR WAS SO BAD THAT WHEN I PULLED IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER IT COMPLETELY FILLED THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD EVERYONE COMPLAINING (MAINLY EMPLOYEES). BUT THEY HAD NO IDEA ABOUT THE ISSUES WITH THESE TRUCKS. I AM CURIOUS WHY THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL ON SOMETHING THAT SEEMS TO BE REOCCURRING ISSUE BUT I AM EVEN MORE DISAPPOINTED THAT FORDS EMPLOYEES DON'T KNOW THESE COMMON ISSUES WITH THEIR CARS. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DRIVE IN THAT CAR WITHOUT THIS BEING FIXED AND I DEFINITELY BELIEVE IT CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR WORST END LIVES. I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PUT MY KIDS IN THIS CAR AS LONG AS THIS REMAINS AN ISSUE.

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I WAS PARKED CAME BACK TO MY CAR STARTED IT AND STARTED TO BACK UP TO PULL MY CAR OUT OF PARKING SPOT AND STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN AFTER BACKING UP AND PULLING FORWARD. A FEW SECONDS LATER A LIGHT CAME ON AND BLINKED POWER STEERING FAULT I SHUT CAR OFF AND TURNED ON AGAIN SAME THING. I LOOKED IT UP AND CAME ACROSS A RECALL FOR 2013 FORD EXPLORERS BUT BUILD DATE ONLY RUNS THROUGH FEB 2012 RECALL NUMBER 14S06 AND MY CAR WAS BUILT IN DEC 2012 SO I DON'T FALL IN THE RECALL. RESEARCHED A BIT AND THERE ARE TONS OF CONSUMERS WITH 2013 FORD EXPLORERS WITH SAME FAULT AND THEY DON'T FALL IN THE RECALL JUST LIKE ME. I'M NOT SURE HOW WE ALL GOT LEFT WHEN WE ALL HAVE THE SAME EXACT ISSUE AND PROBLEMS AS THE PEOPLE IN THE RECALL. I CALLED FORD CORPORATE AND RECEIVED A CASE NUMBER AND EVEN THOUGH ITS THE SAME ISSUES AS RECALL THEY SAY FORD CORPORATE WONT COVER IT AND IT COSTS $1600 TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINON. VERY DISAPPOINTING THAT FORD TREATS THEIR CONSUMERS THIS WAY WHEN THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF THE SAME EXACT ISSUE AND THE SAME YEAR CAR BUT CUT THE BUILD DATE OFF EARLY. THERE ARE A TON OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE ALONE NOT TO MENTION CAR COMPLAINTS SITE. NHTSA SHOULD REOPEN THE CASE AND HELP OUT THE PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THANKFULLY I WAS IN A PARKING LOT GOING SLOW WHEN IT OCCURED CAUSE I COULD HAVE GOT INTO A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT WITH ALL THE KIDS IN THE CAR IF I WAS ON THE MAIN STREET. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD NOT GO OVERLOOKED! AND A VERY EXPENSIVE ONE AT THAT! I WOULD HAVE NEVER PUT MYSELF AND CHILDREN IN THE JEOPARDY OF DRIVING A CAR WITH A FAULT LIKE THAT IF I KNEW FORD 2013 HAD SUCH A BIG SAFETY PROBLEM SUCH AS THIS AND I AM SHOCKED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE LEFT OUT OF THE RECALL AND HAVE COMPLAINED AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT.

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A YELLOW WRENCH COMES ON IN THE DASH WITHOUT ANY REASON. CAR EXPERIENCE COMPLETE LOSS OF ACCELERATION. BRAKES ARE FUNCTIONAL. ENGINE EXPERIENCE HESITATION. RESTARTING THE ENGINE MAKES THE PROBLEM GO AWAY. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHICH HAPPENS RANDOMLY AT HIGHWAY SPEED.

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UNDER MODERATE TO HARD ACCELERATION STRONG SMELL OF EXHAUST FUMES INSIDE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF VEHICLE. CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN ON DEMAND.

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PAINT AROUND THE EDGE OF THE HOOD IS BUBBLING AND CHIPPING OFF.

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EXHAUST SMELL INSIDE CABIN, ESPECIALLY WHEN STATIONARY

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THE TURBO BOOST WENT OUT ON MY 2013 EXPLORER, I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 15 MONTHS AND IT HAS 76000 MILES ON IT. APPARENTLY THE PART IS BACKORDERED DUE TO THIS HAPPENING TO A TON OF EXPLORERS. I HAD TO GO ON A WAITING LIST AND I AM NUMBER 488 TO GET THIS PART, THEY ARE TELLING ME IT WILL TAKE MONTHS AND IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I COULD LOOSE POWER WHEN DRIVING AND MAKE THINGS WORST. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I CAN'T BE WITHOUT A CAR. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT GIVE ME A LOANER CAR EITHER. I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF E-MAILS REGARDING THE SAME THING, DON'T YOU THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL DUE TO SAFETY ISSUES? I AM BESIDE MYSELF AND HAVE KNOW IDEA HOW I AM GOING TO BE WITHOUT A CAR, DO I CHANCE DRIVING IT AND MAY POSSIBLE GET KILLED BECAUSE I LOOSE POWER? THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF ALL THE TIME WHEN DRIVING NO MATTER WHERE I AM DRIVING...

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I LOST POWER TO THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WHILE PARKED. IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT MY OWN COST.

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THE SMELL OF GAS THROUGH THE AC VENTS AT ALL TIMES. IT IS ESPECIALLY STRONG WHEN THE AIR IS FIRST TURNED ON.

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