Woman Pays Extra For Ford Explorer Sunroof. Then She Notices A Smell. Her Dealership’s Solution Is To Stop Using It Altogether

A Connecticut woman leased a Ford Explorer in part because it came with a sunroof. Unfortunately, it no longer works and the dealership doesn’t have an easy solution.

TikTok creator Cj Masopust (@cjmasopust) posted a video with the entire story and a call for help.

She explains that her family leased the Explorer in 2024 and approximately nine months remain on the lease.

What Happened to the Ford Explorer Sunroof?

“We have a sunroof,” she says. “Unbeknownst to us, the sunroof, it had started building up with water with all the car wash trips we’ve had. The drains were clogged because we park under a tree. [The dealer] never let us know that was a thing.”

Early in the lease, CJ says, the family noticed the Explorer’s ceiling was wet. “We took it right back to Ford. They took everything apart, told us about these gutters that we need to worry about,” she says. “And we’ve been pretty meticulous about making sure they’re cleared out once we knew about it. They assured us that there was no mold growth at the time, which was our main concern, especially with little kids. And we went about our business.”

Then, this summer, the family began to notice a mildew odor in the vehicle. “We looked everywhere, we took the whole car apart, we deep cleaned it. Nothing. We can’t figure it out,” she says. 

That’s when the family took the vehicle into the Ford Lombard dealer service center in Hartford. “They treated us very well,” CJ says. “They had the car for three weeks. They replaced the entire crown. They found a bunch of mold buildup. Long story short, the problem still isn’t fully remedied and their recommendation is that we don’t use the sunroof.”

CJ isn’t happy with that answer. “OK, it’s baked into the price, which makes the price higher,” she says of the sunroof. “I want to be able to use it, that’s one.”

She continues, “But two, the idea that it’s not fully remedied it’s really the big problem for me. I have a 2-year-old and a 7-year-old and I really don’t want them inhaling mold spores. You can smell it when you’re in the car; which that’s gross.”

Gallery: 2027 Ford Explorer ST Sinister Package

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Source: Ford

Is This Ford Explorer Family Out of Options?

Therefore, CJ says, “We filed to be able to return the lease early without penalty through Ford’s buyback program. And because we don’t meet both criteria in terms of having under 24,000 miles—which we do—and also being within 24 months of the lease. So because we’ve exceeded 24 months on the lease, they’re denying it and we’re SOL. Are we really SOL? I feel like this is a health concern and they should take the car back.”

CJ and her family aren’t the only Ford Explorer owners to grapple with issues related to blocked sunroof drains and water buildup. A RepairPal entry from last year describes why the problem sometimes occurs. People in an Explorer forum recommend using pressurized air to keep the drains clear of debris. In terms of the smell, others suggest using a vinegar and baking soda solution to try and resolve that.

According to a blog from Quill & Arrow, the Ford Buy Back program is an option for individuals who leased a Ford that they later discovered had a defect that could create a serious safety or financial burden. As CJ noted, there is fine print associated with the program, including the severity of the issue. Other restrictions include mileage and number of repair attempts.

The service manager at Lombard told Motor1 that the vehicle came into the dealership with clogged drains and a soaked headliner, which was replaced under warranty. Additionally, he said techs did do a deodorizing treatment on the vehicle before it left and he had told the family to follow up with him if there were any additional issues.

Motor1 contacted CJ via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We'll be sure to update this if she responds.