1993 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

THE TRUCK HAS A KNOWN DESIGN FLAW CAUSING THE TRUCK TO VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY BETWEEN 52 AND 67 MPH. THE DEALER GRAHAM FORD IN DICKSON LOOKED AT THE TRUCK AND WILL ONLY REPAIR THE TRUCK IF I BUY THE SERVICE KIT AND PAY LABOR. THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THIS WAS A KNOWN DEFECT AND THAT THEY HAD TO BUY BACK A TRUCK THEY SOLD NEW ON ONE OCCASION. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND EVEN SUPPLIED THIS DEALER A KIT WHILE UNDER DEVELOPMENT TO SEE IF FIXED THIS PROBLEM. THIS VIBRATION CAUSES THE TRUCK TO BECOM DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHILE DRIVE IN THE ABOUT SPEED RANGES.

RECALL WORK ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE PEDAL CAUSES THE WARNING LIGHT TO STAY ON.

ENGINE FIRE. (QC-AW)

CENTER CONSOLE FOLDING ARM PLASTIC SUPPORT BROKE.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED AT PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE VIBRATES SEVERELY AT APPROX 65 MPH, RESULTING FROM ENGINE MOUNT PROBLEM THAT FORD IS AWARE OF.

DRIVER EXPERIENCING SHIMMY AND VIBRATION FROM VEHICLE AT 65 MPH. THE TIRES WERE CHANGED OUT, ROTATED BALANCED AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED.

WHEN THE HEATER IS TURNED ON, THE THE PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT IS FILLED WITH SMOKE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN. *AK

VIOLENT SHAKING STARTS AT ABOUT 63 MPH., *MJS

VENTILATION SYSTEM HAS CAUGHT ON FIRE 3 TIMES WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. IT MELTED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. DEALER HAS REPAIRED 3 TIMES. *AK

ENGINE MOUNTS AND REAR AXLE-TO-FRAME LATERAL SHOCK ABSORBER KIT INSTALLED AS PER SERVICE BULLETIN DUE TO EXCESSIVE VIBRATION DUE TO COMPONENT FAILURES.

NO SUMMARY

HEATER SYSTEM SMELLS LIKE BURNING LEAVES EVERYTIME YOU OPERATE HEATER

BURNING SMELL AND A BIT OF SMOKE COMING FROM VENTILATION SYSTEM. HAPPENS ONLY OCCASIONALLY. SMELLS LIKE BURNING LEAVES SOMETIME. ONCE ENTIRE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FILLED WITH SMOKE BUT CLEARED OUT QUICKLY WHEN WINDOWS OPEN. I HEARD THAT THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT HAS BEEN REPORTED BEFORE AND IS ATTRIBUTED TO A HOT ELEMENT IN THE BLOWER UNIT. IS THIS SOMETHING FORD DEALERS HAVE A READY REPAIR FOR?

CONSUMER HAD BECOME AWARE OF RECALLS 95V164 AND 94V169. UPON CONTACTING THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER , HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALLS HAD EXPIRED. CONSUMER IS THE SECOND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

REAR PASSENGERS DOORS ARE NOT OPERATING PROPERLY, THEY DONT OPEN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITHOUT ANY INICATIONS, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE STUDS WHICH ATTACH THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE POWER BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER ASSEMBLY HAS DEVELOPED CORROSION AND CRACKED . VEHICLE INCLUDED IN RECALL NUMBER 96V024001. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE BRAKE CALIPERS STICK TO THE FRONT ROTOR, CAUSING THE BRKE FLUID TO OVERHEAT, AND THIS CAUSES THE BRAKES TO NOT RESPOND IN LONG DISTANCE TRAVEL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AND APPLYING BRAKES, THERE WAS A NOISE AND TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THERE WERE TWO RECALLS, BUT PROBLEM PERSISTED. NEED NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK

PLASTIC ENGINE COOLING FAN HAS SEVERAL CRACKS IN IT, CAUSING POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT END WAS MAKING A BANGING NOISE, IT WAS AN ANOYING NOISE THAT CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO BECOME WORRIED. WHEN IT WAS LOOKED AT BY A MECHANIC IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BUSHINGS WERE DAMAGED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

I WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND WAS OPENING UP THE GLASS PORTION OF THE TAILGATE WHEN IT SUDDENLY EXPLODED IN MY FACE. THE GLASS BROKE INTO A MILLION SMALL PIECES AND MANY LARGE JAGGED PIECES. I FOUND GLASS AS FAR AS 20 FEET AWAY, I ALSO FOUND SEVERAL PIECES IN MY FACE AND HAND. WHEN I CONTACTED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS VERY COMMON AND EVERY VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH A REAR DEFOGGER WILL HAVE THIS HAPPEN. USUALLY AS THEY ARE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD OR SHUTTING ONE OF THE SIDE DOORS. WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO A LOCAL GLASS REPAIR SHOP I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT NORMAL AT ALL. I PLAN ON SENDING FORD A LETTER, IF I CAN EVER FIND AN ADDRESS TO THEIR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS, BUT I WANTED TO TELL EVERYONE POSSIBLE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. THANK YOU.

REAR VIEW MIRROR FELL OFF. YH

THIS VEHICLE SEEMS TO SUFFER FROM PREMATURE WEARING OUT OF FRONT DISC BRAKES AND ROTORS. NEW PADS AND ROTORS RESURFACING WERE NEEDED AT APPROX 15400 MILES, AND NEW PADS AND COMPLETE NEW ROTORS WERE REQUIRED AT APPROX 28608 MILES. WHEN FORD SERVICE WAS ASKED ABOUT THIS FREQUENT DISC BRAKE REPLACEMENT, THE RESPONSE WAS "THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE FRIENDS WITH EXPLORERS FROM THIS SAME MODEL YEAR WHO HAVE REPORTED EVEN MORE FREQUENT DISC BRAKE AND ROTOR REPLACEMENT. *AK

THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO YOU ONGOING INVESTIGATION...NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE99072 MAKE: FORD TRUCK MODEL: EXPLORER YEAR: 1993 COMPONENT: STRUCTURE MANUFACTURER: FORD MOTOR COMPANY DATE INVESTIGATION OPENED: TUE, NOVEMBER 30, 1999 SUMMARY: SPARE TIRE WINCH CABLE. THE SPARE TIRE WINCH CABLE HAD DETERIORATED TO JUST ONE SMALL WIRE HOLDING UP THE TIRE. I HAD THE SPARE TIRE CHANGED AND THE MECH. SAID THAT I SHOULD GET A NEW WINCH. FORD WAS HAPPY TO SELL ME ONE AT $70, THEY HAD THEM RIGHT IN STOCK, SINCE I GUESS THEY FAIL ALL THE TIME. MINE DID NOT ACTUALLY FAIL BUT WAS VERY CLOSE TO IT. THE WIRE WAS BROKEN/ROTTED JUST ABOVE THE PIECE THAT IS CRIMPED ON TO HOLD THE PIECE THAT GOES IN THE CENTER OF THE SPARE TIRE. *AK

REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BOUNCE, BUT CONSUMER MAINTAINED CONTROL, AND PULLED TO THE SIDE. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING REAR LEFT TIRE TREAD CAME OFF, CAUSING THE TRUCK TO FLIP OVER 3 TIMES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

BRAKES LOCK UP ON ICE AND WATER AND WHILE HITTING A BUMP AND APPLYING NORMAL BRAKE PRESSURE. HAVE TAKEN TRUCK TO SEVERAL REPAIR SHOPS; NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO FIX PROBLEM INCLUDING DEALERSHIP. *AK

THE HANDLE FOR FRONT LEFT SIDE DOOR IS LOOSE. YH

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, DRIVER TURNED ON DEFROSTER AND FLAMES STARTED SHOOTING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. DRIVER THEN TURNED OFF VEHICLE AND TOOK FIRE OUT. CONSUMER RESTARTED VEHICLE AND FIRE STARTED AGAIN.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

RECALL COMPONENT FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION, HOWEVER VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED DUE TO SCHEDULING PROBLEM, CONSUMER CONCERNED ABOUT AMOUNT OF TIME REQUIRED FOR REPAIR (99V-310). *MJS

THE SPARE TIRE WHICH IS LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, BY A SUPPORT BRACKET, BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH AFTER HITTING A BUMP. THIS CAUSED THE TIRE TO DISMOUNT AND FLY FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *

RECALL OF THE BREACKET ON THE LIFTGATE 99V-310 CANNOT BE COMPLETED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS. NLM

WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. ENGINE WAS ON FIRE, AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

LIFTGATE FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL (95V-164). YH

WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE IN DRIVE, VEHICLE WENT INTO FULL THROTTLE, ACCELERATING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, CONSUMER FOOT WAS ON BRAKE PEDAL, BUT VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, BRAKES WERE NOT RESPONDING, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK *SLC

NHTSA RECALL 99V310001 AND MANUFACTURE'S RECALL 99S34/ HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS BROKE. NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. *AK

SOMETIMES WHILE BRAKING ON A BUMPY ROAD THE BRAKES RELEASE AND THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. IF RE-APPLIED QUICKLY BRAKES WILL WORK, FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT FOLLOWING TO CLOSE TO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO RECOVER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING APPROX. 60-65MPH RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW & THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED. LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE FOR A WHILE. HIT SIDE OF ROAD. NO ACCIDENT OR INJURIES. HAPPENED 3 YRS AGO & HAD 60,000 MILES. REPLACED THE ORIGINAL TIRE WITH SAME TYPE OF FIRESTONE ATX. THE 2ND TIME WAS THE LEFT REAR TIRE AT SAME SPEED & 100,000 MILES. ALSO REPLACED TIRE 1 1/2 YRS AGO WITH SAME TYPE OF FIRESTONE ATX. HAVE NO PROBLEM, YET, WITH THIRD SET OF FIRESTONE. THE FIRESTONE ATX LT22575R15 WERE THE SIZE. DID NOT REPORT TO DEALER, TIRE CO. OR INSURANCE COMPANY. DO NOT HAVE THE TIRE OR DOT NUMBER. *AK

MY FORD EXPLORER HAS ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL SEVERAL TIMES. THE LAST TIME, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS BEING USED AND AFTERWORDS, IT STOPPED WORKING. IT HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AND THEN SLOWS DOWN. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR ACCELERATED AT FULL ENGINE RPM FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE IT SLOWED DOWN. I HAVE HEARD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD BUT THE DEALER SAID HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF IT. HAVE YOU HAD REPORTS OF THIS, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS OR WHAT REPAIR IS NECESSARY. WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS, IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. WHAT CAN I DO, I THINK FORD SHOULD FIX IT FREE BUT THEY DON'T EVEN ADMIT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. IS IT? *AK

THIS IS SECOND SET OF THESE TIRES. FIRST SET HAD SAME PROBLEMS. PURCHASED 2ND SET IN SEPT 1997..TOOK BACK IMMED, WAS TOLD THEY FORGOT TO BALANCE.. PROBLEM OF SHIMMY AT 55 TO 65 MPH REMAINED, RETURNED TO FIRESTONE ON 2/16/98 FOR SAME...RETURNED AGAIN ON 2/17/98...ON 5/6/98 TOOK TO DOWNTOWN FORD AND IN 1999 TOOK TO TIRE AMERICA...HAVE TOLD ALL WE FEEL IT IS A TIRE SEPERATION AND HAVE BEEN TOLD IT WAS BALANCING, TRAIT OF EXPLORERS AND WILL ALWAYS BE THERE. HAVE PAPER WORK TO BACK UP ALL THE TIMES WE HAVE TAKEN THESE TWO SETS OF TIRES IN TO BE CHECKED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

THERE IS ANOTHER FAILURE MODE ON ATX TIRES. IN OUR CASE, THE THREE FAILURES THAT OCCURRED ALL HAD STRIKINGLY SIMILAR FEATURES. THE OUTSIDE SIDEWALL IN EACH CASE FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY. THE ENTIRE SIDEWALL APPEARED TO BE SHREDDED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND WITHOUT WARNING. TIRES WERE AT FORD'S RECOMMENDED INFLATION PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE DID NOT SEEM TO BE A FACTOR AS THE FAILURES OCCURRED AT VARIOUS TIMES OF THE YEAR. I ATTEMPTED TO E-MAIL FIRESTONE AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM FIRESTONE ON THE FAILURES.( DOT NUMBER: )

WHILE TRAVELINING NORTHBOUND ON I/5 IN NEAR BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA, THE TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE TIRE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE L/FRONT AND L/SIDE OF THE CAR. CLAIM HAS BEEN MADE WITH FIRESTONE( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

THE LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD COMPLETELY PEELED OFF WHILE DRIVING. YH

THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO I WAS OUT OF TOWN AND AT THE TIME I WAS'NT ABLE TO KEEP THE TIRE SO I WAS'NT ABLE TO FILE A CLAIM WITH FIRESTONE SINCE THEY SAID I MUST HAVE THE TIRE IN MY POSSESSION. THE TIRE TREAD SEPERATED FROM THE LEFT FRONT TIRE TEARING THE MOLDING FROM THE SIDE OF MY VECHIAL. I NOW OWN A 1999 EXPLORER SPORT WITH WILDERNESS AT TIRES AND I DON'T FEEL THEIR SAFE DECATUR OR NOT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

ENGINE OIL LEAK SINCE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK

I HAVE WILDERNESS AT'S, P235/75/15, WITH APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES. ONE WAS MANUFACTURED IN DECATUR, THE OTHER THREE WERE NOT MANUFACTURED IN DECATUR (DOT CODE 8XHL). ALL HAVE AN INTERMITTANT SPLIT IN THE SIDEWALL ON BOTH SIDES ABOUT 1/2" DOWN THE TREAD ALL THE WAY AROUND. I SHOWED THEM TO A FIRESTONE DEALERER AND HE AGREED TO REPLACE ALL THE TIRES. HAVE YOU HAD OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE.( DOT NUMBER: 8XHL TIRE SIZE: P135-75-15 )

23362 UR BM03008-2 I PURCHASED FOUR TIRES BRAND NEW IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR...AFTER 10,000 MILES TWO TIRE HAVE COMPLETE DRY ROT ON THE SIDE WALL AND ARE FALLING APART...PLEASE HELP AND GIVE ME GUDIENCE( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75R15/ )

THESE TIRE ARE ON RECALL. I'VE HAD ONLY TWO REPLACED BY FIRESTONE AND I'M WAITING FOR THE OTHER TWO. I'M LOSING BUSINESS BECAUSE I CAN NOT AFFORD TO TAKE THE CHANCE OF WHEN WILL MY TIRES EXPLODE. I TRANSPORT MY 1 1/2 YEAR OLD GRANDSON BACK & FORTH TO DAY CARE. I DO NOT WANT HIM TO BE A STATISTIC.( DOT NUMBER: VDHL TIRE SIZE: 235/70/R15 )