1996 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A SOUND. HE PULLED OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER, AND THE LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A BULGE. HE TOOK IT TO SEARS. SEARS REPLACED THEM WITH MICHELIN TIRES. THE FIRESTONE #AT P23570R15 NO INJURIES.*AK

TRANSMISSION WAS WHISTLING/RUBBLING, AND WOULD NOT DRIVE. AT 13 MONTHS OLD TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. CURRENTLY, NOISES WERE BACK, BUT IT WAS RUNNING. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER NOT TO DRIVE VEHICLE. *AK

THE REAR DOOR ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. MECHANIC STATED THAT PROLBEM COULD BE RELATED TO THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK. THE PROLBEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

TWO OF THE ORIGINAL FIRESTONE TIRES WERE REPLACED DUE TO SEPARATION PROBLEMS THAT RESULTED IN VIBRATION, HOWEVER LATER THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE FIRESTONE TIRES INCLUDING THE TWO REPLACEMENTS DUE TO VIBRATION PROBLEMS, CONSUMER WAS DENIED RECALL REIMBURSEMENT DUE TO THE TIME OF REPLACEMENT, CONSUMER IS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE RECALL BEING ISSUED AND THE TERMS OF THE RECALL REIMBURSEMENT. *MJS

CONSUMER AND FAMILY WERE INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, EVEN AFTER BEING STRUCK TWICE IN THE COLLISION- THERE WERE 2 INJURIES. *AK

TIRE BLEW ON FREEWAY IN FAST LANE. LUCKY TO BE ALIVE WITH NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO VEHICLE..( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: F235/75 15 )

FUEL PUMP BROKE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED BY RECALL ALTHOUGH IT HAS SAME PROBLEM. *AK WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, VEHICLE WON'T STOP UNLESS CONSUMER STOMPED ON GAS PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES, CONSUMER STATES THE GAS PEDAL SEEMED STUCK AND ACCELERATION WOULDN'T STOP. *SLC

WHEN ENGAGING REVERSE GEAR THE VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY WILL EXPERIENCE SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING VEHICLE COLLISIONS.

UPON MAKING A STOP AND PROCEEDING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES(P235 75 15) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE RESULTING IN COLLISION AND DAMAGING VEHICLE, CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSMENT. *SLC

BOTH REAR SEAT BELTS JAM/LOCK REPEATEDLY AND HAVE SINCE 11/97. I HAVE BEEN TO DEALERSHIPS 6 TIMES TO HAVE THEM FIXED. THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWO TIMES BY TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS, YET THEY CONTINUE TO JAM/LOCK AND ARE UNUSABLE UNTIL THEY ARE FIXED. OVER THE PAST YEAR I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO UNJAM THEM MYSELF WITHOUT GOING TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN (AGES 6 AND 8) I MUST HAVE PROPERLY WORKING SEAT BELTS. OVER THE SUMMER THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT ALSO HAS BEEN JAMMING OCCASSIONALLY. I HAVE TALKED WITH SEVERAL OTHER EXPLORER OWNERS AND THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR BELTS AS WELL. IF THEY ARE LOCKING UP, HOW CAN THEY POSSIBLY WORK EFFECTIVELY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT? *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED IN COLD WEATHER THE THROTTLE PEDAL STICKS. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE'S OR SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION TO NEUTRAL, WILL INCRESAED THE BRAKE PEDALS EFFORTS OR SOME INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE CAN RESULTIN A PROBLEM. *AK

FRONT WHEEL BEARING STARTED TO WOBBLE, CAUSING THE SENSOR TO FAIL, WHICH CAUSED THE ABS TO FAIL. THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *AK

HEAT FROM HEADLAMP BURNS TOP PORTION OF ASSEMBLY CAUSING A CRACK WHICH ALLOWS WATER TO SEEP IN AND BURN OUT BULB. HEAT SHIELD DOES NOT APPEAR TO ADEQUATELY COVER THE AFFECTED AREA.

ANTI LOCK BRAKES HAVE FAILED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, ONE INCIDENT CAUSED A COLLISION.

TIRES FAILED.FIRESTONE WILDERNESS P 255 70 R16 109S.

THIS IS ANOTHER CASE OF FIRESTONE ATX TREAD SEPARATION AND FATAL ROLLOVER OF A FORD EXPLOER. I UNDERSTAND THROUGH OUR LOCAL CBS AFFILIATE THAT THIS AGENCY HAS OPENED A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF THIS DEFECT. IF NHTSA TRULY STANDS BEHIND THIER MOTTO, "PEOPLE SAVING PEOPLE" THEN YOU MUST PUT CONSUMER SAFETY FIRST BY RECALLING THESE TIRES ON THESE VEHICLES. BY ALLOWING FORD AND FIRESTONE TO AVOID AN EXPENSIVE RECALL, OUR GOVERNMENT IS STANDING BY AS PEOPLE DIE. ALL THIS IN THE NAME OF MONEY. YOU MUST BE WELL AWARE OF THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEING PAID TO VICTEM'S FAMILIES TO KEEP THIS ISSUE OUT OF THE COURTROOM. IF YOUR WAITING FOR FORD AND FIRESTONE TO RECALL THESE TIRES OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF THEIR HEARTS AND TO SAVE LIVES, KEEP WAITING. OUR ONLY HOPE IS NHTSA. THIS AGENCY HAS THE ABILITY TO SAVE LIVES. PLEASE DO IT. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

POWER STEERING MADE A SQUEALING NOISE DUE TO A DEFECTIVE POWER STEERING RACK. ALSO INNER TIE RODS AND CV BOOT MALFUNCTIONED. *AK

WHILE PULLNG ONTO HIGHWAY, ENGINE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL SECONDS LATER, BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SKID/SPINOUT ONTO SHOULDER, HIT CURB/SIGN/GUARDRAIL/TREE. TOWED TO DEALER, NOT INSPECTED AS OF YET. *AK

SIDE WALL BLEW OUT ON TIRE WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY. TIRE SEPERATED FROM TREAD ON REAR PASSENGER TIRE.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE WAS RIDING ROUGH BUT WAS ABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE, HOWEVER IN SEPTEMBER 1998 WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WAS RIDING ROUGH AND CONSUMER WAS HAVING TROUBLE CONTROLLING THE STEERING, ONCE CONSUMER RETURNED HOME SHE GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE THREAD OF THE REAR TIRE HAD STARTED TO PEEL OFF, CONSUMER EVENTUALLY REPLACED ALL FIVE TIRES, CONSUMER RECEIVED THE RECALL INFORMATION FROM FIRESTONE AND SENT IT BACK, ONLY TO RECEIVE A DENIAL LETTER STATING THAT THE REPLACEMENT TIRES WERE PURCHASED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION.(FIRESTONE ATX P235/75R15 SERIAL # VDHLATN368.*JB

TRAVELING IN THE VEHICLE AND TRIED TO COME TO A STOP, PUT FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP AND THE BRAKES WOULDNOT WORK, THE VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE REAR. *AK *JB

THE RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD DETACHED FROM THE TIRE, THE TIRE THEN BLEWOUT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER TO THE RIGHT, THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL BY OVERCORRECTING TO THE LEFT, THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO A BROADSIDE SKID, AS THE VEHICLE WAS SLIDING THE RIGHT SIDE TIRE DEFLATED CAUSING THE RIM TO DIG INTO THE PAVEMENT THUS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FLIP OVER TWICE LANDING RIGHT SIDE UP, THERE WAS 1 FATALITIE (DRIVER) AND THREE PASSENGERS (RF, RR, CR) SUSTAINED INJURY (NEW MEXICO UNIFORM ACCIDENT REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE P235/75R15 RADIAL ATX M/S VDHL1PM385). NLM

CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER REGARDING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON SEVEN OCCASIONS, WHEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, VEHICLE WILL HESITATE AND THEN POP INTO REVERSE AFTER 15-20 SECONDS, VEHICLE WILL NOT ALWAYS GO IN REVERSE, DEALER STATED THAT TRANSMISSION WAS GOING, BUT NOT TO DO ANYTHING UNTIL ALL GEARS WERE AFFECTED. *ET

REAR WINDOW EXPLODED/SHATTERED WHILE IN UPRIGHT POSITION, NO APPARENT REASON, VEHICLE PARKED APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES, GLASS SHATTERED ONTO HEAD OF OWNER, NO INJURIES, VEHICLE WITH DEALERSHIP FOR WINDOW REPLACEMENT, REASON UNKOWN, VEHICLE PARKED IN SHADE. *AK *JB

DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE. OPENS FROM OUTSIDE. LATCH DISENGAGES ITSELF SO DOOR FAILS TO OPEN FROM INSIDE. TOOK TO DEALER. WAS REPAIRED. PROBLEM HAS REAPPEARED. *AK

FRONT END MISALIGNMENT, CAUSING VEHICLE VIBRATION AND PREMATURE WEAR OF THE TIRES. *AK

I PURCHASED 4 ATX TIRES 04-28-1997 FROM THE FIRESTONE TIRE CENTER,6783 W. CANYON AVE, LITTLETON CO 80123. ON JULY 17TH, 1997 THE RIGHT REAR TIRE THREW ITS TREAD WHILE I WAS GOING AROUN A CURVE ON THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO OTHER TRAFFIC AND I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING. THE FIRESTONE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE TIRE BLAMES THE TREAD SEPARATION ON A ROAD HAZARD BUT THEY DID REPLACE THE TIRE UNDER WARRANTY.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235 75 15 )

THE CRUISE CONTROL "FROZE" WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH AND NEITHER THE BRAKE PEDAL OR THE OFF BUTTON WOULD DEACTIVATE IT.

WHILE TRAVELING AT OR ABOUT 30MPH OWNER TRIED TO DECELERATE AND THE CAR DID NOT RETURN TO IDLE. A RECALL WAS ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE. *AK

FRONT END IS MISALIGNED AND THE MUD WAS FOUND IN THE TRANSMISSION.

SHE IS INVOLVED IN A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL DEALING WITH THE CRANKCASE AND THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO DO THE RECALL BECAUSE THEY SAY IT IS TOO DANGEROUS FOR THEM TO PERFORM. *AK

VEHICLE FIRE, ORIGINATING IN THE DASH AREA. ALSO, REPLACED TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. *AK

EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR DUE TO INABILITY TO ALIGN FRONT AND REAR ENDS OF VEHICLE TO TOE, CANTOR, AND CURB. FORD SAYS ITS A DESIGN FLAW AND ALL FUTURE MODELS, INCLUDING THE YEAR 2000 MODEL OF THE EXPLORER AND EXPEDITION ARE USING THE SAME DESIGN. OUR VEHICLE LEAPED OFF OF THE HIGHWAY, NEARLY CAUSING US TO GO AIRBORN AND LEAVE THE INTERSTATE. THIS WOULD HAVE MOST DEFINITELY CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY IF NOT MULTIPLE FATALITIES. FORD IS NOT CONCERNED WITH THIS DEFECT, YET, MILLIONS OF FOLKS BUY THESE SUV'S EACH YEAR. PLEASE HELP AFFECT THE CHANGE. THANK YOU. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255/70R15 )

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE TRYING TO BRAKE, SEVERAL INCIDENTS HAVE RESULTED IN TWO VEHICLE ACCIDENTS CAUSING DAMAGES AND INJURIES.

TREAD SEPARATION. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

NO SUMMARY( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75R-15 )

I COMPLAINED TO FORD WHEN CENTER CONSOLE AREA VIBRATED SIGNIFICANTLY ANYWHERE FROM 65 MILES PER HOUR TO 75 MILES PER HOUR. IT WAS AT ITS WORST AT ABOUT 72-73 MILES PER HOUR. I WAS UNABLE TO USE THE CD PLAYER INSTALLED (BY FORD) IN THE COMPARTMENT BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS. FORD BLAMED THE PROBLEM ON THE TIRES AND HAD ME GO TO A TIRE SHOP TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. THIS HAPPENED IN 1997! THE TIRE SHOP (DON OLSON TIRES) CLAIMED THERE WAS A SUSPENSION PROBLEM WITH THE FORD EXPLORERS AND IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. THEY REPLACED THE TIRES WITH NEW FIRESTONE RADIAL ATXS. WE REALIGNED THE VEHICLE AND THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO GO AWAY. AFTER ABOUT SIX MONTHS, THE PROBLEM CAME BACK (NOT AS SEVERE). I CONTINUED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REALIGNED ABOUT EVERY 4 MONTHS. UNFORTUNATELY, AS THE TIRES GOT OLDER, THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE. I CONTINUED THE BALANCING OF THE TIRES AND REALIGNMENT PROCESS OFTEN. AUGUST 15, 2000 WHILE DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY, WE HAD A TREAD SEPARATION OF THE RADIAL ATX TIRES. THEY HAD ABOUT 35000-40000 MILES ON THEM. THEY WERE REPLACED BY THE FIRESTONE "FIREHAWK" TIRES (NOT THE RECALL ONES). I HAD THE VEHICLE REALIGNED AGAIN. I STILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE CENTER CONSOLE AREA SHAKING. IT SEEMS TO BE WORSE AT ABOUT THE SAME 72-73 MILES PER HOUR. FORD HAS NEVER CLAIMED ANY RESPONSIBILITY. I HAVEN'T ASKED THEM FOR THEIR OPINION SINCE THE FIRST TIME I APPROACHED THEM (IN 1997), THEY BLAMED THE TIRES. IT APPEARS TO ME AS IF IT IS A FORD EXPLORER PROBLEM AS MUCH AS A FIRESTONE TIRE PROBLEM. PLEASE RESEARCH THIS IF POSSIBLE AND HAVE FORD REEVALUATE THEIR POSITION ON THIS ISSUE. PLEASE ADVISE ME IF YOU NEED ANY MORE INFORMATION AS I WILL BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS IT WITH YOU. MY OFFICE PHONE NUMBER IS 305-526-1215. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. BRIAN FIELDS( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75/15 )

WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS THE SERPINTINE BELT SLIPPED, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

TURNED OVERDRIVE OFF AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED.

THE CONSUMER WENT TO REVERSE OUT OF A PARKED POSITION WHEN THE SHIFT GEAR GOT STUCK AND WOULD NOT MOVE.C ONSUMER KEPT MOVING THE GEAR WHEN SUDDENLY IT MADE LOUD NOISE AND ENGAGED AT A QUICK SPEED. DUE TO THIS DEFECT, IT ALMOST CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HIT A PEDESTRIAN. *AK

PURCHASED 1996 FORD EXPLORER XLT(USED WITH 15,450MILES) FROM HERITAGE FORD

DRIVE TRAIN DIFFERENTIAL UNIT FAILURE.

LABEL ON DOOR SHOWS INCORRECT TIRE PRESSURE.

KNOCKING NOISE FROM ENGINE MANIFOLD AREA. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY NOTICEABLE PROBLEM. KNOCKING NOISE WOULD QUIET DOWN AFTER THE ENGINE WOULD HEAT UP. PROBLEM GOT WORSE OVER TIME. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOUND PROBLEM WITH THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD GASKETS LEAKING. *AK

THE DOOR HANDLE HAS BROKEN THREE TIMES. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT FIX,RE-DESIGN THE HANDLE. FAMILY AND FRIENDS ALSO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THERE 1996 EXPLORER. I'M A SAFETY EXPERT FOR DOL-OSHA AND FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND FORD NEEDS TO FIX "ASAP" THE PLASTIC DESIGN OF THE HANDLE. IF YOU CAN NOT GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE DURING A POTENTIAL CRASH THIS COULD BE A SAFETY PROBLEM. *AK

VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND PARKED ON THE CARPORT, UNDER THE HOOD COMPARTMENT FIRE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE/CARPORT TO COMPLETELY BURN. ALSO, SMOKE DAMAGES, FIR EWAS CAUDED BY FAULTY FUEL INJECTORS. *AK

WHILE MERGING ONTO THE INTERSTATE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ONCE ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN CONSUMER TOOK FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE PEDAL WAS STUCK AND HAD TO TAP THE BRAKES WHICH HAD LOCKED UP. ALSO HAD TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, AND THE VEHICLE SWERVED AROUND INTO A TRACTOR TRAILER. THE VEHCLE FLIPPED 3 TIMES BEFORE IT CAME TO A STOP. *AK

THE HOOD FLEW UP WHILE DRIVING.

I HAVE HAD THREE FIRESTONE TIRE FAILURES SINCE PURCHASING THIS CAR - ONE DEFINITELY DUE TO A SEPARATED TREAD - I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE TIRES ON MY EXPLORER. *AK (TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )