1996 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

FIRESTONE AT TIRES WERE WEARING UNEVENLY AND CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL HARD TO THE RIGHT, CONSUMER PURCHASED NEW TIRE FOR THE LEFT FRONT SIDE AND PUT THE SPARE ON THE RIGHT AND DOING THAT IMMEDIATELY SOLVED THE PROBLEM, IT APPEARED THAT THE BELTS HAD SLIPPED ON THE FRONT TIRES WHICH CAUSED THEM TO WEAR AND PULL THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER HAD TIRES REPLACED WITH WILDERNESS HT WHICH WERE MADE IN DECATUR PLANT AND WANTS THEM REPLACED WITH TIRES FROM ANOTHER PLANT. NLM

CONSUMER HAS HAD 6 FLAT FIRESTONE TIRES INCLUDING ONE FROM A PLASTIC CUP THAT WAS RUN OVER. NLM

PE00-020; P25570R16, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, ALL 4 TIRES HAD TREAD PULLING AWAY FROM TIRE, ESPECIALLY ON DRIVER'S REAR TIRE CONSUMER CAN ACTUALLY SEE STEEL BELT. *SLC

FACTORY INSTALL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES EXPERIENCED CRACKING AND SEPARATION FROM THE BELT PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 00T-005 WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHIMMY WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBUIRSEMENT FOR REPLACED TIRES. NLM

WEAR DEFECT. LEFT FRONT TIRE(ALTHOUGHT IT WAS ON OTHER AREAS AS THE TIRES WERE ROTATED) ALWAYS HAD EXCESSIVE INSIDE TREAD WEAR. I COMPLAINED TO FIRESTONE AND THEY SAID I PROBABLY NEEDED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT. I HAD THREE ALIGNMENTS DONE IN THE SUCEEDING 18 MONTHS AND IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. AFTER I HAVE READ ABOUT THE DEFECT IN THE TIRES, I THOUGHT MAYBE THAT WAS AN INDICATION THE TREAT WAS FAULTY. IT ONLY HAPPENED ON ONE TIRE. I DIDN'T REPORT AS I REPLACED THE TIRES WHEN NECESSARY BUT THOUGHT IS WAS ODD THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN. (TIRESIZE: 16/225)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16/225 )

THE TREAD WAS PULLING APART FROM THE FIRESTONE TIRE AND THE RADIAL COULD BE SEEN ALL AROUND THE TIRE. NLM

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FIRESTONE ATX TIRES (P235/75R15) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 00T-005, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

CONSUMER REPLACED FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX TIRES PRIOR TO RECALL WHEN THEY BEGAN TO SEPARATE, MAKE NOISE AND EXPERIENCE VIBRATION, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT BUT WAS TOLD THAT HE HAD TO TURN IN THE TIRE TO GET THE REFUND OR ADJUSTMENT. NLM

FIRESTONE TIRES WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 00T-005, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1996, EXPLORER, P255/70R16 SIZE, DOT#VNCV1PL275. TREAD ON ALL FOUR TIRES HAS STARTED TO CRACK AT THE TOP OF THE TIRE.*AK THE CUSTOMER HAD FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 16 WHICH WAS NOT ON RECALL AND HAD NO PROBLEM THAT OTHERS EXPERIENCED BUT GOT IT REPLACED BE ON SAFE SIDE. *YH

DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN OF AIR PLENUM DOOR WHICH WAS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC, IT CAUSED A LOSS OF ABILITY TO CONTROL DEFROSTER/ HEATER AND AIR CONDITIONING. FORD HAS SENT A TSB (99-8-8) FOR DEFECT. A NEW REDESIGNED PLENUM WAS MADE OUT OF NYLON (F87Z18401DA). *AK

FRONT TORSION BAR SEPARATED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE . DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE.*AK

FORDS SERVICE BULLETIN 99-8-8 ADMITS TO DEFECTIVE AIR PLENUM. CONSUMER COST TO REPLACE IS $700-$1000. HAS BECOME A DEALER STOCK ITEM. WHEN THE AIR DOOR BRAKES THERE IS NO AIR FLOW HOT/COLD/DEF CONTROL. CAN'T SEE WHERE YOU ARE GOING WITH FOGGED WINDOWS. FORD REVISED THE PLENUM OUT OF NYLON (#F87Z-18471-DA) CLAIMING IT WOULD NOT BREAK LIKE THE PLASTIC WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY INSTALLED. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY $1000 FOR A FACTORY DEFECT. CRASHES WILL OCCUR WITHOUT DEFROSTERS. THEY ADMIT IT IN THE MENTIONED SERVICE BULLETIN BUT REFUSE TO MAKE THE REPAIRS.

THE FIRESTONE ATX (P235/75R15) BEGAN TO DEVELOP LOUD THUMPING SOUNDS, WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE BECAME UNSTABLE CONSUMER CHECKED THE TIRE AND THE LEFT REAR HAD A RAISED RIDGE ABOUT 3/4 OF THE TIRES CIRCUMFERENCE, IN ONE SPOT THE TIRE HAD WORN DOWN THROUGH THE TREAD AND THROUGH ALL THE LAYER OF RUBBER WHICH WAS AS SOFT AS AN INNER TUBE, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

THE TIRE WAS CORRECTLY INFLATED PER FORD MOTOR COMPANY MANUAL. AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MILES AN HOUR, THE OUTER TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE CARCASS ON THE LEFT REAR TIRE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER OUT OF CONTROL. THE DRIVER WAS FORTUNATE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULL OF THE ROAD AND THEN PROCEEDED TO CHANGE THE TIRE. THE TIRE HAS BEEN SAVED. (DOT NUMBER: P255-70R16 TIRESIZE: 16 INCH)

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE P255 70 R16 EXPERIENCED CRACKING ON THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF SIDEWALL. *SLC

FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX TIRES' STEEL BELTS BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO NEED ALIGNMENT, CONSUMER WANTS REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

TREAD AND SIDEWALL OF TWO OF THE FIRESTONE TIRES WAS COMING APART, TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL BECAUSE OF THE SIZE, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM *TS

VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (70MPH). THE FIRST SET OF TIRES WERE ORIGINAL ON VEHICLE. THEY WERE WEARING OUT EXCESSIVELY NEAR THE EDGES. BROUGHT NEW TIRES FOR VEHICLE AFTER DEALER, SEVERAL TIMES, RECOMMENDED IT. THE OUTER PART OF TIRES WERE SPLITTING & MISSING STABLIZATION. THE 2ND SET OF TIRES HAD SAME PROBLEM OF EXCESSIVE WEAR. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/75R15 WITH 58,000 & 7,000 MILES RESPECTIVELY.*AK *SLC

THE TWO FRONT FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES ARE INCLUDED IN RECALL 00T005, HOWEVER CONSUMER FEELS THAT ALL THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE REPLACED. *SLC

FIRESTONE ATX TIRES (DOT VDHL 1PY 206 E4 026556 SR897J HO7R) WERE WEARING IRREGULARLY AND CAUSING VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING, THE VIBRATION STOPPED ONCE THE TIRES WERE REPLACED, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

GLASS IS SOFT - PITTING AND CHIPPING OCCUR EASILY

FIRESTON ATX TIRES (P235 75 R15) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, ON ONE OCCASION THE TREAD SEPARATION CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT REAR PANEL AND UNDER THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE DAMAGE OF THE VEHICLE. *SLC

OWNER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FROM FIRESTONE, DUE TO TIRE FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK, THE TREAD PEELED AWAY FROM TWO TIRES, ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO RECEIVING SAFETY RECALL (00T-005). *CJ

CONSUMER REPLACED FIRESTONE (P235 75 R15) TIRES PRIOR TO RECALL AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE A FLAT TIRE WITH THE SPARE, THE SPARE TIRE WAS ONLY 15" AND THE WHEEL IS 16", THIS CAUSED DIFFICULTY IN CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER ALMOST GOT INTO SEVERAL ACCIDENTS DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL (TIRE MAKE/MODEL NOT PROVIDED). *MJS

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A LEMON SINCE I LEASED IT AND THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS DONE NOTHING TO TRY AND STOP THE PROBLEMS. THEY HAVE REFUSED ON ALL ACCOUNTS TO EVEN RIGHT UP A SERVICE COMPLAINT SO THERE WILL BE A RECORD OF THE TIMES I HAVE TAKEN IT IN FOR PROBLEMS. THIS VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOTALLY TAKEN OFF THE ROAD YEARS AGO. THE DOOR LOCK IN THE REAR GOES UP AND DOWN AT RANDOM AND IT DOES IT REPEATLY UNTIL I HAVE TO SHUT THE CAR OFF BECAUSE I,M AFRAID IT WILL CATCH FIRE. THE TIRES STARTED WEARING THROUGH WHEN THERE WAS ONLY 30,000. MILES ON THEM, AND NOW IT WILL NOT CRANK UNLESS I HOLD THE GEAR SHIFT UP PAST THE P MARK ON THE COLUM AND I LIVE ON A FLAT PAVED ROAD. THE FORD COMPANY SAID IT WAS FROM PARKING ON A HILL. I LIVE IN SOUTH EAST GA, WE HAVE NO HILLS.*AK( DOT NUMBER: )

WHILE TRYING TO PASS OTHER VEHICLES CONSUMER'S VEHICLE STARTED ACCELLERATING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INOFRMATION.*AK

DESIGN OF CONSOLE CAUSES REARVIEW MIRROR PLACEMENT TO BE TOO LOW. THIS CREATES A BLIND SPOT FOR DRIVER WHEN TRYING TO MERGE RIGHT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP SEEMS TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. FORD HAS AGREED TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURHTER INFORMATION.*AK

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P255 70 R16) ARE EXPERIENCING SIDEWALL AND TREAD SEPARATION. *SLC

CONSUMER REPLACED FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235/75R15) IN 1999 DUE TO UNWARRANTED WEAR, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED THE RECALL LETTER AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT TIRES. *SLC

FIRESTONE ATX TIRES WERE REPLACED BERCAUSE OF NOISE, BALANCE AND WEAR PROBLEMS. NLM

MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED MANY TIMES, WITH NO SUCCESS IN SOLVING THE PROBLEM. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CAR DIES. IT ACTS AS THOUGH IT IS NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS. DURING THE FIRST FEW OCCURRENCES THE CAR WOULD RUN FINE AFTER I REVVED THE ENGINE A FEW TIMES. HOWEVER, FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS (AND PRESENTLY) THE PROBLEM DOES NOT GO AWAY AFTER THE ENGINE IS REVVED NOR DOES IT MAKE IT VERY EASY TO DRIVE. ONCE I TAKE MY FOOT OFF OF THE PEDAL AND THE RPM'S DECREASE, THE CAR DIES ON ME...WHETHER IT BE IN THE MIDDLE OF A INTERSECTION OR ANY PLACE. *AK

FIRESTONE TIRES WERE REPLACED DUE TO VIBRATION, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

SWAY BAR REPAIR IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 00V-402 FOR THE CONSUMERS 1996 MODEL DUE TO VIN #. NLM

2 FIRESTONE ATX II TIRES BEGAN SEPARATING AT THE EDGES, COONSUMER REPLACED THEM, SOON AFTER CONSUMER LEARNED OF RECALL, BUT REPLACEMENT MAY HAVE TAKEN 3 MOS, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES WITH A COMPETIVE BRAND AND WHEN REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT IT WAS DENIED BECAUSE THEY WERE PURCHASED PRIOR TO AUGUST 9, 2000. NLM

WHILE TRAVELING 60-65MPH VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. WOULD START TO SHIMMY. THEN WOULD DIE OUT. MANAGED TO PULL OVER. WOULD WAIT APPROXIMATELY 1/2 HR & RESTART VEHICLE. THEN, IT WOULD STALL OUT AGAIN. BEEN TO DEALERSHIP IN CINCINNATI TO CHECK IT OUT. ALSO, IN NORTH CAROLINA, BUT NOTHING WAS FOUND AT EITHER DEALERSHIP BY MECHANICS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 55 MPH ON EXPRESSWAY WHEN VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN , REACHING SPEEDS OF 90 MPH . CONSUMER PUT BOTH FEET ON BRAKE PEDAL, BUT VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. CONSUMER HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND TURN OFF IGNITION, AND IT TOOK ABOUT 2 MILES BEFORE VEHICLE STOPPED. *AK

FIRESTONE TIRES, ATX 23575R15 TOO WORN AND WOULD NOT BE REPLACED WITHOUT CHARGE. *CJ

ON DEC. 13, 2000, MY 22 YEAR OLD SON TOTALLED THIS VEHICLE AFTER HITTING A PATCH OF "BLACK ICE" WHILE TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH. THE VEHICLE ROLLED ACCORDING TO AN EYEWITNESS 4 TIMES AND LANDED ON ITS ROOF. MY SON WAS, THANK GOD, WEARING HIS SEATBELT! HE WAS ABLE TO RELEASE HIS SEATBELT AND CRAWLED THROUGH THE DRIVER'S WINDOW WHICH HAD BEEN BROKEN OUT. HE ESCAPED WITHOUT ANY INJURIES! MY CONCERN IS SO MUCH EMPHASIS HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE ROLLOVER POSSIBILITIES WHEN A TIRE BLOWS, WHY NOT THE POSSIBILITY OF FLIPPING WHEN HITTING ICE? IS ANYTHING BEING INVESTIGATED TO CORRECT THE TOP HEAVINESS OF THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY THE 2-DOOR MODELS. MORE EMPHASIS NEEDS TO BE PLACED ON THE NECESSITY OF WEARING SEATBELTS TO SURVIVE A ROLLOVER.. *AK

(FIRESTONE ATX TIRES EXPERIENCED SEPARATION, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT BUT WAS DENIED BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT TIRES WERE PURCHASED FROM A COMPETITOR PRIO TI AUGUST 9,2000. NLM

BOTH REAR TIRES EXPERIENCED BLOWOUTS, WITHIN ONE WEEK OF EACH OTHER, TIRES MADE BY FIRESTONE. *CJ

WAS DRIVING AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON & STAYED. BEEN TO DEALER. HAD SENSORS REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM CAME BACK. TEMPERATURE GAUGE HAD FAILED TO REGISTER. FUEL GUAGE WAS NOT WORKING, AND STABLIZER BAR HAD BROKEN AND WAS REPLACED. ALSO, POWER LOCKS FAILED TO RELEASE. *AK THE SENSORS WERE BEING REPLACED OVER AND OVER AGAIN. *YH

CONSUMER WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE FIRESTONE ATX RADIAL TIRES (P235/75R15) REPLACED, FIRESTONE'S REASON FOR DENYING CLAIM WAS THAT THE REPLACEMENT TIRES WERE PURCHASED FROM A COMPETITIVE RETAILER PRIOR TO AUGUST 9, 2000, CONSUMER'S TIRES DEVELOPED A HIGHLY UNUSUAL WEAR PATTERN AND THE STEEL BELT WAS BEGINNING TO PROTRUDE FROM ONE TIRE, A THUMPING SOUND WAS ALSO HEARD AND FELT DUE TO THE FAULTY TIRES. *SLC

REAR SWAY BAR LINKS BROKE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

BELTS ON THE TIRE ARE STARTING TO COME APART ON ALL 4 TIRES. *AK (DOT NUMBER: 109S M/S TIRESIZE: P255/70R16)

DOOR LOCKS WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK FOR NO REASON, DEALER STATED THERE IS NO WAY OF TESTING THE LOCKS, CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT, THE LOCKS MIGHT LOCK. *SLC

DURING A ROUTINE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER CHANGE I DISCOVERED A POTENTIAL PROBLEM.DURING THE REFILL AND CHECK OF PROPER FLUID LEVEL THE DIPSTICK GIVES A FALSE INDICATION THAT THE FLUID IS AT THE CORRECT LEVEL. IT INDICATED TO ME THAT THE LEVEL WAS OVER FULL. THIS WAS EVEN VERIFIED BY A CERTIFIED ASE TECHNICIAN AT A LOCAL WALMART. HE NOTED THE LEVEL WAS LOW. I DISCOVERED THAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE DIPSTICK TO ACQUIRE THE CORRECT READING. BY DOING THIS I DISCOVERED THE FLUID WAS NEARLY 2 QUARTS LOW. THE READING ON THE FRONT SIDE NEVER CHANGED WHERE THE CROSS HATCHED INDICATORS ARE. THIS COULD BE FIXED BY A SIMPLE CHANGE IN THE DIPSTICK. THIS PRESENTS A PROBLEM OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO IMPROPER FLUID LEVELS. I BELIEVE OWNERS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED A $400 REFUND FROM FIRESTONE, HOWEVER REQUESTED $500, FIRESTONE STATED THAT CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR ITEMS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL, THIS IS NOT CORRECT, CONSUMER REQUESTED BALANCING, VALVE STEMS, SALES TAX, AND APPLICABLE DISPOSAL FEES, ALL OF WHICH ARE INCLUDED, CONSUMER REQUESTS AN ADDITIONAL CHECK FOR $100. *SLC

FRONT BOLTS AND/OR RIVITS IN THE FRONT FRAME MAY BE LOOSE CAUSING SQUEAKS, CLICKS AND MOVEMENT OF THE FRAME, IT IS FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN MAKING TIGHT TURNS. NLM