2000 FORD EXCURSION Complaints

WHILE TRAVELING SOUTH IN THE OUTSIDE LANE OF INTERSTATE 380 AT APPROXIMATELY 1:00 P.M. CDT ON SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2006, 1/2 MILE NORTH OF MILE MARKER 29, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE OF MY 2000 FORD EXCURSION LIMITED SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION. THE TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE STEELTEX R4S LT265/75R16D, SERIAL NUMBER 31350 EX BM20118-4. TIRE IS IN THE CUSTODY OF CERNY & IVEY ENGINEERING, ATTN: MR. STEVE SMITH, 5650 PEACHTREE PARKWAY, NORCROSS, GA 30092. CERNY & IVEY ANALYZED THE TIRE AND HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE TIRE FAILED DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT HAD WORSENED OVER TIME UNTIL THE TIRE FAILED. ACCIDENT REPORT IS ON FILE WITH THE LINN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE; REPORT NUMBER 06-13921. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. WHEN THE PRESSURE WAS RELEASED FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ABILITY TO STEER RESUMED. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY THEREFORE NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR OF THE TIRE SIDEWALLS ARE SPLITTING. THE TIRES ARE THE ORIGINAL TIRES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH. THE TIRES PRESSURE HAS BEEN KEPT AT THE RECOMMENDED LEVELS. THE TIRES WERE REGULARLY SERVICED, ROTATED AND HAD THE PRESSURE CHECKED ON THEM. THERE HAS BEEN NO VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING AND NO ABNORMAL BULGING. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES OF SIDE WALL SPLITTING AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FIRESTONE COMPANY CONTACTED THE CONSUMER AND INFORMED HIM THAT THE PROBLEM WAS USUALLY CAUSED BY UNDER INFLATED OR OVER LOADED TIRES. THE REPRESENTATIVE ALSO STATED THAT FORD RECOMMEND PSI WAS 35. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAS ALWAYS KEPT 65 PSI IN THE TIRES AS STAMPED ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRES. IT WAS ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE LOAD E RANGE TIRES INSTEAD OF D LOAD RANGE. UPDATED 07/07/06. *JB

ON 26JAN06 I TOOK MY 2000 FORD EXCURSION LIMITED EDITION TO EDDIE YALKLIN FORD DEALERSHIP IN KINGSVILLE TEXAS FOR A SAFETY INSPECTION OF MY SUV DUE TO THE FACT THAT I HAD A FIRE AND SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE EXCURSION AFTER A TRIP. WHEN I TOOK THE EXCURSION AND THEY INSPECTED IT THEY COULD SEE WHERE THE FIRE HAD STARTED, IT WAS COMING FROM A SWITCH THAT IS LOCATED ON THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER BODY AREA. I TOLD THEM THAT THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE SMOKE AND FIRE FROM STARTING WAS TO DISCONNECT THE ELECTRIC WIRE CONNECTOR WHICH WAS FROM THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH FROM THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER SYSTEM. AFTER GOING OVER ALL THIS WITH THE SERVICE REP. THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM AND THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AT THIS TIME. WELL I TOLD HIM THAT I KNEW ABOUT THE OTHER FORD TRUCKS AND SUV THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND SOME DID HURT PEOPLE BECAUSE THE CARS CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE GARAGE AND WELL YOU KNOW WHERE IM GOING WITH THIS AND THE SERVICE REP. SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS BUT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY. I TOLD THEM NO THAT WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT IS A SAFETY DEFECT FROM FORD AND I WAS NOT GOING TO PAY FOR THAT. I EXPLAINED TO THE SERVICE REP. THAT NOW THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING OUT ALSO AND THAT IF I LOOSE MY BRAKES WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. THEY JUST ACTED LIKE IT WAS NO BIG DEAL AND SAID THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT FIXED. THIS IS AS WE ALL KNOW A SAFETY HAZARD AND FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND KNOWS HOW FIRES HAVE KILLED PEOPLE AND HURT MANY OF THEM AND I DON'T WANT TO BE A VICTIM. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES WHEN SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT DETERMINED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH MELTED CAUSING MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT OPERATING UNUSUAL PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, #05V388000, REGARDING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*AK

ON FRIDAY MAY 12TH MY WIFE HAD PICKED UP THE KIDS FROM SCHOOL AND RETURNED HOME AROUND 3:10 P.M. PARKING OUR FORD EXCURSION IN THE GARAGE. AROUND 4:15 P.M. A CABLE TV TECHNICIAN POUNDED ON THE FRONT DOOR AND INDICATED THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE GARAGE. MY SONS OPENED THE DOOR BETWEEN THE GARAGE AND HOUSE AND SAW A FIRE COMING OUT OF THE EXCURSION AT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE. ONE OF THE BOYS RAN NEXT DOOR AND CALLED 911 THE OTHER WENT TO THE BACK YARD AND GOT MY WIFE. MY WIFE RAN INTO THE HOUSE AND OPENED THE DOOR TO THE GARAGE AND SAW FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE HOOD OF THE EXCURSION. SHE SHUT THE DOOR AND STARTED LOOKING FOR THE PHONE, THE CABLE TV TECHNICIAN YELLED AT MY WIFE TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AT WHICH TIME SHE LEFT THE HOUSE AND WENT ACROSS THE STREET. THE FIRE SPREAD FROM THE VEHICLE TO THE STRUCTURE. THE FIRE BLEW OUT THE WINDOW TO THE GARAGE AND SPREAD TO OUR BOAT THAT WAS STORED NEXT TO THE HOUSE. THE FIRE FIGHTERS WERE ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT JUST AS IT BURNT THROUGH THE DOOR BETWEEN THE GARAGE AND THE HOUSE. *JB

I HAVE A 2000 FORD EXCURSION. REFERENCE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V258000:MOTOR. I HAVE CALLED MY FORD DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM/RECALL AND WAS TOLD THAT THE WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED IN MY TRUCK, BUT I TOLD THEM THAT THIS IS THE PROBLEM I AM HAVING. THE WIPER JUST STOPS ON INTERMITTENT MODE AND DOES NOT GO BACK TO PARK MODE. I WAS TOLD THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE MOTOR REPLACED. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT REPLACED IT IS THERE RECALL PROBLEM I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS FOR MORE THEN 2 1/2 YEARS NOW. CAN SOMEONE GIVE ME AN ANSWER. THANK YOU FOR YOU TIME, JIM FENNELLI *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL PLUG WAS BURNED AND THERE WAS VISIBLE SMOKE DAMAGE TO THE MASTER CYLINDER UPON INSPECTION BY THE CONTACT. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD ONLY ENGAGE INTERMITTENTLY. THERE IS A LEAK IN THE MASTER CYLINDER MAKING THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE CHANGING THE OIL ON THE VEHICLE, THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS IDENTIFIED AS HAVING MELTED TO THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH INDICATED SIGNS OF CHARRING UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE AROUND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HOWEVER, NO FIRE INCIDENT WAS NOTICED OR REPORTED. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, THE CRUISE CONTROL HAD FAILED TO ENGAGE WHEN ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT REPLENISHED THE BRAKE FLUID AND THE CRUISE CONTROL RESUMED NORMAL WORKING ORDER.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, FLAMES AND BLACK SMOKE CAME FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE UNDERHOOD AREA. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH A WATER HOSE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CONTACTED. MINOR FIRE DAMAGE WAS VISIBLE INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER TO AWAIT FURTHER INSPECTION.