2001 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

2001 FORD EXPEDITION WITH LESS THAN 52,000 MILES ON IT LUNGED FORWARD AT A STOP SIGN AND THEN WOULD NOT GO WHEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS PUSHED. FINALLY WENT AS I ENTERED THE FREEWAY WITH LUNGING AND DE-ACCELERATION FOR ABOUT 15-20 MILES. AS SOON AS I GOT OFF THE FREEWAY THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND THEN LOCKED UP. I ESCAPED BEING HIT 2X BY TRYING TO PULL OVER. I LIMPED TO MY DESTINATION OF A BLOCK AND ENDED UP HAVING TO HAVE TRUCK TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP ONLY TO FIND MY TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. COST ME $3791 FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A NEW TRANSMISSION AS QUOTED BY THE DEALERSHIP; WHEN I PICKED IT UP, IT WAS A REBUILT TRANSMISSION, NOT WHAT WE AGREED ON. SECONDLY, I HAD A SERVICE EXTENDED CONTRACT FOR 72 MONTHS OR 100,000 MILES WHICH THE DEALERSHIP FAILED TO REMIND ME ABOUT. NOR DID FORD WHEN THEY KNOW I WAS 2.5 HOURS AWAY FROM MY HOME OFFER ANY HELP TO GET HOME, RENTAL CAR OR EVEN A LOANER. I WAS WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK. READING ABOUT THIS TRANSMISSION IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR YEARS WITH NO RECALL - THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT. *NM

TODAY (7/21/06) I AGAIN CONTACTED THE FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER CONCERNING A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN MY 2001 EXPEDITION. IT HAS CONTINUALLY EATEN BATTERIES AND THE BATTERY SAVER RELAY DUE TO A WINDSHIELD LEAK THAT FORD CLAIMS THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF, YET NHTSA HAS BEEN RECEIVING REGULAR COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM. INITIALLY THE DRAWDOWN WAS DIAGNOSED BY FORD AS RELATING TO RHE CRUISE CONTROL RECALL. GUESS WHAT? THAT'S FIXED BUT THE FRYING OF THE BATTERY SAVER RELAY AND BATTERY DRAWDOWN CONTINUE. I DID NOT APPRECIATE DALE AT THE FORD CONSUMER RELATIONSHIP NUMBER REFERRING ME TO A FORD DEALERSHIP IN CARSON CITY, I'M SURE IF I DROVE THE VEHICLE FROM HAWAII THE LEAK WOULD GET WORSE. MEANWHILE, WHAT IS NHTSA DOING ABOUT COMPLAINTS YOU'VE BEEN RECEIVING FOR YEARS? THIS DEFECT IS WELL DOCUMENTED AND CAUSED INJURIES AND ECONOMIC STRESS. WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE SOME ACTION?

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

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE VEHICLE LOST SPEED AND BEGAN TO BUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE. THE NUMBER 8, 7, 5, AND 4 ENGINE COILS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE NUMBER 7 & 5 COIL HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. UPDATED 07/25/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD LEAKED RAINWATER INTO THE VEHICLE AND THE DASH PANEL AREA. AFTERWARDS, THE POWER AND ELECTRICAL FEATURES DID NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED DUE TO THE HEAVY RAIN THE WINDSHIELD SEAL LEAKED AND THE WATER CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE OF THE CENTRAL JUNCTION BOX.

1. FORD FIRESTONE TIRE RECALL: 12/2/02 ALL TIRES REPLACED AS PER RECALL REQUIREMENTS. MILEAGE: 15750. 2. FRIDAY, 4/21/2006: DURING A ROAD TRIP THIS PAST WEEKEND, MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE SHREDDED. I HEARD THUDDING NOISES, PULLED OFF THE I-75, CHECKED AROUND MY 2001 FORD EXPEDITION, WAS UNABLE TO SEE ANYTHING WRONG. HOWEVER A FEW MILES LATER, I REALIZED SOMETHING WAS SERIOUSLY WRONG AND PULLED OFF OF THE FREEWAY. I CALLED 911 SOMETIME BETWEEN 3 AND 3:15 PM 4/21/06 FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. TIM THE TOWMAN TOWED MY VEHICLE OFF THE FREEWAY TO A NEARBY GAS STATION. THERE HE OBSERVED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD SHREDDED. THE SHREDDING PROCESS CAUSED DAMAGE AS FOLLOWS: A) RIGHT FRONT BUMPER NOW DANGLES BECAUSE SCREWS SHEARED OFF APPARENTLY; B) TIRE CASING NEEDS TO BE RESECURED, SINCE IT WAS FLAPPING. C) THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE AS WELL AS CABLES. EST. MILEAGE: 47600. 3. TIM THE TOWMAN REPLACED THE SHREDDED TIRE WITH MY FULL-SIZE SPARE. HE USED TWINE TO TEMPORARILY SUPPORT THE RF BUMPER. HE TEMPORARILY SECURED THE TIRE CASING. THE FOLLOWING MONDAY, I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER NO-SERVICE. THEY SAID THAT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WOULD NEED TO CORROBORATE MY STORY BEFORE THEY COULD DETERMINE WHETHER FORD WAS LIABLE TO REPLACE THE SHREDDED TIRE (AND POSSIBLY REPLACE ALL OF THE OTHERS, AS WELL), AND TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS NEEDED ON THE FRONT BUMPER AND CASING. THE TALLAHASSEE FORD DEALERSHIP HAS A POOR REPUTATION, SO I WAS PERMITTED TO TAKE MY EXPEDITION TO THE LINCOLN-MERCURY DEALERSHIP. AFTER HEARING MY STORY AND EXAMINING MY VEHICLE, THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT FORD OFFERED NO WARRANTY ON THE REPLACEMENT TIRES. EVEN IF THEY HAD REPLACED DEFECTIVE TIRES WITH DEFECTIVE TIRES, THEY DID NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. HE OFFERED TO GIVE ME A DISCOUNT ON MICHELIN TIRES (FOUR) TO REPLACE THE CONTINENTAL TIRES. HE SAID THERE WAS LITTLE TREAD LEFT ON THE REMAINING TIRES. THESE TIRES HAVE SLIGHTLY OVER 30,000 MILES ON THEM. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE AND OVER DRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AFTERWARDS, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT WAS RESTARTED HOWEVER, THE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. IT WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHICH DETERMINED THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 05/03/06 *JB

FORD EXPEDITION 2001 WINDSHIELD LEAKING THROUGH HAND HOLDS ON RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE. DIAGNOSED AS WINDSHIELD SEALANT FAILURE BETWEEN THE HAND AND THE GLASS OVER APPROXIMATELY 75% OF THE SEALANT BAND AREA. SOLUTION: REMOVE GLASS, STRIP ALL SEALANTS, PRIME BODY, PRIME GLASS, REPLACE GLASS (BROKEN DURING REMOVAL). *JB

SINCE PURCHASE I HAVE TRAVELED 80000 MILES AND HAVE REPLACED THE ROTORS 3 TIMES AND THE PADS 4 TIMES ON THE FRONT. THE MOST CURRENT TIME THE VEHICLE SHAKES SO BAD WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKE THAT I HAVE TO ALTER MY DRIVING WHILE STOPPING TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH OTHER VEHICLES. I HAVE PURCHASED THE HIGH HEAT ROTORS AND CERAMIC PADS TO HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE PARTS ON THE VEHICLE AND IT STILL EATS THEM UP TOO OFTEN. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ALL THREE OF THE MIDDLE ROW SEAT BELTS ARE INOPERABLE. TWO OF THE SEATBELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES HAVE COMPLETELY BROKEN APART. THE SPRINGS AND RELEASE BUTTONS EJECTED FROM THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. THE THIRD SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY FAILS TO FULLY LOCK. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 01V227001, REGARDING THE SEAT BELT: FRONT: BUCKLE ASSEMBLY HOWEVER THE MIDDLE ROW SEAT BELT HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL.