1997 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

GENERAL AMERI-TRAC 255/70/R16 HAD A COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION FROM MAIN TIRE. IT BEGAN WHEN I NOTICED SUDDEN AND VIOLENT VIBRATION COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE WHILE DRIVING AT 60MPH ON HIGHWAY 82 IN MONTANA. I IMMEDIATELY SLOWED DOWN, PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE TIRE TO FIND CHUNKS OF RUBBER FALLING OUT AND TREAD BULGING & WARPED. THIS TIRE (PROPER MOUNTED & BALANCED) HAS APPX 75% TREAD. I SLOWLY DROVE HOME AND PARKED THE VEHICLE. THE FOLLOWING DAY I WAS GOING TO REPLACE IT WITH THE SPARE. WHEN I WENT OUT THE NEXT MORNING THE TIRE HAD COMPLETELY GONE FLAT. A CLOSER LOOK REVEALED OVER NIGHT THE TIRE HAD EXPLODED WITH THE TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE AROUND 1/5 OF ITS CIRCUMFERENCE. THE STEEL BELTS STILL ATTACHED TO THE LIFTED PART OF THE TREAD. I WAS LUCKY THIS DIDN'T EXPLODE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.. AS GOING 60MPH ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY (ONE LANE EACH WAY) THAT IS HEAVILY USED BY LOGGING TRUCKS GOING 70+MPH COULD HAVE LEAD TO A DEVASTATING AND TRAGIC ACCIDENT. AN INCIDENT OF THIS NATURE ON ICY ROADS IN WINTER WOULD HAVE ONLY INCREASED THE LIKELY-HOOD OF A FATALITY. I'M NOT SURE IF THIS TIRE IS AN ISOLATED DEFECTIVE ITEM OR IF ALL THE 255/70 R16 AMERI-TRAC TIRES ARE BAD, BUT I CERTAINLY WANT THIS DEFECTIVE TIRE REPLACED BY GENERAL AS NO TIRE OF THIS POOR OF QUALITY SHOULD LEGALLY BE ON THE ROAD. IT WOULD BE LIKE ALLOWING BRAKE MANUFACTURERS TO SELL BRAKES SYSTEMS THAT ARE KNOWN TO FAIL OR ALLOWING STEERING WHEEL MANUFACTURERS TO SELL STEERING WHEELS THAT ARE KNOWN TO FALL OFF WHILE DRIVING. IF HEAVY PENALTIES AND FINES WERE GIVEN TO THESE COMPANIES (THAT HAVE WEAK INSPECTION PROCEDURES) FOR EACH DEFECTIVE INCIDENT, MAYBE THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THESE TIRES TO BE SOLD... JUST BECAUSE THEY WISH TO CUT COSTS ON QUALITY CONTROL ISSUES AND HELP THEIR BOTTOM LINE PROFITS. THE AMERICAN PUBLIC AND ESPECIALLY FAMILIES WITH SMALL CHILDREN DESERVE BETTER, SAFER AND HIGHER STANDARDS IN THIS INDUSTRY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND NOTICED CORROSION UNDERNEATH THE UNDERCARRIAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT, THE TIRES TURNED TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. WHILE DRIVING OVER A SPEED BUMP, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 192,000.

THE VEHICLE WOULD THEN NOT BE ABLE TO SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION FROM ONE OF THE DRIVE GEAR POSITIONS INTO THE PARK POSITION EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR WOULD INDICATE "PARK. HAVE ACCIDENT, THE CAR ROLL OVER TO ANOTHER CAR, I CAN"T PARK DOWN HILL IS TO DANGERS, IS NOT SAFETY . *TR

THE VEHICLE WOULD THEN NOT BE ABLE TO SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION FROM ONE OF THE DRIVE GEAR POSITIONS INTO THE PARK POSITION EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR WOULD INDICATE "PARK. HAVE ACCIDENT, THE CAR ROLL OVER TO ANOTHER CAR, I CAN"T PARK DOWN HILL IS TO DANGERS, IS TOT SAFETY . *TR

SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT. ON MY TRIP FROM VA TO PA SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT WHILE ON I95 IN DELAWARE A SNOWSTORM ABOUT TO START AND I GOT STRANDED. NO PART STORE HAS ANY ANSWERS, AUTO REPAIR SHOPS WANT TO CHANGE $300+ DOLLARS TO FIX. THERE IS A REPAIR KIT THAT CANNOT BE BOUGHT IN ANY AUTO PART STORE ONLY ONLINE. MY TRUCK IS YET IN PA CAN'T AFFORD HAVING IT TOWED BACK TO VA.. HAD TO GET A RENTAL TO COME BACK HOME. FORD NEEDS TO DO THE RIGHT THING HERE. *JS

ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ON MY 97 FORD EXPEDITION LIGHTS FLASHING RADIO ON AND OFF BY ITSELF. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR CHILD SAFETY LOCK ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK STRAP SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE DUE TO RUSTING OF THE SUB FRAME AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 260.000. UPDATED 9/4/14*CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK STRAP BECAME SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE DUE TO RUSTING OF THE SUB FRAME AREA. THE AREA THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE STRAP TO THE SECURE THE FUEL TANK WAS THE AFFECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 260,000. UPDATED 09/05/14*LJ