1997 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

NHTSA HAS AN ONGOING PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION SINCE JULY ON THIS ISSUE. THIS IS FOR 1997-1998 FORD EXPEDITIONS, THEY HAVE ALREADY RE-CALLED FORD EXPLORERS AND MOUNTAINEERS FOR THIS PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

FRONT SWAY BAR WAS DISCONNECTED ON RIGHT SIDE. RIGHT SIDE LINK MISSING AND LEFT SIDE WORN OUT. *AK

I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR OF THE EXPEDITION SINCE WE STARTED LEASING IT ON 3/30/00. I HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK IN NUMEROUS TIMES LETTNG THEM KNOW THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE. I EITHER WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS FOUND. WELL, EVENTUALLY THINGS STARTED TO GO WRONG WITH IT. BALL JOINT, BLOW OUT TIRE AND EXT. I HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK IN TO CANDY FORD OVER THIS ISSUE OVER 6 TIMES AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. I RECENTLY TOOK IT IN TO GOODYEAR TO CHECK THE TIRES ON IT TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ITH AND THEY SAID THE RIGHT REAR AXLE WAS BENT. SO I HAVE CONTACTED CANDY FORD AGAIN AND THEY HAVE THE TRUCK KNOW LOOKING AT IT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW THESE DEALERS CAN SELL YOU OR LEASE YOU SOMETHING WITH IT HAVE BEEN DAMAGED WITHOUT INFORMING YOU OF THIS BEFORE SALE IS COMPLETE. I FELL THIS DEALER SHIP HAS PUT MY FAMILY IN SEVER DANGER BY ALLOWING ME AND MY FAMILY TO DRIVE AROUND IN THIS VECHILE. I DO NOT FEEL THAT I'M SAFE DRIVING THIS VECHILE NO MATTER THE WORK THEY MIGHT DO TO IT. THERE HAVE BEEN TO MANY THINGS THAT HAVE GONE WRONG WITH IT AND STILL GOING WRONG WITH IT.

THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. CONSUMER LOOKED UNDERNEATH, AND NOTICED THAT LEFT SWAY BAR WAS BROKEN. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

VEHICLE SWAYS LEFT TO RIGHT AT ANY SPEED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN DEALER FOR REPAIRS, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT BOTH FRONT BUSHINGS POPPED OFF. MECHANIC STATED IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AT THAT SHOP.*AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING AND IT WAS RAINING, HEATER FAN AND RADIO WOULD TURN ON INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD COME ON DURING OPERATION OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THERE WAS WATER IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. GEM MODULE(FUSE SYSTEM) WAS FAULTY, AND WAS BEING REPLACED. *AK *TT

SIDE MIRRORS CONTAIN EMBEDDED TURN INDICATORS. ASSEMBLY IS FAULTY CAUSING MIRROR TO BECOME UNUSABLE WHEN LIGHT SHINES DIRECTLY IN, I.E. WHEN THE SUN IS SHINING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. GLUE, ASSEMBLY COMPONENTS, ETC. BECOME VISIBLE THROUGH MIRRORED SURFACE. *AK

IT TOOK SOME TIME BEFORE I COULD DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE SQUEAK BECAUSE IT WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. THE OEM PITMAN ARM IS A SEALED UNIT WITH INSUFFICENT LUBRICATION & NO PROVISION FOR LUBRICATION. THIS IS A STEERING COMPONENT & SHOULD BE RECALLED. ALL STEERING & SUSPENSION MOVING COMPONENTS SUCH AS TIE-ROD ENDS & BALL JOINTS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE PROVISIONS FOR LUBRICATION. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED BUT I HAVE OBSERVED SEVERAL VEHICLES OF THE SAME MODEL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM DURING PARKING LOT TURNS. THIS IS A STEERING COMPONENT & SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL, NOT A TSB. THERE IS NO SAFE SUBSTITUTE FOR PROPER VEHICLE MAINTENANCE, NO MATTER WHAT THE MANUFACTURERS TELL YOU ABOUT SEALED COMPONENTS. MOVING PARTS WITH GREASE FITTINGS ARE SEALED ALSO. IF FACTORY SEALED COMPONENTS WITHOUT GREASE FITTINGS WERE ADEQUATE THEN THE BEARING HUBS ON MY BOAT TRAILER WOULDN'T HAVE GREASE FITTINGS. I HAVE BEEN AN ASE MASTER TECHNICIAN SINCE 1977.*AK

THE VEHICLE STARTED GROANING WHENEVER YOU TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL, CONSUMER STATES HE LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND SAW THAT THERE WAS GREASE SMEARED AROUND SEVERAL LINKAGES, IN WHICH HE BELIEVES WAS A TEMPORARY FIX TO SELL THE VEHICLE.*YH

WHEN I WENT TO REPLACE THE BRAKES AND ROTORS ON OUR 97 EXPEDITION WITH 71000 MILES, I CAME TO FIND OUT THAT BOTH FRONT ROTORS WHERE RUSTED TO THE WHEEL HUBS. I HAD TO SPEND AN ADDITIONAL $300 TO BUY NEW WHEEL HUBS.*AK