2001 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

THE COMPLAINT WAS SENT VIA E-MAIL. I RECENTLY HAD A NEAR ACCIDENT WHILE TRAVELING. THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN LOCKED UP AND SLAMMED OUT OF GEAR. LUCKILY I HAD JUST EXITED OFF A BUSY HIGHWAY, AND WAS SPARED A POSSIBLE DEADLY ACCIDENT. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP I WAS TOLD THE SPRAG CLUTCH HAD GONE OUT, AND THE METAL SHAVINGS WERE ALL IN THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A KNOWN ISSUE BY FORD AND AMONG THE REPAIRS SHOPS. THE DEFECT IS IDENTIFIED WITHIN A SPECIFIC 6 MONTHS TIME FRAME OF PRODUCTION. THEY SAID THAT THE NEW FORD REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN MODIFIED TO FIX THIS KNOWN DEFECT IN THE SPRAG CLUTCH.*AK

RE DEFECTIVE GENERAL "GRABBER AW" SUV TIRES. *BF DEFECT NUMBER COULD NOT BE FOUND. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO BE REINBURSED FOR THE COST OF REPLACING VEHICLE TIRES. *TC

SPARE TIRE CABLE BROKE UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH OR LESS, CAUSING THE SPARE TIRE TO ROLL INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

BEGINING IN THE FALL OF 2003 MY 2001 FORD EXPEDITION WITH THE 4.6L ENGINE BEGAIN TO MAKE A TICKING SOUND AT START UP (WHEN ENGINE IS COLD). I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY HAVE HEARD THE SOUND, BUT THEY HAVE OFFERED NO REASONABLE EXPLANATION OF THE CAUSE OR NATURE OF THE PROBLEM AND THE POTENTIAL DAMAGE IT MAY CAUSE. THERE ARE SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETINS, INCLUDING 03256, THAT NOTED THIS PROBLEM.*AK

REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED. CONSUMER TRIED TO UNLOCK THE SEAT BELT FROM THE BELT BUCKLE AND WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THEREFORE, CONSUMER CUT THE SEAT BELT IN PIECES. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT THE DEALER IN THE NEAR FUTURE. *AK

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED AN INSPECTION LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO HAVE THE TIE RODS INSPECTED. THE CONSUMER LATER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND ASKED WHY? SINCE THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 68,000 MILES ON IT AND WHY SHOULD THE TIE RODS BE SUSPECT TO FAILURE AT ONLY 68,000 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER FAILED TO COMMENT. THE CONSUMER IS NOW TERRIFIED IN FEAR THAT THE VEHICLE MAY HAVE PROBLEMS THAT COULD EFFECT THE CHILDREN. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

THE LEFT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED A TREAD SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH WITH TWO ADULTS IN A FORD, EXPLORER 2001. THE PROBLEM WAS NOTICED WHEN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS WOBBLING, AND SOMETHING WAS FLAPPING AGAINST THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE 275/60R17, AND DOT #ADT044T0101. TIRE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING FROM LA TO OH WE EXPERIENCED TIRE TREAD SEPARATION ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE WHILE GOING 70 MILES AN HOUR ON THE HWY.THE TIRES ARE ORIGINAL TO THE 2001 EXPEDITION.CONTINENTAL ISSUED A RECALL ON CERTAIN P275/60R17 TIRES ON 2000 & 2001 EXPEDITIONS AND NAVIGATORS.THE RECALL WAS ISSUED DUE TO POTENTIAL TREAD DETACHMENT OR SEPARATION.WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RECALL AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR I HAD THE TIRES CHECKED AND FOUND THEY WERE NOT PART OF THE RECALL.AFTER OUR TREAD SEPARATION AND NUMEROUS CALLS TO CONTI'S CORPORATE OFFICE IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND LAST TIME SPEAKING WITH SUPERVISOR(WHO WOULD NOT GIVE ME HIS LAST NAME) I PERSONALLY WAS TOLD THAT CONTI WOULD REPLACE THE TIRE WITH TREAD SEPARATION (PRO RATED) BUT NOT THE REMAINING TIRES ON THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY AREN'T DEFECTIVE.I TOLD HIM I DID NOT FEEL SAFE HAVING THESE TIRES ON MY VEHICLE ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE 1040 MILE TRIP HOME BUT WAS TOLD "NO REPLACEMENTS". WHEN I ASKED HOW THE TIRE COULD JUST SUDDENLY HAVE TREAD SEPARATION, I WAS TOLD THAT IN THE SUMMER WHEN TIRES HEAT UP THIS CAN HAPPEN.HE TOLD ME THAT IF I STILL FELT UNSAFE WITH THEN TO TAKE THEM TO EITHER A LOCAL FORD DEALER OR TO A TIRE DEALER.WE TOOK THE TRUCK TO BOTH AND WERE TOLD THAT SORT OF SEPARATION IS RARE & UNUSUAL.THE FORD DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH CONTI TO BUT WAS TOLD THE BEST "DEAL" WOULD ONLY GIVE 25% OFF NEW TIRES AND NOT REPLACE THEM TOTALLY (NOT EVEN THE DEFECTIVE TIRE). THE GENERAL GRABBER AW P275/60R17'S HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED AND ANOTHER BRAND WIL HAVE TO BE SUBSTITUTED.I THINK THAT THESE TIRES PRESENT A SAFETY HAZARD TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO MAY UNKNOWINGLY HAVE THEM THINK THEY ARE SAFE BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT PART OF THE RECALL.I FEEL THAT OTHERS NEED TO BE INFORMED OF THIS HAZARD AND OF CONTI'S UNWILLINGNESS TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION. NOW WHILE MY FAMILY AND I WERE LUCKY THAT WHEN THE SEPARATION OCCURED WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT OTHERS MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY.*AK

TRUCK SHOCKS/ SPRINGS ARE NO GOOD. VERY SQUEECKY FRONT TIRES. HARD TO CONTROL AFTER HITTING A BUMP OR POT HOLE AT THE LOWEST OF SPEEDS. *AK

DEFECTIVE GENERAL GRABBER AW SUV TIRES.*MR THE CONSUMER'S EXPERIENCED A TIRE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE RETAILER AND THE REPAIRMAN NOTICED A SEPARATION BETWEEN THE TREAD RIBS WAS FORMING. A REPLACEMENT OF THE SAME TIRE WAS NOT AVAILABLE THEREFORE THE TECHNICIAN MOVED THE TIRE TO THE SPARE AREA. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER THE CONSUMER OBSERVED A LARGE SECTION OF THE TIRE MISSING DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LOCATE A GENERAL DEALER THE CONSUMER CAME ACROSS A RECALL FOR GENERAL GRABBER AW TIRES (02T-012000). THE SERVICE ADVISOR STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. *NM