1998 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

LOCAL FORD REPRESENTATIVE CONTACT BY DEALER AND MYSELF IN WRITING AS WELL AS FORD MOTORE CO IN WRITING.F.M.C. CONTACTED ME BY PHONE ON 8/16/2001 AND WILL NOT AUTHORIZE FURTHER REPAIRS UNTIL A PENCIL CAN BE PASSED THROUGH RUSTED DOOR PANELS (4).WILL NOT COVER ANY ISSUES ONCE THE 5 YR UNLIMITED MILEAGE WARRANTY BUMPER TO BUMPER CORROSION COVERAGE HAS EXPIRED.COPIES OF DOCUMENTATION TO FORD REP AND F.M.C. ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.*AK

BLOW OUT PROBLEM SIMILAR TO THOSE REPORTED FOR FIRESTONE TIRES. TREAD SEPARATION. 8/32 LEFT ON TIRE AT TIME OF FAILURE.*AK (DOT NUMBER: M6T6 WDOR TIRESIZE: P265/70R17)

VEHICLE WAS IN GARAGE WHEN I OPENED DRIVERS DOOR AND STOOD ON RUNNING BOARD TO GAIN ENTRY. WHEN I PUT PRESSURE DOWN THERE WAS A POP NOISE AND THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF THE VEHICLE DROPPED DOWN. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND DIAGNOSED AS A LEFT TORSION BAR FAILURE. I HAD THE DEALER GIVE ME THE BROKEN PART AND IT IS OBVIOUS EVEN TO MY UNTRAINED EYE THAT IT HAD A MANUFACTURING FLAW. THE END OF THE TORSION BAR HAD A HOLE INIT WHERE MOISTURE COLLCTED CAUSING IT TO CORRODE AND EVENTUALLY FAIL BY SNAPING IN TWO. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY DIDN'T SEEM TOO CONCERNED. THEIR ONLY RESPONSE WAS A CUSTOMER COMMENT CARD IN THE MAIL. I THINK THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A CATASROPHIC ACCIDENT AS THIS VEHICLE IS DESIGNED TO CARRY EIGHT PEOPLE AND PULL RECREATIONAL VEHICLES. IT WORRIES ME AND MY WIFE THAT IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AND I THINK SOME RESEARCH ON WHERE THIS PART WAS MADE AND IF IT IS MADE WITH INFERIOR METERIAL OR WORKMANSHIP. HOW MANY MORE EXPEDITIONS ARE OUT THERE WITH TORSION BARS THAT COULD SNAP AT ANY TIME?.

WE PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 1998 FORD EXPEDITION IN NOVEMBER OF 1997. THE CAR CAME STANDARD WITH A 3 YEAR "BUMPER-TO-BUMBER" WARRENTY. OUR 3 YEAR WARRANTY EXPIRED IN NOVEMBER OF 2000. ON JULY 19, 2001, WE EXPERIENCED A MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH OUR VEHICLE AND HAD IT TOWED TO THEODORE ROBINS-FORD IN COSTA MESA, CA. THEY,THEODORE ROBINS INFORMED US THAT ONE OF THE ENGINES CYLINDERS WAS NOT WORKING. NOW, OUR CAR IS A LITTLE LESS THAN 4 YEARS OLD AND HAS ONLY 21,000 MILES ON IT. THEODORE ROBINS-FORD IS REFUSING TO FIX THE CAR FREE OF CHARGE. THE TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS IS ABOUT $1900. THEODORE ROBINS-FORD MAINTAINS THE POINT-OF-VIEW THAT THE WARRENTY HAS EXPIRED. THEY ARE WILLING TO CHARGE US $495 THAT WOULD EXTEND OUR WARRENTY FROM NOVEMBER OF 2000 UNTIL NOVEMBER OF 2002. THIS $495 AMOUNT WILL COVER THE COST OF FIXING THE CAR.*AK

THIS IS A REPORT ABOUT A NEAR CRASH WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A TIRE BLOWOUT. *AK (DOT NUMBER: ? TIRESIZE: RT/S)

CONSUMER WAS SITTING IN A DRIVE-THRU AND HAD PUT VEHICLE IN PARK WHEN IT EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CONSUMER STATES IT STARTED SHAKING AND MAKING A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE, THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK AND VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE GUARD POST, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CONSUMER SUFFERED A MILD CONCUSSION, FORD STATES THEY CAN NOT FIND ANY CAUSE FOR THE PROBLEM AND CAN NOT HELP CONSUMER ANY FURTHER. *SLC

WHEN DRIVING AT 35MPH VEHICLE WAS BROADSIDED, CAUSING IT TO GO AIRBORNE, DAMAGING FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

VEHICLE DOES NOT HANDLE THE WAY IT SHOULD, IT ACTS LIKE IT'S OUT OF ALIGNMENT AT ALL TIMES. DOES NOT GO WHERE CONSUMER STEERS IT, AND DOES NOT HANDLE WELL. VEHICLE NOT TAKEN TO DEALER YET. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED THE #3 SPARK PLUG ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF VEHICLE DETONATED, STRIPPING THE SPARK PLUG THREADS AND INCAPACITATING THE VEHICLE. THE FORD DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE US $2000 TO FIX WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY A KNOWN DEFECT. FORD REDESIGNED THE SPARK PLUG HOUSING WITH A REDUCED NUMBER OF THREADS RESULTING IN THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THIS DEFECT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTENTED ON A NUMBER OF MESSAGE BOARDS. *AK

WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT ABOUT 20 MPH, IT DROPED INTO 4 WHEEL LOW RANGE COMPLETELY ON ITS OWN. THE DASH SWITCH WAS STILL IN 2 WHEEL DRIVE. THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SCREAMING AND GRINDING GEARS AND WOULD NOT COME OUT OF 4 WHEEL LOW. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. AFTER REPORTING THESE NHTSA COMPLAINTS AND SERVICE BULLETINS ABOUT THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM, AND PROVIDING THE SERVICE MANAGER WITH COPIES, THEY SUDDENLY FOUND THE PROBLEM. THEY ARE REPLACING ALL THE COMPONENTS INCLUDING "MODE SWITCH" GEM MODULE, 4X4 SHIFT MOTOR. THEY'LL ALSO CHECK ALL CONNECTIONS, CHANGE ALL FLUIDS INCLUDING TRANSFER CASE AND TRANSMISSION. WE'VE BEEN ASSURED THIS WILL RESOLVE THE SITUATION. WE'LL SUBMIT A FOLLOW-UP REPORT IF PROBLEM RECURS.