1998 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

WHILE DRIVING OUR EXPEDITION ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATLY 55 MILES PER HOUR, OVER SMOOTH DRY ROAD CONDITIONS SUDDENLY THE RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPLODED, I FELT THE TRUCK LIFT UP A LITTLE THEN WE COULD HEAR THE RIM SCRAPING ON THE ROAD. I PULLED OVER IMEDIATLY AND COULD SEE THAT THE TIRE LOOKED AS THOUGH IT HAD DISINTEGRATED. AFTER CHANGING IT WITH THE SPARE TIRE I TOOK IT STRAIGHT TO THE DEALER WHERE I HAD BOUGHT THE TRUCK, THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO CALL BACK LATER IN THE WEAK TO TALK TO AN REPRESENTATIVE SO I CALLED THEM BACK ON MONDAY AND THEY TOLD ME I MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING AND THATS WHAT MUST HAVE HAPPEND. I TOLD THEM NO I DID NOT AND THAT I AM A CAREFULL DRIVER YOU SEE MY WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN WHERE ALSO IN THE CAR WITH ME AT THE TIME,BESIDES I WOULD HAVE SEEN OR HEARD THE NOISE IF I HAD HIT SOMETHING. THEY WHERE VERY RUDE TO ME. THEN I TOLD MY WIFE WHAT THEY SAID AND SHE WAS VERY UPSET WITH THEM ( KORUM FORD ) SHE CALLED AND COMPLAINED AND GOT VERY ANGRY WITH THEM OVER THE PHONE AND THEY HUNG UP ON HER, SO WE SENT A LETTER TO FORD MOTOR CO . I THEN TOOK THE TIRE TO GOODYEAR AND THEY AT LEAST TREATED ME WITH SOME RESPECT THEY SAID THE TIRE COULD BE SENT OUT FOR INDEPENDENT STUDY WHICH IF IT SHOWED NO DEFECT IN THE TIRE THEN I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FULL PRICE OR THEY COULD SIMPLY DISCOUNT A NEW TIRE BY 50% SINCE IT WAS A QUESTIONABLE CAUSE. THE GOODYEAR DEALER TOLD ME IN HIS OPINION THE TIRE FORD USES IS TOO LIGHT FOR SUCH A BIG TRUCK, THE EXPEDITION FALLS JUST UNDER THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT LIMIT FOR THE TIRE AND SINCE IT IS A TALL VEHICLE IT LEANS A LOT AROUND CORNERS PUTTING A LOT OF STRESS ON THE TIRE.THEN I REMEMBERED THAT WHEN THE TIRE BLEW I HAD JUST COME OUT OF SOME S CURVES IN THE ROAD. WHEN THE TIRE BLEW IT ALSO DAMAGED THE RIM WHICH IS A $350 DOLLAR RIM AND THE COST OF A NEW TIRE IT WAS ABOUT $500 DOLLARS!! A BIT EXPENCIVE FOR A BLOW OUT . BUT AT LEAST NO ONE WAS HURT ! HAD I NOT BEEN ATTENTIVE TO MY DRIVING WE COULD HAVE CRASHED INTO THE FULLSIZE VAN N

PE00-020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH AND REAR SIDE DRIVER'S TIRE SEPARATED FROM RIM. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED, AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES.*AK

THE FUEL TANK IS PLACED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN UP HILL (OR IS PARKED FACING UP HILL) THE FUEL GAUGE WILL REGISTER UP TO A QUARTER TANK MORE THAN ON A FLAT SURFACE, AND WHEN TRAVELLING DOWN HILL (OR WHEN PARKED FACING DOWN HILL) THE GAS GAUGE WILL REGISTER UP TO A QUARTER TANK LESS THAN ON A FLAT SURFACE. THE RESULT IS THAT WHEN TRAVELLING OR BEING PARKED ON A DOWN HILL SURFACE THE VEHICLE WILL EITHER NOT START OR RUN OUT OF GAS, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A QUARTER TANK OF GASOLINE. I CONTACTED A FORD DEALER IN GLENDALE WHEN I FIRST EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY ONLY RESPONDED THAT THIS IS THE VEHICLE'S DESIGN. THE DEALER ALSO PROVIDED ME WITH A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ACKNOWLEDGING FORD'S KNOWLEDGE OF THE GAS TANK FLUCTUATION PROBLEM. THE REASON I AM NOW, AND ONCE AGAIN, MAKING THIS AN ISSUE IS THAT I RECENTLY, DUE TO THE GAS TANK FLUCTUATION, RAN OUT OF GAS WHILE DRIVING DOWN HILL, DESPITE A QUARTER TANK READING ON THE GAS GAUGE WHILE TRAVELLING ON A LEVEL SURFACE. I STRONGLY URGE NHTSA TO PERFORM A SAFETY ANALYSIS ON THIS GAS TANK DEFECT. A VEHICLE WHICH BECOMES INOPERATIVE WHILE DRIVING DOWN HILL IS TRULY AN UNSAFE VEHICLE.

PE00020; TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH DRIVER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. DRIVER CONTINUED TO DRIVE. EXPEDITION DID NOT SHAKE, AND THERE WAS NO LOSS OF CONTROL. AFTER LOOKING AT THE TIRE, OWNER SAW THAT TWO CHUNKS OF TREAD WERE MISSING FROM TIRE. THIS WAS A FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS TIRE, 25570R16. NEW TIRE PURCHASED WITH THE EXPEDTION. FIRESTONE HAS BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT THE TIRE. FIRESTONE IS WILLING TO REPLACE TIRE. *AK

WHILE DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL HEARD LOUD NOISE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WANT TO SEE IF DEALER SOLD ME A WRECKED OR DAMAGED VEHICLE. HAVING MINOR PROBLEMS WITH CAR AND I HAVE SOME "BUBBLES" IN THE HOOD WHICH WOULD INDICATE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN THROUGH SOME KIND OF DAMAGE. REQUESTING FURTHER INFO TO MAKE SURE SO I CAN FEEL A LITTLE BETTER ABOUT THE PURCHACE. *AK

UNDER CABLE MOUNT FOR THE SPARE TIRE BROKE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING SPARE TO FALL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

CONSUMER AND 2 YEAR OLD CHILD WERE INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT, THE CHILDS SEAT BELT UNLATCHED AND HIS CAR SEAT COMPLETELY FLIPPED OVER. NLM

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE RECALL COMPONENT PRIOR TO NOTIFICATION (00V-073), BOLTS BECAME LOOSE AND PROBLEMS WITH TOWING AS A RESULT OF HITCH FAILURE. *MJS

WHILE DRIVING FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION DROPPED WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND CRASH. DEALER SAID THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE FRONT AND REAR AIR PUMP AUTOMATED LEVER RIDE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK