2000 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

ON THE MORNING OF 6 JAN 2004, MY KIDS AND I WERE ON A ROUTINE TRIP TO THE GYM. THIS GYM IS ONLY A FEW MILES FROM OUR HOME. OUR 2000 FORD EXPEDITION WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND STAYED AT 30 MPH EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT HAVE THE CRUISE CONTROL ON. WHEN I TRIED TO STOP AT SEVERAL RESIDENTIAL STOP SIGNS NEAR THE GYM, THE EXPEDITION WOULD NOT BRAKE AND PROCEEDED TO RUN THROUGH THE STOP SIGNS. THE EXPEDITION WOULD NOT STOP AND STAYED STUCK ON 30 MPH. I CALLED 911 FOR ASSISTANCE. THE OPERATOR TOLD ME TO PUT MY PARKING BRAKE ON, AND I DID. WHEN THIS ACTION DID NOT STOP THE CAR, SHE SUGGESTED THAT I SHIFT TO A LOWER GEAR. I DID, AND STILL THE EXPEDITION WOULD NOT STOP. I HAD TO DRIVE DOWN A STEEP HILL WITHOUT THE PROTECTION OF BRAKES. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL WAS A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT AN INTERSECTION. I COULD NOT STOP OR SLOW DOWN. I HAD TO TURN RIGHT GOING STILL 30 MPH. I COULD ONLY HONK MY HORN TO CALL THE ATTENTION OF ONCOMING CARS TO THE FACT THAT I WAS COMING AND THAT I COULD NOT STOP. AFTER MAKING THE RIGHT TURN, THE OPERATOR ASKED ME IF WE WERE SLOWING DOWN AT ALL. I REPLIED NO AND THAT THE EXPEDITION REMAINED AT 30 MPH AND WAS NOT SLOWING DOWN. ABOUT ONE MINUTE AFTER HER QUESTION, JUST LIKE THAT, THE CAR SLOWED DOWN AND STOPPED. THE EAST PEORIA POLICE OFFICERS (WHO BY THIS TIME WERE ON THE SCENE) TOLD ME TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND I DID. THEY DROVE THE EXPEDITION TO THE SIDE OF THE STREET FOR ME. IT WAS THE SINGLE MOST TERRIFYING MOMENT OF MY LIFE. AFTER THE INCIDENT TWO SEPARATE MECHANICS FROM TWO DIFFERENT BUSINESSES CONCLUDED THAT THE BRAKES WERE FINE. MY HUSBAND HAS CONTACTED FORD AND THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. BOTH HAVE DENIED KNOWING OF ANY SUCH PREVIOUS INCIDENTS (WHICH ARE CLEARLY DOCUMENTED IN THIS FORUM). AS OF TODAY, FORD HAS TAKEN NEITHER RESPONSIBILITY OR ACTION. THE DEALERSHIP HAS DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL AND WILL KEEP IT NEXT WEEK FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS TO RUN DIAGNOSTIC TESTING ON IT. COMPLAINT BY CRISTINA PATE, EAST PEORIA, IL *LA

SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT WITH NO WARNING AND BEFORE RECOMMENDED TIME THEY WERE TO BE REPLACED. THREADS WERE STRIPPED. HEAD ALONG WITH RELATED COMPONENTS HAVE TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WE PARKED OUR 2000 FORD EXPEDITION XLT IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE AFTER DRIVING IT APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES TOWING OUR BOAT. WE ARRIVED AT OUR HOUSE AROUND 9:15PM. AT AROUND 10:30PM, MY NEIGHBOR KNOCKED ON MY DOOR AND TOLD ME THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. FLAMES WERE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THE LEFT-FRONT TIRE WAS ON FIRE. 2 NEIGHBORS AND I SPRAYED THE VEHICLE WITH GARDEN HOSES UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. THEY HAD TO RIP THE HOOD OFF THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. AFTER INSPECTING THE BURN DAMAGE, THE FIREMAN INDICATED THAT THE FIRE STARTED ON TOP OF THE ENGINE AND WAS PROBABLY DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. HE ALSO STATED THERE WAS NO SIGN OF MALICIOUS ACTIVITY. THE ADJUSTER WILL NOT COME OUT UNTIL MONDAY, BUT THE FIREMAN INDICATED THAT IT WOULD MOST LIKELY BE TOTALLED.*AK

WITHOUT WARNING SPARE TIRE ASSEMBLY FAILED, CAUSING THE SPARE TIRE TO COME UNATTACHED FROM THE ASSEMBLY. DRIVER PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO GET THE SPARE TIRE FROM OUT OF THE STREET. *AK

THE REPLACEMENT GOODYEAR TIRE ON THE PASSENGER REAR SIDE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT ON THE HIGHWAY .*AK

THE SPARE TIRE WHICH IS MOUNTED UNDER THE BODY OF MY 2000 FORD EXPEDITION FELL OFF WHILE I WAS ON AN ENTRANCE RAMP OF AN EXPRESSWAY. FORTUNATELY, THE ERRANT SPARE TIRE DID NOT HIT THE CARS BEHIND ME. THE TIRE WAS HELD BY A STEEL CABLE THAT BROKE. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, AND NOT SWEPT UNDER THE RUG. THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT FIX IT WITHOUT PAYMENT. I NOTIFIED THE CORP CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR FORD. GOT THE RUNAROUND, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD FORWARD TO THE ENGINEERING DEPT. I KNOW THAT THIS SAME ISSUE HAPPENED TO A FRIEND OF MINE. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. *LA

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SHIFT CABLE FAILURE. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE SHIFT LEVER BECAME DIFFICULT TO SHIFT, ALSO, DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO INDICATE WHAT GEAR THE VEHICLE WAS IN. THE CABLE WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED. THERE WAS RECALL ON 97 V 171 000 ON THIS ISSUE, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. *AK

AIR BAG LIGHT INDICATOR FLASHES THEN IT STAYS ON. THIS ACTION OCCURS ONLY WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES, AND WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR ONE WEEK. POLICE REPORT AND PICTURES WERE AVAILABLE. *AK

AFTER TAKING MY 2000 FORD EXPEDITION FOR A ROUTINE TRANSMISSION SERVICE AND BRAKE JOB AT AL PACKER WEST IN ROYAL PALM BEACH, FL, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT APPROXIMATELY FIVE TO SEVEN MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS SERVICED. I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. IN ORDER FOR THEM TO REPAIR IT, I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $529 AFTER I HAD JUST PAID THEM #300 FOR THE ROUTINE SERVICE AND BRAKE JOB. I LIVE 35 MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP, AND DROVE HAVING NO PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN I PICKED IT UP; HOWEVER, MY TRANSMISSION FAILED. AFTER RESEARCHING WITH OTHER MECHANICS, I FEEL THAT IT WAS THEIR ERROR AND THEIR PRODUCTS LIABILITY INSURANCE SHOULD HAVE COVERED THE EXPENSES. *LA