1996 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

WAS DRIVING A 1996 FORD EXPLORER ON DRY CONCRETE ON A 2 YEAR OLD (I.E., IN GREAT CONDITION) INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH. WAS DRIVING PERFECTLY STRAIGHT, NOT CHANGING LANES, NOTHING. SUDDENLY AND VIOLENTLY, THE VEHICLE SWERVED FIRST TO THE LEFT, THEN TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WENT OVER AN ICE HUMP ON THE SIDE OF THE RIGHT SHOULDER, WENT AIRBORNE, AND SLID TO A STOP IN THE DITCH. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, NO SEAT BELT BRUISES, SO VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE RUNOUT WAS CLEAR AND SMOOTH. THE 2 DRIVER-SIDE TIRES WERE FLAT AND NO LONGER MOUNTED ON THE RIMS. BOTH DRIVER-SIDE RIMS WERE BENT, BOTH DRIVER SIDE HUBS WERE BENT, REAR AXLE WAS BENT. ITEM OF NOTE -- THE TIRES WERE FINE, AND ARE STILL IN-USE ON THE VEHICLE AFTER REPAIRS WERE MADE. NO PATCHES WERE NECESSARY. DRIVER AND PASSENGER ARE ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE THAT THIS WAS A VEHICLE MALFUNCTION, NOT CAUSED BY DRIVER ERROR OR ROAD CONDITIONS. 2 REPAIR SHOPS (FORD DEALERSHIP AND INDEPENDENT SHOP) COULD FIND NO CAUSE FOR THE SWERVING. *JB

LIFTED THE HOOD OF THE TRUCK AND THE SUPPORTS FAILED. THE HOOD ALMOST CAME DOWN ON MY HEAD. *JB

MY 1996 FORD EXPLORER UNEXPECTEDLY WENT UP IN FLAMES BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 3 AM - 4 AM ON 12/27/2006. I WAS LATER INFORMED BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY THAT A DEFECTIVE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THIS TO OCCUR. *JB

FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE DURING WET/RAINING WEATHER. THE CONDITION IS INTERMITTENT, IE MOST WET CONDITIONS CAUSE THIS 'LOCK-UP' CONDITION. TURNING IGNITION OFF-AND-ON AGAIN IN ATTEMPT TO RESET FUNCTION DOES NOT WORK. IN ADDITION THE INTERIOR LIGHTS, REAR WIPER, ALL POWER WINDOWS, AND 4-WHEEL DRIVE FUNCTIONS FAIL. THE DEALERSHIP ENDED UP REPLACING THE, YOU GUESSED IT, GEM MODULE - THE SAME ONE CITED IN THE RECALL FOR OTHER YEAR VEHICLES. THERE IS A RECALL (NUMBER 00V072000) FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON THE SAME VEHICLE MAKE AND MODEL BUT FOR YEARS 1999 AND 2000. THIS IS A 1996 FORD EXPLORER 4X4 AND HAS EXHIBITED THIS PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, ONLY RECENTLY WAS THE DEALERSHIP ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE GEM MODULE WAS THE APPARENT CULPRIT. *NM

RECALL WITH BRIDGESTONE FIRESTONE **CC THE STATED HE HAD ALREADY REPLACED THE TIRES AT HIS EXPENSE. HE ATTEMPTED TO REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT, HOWEVER HE WAS DENIED TWICE. *JB

I HAD OPENED MY HOOD TO CHECK THE FLUID LEVELS AND THE TWO GAS SUPPORTS THAT HOLD IT UP FAILED AND THE HOOD ALMOST HIT ME IN THE HEAD. HAD I NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION IT WOULD HAVE CAME DOWN ON MY HEAD AND CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY. *JB

VEHICLE IS AN SUV WITH A REAR LIFTGATE / HATCH THAT RAISES UPWARDS WHEN OPEN. ON THIS DAY I WAS LOADING SOME ITEM IS THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE LIFTGATE SUDDENLY FELL AND STUCK ME ON THE HEAD. THE LIFTGATE IS NORMALLY SUPPORTED BY A GAS TYPE STRUT ON EACH SIDE. THERE ARE BALL TYPE PINS ATTACHED TO THE LIFTGATE AND THE BODY FOR THESE GAS STRUTS TO ATTACH TO. THE UPPER PIN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LIFT GATE SNAPPED OFF AND ALLOWED THE LIFTGATE TO FALL. IT APPEARS IT WAS RUSTING THROUGH, HOWEVER THERE IS NO OTHER RUST ON ANY PORTION OF THE LIFTGATE. ONLY ONE GAS TYPE STRUT WILL NOT SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE TAILGATE. IN ONLY TWO DAYS I HAVE FOUND FOUR OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH 1995 & 1996 EXPLORERS. *NM

ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT ON MY 1996 FORD EXPLORER STOPPED WORKING. THE CLIP WOULD OFTEN BECOME STUCK AND WOULD NEED TO BE PRIED OUT WITH A SCREWDRIVER OR SIMILAR OBJECT OR IT WOULD OCCASIONALLY JUST NOT CLIP IN AT ALL. FINALLY IT BECAME COMPLETELY STUCK AND THE WHOLE CLIP MECHANISM HAD TO BE TORN OUT. I WENT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AS WELL AS A BODY SHOP TO GET AN ESTIMATE ON FIXING IT AND BOTH SAID THAT IT WOULD BE $250.00 IN PARTS AND WOULD BE AROUND $300.00 TOTAL. WHEN I WENT TO A JUNKYARD TO FIND A REPLACEMENT SEATBELT, THEY SAID THAT THE '95 AND '96 EXPLORERS THEY HAD ALSO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM SO I HAD TO GET A REPLACEMENT SEATBELT FROM AN EARLIER MODEL AND THEN INSTALLED IT MYSELF. NOW THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT WON'T WORK EITHER. IT WON'T CLIP IN AT ALL. I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM YET. *JB

RUNNING TAILLIGHTS BECOME DIM THEN FAIL COMPLETELY WITH THE SMELL OF BURNT WIRING, COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD VICINITY. ON BOARD COMPUTER SHOWS NO FAILURE AND FRONT RUNNING/MARKER LIGHTS STILL OPERABLE. NO OTHER EXTERIOR LIGHTING FAILURE. *JB

ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING A NONE TO VERY LITTLE BAKING. 2ND TIME WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES CAUSING A REAR END COLLISION. *NM