1999 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER WITH WILDERNESS TIRES, SIZE P255/70/R16. HE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. AS A CONSEQUENCE THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AND WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES. THE TIRE THAT FAILED WAS THE SPARE TIRE INSTALLED BY THE DEALER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 105,000.

THIS BOLT WAS REPLACED ON MY VEHICLE IN JAN 2004 AS PART OF THE RECALL. THE NEW BOLT THAT WAS INSTALLED FRACTURED CREATING A VERY SERIOUS CRASH RISK. FORD SAYS THEY WILL ONLY REPLACE ONCE. AUTO RECALL DATE: AUG 05, 2003 VEHICLE COMPONENT: SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER ESTIMATED VEHICLES AFFECTED: 1552880 MODEL AFFECTED 1999 FORD EXPLORER 1999 FORD EXPLORER DEFECT SUMMARY: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HIGH BACK SEATS, THE UPPER BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HIGH BACK SEAT, THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM TO THE SEAT BACK FRAME, COULD FRACTURE. IF THE BOLT FRACTURES AND DOES NOT JAM IN THE SEAT BACK FRAME, THE SEAT BACK MAY RECLINE UNTIL IT MAKES CONTACT WITH AN OBJECT BEHIND THE SEAT, SUCH AS THE SECOND ROW SEAT CUSHION. DEFECT CONSEQUENCE: THE DRIVER COULD POTENTIALLY LOSE CONTACT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL OR FOOT PEDALS DURING SUCH AN EVENT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. REMEDY: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER SEAT UPPER BOLT WITH A METAL SPACER AND BOLT. IN ADDITION, SEATS WITH TUBULAR BACK FRAMES WILL HAVE THE FULLY THREADED LOWER RECLINER BOLT REPLACED WITH A PARTIALLY THREADED BOLT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON AUGUST 29, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673. ESTIMATED VEHICLES AFFECTED: 1552880 NOTES: FORD MOTOR COMPANY 03S04. *TR

SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY,ALSO WHEN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED . THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME. HAVE NOT SEEN ANY RECALLS OF THIS MATTER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. WHEN THE CONTACT OPENED THE REAR HATCH, THE GLASS SUDDENLY EXPLODED EVERYWHERE. THERE WERE PIECES OF GLASS THAT WERE EIGHT INCHES IN DIAMETER. THE GLASS SHATTERED WITH SUCH GREAT FORCE THAT SOME OF THE PIECES STRUCK AND CRACKED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED POWDER BURNS TO THE FACE AND SHOULDERS, AS WELL AS SMALL CUTS. SHE HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER OR A MECHANIC, BUT THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT THEY WERE FAMILIAR WITH THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 143,077.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS WERE UTILIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V072000 AND WAS ABLE TO HAVE THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH REPLACED AGAIN AT THE MANUFACTURER'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE RECURRED A THIRD TIME, BUT THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO ASSUME LIABILITY SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 93,113.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HIGH BACK SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS. THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO RESUME DRIVING IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V281000 (SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND IS CURRENTLY NOT BEING DRIVEN. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 128,000.

1999 FORD EXPLORER SPORT 112,750 MILES. CAR FINE TUESDAY NIGHT. UPON LEAVING DRIVEWAY WEDNESDAY MORNING, REVERSE WAS GONE, BUT FORWARD GEARS FINE--NO NOISE, NO LEAKS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED. UPON LEAVING TO DRIVE TO GET IT DIAGNOSED FOR REPAIR, NOISES OCCURRED, THEN FLUID LEAKED. A COMPONENT BLEW A HOLE IN TRANSMISSION CASE. TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT. UPON RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, I FOUND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FOR THIS VEHICLE--MOSTLY 2002 MODELS, THOUGH ALL YEARS WERE REPRESENTED. MANY EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS PRIOR TO 50,000 MILES OF USE. APPARENTLY THIS VEHICLE IS CALLED "EXPLODER" BY REPAIR SHOPS AND FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENTS. A PROBLEM OF THIS MAGNITUDE CLEARLY NEEDS ADDRESSING,, AND IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE FORD MOTOR CO. WILL NOT DO IT, AS THEY HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND HAVE MADE NO MODIFICATIONS TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING--IT SEEMS THAT THEY SIMPLY DO NOT CARE TO TAKE THE TIME, MONEY AND EFFORT [MOSTLY THE MONEY, I'M SURE] TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM--THEY JUST WILL NOT CARE UNLESS FORCED TO--AND YOU ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN FORCE THEM TO DO SOMETHING. I AM LOOKING INTO STARTING A CLASS-ACTION SUIT PRESENTLY. PLEASE DO NOT MAKE IT NECESSARY TO CONTINUE.... *TR

NOISE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF CAR WAS SLIGHT UPON PURCHASE. SECOND DAY I RETURNED TO DEALER. DEALER REFUSED TO TAKE THE CAR BACK.. DEALER TOLD ME TO TAKE THE CAR TO THEIR REPAIR SHOP. REPAIR COMPANY STATED IT WAS AIR CONDITIONER AND TO UNHOOK AIR-CONDITIONER. I REFUSED. LATER THE TIRE BLEW OUT AND I REPLACED THE TIRE. A FEW MONTHS LATER THE SHIFTING OF THE CAT INTO PARK AND REVERSE BEGAN TO BECOME DIFFICULT. I ENDED UP STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR HAD A GAS TANK PROBLEM AS WELL; AS IF THE CAR MAY HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. I AM HAVING THE DMV CHECK INTO THIS MATTER AS THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED AND THE COMPANY STILL WANTS AN UNREASONABLE AMOUNT TO BE PAID TO THEM, WHILE OTHER DEALERS STATE IT WAS ONLY WORTH $1,000 AND ON "ITS LAST LEG". I PURCHASED THE CAR LAST FEBRUARY FOR $5,000. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT REMAIN OPEN IN A FIXATED POSITION. IF THE HOOD COLLAPSES ONTO A PERSON, HE OR SHE COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS THE FRONT HOOD LIFT CYLINDER. SHE HAS NOT HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,000. UPDATED 4/23/09 *CN UPDATED 04/28/09.*JB

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH MY HUSBAND NOTICED OUR 1999 FORD EXPLORER NOT DRIVING RIGHT. HE PULLED ONTO A SIDE ROAD TO TAKE THE SCENIC ROUTE HOME. HE WAS GOING 50 MPH, WITH OUR 3 YEAR OLD IN THE CAR, AND THE SIDEWALL BLEW COMPLETELY OFF THE TIRE. THE ENTIRE SIDEWALL SEPARATED FROM THE TREAD AND BEAD. THANK GOODNESS IT WAS THE BACK PASSENGER TIRE THAT BLEW OTHERWISE THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. AS IT WAS NOBODY WAS HURT. HE COULD BARELY CONTROL THE SUV AS IT WAS. THE TIRE HAS ONLY BARELY 6000 MILES ON IT. WHEN WE CALLED THE STORE WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED THEY SAID EVEN THOUGH WE PAID FOR THE ROAD HAZARD WE STILL HAD TO PAY FOR A NEW TIRE. *TR