1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL,WOULD HEAR A RUBBING NOISE, LIKE METAL AGAINST METAL. EVERY TIME A BUMP IS HIT, WOULD HAVE SAME NOISE PROBLEM. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC INDICATED IT WAS THE LOWER BALL JOINTS THAT WERE CAUSING THE PROBLEM & THEY WERE BAD. WILL BE ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS.*AK

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RELEASE/RETRACT TO BE USED. ALSO, WILL NOT RETRACT IF ABLE TO RELEASE THEM. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC INDICATED PROBLEM WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. *AK

ON 3-17-00, WHILE TRAVELING NORTH ON I-476, BETWEEN LANSDALE & QUAKERTOWN, IN PENNSYLVANIA, AT APPROXIMATELY 65MPH, MY LEFT REAT TIRE ESSENTIALLY DISINTIGRATED. I WAS USING MY VEHICLE TO MOVE FURNITURE AND IT WAS FAIRLY LOADED. AAA CHANGED MY TIRE, AND I SUBSEQUENTLY REPLACED IT WITH ANOTHER FIRESTONE TIRE. TODAY I LEARNED THAT THE REMAINING TIRES ON MY FORD ARE THE TIRES BEING RECALLED BY FIRESTONE. I HAVE RECEIPT FOR REPLACED TIRE.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P27575R17 )

HAD TIRE CHECKED APPROX 2 HOURS BEFORE INCIDENT, WHEN MECHANIC BROUGHT MY VEHICLE BACK TO ME I DROVE ABOUT HALF A BLOCK AND NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVING PROPERLY I GOT OUT AND LOOKED TO SEE WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM AND THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH AIR IN THE LEFT DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRE WHICH WAS NOT PROBLEM WHEN I TOOK IT IN, AND I DROVE BACK TO STORE LOCATED AT 4561 ELVIS PRESLEY IN MEMPHIS, TN AND TOLD THEM MY PROBLEM. THE CHECKED THE AIR PRESSURE AND ASKED ME TO PULL AROUND SO THEY CAN PUT SOME AIR IN IT. I DROVE MY VEHICLE HOME AND APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS LATER THE SAME TIRE BURST. I CALLED STORE AND THEY TOLD ME THEY HAVE NO REPLACEMENT FOR ME AT THAT TIME. I AM STUCK WITH NO VEHICLE BECAUSE I HAD TO PUT MY SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE AND THAT LEFT ME WITHOUT A SPARE TIRE. I HAVE TO BOMB A RIDE TO GET PLACES BECAUSE I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE AFTER THIS INCIDENT AND BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT I DO NOT HAVE A SPARE SHOULD ANOTHER TIRE BURST. I HAVE BEEN PROMISED DIFFERENT DATES THAT THE TIRES ARE TO COME IN, AND EACH DATE THEY TELL ME THE NEXT WEEK SOM SHOULD BE IN, BUT THAT HASN'T HAPPENED EITHER. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY RIGHT NOW TO PURCHASE MY TIRES FOR REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE I AM LAID-OFF AND THIS IS HENDERING ME FROM SEEKING EMPLOYMENT.( DOT NUMBER: VDHL TIRE SIZE: P235-75R15 )

WHILE DRIVING 50MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE, WENT ACROSS TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC AND HIT THE CENTER MEDIAN. AFTER HITTING THE CENTER MEDIAN ROLLED THE CAR AT LEAST ONCE. AFTER EXITING THE CAR, NOTICED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT TIRE HAD COME APART AND CAME OFF THE RIM.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

SIDEWALLS CRACKED ON ALL FOUR TIRES, WAS TOLD BY FIRESTONE TO HAVE THEM INSPECTED AND WHEN I WENT TO FIRESTONE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IF THE TIRES WERE FOUND TO BE UNSAFE,THE BEST THEY COULD DO IS TAKE THE MILAGE INTO CONSIDERATION AND PRORATE A NEW SET OF TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )

TIRES WERE ORIGINAL, 48,000 MILLES VEHICLE IN VIRGINIA. TREAD SEPERATED ON ONE TIRE. I REPLACED 4 TIRES ON JULY 28, 2000 JUST BEFORE THE MAJOR RECALL.( DOT NUMBER: VNHI TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

A 4INCH CHUNCK OF TREAD WAS MISSING, AND THE TREAD AROUND AREA WAS LOOSE. IT LOOKED LIKE A RETREAD COMING APART.( DOT NUMBER: W2CU1PX137 TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )

I HAVE A BIG QUESTION CONSERNING THE 4.0 SOHC "PLASTIC" CAM TENSIONER. I HAVE HAD MY EXPLORER IN A LOCAL SHOP FOR 4 WEEKS "DIAGNOSING" ME CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM. TODAY I FIND OUT THAT I HAVE A TOTALLY WRECKED 48,000 MILE ENGINE DUE TO THE FACT THAT FORD INSTALLS PLASTIC CAM TENSIONERS FROM THE FACTORY ONLY TO REPLACE THEM LATER WITH STEEL UNITS. I ALSO FOUND OUT TODAY THAT I AM GOING TO HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW ENGINE FOR THE LOW, BARGAIN BASEMENT PRICE OF $5400. MY GOD THAT MAKES ME HAPPY. THERE ARE 4 EXPLORERS IN MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM BEGINNING TO SEE A TREND HERE! COULD SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME WHAT'S UP WITH THESE ENGINES. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE NEW ENGINE, WHICH IS A 2000 MODEL, "HAS BEEN REDESIGNED".

NEED TO SECURE CUSTODY OF VEHICLE LEFT IN TEXAS - PLEASE CONTACT US( DOT NUMBER: )