1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

CONSUMER BOUGHT 4 FIRESTONE ATX TIRES FROM A FRIEND, AND AFTER MAYBE A YEAR CONSUMER STARTED TO EXPERIENCE A PROBLEM HE THOUGHT WAS FRONT ALIGNMENT BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS WOBBLING ON THE ROAD, TOOK TO DEALER, AND DEALER NOTICED A BULGE IN DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE. DEALER ADVISED CONSUMER THAT TREAD WAS SEPERATING. CONSUMER THEN REMEMBERED HEARING ABOUT PROBLEM, AND FELT THIS SITUATION WAS UNSAFE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF VEHICLE. THEN, SLOWED DOWN AND FOUND OUT THAT RIGHT REAR FIRESTONE (P235 75 R15) TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED.*AK THE DOT # IS VDHL1PY THE CONSUMER STATED ON THE APPLICATION THAT THERE WAS ONE FATALITY, HOWEVER NO OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED. *SLC

MECHANIC MADE COMMENT THAT SEALS IN TRANSMISSION WERE DEFECTIVE AND WERE SUPPOSED TO BE REPLACED BUT DEALER NEGLECTED TO DO SO WHEN VEHICLE WAS TRADED IN OR IN FOR PRIOR SERVICES. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING BETWEEN 70-80 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A POPPING NOISE. RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPLODED, AND DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND VEERED INTO THE GUARDRAIL. THEN, VEHICLE FLIPPED NUMEROUS TIME. VEHICLE CRASHED WHEN IT HIT THE CONCRETE WALL.*AK DUE TO THE TIRE FAILURE, THERE WERE 3 INJURIES AND 2 FATALITIES. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *SLC

STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN ENGINE SHUTOFF AND ALL OF THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD CAME ON. LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD BELT, CAME OFF, AND NOTICED THE PULLEY WAS LAYING AGAINST THE RADIATOR. TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALER. *AK DEALER NOTICE CRANKSHAFT BROKE OUTSIDE OF THE ENGINE. *YH

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY GOT OFF TO EXIT WHILE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, AND ALL OF SUDDEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK TO THE FLOOR, AND VEHICLE WENT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. CONTACTED DEALER, WHO INDICATED THAT WARRANTY WAS UP.*AK

THE ORIGINAL FIRESTONE REAR TIRESTREAD IS COMING APART FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE WHICH MAY CAUSE A TIRE BLOWOUT AND A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE LITES (4-WHEEL DR-LOW & 4-WHEEL DR) AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LITE BEGAN FLASHING ON THE DASH. I STOPPED AT A FORD DEALERSHIP, POCATELLO, IDAHO. THEY PUT ON COMPUTER, BUT SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING IN THE GEM MEMORY, SO ADVISED ME TO DRIVE ON TO SALT LAKE CITY, BUT DO NOT PUT IN CRUISE CONTROL, AND THIS WOULD NOT HARM THE CAR'S EQUIPMENT OR BE UNSAFE. I RETURNED FROM MY TRIP AND STOPPED AT A RETIREMENT HOME'S PARKING LOT IN IDAHO FALLS ON JULY 1, 2000 AND THE CAR MADE "BANGING" NOISES WHEN REVERSED OUT OF THE PARKING SLOT. THE DASH LITES THAT HAD BEEN FLASHING PREVIOUSLY WERE NOT SHOWING. I CALLED THE BROADWAY FORD DEALERSHIP THAT SERVICES THE CAR TO HAUL IT IN FOR REPAIR. THEY FOUND THE SENSORS WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THEN THEY TEST DROVE THE CAR AND SAID IT HAD A NOISE IN THE TRANSFER CASE AND THOUGHT THEY SHOULD INVESTIGATE. THEY FOUND SHAVINGS IN THE FLUID, AND HAVE PARTS ON ORDER. I AM ALARMED AT WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE TO AND FROM SALT LAKE CITY AT 75 MPH, AS THE CAR LURCHED AND BANGED IN REVERSE AND FORWARD GEAR WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AT THE RETIREMENT HOME. IT SEEMED TO HAVE THE GEARS LOCKED UP, OR THE TWO 4-WHEEL DRIVE TRANSMISSIONS NOT WORKING TOGETHER. THEY CANNOT ASSURE ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION MIGHT ALSO BE DAMAGED FROM THESE SENSORS NOT WORKING.*AK

I WAS JUST WONDERING WHY DREAGER FORD DID NOT TELL ME OF THE RECALLS (I SAW FROM YOUR WEBSITE) WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO BE WORKED ON THREE DEFERENT TIMES FOR A CHARGING PROBLEM. ALSO IS THERE A WAY TO TRACE THIS VEHICLE HISTORY USING THE VIN NUMBER? NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

STARTED VEHICLE IN MORNINGS, AND IT RAN ROUGH. ALSO, MOTOR STALLED. CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER INDICATED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT THEY WERE ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. *AK