1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

WHEN DRIVING AT 70 MPH REAR FIRESTONE TIRES BLEWOUT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO FLIP AND ROLLOVER THREE TIMES INTO A EMBANKMENT. ALSO, VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

FRONT TWO TIRES HAD A LINE SEPARATED ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TIRE. *AK TIRES SEPARATED IN THE MIDDLE OF BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT TIRES. *YH

WHILE CONSUMER WAS COMING BACK FROM THE AIRPORT SHE HEARD VIBRATING NOISES COMING FROM INSIDE OF VEHICLE . SHE GOT OUT OF VEHICLE TO CHECK THE TIRES. GOT BACK INTO VEHICLE, DECREASED SPEED, AND NOTICED MORE TREMBLING AND VIBRATING NOISES. SHE PROCEEDED TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER, AND NOTICED THAT TREAD CAME OFF PASSENGER'S TIRE. ALSO, THE TIRE TREAD DAMAGED METAL PART OF THE BUMPER. *AK

ALL FOUR TIRES WERE SHOWING A CRACKS ALL THE WAY AROUND THE SIDEWALLS. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC ADVISED HIM TO HAVE TIRES REPLACED SOON AS POSSIBLE. TIRES REPLACED BY DEALER AT NO COST. *AK *ML

THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. ONCE IN DECEMBER 1997. ONCE IN JUNE 1998. AND ONCE ON JUNE 19, 2000. EACH TIME AS I AM COMING TO A NORMAL STOP AT AN INTERSECTION, THE CAR ACCELERATES. THE LAST TWO TIMES I WAS SITTING AT THE INTERSECTION WITH BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE WITH THE WHEELS SPINNING, BURNING RUBBER, UNTIL I MANAGED TO SHIFT INTO PARK. THE DEALER HAS OFFERED TO "TRADE ME OUT" BUT I AM AFRAID THEY WILL JUST RESELL THE CAR. PLUS I FEEL THAT THEY HAVE NOT ACCEPTED THAT THE CAR HAS ENDANGERED MY LIFE. AFTER THE FIRST TWO INCIDENTS, SANTA FE FORD TESTED THE CAR AND REPLACED SOME PARTS (IN JUNE 1998) I HAVE A COPY OF THAT REPAIR SHEET. SO THE INCIDENT THIS WEEK OCCURED AFTER TWO YEARS OF NO PROBLEMS. I WAS AT A BUSY, SMALL-TOWN INTERSECTION.*AK

CONSUMER COULD NOT REACH THE PEDAL. HAD TALK TO DEALER ABOUT DRIVING CLOSE TO THE AIR BAG. DEALER REPLIED THAT SHE SHOULD BUY A SMALLER CAR. OWNER WANTS FORD TO PAY FOR PEDAL EXTENSIONS. *AK *ML

THE RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD CAME OFF THE TIRE (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT) CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT OVERTURNED TWO AND A HALF TIMES. THE DRIVER AND TWO PASSENGER CRAWLED OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND WAITED FOR EMERGENCY PERSONNEL. NLM

HOT CIGARATTE LIGHTER EJECTED FULLY FROM THE ASSEMBLY. AFTER TESTING, OCCURS EVERY TIME .*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE. WHEN LET GO THE GAS PEDAL, ALL 4 WHEELS LOCKED UP. ALSO, CV JOINT ON THE FRONT DRIVESHAFT HAD SEPARATED. *AK

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES TO THE FLOORBOARD VEHICLE CONTINUED TO TRAVEL. AS RESULT OF BRAKE FAILURE, CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK