1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD OUT OF CONTROL AND WAS DIFFICULT TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED FROM THE PARKED POSITION. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE WHEN IT ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO INDEPENDENT SERVICE DEALERS AND ONE SERVICE DEALER, BUT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE RECREATED. THE THIRD OCCURRENCE RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN ACCELERATION REACHED 50 MPH. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED, ALTHOUGH A POLICE REPORT AND PHOTOS WERE TAKEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE CONTACT'S PHONE NUMBER WAS THE SON OF THE VEHICLE'S OWNER. UPDATED 11/30/2006 - THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE REPORTED SOME NECK PAIN LATER THAT NIGHT WHICH WAS NOT APPARENT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. *NM

BOUGHT EXPLORER IN THE SUMMER OF 2006, WENT TO TURN ON THE HEAT ONLY BLOWS COLD AIR UNABLE TO DEFROST WINDOWS. THIS IS A 1997 EXPLORER THAT AFTER TALKING TO THREE DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS TOLD ME THAT THEY ALL DO BREAK AND THAT FORD HAS MADE A STRONGER BLEND DOOR TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE ONE AND THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO REPLACE FOR A COST OF 1200.00. AFTER SPEAKING TO FIVE OR SIX DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS AND FINDING THE ARTICLE BY LARRY HAMMER OF MIGHTY AUTO PARTS I BELIEVE THAT FORD HAS A RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS ADMITTED FACTORY DESIGN FLAW. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SPARE TIRE FELL OUT OF THE MOUNT WHILE DRIVING ALONG THE ROAD AT 20 MPH. THE CABLE FAILED NEXT TO THE TIRE. THE SPARE HAD NOT BEEN USED SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS THE AFFECTED PARTS. THE SERVICE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT ALERTED.

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL ON BRIDGESTONE FIRESTONE TIRES. CONSUMER HAS A TIRE BLOWOUT PRIOR TO RECEIVING THIS RECALL. *TS THE CONSUMER FEELS HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALERTED ABOUT THE FAULTY TIRES LONG BEFORE NOW. *NM

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS 1997 FORD EXPLORER. AFTER A FEW YEARS, I STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAT/DEFROST. I HAVE HAD THIS REPAIRED TWICE COSTING AROUND $2000 TOTAL. ONCE AGAIN, I NO LONGER HAVE HEAT/DEFROST AND AM SCHEDULED FOR AN EVALUATION NEXT MONDAY. DURING SNOW AND RAIN, NOT ONLY ARE YOU MISERABLE BECAUSE OF THE COLD BUT IT IS DANGEROUS WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO CLEAR THE CONDENSATION OFF THE WINDOW TO HAVE COMPLETE VISIBILITY. *JB

CONSUMER COMPLAINT CONCERNING THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE. *TS THE CONSUMER WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE SPARE TIRE BECAUSE THE TIRE WAS NOT REPLACED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY. THE SIDEWALL DRYROTTED ACCORDING TO THE TIRE DEALER. THE TIRES HAD ABOUT 50000 MILES OF USE ON THEM BEFORE THE BLOWOUT. THE TIRES WERE RECOMMENDED AT 50 PSI AND WERE REGULARLY CHECKED FOR AIR PRESSURE. THE TIRES HAD BEEN REGULARLY ROTATED. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS NO VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING HOWEVER A BULGE WAS NOTICED ON IT MINUTES BEFORE IT POPPED. THE TIRE WAS A MICHELIN, SIZE LT23575R15.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE THREAD SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE DEALER WHERE THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. A RECALL LETTER #[XXX] WAS RECEIVED REGARDING THE TIRES. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED FOR REIMBURSEMENT AND DETERMINED THE TIRE WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS INOPERATIVE WHEN ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH REPLACEMENT, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HAD MELTED IN THE INTERIOR DASH PANEL AREA. NO FIRE WAS SEEN. AFTER NEW WIRING WAS INSTALLED, THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V388000, REGARDING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 9/22/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET AT 55 MPH WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. THE VEHICLE REVVED TO 85 MPH BEFORE THE CONTACT TURNED THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND PULLED OFF OF THE ROAD. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. FINALLY THE CONTACT DISENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL UNDER THE ENGINE AND DROVE THE VEHICLE ONE MILE TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS FAULTY. UPDATED 09/11/06. *JB