1996 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

THE BUCKLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS BROKEN. I AM UNABLE TO KEEP THE SEAT BELT FASTENED FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 WEEK NOW.*AK

MY FAMILY DROVE TO A STORE (6/21/04) AND LEFT OUR 1996 FORD EXPLORER IN THE PARKING LOT FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR. WHEN WE RETURNED THE FRONT OF THE CAB WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE. WE STARTED TRYING TO FIND WHAT SMELLED SO BAD, AND WHAT WAS SMOKING. MY HUSBAND REALIZED THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT. HE WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE SEAT UP (ELECTRONIC) AND AFTER BURNING HIS FINGER HE WAS ABLE TO UNPLUG THE SIX WAY SEAT ADJUSTMENT MOTOR. WHEN WE CALLED FORD THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING, BUT DID SAY THEY WOULD CHARGE US $72 TO DIAGNOSE WHAT WAS WRONG. IT IS EVIDENT THE ELECTRONIC MOTOR HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND HAS A HOLE BURNED THROUGH THE SIDE OF IT. IF WE HAD NOT RETURNED TO OUR SUV WE WOULD NOW HAVE ASHES, AS THE ELECTRIC POWER IS A CONSTANT FEED. I CONTACTED FORD, IN MICHIGAN, WITH THIS MATTER. I WAS TOLD ON 6/24/04 THAT I WOULD NEED TO PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC IN ORDER FOR FORD TO EVEN LOOK INTO THE MATTER. THEY STATED I COULD CALL MY INSURANCE AND GO THAT ROUTE. I EXPLAINED I WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OTHERS AND THEY SAID IT WAS UP TO ME WHAT I DID. THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING UNLESS I PAID FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC. I STATED THAT IT WAS NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY BUT FORD'S AND SHE RESPONDED YES. IN FRUSTRATION I HUNG UP AND BEGAN THIS COMPLAINT. IF SOMEONE WERE TO LEAVE HIS OR HER CHILD IN THE CAR AND THIS HAPPENS THE CHILD WILL BE SEVERELY INJURED. IF I HAD BEEN ALONE WHEN THIS HAPPENED I WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN TO UNPLUG THE SEAT MOTOR. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. MY HUSBAND STATED THAT THE HEAT WAS SO INTENSE HE WAS SURPRISED THE SEAT HAD NOT CAUGHT ON FIRE. HE HAS SINCE TAKEN THE MOTOR OUT AND WILL REPLACE IT WHEN THE PART COMES IN. WE STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL MOTOR. PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED.*AK

I HAVE AN EXPLORER SPORT WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THIS CAR IS WILL TAKEN CARE OF EVEN IF IT HAS ALOT OF MILES ON IT. THE MANUAL SHIFT SHAKES CONSIDERABLY. IF THERE IS A ROUGH SURFACE ON THE HIGHWAY, IT SEEMS TO BE READY TO TAKE FLIGHT. AT 165,000 MILES I HAD THE CLUTCH, PRESSURE PLATE, AND THROWOUT BEARINGS REPLACED. THE MACHINE AT THE DEALERSHIP COULDN'T TELL ME WHY IT HAPPENED BUT HE THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS STILL WRONG. NOW AT 212,000 MILES THE BEARINGS AND CLUTCH ARE OUT AGAIN. WHILE LOOKING AT SOME OTHER EXPLORERS AT THE DEALERSHIP, I NOTICED THAT THE NEWWER EXPLORERS HAVE A VIBRATION DAMPER MOUNTED ON THE REAR AXLE. FORD WOULD BE HAPPY TO PUT ONE ON MY CAR FOR $4,000. I AM VERY UPSET SINCE IT WAS THEIR DESIGN FLAW THAT IS CAUSING ALL MY PROBLEMS.I HAVE ALREADY SPENT ALOT OF MONEY TRYING TO FIX THEIR DESIGN ERROR. *AK

EXPLORER SPORT (4X2),( MANUAL TRANSMISSION)(18,462 MILES) DODGING TRUCK TIRE RETREAD ON INTERSTATE WAS OVERSTEERED. THEN OVERSTEERED BACK WHEN LEFT REA HUB ASSEMBLY BROKE OFF. THEN CAR FLIPED 6 TIMES. WHEN THE CAR LOST THE REA WHEEL, CONTROL WAS LOST.*AK

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE AT 120K MILES. AS A RESULT THE DRIVER IS NOT RESTRAINED WHILE DRIVING. *PH *MR

BOTHE REAR DOORS DO NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE...SOMETIMES LEFT REAR DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE DUE TO CHILD SAFETY LATCH NOT WORKING PROPERLY.

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE. DEALER FIXED IT AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE OF $593.00. ON FEBRUARY 19, 2004, THE SEAT BROKE AGAIN. A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED ON SIMILAR MAKES AND MODELS. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *JB

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A CRUISE CONTROL. PROBLEM. AFTER CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. DRIVER HAD TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE MECHANIC DISENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL.*AK

I CURRENTLY OWN A 1996 FORD EXPLORER XLT, 4X4, 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. ONE THING I HAVE NOTICED WITH THIS VEHICLE IS WHEN I AM EITHER STOPPING MODERATELY HARD/FAST OR MAKING SHARP RIGHT TURNS, THE ENGINE TENDS TO STALL. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS IN NEUTRAL OR I HAVE THE CLUTCH IN. THE MAIN REASON THIS IS A PROBLEM IS BECAUSE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STALLED, THE POWER STEERING IS OFF. MOST OF MY PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN ON OFF RAMPS WHERE I'M TRAVELING REALITIVELY FAST AND A RIGHT TURN. TOWARDS THE END OF THE RAMP I START TO STRAIGTEN OUT THE WHEEL AND REALIZE I CAN'T MOVE IT. GENERALLY I AM FORCED TO SLAM ON THE BREAKS BEFORE RUNNING INTO SOMETHING OR IF I HAVE ENOUGH TIME, I WILL QUICKLY ATTEMPT TO START IT. THERE WAS NO SPECIFIC INCIDENT DATE. THIS DID NOT START TO HAPPEN UNTIL AFTER MY 30-DAY WARRANTY WAS UP AT FROM THE DEALER SO I HAVE NOT HAD ANYTHING DONE TO ATTEMPT TO FIX IT. I HAVE FOUND ON THE INTERNET THAT SEVERAL EXPLORERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. SOME PEOPLE BLAMED IT ON A VALVE. BELOW ARE LISTED WEBSITES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE SUBMITTED TO FORUMS. THESE ARE PEOPLE IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS AS MYSELF. THANKS HTTP://WWW.CARCONSUMERS.COM/FORD_EXPLORER.HTML HTTP://WWW.CBSNEWS.COM/STORIES/2001/04/13/NATIONAL/MAIN285613.SHTML HTTP://WWW.CBSNEWS.COM/STORIES/2000/10/10/NATIONAL/MAIN240067.SHTML HTTP://WWW.CARTRACKERS.COM/FORUMS/LIVE/GREMLINS/191.HTML HTTP://WWW.THECOMPLAINTSTATION.COM/CGI-BIN/DATACGI/DATABASE.CGI/FORUM/SUBTOPIC/TOPICID=0351/SUBTOPICID=0000857 7/FIRSTRECORD=0/FINALRECORD=14/ HTTP://FORUMS.VMAG.COM/PM-1001/MESSAGES/3445.HTML. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH REAR RIGHT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HIT A POLE AND ROLL ONCE. VEHICLE LANDED UPSIDE DOWN ON AN EMBANKMENT. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. *AK