1999 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

WHEN THE AUTOMOBILE(FORD EXPLORER 1999 SOHC V6) IS IN COLD WEATHER AND YOU START IT IT SEEMS TO MISFIRE OR ACT LIKE THERE IS AN AIR LEAK. I HAVE READ SEVERAL POST ON THE INTERNET AND PEOPLE SEEM TO SEE THIS PROBLEM ALOT ON CERTAIN YEAR FORD EXPLORERS. THE HAVE SAID THAT IT IS CAUSED BY AN AIR LEAK AROUND THE EXHAUST MANAFOLD THAT ONLY SHOWS UP WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD BECAUSE THE PART IS SHRUNK AND DOES NOT FIT BUT ONCE THE CAR WARMS UP THE PART EXPANDS AND ACTS AS IF THERE IS NO PROBLEMS. WHEN STARTING THE CAR IN WARM WEATHER YOU NEVER SEE THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS FIXED ON MY CAR SINCE I PARK IN A GARAGE I RARELY SEE THIS.

I WAS AT MY OFFICE WORKING WHEN MY 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER CAME TO ME SAYING "MOMMY IT'S AN EMERGENCY, YOUR TRUCK IS SMOKING!" (I HAD BEEN AT THE OFFICE WORKING FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF AFTER PICKING MY CHILDREN UP FROM SCHOOL.) I OPENED THE BACK DOOR TO SEE WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT AND SAW MY TRUCK ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I RAN BACK INSIDE THE TO CALL 911. A MAN HAD COME INSIDE THE OFFICE TO TELL US A TRUCK WAS ON FIRE, HE WAS ALREADY ON THE PHONE WITH 911. I MOVED MY CHILDREN TO THE FRONT OF THE OFFICE, YELLED FOR EVERYONE PARKED BY MY TRUCK TO MOVE THEIR VEHICLES, AND WENT OUTSIDE IN A PANIC. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT AND AMR ARRIVED, THE FIRE HAD SPREAD TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE INTERIOR, THE GRILL (FRONT OF THE TRUCK) WAS MELTED, THE ENTIRE HOOD AND FRONT LEFT SIDE OF THE TRUCK WERE BURNED, THE ENGINE WAS MELTED, AND THE FRONT LEFT TIRE HAD EXPLODED AND PARTIALLY MELTED. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED INTERMITTENTLY, THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL DEACTIVATED ON ITS OWN AND SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. UPDATED 11/09/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED; TWO OF THE CONTINENTAL TIRES PURCHASED FOR THE VEHICLE HAD TREAD SEPARATION FROM THE BELT. THE FIRST TIRE FAILURE WAS ON 7/17/2006. THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED ON 9/1/2006, WHILE TRAVELING 50 MPH ON A HIGHWAY IN CLEAR DRY CONDITIONS, THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OFF THE ROAD, AND THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE TIRE WAS TAKEN TO THE SALES DEALER, WHERE THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED ON THE TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED.*AK UPDATED 10/31/2006 - *NM

ON JULY 9, 2006 WHILE MY FAMILY AND I WERE TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY OUR 1999 FORD EXPLORER XLT JUST DIED. FORTUNATELY WE WERE NOT KILLED. WHEN WE HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME (OVER 30 MILES) THE MECHANIC SAID THE CRANK SHAFT WAS SNAPPED IN HALF. WE HAD NO WARNING BEFORE HAND. NO NOISE, NO LIGHTS ON THE DASH, NO SMOKE, NOTHING. I CALLED FORD AND COMPLAINED AND THEY WERE VERY UNSYMPATHETIC TO ME. I ALSO OWN A 2003 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED WHICH I HAVE ALSO HAD A FEW PROBLEMS WITH. VERY DISSATISFIED WITH FORD. UNTIL NOW I HAVE ONLY OWNED FORD EXPLORERS BUT I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO START INVESTING IN A MORE REPUTABLE COMPANY. *NM

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN I NOTICED A LOSS OF POWER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND THE ENTIRE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING. I PULLED OVER AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. I CALLED THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY CAME AND TOWED IT BACK TO THEIR SHOP. THE REPAIR MAN TOLD ME THAT A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. IT REQUIRED EXTENSIVE REPAIR. UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION HE TOLD ME THAT HE BELIEVED IT STARTED WITH THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. I WAS TALKING TO MY BOSS ABOUT A WEEK AFTER THAT AND HE INFORMED ME THAT THE 1998 EXPLORERS HAD A RECALL FOR THAT EXACT PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT YOU SHOULD INVESTIGATE THE 1999 EXPLORER SPORTS FOR THE SAME THING. *NM

WHEN I USE MY TURN SIGNAL WHITE SMOKE COMES OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN OUT OF THE HOLE FOR THE HAZARD BUTTON. I CALLED MY DEALER WHICH INFORMED ME NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND AGREED MOST LIKELY IT IS THE MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH. I CALLED THE FORD HOTLINE LISTED ON CAMPAIGN ID 00V07200 AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON ALSO STATED THIS VEHICLE HAS NO RECALL. WHAT IS FORD GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS? SO IF THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT WILL COST $500 FOR A DEFECTIVE PARTS & LABOR THAT WAS RECALLED FROM A SPECIFIC BATCH BUT NOT FROM MY BATCH AND IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM IS THAT FAIR? WHAT IS MY RECOURSE? *NM

I PURCHASED A SET OF TIRES FOR MY CAR ON FEB 2003 (MICHELIN LTX A/T ALL SEASON P235/75R15 105S FROM COSTCO) ON JUNE 2004 ONE OF THE TIRES BLEWOUT ON THE SIDEWALL AND SEPARATED, ON MARCH 2006 ONE OF THE TIRES BLEWOUT ON THE SIDEWALL AND SEPARATED, AND ON JUNE 2006 ONE OF THE TIRES BLEWOUT ON THE SIDEWALL AND SEPARATED, I HAVE ONLY PUT A TOTAL OF 18,000 MILES ON THE TIRES. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE TIRES KEEP BLOWING OUT ON THE FREEWAY. THE MICHELIN MANUFACTURER JUST BLEW ME OFF, AND WAS OF NO HELP. *NM

TURNED ON LEFT TURN SIGNAL, BLINKER FLASHED 3 TIMES THEN WENT STEADY, UPON GOING STEADY SMOKE BEGAN COMING OUT OF THE EMERGENCY FLASHER SWITCH ON THE STEERING COLUMN. CAR WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC WHEN THIS HAPPENED. UPON TURNING SIGNAL SWITCH TO OFF POSITION SMOKE STOPS. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED AND DOES NOT HAPPEN WHEN LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. IS MY VEHICLE GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE? WAS THERE A RECALL WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF? *JB

WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, TURNED ON LEFT TURN SIGNAL, THE SIGNAL BLINKED 3 TIMES THEN SMOKE CAME FROM THE EMERGENCY BLINKER SWITCH ON THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE TURN SIGNAL BECAME A STEADY LIGHT. I PLACED THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH IN THE OFF POSITION AND TURNED IT BACK ON, SAME THING HAPPENED. HOWEVER, IF I TURN ON THE TURN SIGNAL WHILE THE CAR IS MOVING, THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN. THIS SITUATION HAPPENED 3 TIMES THIS DAY AND HAS NOT REPEATED. MY HUSBAND CHECKED THE CAR LATER IN THE DAY AND WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THIS TO REPEAT. *JB