2000 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER XLT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE ON APRIL 17, 2007; THE CONTACT OBSERVED THE FIRE AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO DETERMINED THE CAUSE WAS THE ENGINE. NO PRIOR MAINTENANCE WORK WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 104,000.

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE ODI WARNING LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY FLASHED. A LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS HAVING TO DO WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 79,108. *AK

NO EVENTS LED UP TO THE CRANKSHAFT FAILURE. OUR 2000 FORD EXPLORER WAS BEING DRIVEN AS A DAILY ROUTINE TRIP IN TOWN. THE CAR DIED AT A STOP LIGHT. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR . THE CAR MADE A LOUD CLUNK. I DROVE THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING LOT AND SHUT IT OFF. WE HAD A CERTIFIED FORD MECHANIC COME OUT TO LOOK AT THE CAR. HE WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS V6 ENGINE. HE STATED TO US THAT THE CRANKSHAFT FORD USED WAS A CAST IRON CRANK AND NOT A FORGED STEEL CRANK. WHAT HAPPENS IS THE CRANKSHAFT WILL DEVELOP CRACKS IN IT AND EVENTUALLY BREAK APART. HIS COMMENT WAS IT WAS A BAD IDEA AND BAD DESIGN BY FORD. THIS MECHANIC WORKED FOR FORD FOR 18 YEARS AND STATED THAT THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE WAS USED FROM 1995-2001 AND I BELIEVE HE SAID IT WAS A COLOGNE V6 .OUR 2 OPTIONS AT THIS POINT IS TO PUT IN A NEW MOTOR OR JUNK THE CAR. THIS VEHICLE IS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER SPORT 2 DOOR. TWO WHEEL DRIVE. DEALER MAINTAINED AT 30000,60000,AND RECENTLY AT 90000 MILES .CURRENT MILEAGE IS 91000. OIL CHANGED EVERY 2 MONTHS REGARDLESS. MAINTENANCE RECORDS ARE ALL AVAILABLE. NO REASON FOR AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT LIKE A CRANKSHAFT TO CRACK AND RUIN THE CAR. *JB

2000 EXPLORER XLT WITH APPROXIMATELY 55000 MILES. TAKEN TO DEALER TO BE SERVED C FOR STALLING AND FAILURE TO RESTART WITH HIGH TEMPERATURE. DEALER REPORTED THAT ENGINE HDS COOLANT AND OIL MIXING AND WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED, $3500 COST. WHEN I OBJECTED, DEALER THEN STATED THAT THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED, AND THAT THE ENGINE WILL NEED TO BE TORN DOWN TO FIX , 2,000. . I OBJECTED AGAIN, AND DEALER DECIDED TO REPLACE GASKET, FLUSH OIL, COOLANT SYSTEMS, AND RETURN TO THE ROAD , $1100. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THEY COULD NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR FUTURE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO COOLANT IN ENGINE. I INVESTIGATED, AND FOUND SECRET WARRANTY SERVICE BULLETIN , NETS NUMBER 616816. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER COST OF REPAIR UNDER SB, DEALER REFUSED, CLAIMING THAT SB EXTENSION WAS OVER , ENDED DECEMBER 2006. THIS VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN THE LIMITED MILEAGE UNDER THE WARRANTY, AND OBVIOUS DRIVING RATES LESS THAN EXPECTED UNDER THE WARRANTY , ORIGINAL AND SECRET EXTENSION.. CUSTOMERS HAVE NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF THIS SECRET WARRANTY EXTENSION. ENGINE GASKETS, INCLUDING HEAD GASKETS AND MANIFOLD GASKETS WERE NOT OWNER SERVICED ITEMS, AND WERE EXPECTED TO LIVE AS LONG AS THE POWER PLANT. I EXPECTED FORD TO LIVE UP TO THEIR PRODUCT HYPE AND FIX THIS VEHICLE FOR FREE, INCLUDING COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT IF REQUIRED.*AK

VEHICLE UNDERWENT 95000 MILE INSPECTION WHICH INCLUDED CHANGE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER IN OCT 06. IN FEB THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ON RETURN FROM SHORT TRIP. LOCAL FORD GARAGE ADVISED THAT LIKELY CAUSE WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION SEAL. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY TRANSMISSION LEAK ON DRIVEWAY, OR GARAGE FLOOR. THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY UNTIL EVENING OF PROBLEM. IT WAS AS IF ALL FLUID WAS LOST AT ONCE BUT GARAGE CLAIMS THAT IT WAS PRESSURE LEAK? *JB

PREMATURE FAILURE OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, 2000 FORD EXPLORER, TRANSMISSION IS THE SAME USED IN THE PINTO. VERY UNDER RATED FOR WHAT IT IS EXPECTED TO PERFORM. *NM

REPORTED SAME ISSUE TO THE NHTSA ON FEB 1, 2005...ON JANUARY 12, 2007, MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR EXPLORER TO WORK. HE ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THE CAR BEGAN ACCELERATING RAPIDLY. HE WAS ABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO START IT UP AGAIN, THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED. A FRIEND OF OURS CAME AND GAVE HIM A JUMP START, THE CAR TURNED ON BUT THE ENGINE WAS REVVING AND HE COULDN'T GET IT TO STOP. THEY CAR WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEY FOUND THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE WAS STUCK INTERNALLY WHICH WAS CAUSING THE CRUISE CONTROL TO STICK AND MADE THE CAR ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN. THEY DISCONNECTED THE CABLE FROM THE THROTTLE BODY TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. I CONTACTED FORD AND SPOKE TO A REP NAMED FRANKIE AND FILED YET ANOTHER COMPLAINT, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO HELP US OUT AT ALL. THEY WANT US TO TAKE THE CAR TO A DEALER AND PAY FOR THEM TO INSPECT THE CAR. *NM

WE TOOK OUR 2000 FORD EXPLORER INTO SANTA MARGARITA FORD FOR MAINTENANCE. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SUBJECT TO RECALL 03S04, REPLACEMENT OF A SEAT BOLT. THE DEALER REQUESTED AUTHORIZATION FROM FORD TO DO THE REPAIRS. FORD SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALER SAID THAT THERE WAS APPARENTLY SOMEE DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER'S SEAT. I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ALL THEY OFFERED WAS TO PAY $100. I WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK WITH ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO MADE THE DECISION TO NOT COMPLETELY PAY FOR THE NEEDED REPAIRS. $100 IS UNACCEPTABLE; I EXPECT FORD TO PAY FOR ANY AND ALL REPAIRS. *JB

2000 FORD EXPLORER. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN USING THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL, A LARGE PUFF OF SMOKE CAN BE SEEN COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. NOW, WHEN USING THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL ALL OF THE ENTIRE REAR LIGHTS FLASH ALONG WITH THE BLINKER. THE SMOKE INSTANCES ARE OCCASIONAL, BUT THE BLINKER PROBLEM IS CONTINUOUS NOW. *JB

MY CAR BREAK LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. I JUST SO HAPPENNED TO TELL MY UNCLE AND HE GOT WORRIED SINCE I HAVE A 1 YEAR OLD. WE WENT TO A CAR SHOP TO GO FIX IT. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS SIMPLY THE BREAK FUSE. WHEN THEY WENT TO REPLACE THE FUSE, THE CAR STARTED SMOKING TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD NOT EVEN SEE. I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS GOING TO EXPLODE SO I TOOK MY SON AND STARTED RUNNING. EVERYONE IN THE PARKING LOT STARTED RUNNING ALSO. THEY LIFTED THE HOOD, AND NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE CUT OFF SWITCH FOR CRUISE CONTROL WAS BURNING AND HE PUT IT OUT. THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE RECALL FOR MANY OTHER YEARS FOR FORD, BUT NOT FOR MINE. NOW FORD WANTS TO CHARGE ME BECAUSE MY VEHICLES YEAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THIS IS A MANUFACTURER ERROR AND IT IS WRONG FOR ME TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS MYSELF. IF MY SON AND I WOULD HAVE DIED, FORD WOULD BE LOOKING AT A MAJOR LAWSUIT. I AM WILLING TO TAKE THIS AS FAR AS I HAVE TO BECAUSE I HONESTLY BELIEVE FORD IS TRYING TO GET AWAY WITH THIS. THIS WAS A VERY FRIGHTENING INCIDENCE. *NM