1999 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND A LOUD NOISE CAME FROM MY ENGINE I TOOK IT TO A SHOP TO LOOK AT IT AND THEY NEW WHAT IT WAS RIGHT AWAY IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER AND THE OWNER OF THE SHOP TOLD ME THIS HAS BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE 4.0L ENGINES WITH THAT SAD WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL ON THIS PART THEY MAKE REPLACEMENT KITS JUST FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THIS LEAD TO MORE DAMAGE TO MY TRUCK REPLACING THE CHAIN IN ALL IT'S COASTING ME ABOUT 800 DOLLARS SHOULD THIS BE A RECALL BECAUSE IF THE CHAIN WOULD HAVE BROKE THE MOTOR WOULD HAVE BENT THE RODS IN THE ENGINE AND WHO KNOWS WHAT COULD OF HAPPENED? *NM

DT: NOTICED PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2002. THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM BECAUSE THE LIGHT FOR THE AIR BAGS WAS ALWAYS ON. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURNED ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES. THIS HAPPENED SO OFTEN THAT IT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC FOR THE BRAKES BECAUSE THEY WERE MAKING NOISE, AND HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. *AK THE DRIVER'S SIDE POWER DOOR LOCK DOES NOT LOCK. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. *NM

DT: CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. THE PLASTIC VENT INSIDE THE HEATER CONTROL ASSEMBLY BROKE. THIS PLASTIC VENT REGULATES WHERE THE AIR WILL CIRCULATE THROUGH OUT THE VEHICLE. ALSO, IT CONTROLS THE DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM. DURING THE WINTER MONTHS IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SEE WITHOUT THE WINDSHIELD BEING DEFROSTED. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED WHY THE COMPONENT BROKE. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND NOT DO ANYTHING. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THAT THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. *AK

THE APPARATUS THAT HOLDS MY SPARE TIRE IN PLACE, BENEATH MY 1999 FORD EXPLORER SLS BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THIS CAUSED THE SPARE TIRE TO FALL OUT FROM UNDER MY SUV,ONTO THE ROAD. THANKFULLY, I WASN'T ON A BUSY 65 MPH HIGHWAY WHEN IT HAPPENED. OTHERWISE, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT INVOLVING VEHICLES BEHIND ME, COULD HAVE OCCURRED. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT CALLED ABOUT THE CURRENT NHTSA INVESTIGATION DP05005 CONCERNING THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING/THE SPARK PLUG. A SPARK PLUG WIRE BURNED AND IT MESSED UP THE EGR SENSOR. THIS OCCURRED ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2005 WHILE GOING OUT OF TOWN ,AND THEY NOTICED THE SPARK PLUG WIRE BURNED OUT AND BURNED A HOSE TO THE VACUUM HOSE AS WELL AS OTHER WIRES. THE VACUUM HOSE AND THE SPARK PLUG WERE REPLACED . THIS STILL DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE EGR SENSOR WAS BAD ACCORDING TO THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST, AND THAT IT HAD TO BE REPLACED . ALSO, IT SHOWED A VACUUM LEAK AND ON THE UPPER INTAKE PLATINUM. THEY FOUND A BUNCH OF CRACKS IN IT. THE UPPER INTAKE PLATINUM HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

ON 2/14/03, I WOKE UP SCREAMING THAT I SMELL SMOKE. MY FIANCE JUMPED UP, AND WE SCREAMED FOR EVERYONE TO GET OUT- BECAUSE THE HOUSE WAS ON FIRE. THE HOUSE BURNED DOWN WITH ME BREAKING BOTH ANKLES AND MY 2 OLDEST CHILDREN DYING. FOR TWO YEARS I NEVER KNEW WHAT HAPPENED. THE CAUSE WAS LEFT UNDETERMINED. THERE WERE SO MANY HOLES INTO WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT. EVERYTHING WAS INVESTIGATED, EVEN THE STOVE. NOTHING LEADS TO THE FIRE, EXCEPT FOR THE 1999 FORD EXPLORE TRUCK THAT WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. NO ONE INSPECTED THE TRUCK BECAUSE THEY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH RECALL. I FEEL THAT HAD WE KNOWN ABOUT THE FORD CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH, WE WOULDN'T HAVE PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE. THESE VEHICLES NEED TO BE THOROUGHLY LOOKED INTO, BECAUSE THE PLACE OF ORIGIN WAS IN THE AREA OF THE GARAGE.

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. THE VEHICLE WAS INSIDE OF THE CONTACT'S MOTHERS GARAGE THE NIGHT THAT MOTHER'S HOUSE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. THIS OCCURRED ON FEBRUARY 14, 2003. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED BECAUSE THE HOUSE BURNED DOWN, AND WAS CURRENTLY DOING AN INVESTIGATION ON THE HOUSE. THE HOUSE INSURANCE COMPANY ALSO DID AN INVESTIGATION , BUT IT WAS LEFT UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY BURNED. COULD NOT EVEN TELL WHAT COLOR THE VEHICLE WAS. THERE WHERE NO INDICATOR LIGHTS ON PRIOR TO THIS. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS WORKING BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVING UNUSUALLY. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED ABOUT THREE TO FOUR HOURS BEFORE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THERE WHERE TWO DEATHS IN THIS FIRE AND ONE PERSON INJURED. THE FIRE WAS REPORTED TO THE POLICE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS STARTED IN THE BACK PART OF THE HOUSE. IT HAS BEEN UNDETERMINED OF WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. THE KITCHEN APPLIANCES WERE INSPECTED AND NOT FOUND TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. *AK

WE WERE FORCED TO TAKE THIS VEHICLE FROM HANSEL FORD IN SANTA ROSA WHEN THEY FELT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE 2004 FORD F-150 WE PURCHASED THEY HAD SOLD MY TRADE IN HADN'T MADE A DEAL WITH COMPANY FOR CONTRACT CAME A FEW DAY BEFORE FIRST PAYMENT DUE AND REPOED IT SINCE WE HAVE HAD CAR NIGHTMARES THE SEAT ON DRIVER SIDE BROKE JUST REGULAR TIME IT DOES A LOT OF JERKING AND SPUTTERING THE LIGHT WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO ETC..... PLEASE GET ME A DECENT VEHICLE FOR AFTER. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT HAS A 2005 CHALET, WHEN GOING ON VACATION YES THE AXLE BROKE. THE TRAILER WAS BEING TOWED AT 55-60 MPH. WHEN THE AXLE BROKE IT CAUSED DAMAGE TO SEVERAL PARTS OF THE TRAVEL TRAILER AND TIRE. THERE WAS SMOKE DAMAGE FROM THE TIRE AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE CABINETS AND UNDER CARRIAGE. THE REAR AXLE THAT BROKE WAS THE ONLY AXLE ON THE TRAILER. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE THAT WAS TOWING THE TRAILER. THE TRAILER WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND THERE HAS NOT YET BEEN A DETERMINATION ABOUT THE REPAIRS. UPON THE VEHICLE OWNERS INSPECTION, THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE AXLE WAS COVERED WITH RUST AND HAD MANY CRACKS. THE POLICE WERE CALLED, BUT NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED SINCE THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. *AK

ON 08/11/05,I HAD A GENTLEMAN INTERESTED IN PURCHASING MY 1999 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. HE CAME TO LOOK AT IT, HE LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD & MENTIONED THAT FORD WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH CONNECTORS IN FRONT OF THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR & THAT SOME VEHICLES HAD EVEN CAUGHT ON FIRE! HE SAID IT LOOKED AS THOUGH IT HAD ALREADY MELTED. VERY CONCERNED, I MADE AN APPT FOR THE NEXT DAY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MOORE MOTOR SALES IN CARO, & HAD THE RECALL DONE. ON MY WAY HOME, I TRIED OUT THE CRUISE CONTROL - TO MY SURPRISE, IT DID NOT WORK! WHEN I RETURNED HOME, I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD TO FIND THE PART THAT I THOUGHT WAS TO BE REPLACED WAS STILL THERE! SO, I CALLED MOORE MOTOR SALES AND SPOKE TO HEATH PETERS. I QUESTIONED HIM WHY THIS MELTED PART WAS NOT REPLACED AND HE SAID THAT THE ONLY THING ON THE RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE WAS THE CABLE, NOT THE SWITCH. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I WAS CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF MY 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND MYSELF AT 8 MONTHS PREGNANT AS PASSENGERS. HE IMMEDIATELY SCHEDULED ME FOR ANOTHER APPT ON 08/15/05(MONDAY). OVER THE WEEKEND I TOOK THE TIME TO RESEARCH THIS ISSUE FURTHER. I DISCOVERED THIS "SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH, " HAD BEEN RECALLED IN SOME FORD VEHICLES, UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR OTHERS & MY VEHICLE HAS THE SAME SWITCH AS THOSE UNDER THE RECALL. ON MONDAY, I WENT TO MY APPT AS SCHEDULED. I INFORMED HEATH THAT I WANTED TO BE THERE WHEN THEY LOOKED AT MY SUV. I SHOWED HIM & THE SERVICE TECH THE CHARRED SWITCH. THEY BOTH AGREED THAT THIS PART HAD MELTED. I WAS INFORMED HOWEVER THAT SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS NOT ON THE RECALL AS OF YET, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE COSTS TO FIX IT UP FRONT, WITH HOPES OF EVENTUALLY BEING REIMBURSED. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER FURTHER, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS THE SAME PART JUST IN A DIFFERENT VEHICLE. AND I HAVE PROOF THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY A DEFECTIVE PART NO MATTER WHAT VEHICLE THEY DECIDE TO PUT IT IN. I THANK GOD THAT NOTHING MORE HAPPEN IN MY CASE. I'M SURE OTHERS WON'T BE SO LUCKY. *NM