1996 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

ON 09/23/01 MY 24YR. OLD SONINLAW WAS KILLED WHEN HE LOST CONTROL AND HIT A MEIDIAN AND TREE WAS ON TWO TIRES THEN WENT 30FT THRU THE AIR BEFORE THE EXPLORER HE WAS DRIVING ROLLED AND THREW HIM OUT THE DRIVER WINDOW. HE WAS WEARING SEAT BELT WHICH HE HAD HAD TROUBLE WITH SINCE PURCHASE FAILED AND HE WAS EJECTED ALSO HIS BROTHER IN PASSENGER SIDE COULDNT GET HIS BELT TO LATCH BUT HE WAS LUCKY AND WALKED AWAY. THE TRUCK WAS ALSO EQUIPPED WITH AIRBAGS ON BOTH SIDES WHICH DIDNT DEPLOY EITHER. MY SON IN LAW DIED THAT NIGHT WHEN HE WAS EJECTED AND THE TRUCK LANDED ON HALF OF HIS FACE. HE LEFT BEHIND A WIFE AND 2SONS AND A 1 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER. THESE EXPLORERS ARE DEATH TRAPS PLEASE DO NOT PURCHASE ONE.*AK

WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID DEPLOY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK ONE PERSON WAS INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING SEATBACK FELL BACKWARDS, AND CONSUMER RAN OFF THE ROAD BEFORE STOPPING. HAS CONTACTED DEALER ,AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK *YH

THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED ( SIDEWALL FAILURE), THERE WAS GOOD TREAD LEFT ON THE TIRE, THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED DUE TO A AFTER MARKET ALARM SYSTEM THAT WAS INSTALLED BY TAPPING IN TO THE BRAKE LIGHTS FOR POWER. DEALER FAILED TO MENTION ANY ALARM SYSTEM.*AK (TIRESIZE: P2257015)

THROTTLE INCREASES ON ITS OWN AT ANY GIVEN TIME. MOST RECENTLY AT A STOP IN TRAFFIC. MUST APPLY BRAKES HARD TO SOME WHAT CONTROL VEHICLE AND SHIFT TO NEUTRAL OR PARK. THEN RELEASE BRAKE FOR THROTTLE CONTROL TO RETURN TO IDLE.*AK

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND HAD TO JAM ON BRAKES WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE CUT IN FRONT. ABS SYSTEM LOCKED UP. PRIOR TO LOCKING UP, HAD 3 SETS OF BRAKES, AND 2 SETS OF ROTORS REPLACED. THIRD TIME HEARD GRINDING NOISES ON RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. SOUNDED LIKE METAL TO METAL. DRIVER SIDE ROTORS WERE SHOT DUE TO BRAKES LOCKING UP. AT DEALERSHIP, NOTHING WAS FOUND WRONG.*AK

PRIOR TO RECALL THE CONSUMER FOUND A BULGE ON THE BACK LEFT TIRE AND REPLACED WITH MICHELINS, CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURDSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT TIRES BUT WAS DENIED BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO AUG 9, 2000(FIRESTONE WILDRNESS AT TIRE P235/75R15 ).

LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL, AND VEHICLE ALSO FLIPPED OVER SEVERAL TIMES, THE LEFT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, DRIVER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. (UNIROYAL LAREDO TIRES P235/75R15 M+S)(OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *YH

SUPPORT FRAME THAT HOLDS CAR TOGETHER ON FRONT OF VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY CRACKED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING. CONSUMER FELT THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF VEHICLE COULD FALL OFF. THEN, CAR WOULD FLIP OVER, AND PASSENGER COULD BE INJURED OR KILLED. VEHICLE WAS ROLLING DEATH TRAP. FRAME SHOULD NEVER BREAK, IT COULD BE BENT, BUT NOT BROKEN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER REPLACED FIRESTONE TIRES, P235/75R15, PRIOR TO RECEIVING RECALL 00T005, CONSUMER STATES TIRE TREAD WAS WEARING ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRES, FIRESTONE STATES THAT SINCE TIRES WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO RECALL THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO GIVE ANY REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC