1995 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

THE CONSUMER IS HAVING DIFFICULTLY GETTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR FAULTY FIRESTONE TIRES BECAUSE SHE DOES NOT HAVE THE SERIAL NUMBERS OF THE TIRE BECAUSE THEY WERE DISPOSED OF BY THE TIRE DEALER, THE TIRES HAD EARLY SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION WHICH CAUSED NOISE WHILE DRIVING (FIRESTONE ATX). NLM

ITEMS SUBJECT OF 12/01/00 RECALL HAVE ALSO FAILED ON MY VEHICLE (BOTH ORIGINAL PARTS). NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

COMPUTER CONTROLLING ENGINE FAILS WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS WARM-NORMAL WHEN COOL. *AK

O/D OFF LIGHT FLASHED ON AND OFF FOR MONTHS. FORD WOULD NOT ADMIT A PROBLEM TILL IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. RPM'S WOULD GO UP DRAMATICALLY FOR A FEW SECONDS WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD. ABS SENSOR WENT BAD CAUSING UNEXPECTED AND LONGER STOPPING DISTANCES AT LESS THAN 20 MPH. THJE ABS BRAKES WOULD KICK INON DRY PAVEMENT AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN TURNING AND BRAKING AT THE SAME TIME. ALMOST CAUSED A COUPLE CRASHES.

I HAD TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED IN THE SUMMER 2000 BECAUSE HANDLING WAS EXTREMELY BAD ESPECIALLY AT HIGH SPEED (OVER 45MPH) AND GOING AROUND CURVES. IT FELT LIKE THE VEHICLE WAS GOING TO ROLL OVER. THE REPAIRS WERE MADE AT A GARAGE AND NOT AT A DEALER.*AK

CONSUMER NEEDED A TIRE PATCHED, DEALER WOULD NOT PATCH TIRE BECAUSE CONSUMER WAS WAITING FOR REPLACEMENT TIRES DUE TO RECALL 00T005 AND SAID THAT HAVING A NEW TIRE ON THE VEHICLE FOR A FEW WEEKS WOULD BE FINE, CONSUMER SENT A PHOTOCOPY OF THE RECEIPT FOR REIMBURSEMENT AND IS BEING DENIED BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL WASN'T SENT, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY THAT IS NOW USELESS AND FOR THE PRORATED COST OF A FAULTY TIRE THAT WAS REPLACED. *SLC

THE ACTUAL DATE AND MILEAGE IS UNKNOWN. I JUST DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM LAST WEEK. BOTH LINK PINS THAT CONNECT THE FRONT SWAY BAR TO THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY WERE MISSING. WITH THE SWAY BAR DISCONNECTED, THE CAR SWAYS SEVERLY IN CORNERING OR HARD MANUEVERS. I HAD THE PINS REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY HAD ISSUED A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION ON 6 NOV 2000 #00M11 THAT IDENTIFIED THE (LINK PINS BREAKING)PROBLEM FOR 1996-1997 FORD EXPLORERS. HOWEVER, THE LIMIT FOR MILEAGE FOR FORD TO REPLACE THE PARTS WAS 100,000. I HAD AT THE TIME OF DISCOVERY 102500 MILES ON THE CAR. THIS PROBLEM, I BELIEVE, OCCURED BACK IN THE SUMMER BECAUSE I STARTED GETTING A LOT SWAY ON CORNERING. I FIGURED THAT THE SHOCKS WERE BAD DO HAD THEM REPLACED IN ABOUT SEPTEMBER 2000. THIS DIDN'T SOLVE THE SWAY PROBLEM. LAST WEEK I WAS CHANGING MY OIL AND NOTICED THAT THE SWAY BAR WAS LOOSE. AFTER REPLACING THE LINK PINS MY SWAY PROBLEM WENT AWAY. I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS, MELLANIE HALL, AND RELAYED MY PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT FORD WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIRS SINCE MY CAR WAS 2500 MILES PAST THEIR LIMIT. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MAY HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING PROBLEM TO THE TIRE PROBLEM CAUSING ROLL OVERS. THIS CAR, WITH OUT THE SWAY BAR ATTACHED, WOULD DEFINITELY BE UNSTABLE IN HARD TURNS AND I AM CONVINCED THAT IT COULD LEAD TO A ROLL OVER. MELLANIE HALL FOR FORD, DID NOT AGREE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS TIME OF FAILURE SHOULD BE ADDED TO YOUR INVESTIGATION ON TIRES AND ROLL OVERS. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD BE SAFETY RECALL AND NOT BE LIMITED TO A CERTAIN NUMBER OF MILES, CONSEQUENTLY I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED.

REAR FIRESTONE ATX TIRE CAME COMPLETELY OFF WHILE DRIVING CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLLOVER AND SLIDE 60 FEET UPSIDE DOWN, CONSUMER SUSTAINED SOME GLASS IN FACE, EARS, SOME CUTS AROUND LEFT EYE AND BRUISE FROM WHERE SEAT BELT RESTRAINED DRIVER, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR DAMAGES SUFFERED AS A RESULT OF ACCIDENT. NLM

FIRESTONE ATX 15" TIRE EXPERIENCED BLOWOUT AND ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE REAR CHROME PANEL AND RIGHT REAR CHROME MOLDING, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

FRONT SUSPENSION STABLILIZER BAR LINK BROKE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM, AND MECHANIC HAS SOLVED THE PROBLEM. *AK