2000 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

WHILE HAVING A REGULAR INSPECTION CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN NHTSA' RECALL 00V072000 CONCERNING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS. WHEN CONTACTING MANUFACTURER CONSUMER WAS EXPLAINED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

ON 20 MAR 2005 WHILE DRIVING MY 2000 FORD EXPLORER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED TO THE SIDE TO CHECK THE PROBLEMS, EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL EXCEPT IT WAS IDLING ROUGH. I CALLED THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY TO BRING IT IN. I BROUGHT IT TO THE FORD DEALER ON 21 MAR 2005. I WAS TOLD THAT AFTERNOON, THAT IT WAS THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET. I CALLED THE DEALER ON 22 MAR TO CHECK AND SEE WHEN I COULD PICK IT UP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD NOT BE READY BECAUSE THEY FOUND THE CYLINDER HEAD HAD A CRACK. I CALLED ON 23 MAR TO CHECK AND WAS TOLD BOTH CYLINDER HEADS WERE CRACKED AND THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE ENGINE MAY HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THEY WERE WAITING FOR AN ADJUSTER FROM FORD TO MAKE A DETERMINATION TO SEE IF THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED OR JUST THE CYLINDER HEADS. IT IS NOW THE AFTERNOON OF 29 MAR AND I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE CYLINDER HEADS ARE ON BACK ORDER AND THEY DO NOT KNOW WHEN MY CAR WILL BE READY. I CALLED FORD (800-392-3673) AND BASICALLY WAS TOLD SORRY NOTHING WE CAN DO THE CYLINDER HEADS ARE ON "NATIONAL BACK ORDER". IF THAT IS TRUE, THERE IS A GREAT DEMAND FOR FORD 4 LITER ENGINE CYLINDER HEADS. IIS THAT A RESULT OF A DEFECT WITH THE ENGINE OR THE CYLINDER HEADS. HAS ANYONE LOOKED INTO THIS? ALSO, DO NOT WHAT CAN BE DONE TO GET FORD MOVING ON MY PROBLEM?

ON EASTER SUNDAY MARCH 27 2005, MY FAMILY (3 YOUNG BOYS AND MY WIFE) LEFT MY MOMS HOUSE AT ABOUT 10:20 AM TO HEAD TO CHURCH, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING, AND AS WE GOT OUT ONTO THE MAIN HIGHWAY ROAD ROUTE 360 HULL ST. MY WIFE SET ON THE CRUISE CONTROL AND ABOUT 60. SPEED LIMIT IS 55 AFTER ABOUT 20 SECONDS SHE NEEDED TO TAKE OFF THE CRUISE DUE TO ANOTHER CAR UPCOMING, WHEN SHE WENT TO GET OFF THE CRUISE IT WOULD NOT COME OUT OF CRUISE CONTROL AND THE SPEED WENT BACK UP TO LIKE 80...AT THIS POINT MY WIFE AND I TRIED TO PRESS ON BRAKES, AND PRESS THE OFF BUTTONS, AND NOTHING.... WE COULD NOT STOP!!!! I FINALLY TOLD MY WIFE TO PUT BOTH OFF HER FEET AS HARD AS THEY COULD ON THE BRAKES.... THE CAR FINALLY GOT DOWN TO ABOUT 30 AND WE GOT OVER ON THE SHOULDER, AND I QUICKLY JERKED IT INTO NEUTRAL, AND WE STOPPED....AS I GOT OUT, THE FREAKIN TIRES WERE ON FIRE!!!!! SERIOUSLY FLAMES WERE COMING OUT OF THE BRAKES AND TIRES....OH DID I MENTION WE HAD 3 YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE..... COME TO FIND OUT THE CRUISE SWITCH GOT STUCK....THANK THE GOOD LORD JESUS WE WERE ON A STRETCH OF ROAD WITH NO STOP LIGHTS OR HEAVY TRAFFIC.... 2000 FORD EXPLORER SPORT FORD SUCKS!!!! COULD HAVE KILLED MYSELF AND MY WHOLE FAMILY. *JB

CAR WAS PARKED WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE PARKING LOT. THE INCIDENT WAS REPORTED BY METRO RAIL SECURITY, STATING THAT SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD BEFORE THE FIRE STARTED. POLICE REPORT WAS ISSUED. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.*AK *NM

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE IDLING IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR 20 MINUTES. THE LOCAL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED AND INSPECTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS DETERMINED TO BE ELECTRICAL. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.*AK

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2000 FORD EXPLORER TO WORK WHEN SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. IT COST $212.57 TO GET REPAIRED AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP (VICTORY FORD). DEALERSHIP CALLED IT A "MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH".

WHILE DRIVING, SPARKS AND SMOKE STARTED COMING THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL AREA AFTER USING THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY BUTTON RIGHT ABOVE THE STEERING WHEEL WERE THE SMOKE CAME IN. *AK *SC *JB

THE AIR BAG CHECK LIGHT REMAINS ON. THE OWNER'S MANUAL INFORMS THE CONSUMER THAT THE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT . OWNER WILL TAKE VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS FOR THE THIRD TIME FOR THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENABLED, CONSUMER APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO PASS THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. AFTER PASSING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT DISENGAGE. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, BUT THE CAUSE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.*AK

THE CONSUMER STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL BECAME STUCK. *JB CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND SET THE CRUISE CONTROL AT 75 MPH. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING ALTHOUGH CONSUMER HAD APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKES. VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. HAD TO CIRCLE THE GAS STATION 3 TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP. SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE CONSUMER WAS INJURED. THE MECHANIC TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE BRAKES CAUGHT FIRE BUT THE FIRE WENT OUT SOON AFTER. *NM