1994 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

THE FIRESTONE OWL ALL TERRAIN TIRE ON THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION AND BLOWOUT WHILE DRIVING. *MJS

BRAKE EVALUATION REPORTED GOOD. WITHIN 1 MONTH ROTORS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. BRAKES REPORTED GOOD, TWO MONTHS LATER, REAR SHOES REQUIRED REPLACEMENT.

EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AROUND 65 MPH DISCOVERED NOT LONG AFTER PURCHASING USED WITH 19,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. I INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS DUE TO THE TIRES, WHICH I DIDN'T REPLACE UNTIL 40,000 MILES. AFTER INSTALLING NEW TIRES AND DOUBLE CHECKING BALANCE, ETC. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE DUE TO ENGINE AND DRIVE TRAIN MISALIGNMENT. THEY SAID AN ANTIVIBRATION KIT WAS AVAILABLE FOR $1,000 BUT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE COST DUE TO NOW BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT ONE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE KIT WOULD NOT REALLY CURE THE PROBLEM. HE SAID IT WOULD ONLY CHANGE THE SPEED AT WHICH THE VIBRATION OCCURRED. I WROTE A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF FORD ON 7/26/98 EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM AND EXPRESSING MY CONCERN THAT THE VIBRATION COULD LEAD TO FURTHER PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE. I EXPRESSED THE FACT THAT IT WAS A KNOWN DESIGN PROBLEM AND DEFECT AND THAT IT EXISTED WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND THAT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WOULD NOT DUE ANYTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I NEVER RECEIVED A REPLY FROM MR. TROTMAN, NOR ANYONE ELSE. I SENT A FOLLOW UP LETTER ON 10/28/98 BUT NEVER RECEIVED ANY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OR REPLIES TO THAT LETTER EITHER. I SINCERELY FEEL THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS NO CONCERNS OR DESIRES TOWARD THEIR CUSTOMERS SAFETY OR PRODUCT SATISFACTION. I STILL OWN THE CAR BUT HAVE REAL MISGIVINGS ABOUT IT'S SAFETY OR DEPENDABILITY DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO GET RID OF IT BUT HATE TO PASS THE PROBLEM ON TO SOMEONE ELSE.

WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH THE VEHICLE LOST ALL CONTROL DUE TO POSSIBLE AXLE/SUSPENSION FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN VEHICLE ROLLOVER, FORD REFUSES ANY RESPONSIBILITY. *MJS

TWO OF THE FIRESTONE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE WERE REPLACED DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION. *MJS

IF FOR ANY REASON THE BRAKE LIGHT FUSE SHOULD BLOW, THE CRUISE CONTROL ON THIS VEHICLE WILL NOT DISENGAGE WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. THERE IS NO WARNING FOR THIS BY THE WAY. THIS COULD CAUSE A FATAL INJURY AS THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL MAKE THE CAR LUNGE FORWARD TRYING TO GET BACK TO THE CRUISE SPEED SETTING. YOU ALSO WILL LOOSE YOUR POWER BRAKES. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD AND THEIR ANSWER WAS TO GO BACK TO THE DEALER WHEN YOU HAVE A TECHNICAL ISSUE. I HAVE DONE THAT AND THE DEALER'S ANSWER WAS THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS THE WAY IT IS WIRED. THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM ON THE 1994 EXPLORER. I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS LIKE THAT ON ANY OTHER MODEL OR YEAR FORD. IN MY OPINION IT SHOULD NOT MATTER WHAT THE CONDITION OF THE FUSE PANEL IS. IF THE DRIVER WANTS THE CRUISE CONTROL TO DISENGAGE, THEN IT SHOULD DISENGAGE NO MATTER WHAT. IF YOU WANT TO SEE THIS FOR YOURSELF, OBTAIN A 1994 EXPLORER AND PULL THE BRAKE LIGHT FUSE OUT OF IT'S SOCKET. IT IS LOCATED UNDER THE DASH TO THE LEFT OF THE STEERING WHEEL ON THE FUSE PANEL. NOW TAKE THE VEHICLE FOR A RIDE. WHEN YOU GET OVER 30 MPH ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTOL. NOW TAP THE BRAKE AND SEE IF IT DISENGAGES. IT WILL NOT. IN FACT IF YOU FIGHT IT THE POWER BRAKES WILL GO AWAY. SCAREY UH? WHEN YOU TRY THIS, THEN YOU WILL KNOW WHAT TO DO.

I HAD EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPERATION LAST SUMMER, HAVING THE TIRES REPLACE 9/99 AT MY EXPENSE. THE FIRESTONE DEALER CLAIMED IT WAS DUE TO MY WIFE NOT DRIVING FAR ENOUGH. THEY WERE LESS THAN A YEAR OLD AND ONLY HAD A FEW THOUSAND MILES ON THEM. I HAVE FILED MANY COMPLAINTS WITH FIRESTONE, BUT HAVE NEVER HEARD A THING. AS I DO NOT HAVE THE TIRES, I DO NOT KNOW IF THEY ARE THE VDS BEING RECALLED. THE SERVICE I HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE LOCAT FIRESTONE DEALER HAS BEEN TERRIBLE. AND LIKE SEARS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, CLAIM YOU NEED REPAIRS WHEN YOU DON'T. EXAMPLE AFTER A YEAR, MY HEADLAMP AND TAIL LIGHT STILL WORK. I HAVE EXPERIENCE SIMILAR PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT THE US WITH FIRESTONE. BE HARD ON THEM. THEY NEED IT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235 75R15 )

PE#00020; FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS AT P235/75R15 DOT#W2HL. LEFT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED CRACKING WHERE THE TREAD MET THE SIDEWALL. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO SEE THE WIRE (STEELBELT) WHERE TREAD WAS MOLDED ON THE CAP. TIRES WERE REPLACEMENT TIRES, AND PURCHASED IN A FORD DEALERSHIP. APPROXIMATELY MILEAGE ON TIRES WAS 10000. VEHICLE WAS A FORD TRUCK, EXPLORER, 1994.*AK THESE TIRES BEGAN TO SWAY/SWARVE AT A NORMAL SPEED ON HIGHWAY. SPEEDS ABOVE 55 MPH BEGAN TO SHOW A BUMPING OR BOUNCING TYPE SENSATION FROM THE REAR END AND TIRES. *YH

TRAVELING WITH BOAT IN TOW, WHEN THE LEFT REAR TIRE SUFFERED A TREAD SEPARATION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER, RESULTING IN THE FORD EXPLORER AND THE BOAT BOTH BEING TOTALED. BOTH OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE WERE INJURED.*AK( DOT NUMBER: VDHL1M0194 TIRE SIZE: 235/75/R15 )

FIRESTONE TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SPIN ENDING UP UPSIDE DOWN IN A DITCH, THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *SLC