1999 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

FAILURE OF RACK AND PINION AND STEERING SHAFT ON 4-3-03; SAME PROBLEM OCCURRING ON 12-12-2003.*AK

THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT STAY SET AT DESIRED SPEED. THE VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING ALTHOUGH THE ACCELERATOR WAS NOT APPLIED. *AK WHEN THE CRUISE WAS AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE ON AN OCCASION WOULD CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE. *SC *JB

MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 03504 CONCERNING SEAT RECLINER BOLT: THIS VEHICLE IS A PART OF A RECALL, BUT THE DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE RECLINER MECHANISM IS DAMAGED AND WANTS THE CONSUMER TO PAY FOR REPAIRING THE MECHANISM. CONSUMER FEELS THAT BECAUSE THE BOLT BREAKING IS THE REASON THAT THE MECHANISM IS DAMAGED IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND REFUSES TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. *AK

SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH 1999 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER EDITION. *MR WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED RIGHT, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD BLOWN, THERE WAS A WHINE NOISE, A LEAKING ON THE GARAGE FLOOR ALONG WITH A BURNING SMELL WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHUTOFF, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE FRONT AXLE SEAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON AND THE HEAT GAUGE SHOWED HOT, THE DEALER DETERMINED IT WAS THE THERMOSTAT. THE ENGINE SURGED, THE LIGHT EMITTING THE DISPLAY HAD GONE OUT, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE RIGHT FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY/AXLE SEAL. *SCC *JB

WHEN MY 1999 FORD EXPLORER HAD APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES, IT WENT INTO THE REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. AT THAT TIME, I COMPLAINED THAT THERE WAS TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING NEAR THE RADIATOR. ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER, WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 70,000 MILES, IT WENT BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP FOR TRANSMISSION TROUBLES, AT WHICH TIME SEVERAL OF THE CLUTCHES IN THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR WAS RELEASED FROM THE DEALER ON A FRIDAY NIGHT, BUT WAS RETURNED APPROXIMATELY 12 HOURS LATER DUE TO HESITATION OF THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING AND BECAUSE THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT WAS BLINKING OFF AND ON. APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS LATER THE CAR WENT BACK INTO THE SHOP, AGAIN FOR LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID NEAR THE RADIATOR. THE RADIATOR HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A CRACK WHERE A TRANSMISSION FLUID LINE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE RADIATOR. THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH EVERY COMPONENT INVOLVED WITH THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS EXPLORER. *LA

1999 FORD EXPLORER INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED HE/SHE HEARD A NOISE FROM THE ENGINE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND ALSO THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB *NM

SIDE VIEW MIRROR FILM IS WARPED CAUSING IT HARD TO SEE OUT OF SIDE VIEW MIRROR EQUIPMENT.*MR CONSUMER COULD NO LONGER USE THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS. SHE HAD TO RESULT TO LOOKING BEHIND HER AND DIDN'T FEEL SAFE DOING THIS. ONE GUY SHE SPOKE WITH AT A FORD BODY SHOP HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS EXPLORER. CONSUMER THOUGHT THE REPAIR WOULD BE APPROX. $200. DOLLARS BUT HE INFORMED HER IT WOULD BE MORE LIKE $250. DOLLARS. CONSUMER NOTED SHE WOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIRS BUT FEEL SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BECAUSE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *PH

SATURDAY, NOV , 3:00 PM. DRIVER (17), WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AT XXXXXX & XXXXXXXXXX (XXXXXXXXX) AND SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF 1999 FORD EXPLORER WHICH JUMPED CURB AND SLAMMED INTO A TREE. NO OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED. APPARENT CAUSE: RIGHT REAR TIRE -- GOODYEAR WRANGLER HT -- SEEMED TO HAVE BLOWN TO PIECES. VEHICLE HAD TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES PRIOR TO INCIDENT ( FROM COLD START, SO NO SIGNIFICANT PRE-INCIDENT TRAVEL TIME). DRIVER HAD JUST STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND HAD TRAVELED LESS THAN 1/5 OF A MILE (EST) WHILE MAKING NORMAL LEFT TURN IN ROUTE HOME. POLICE AT SCENE ISSUED NO CITATION. DRIVER TAKEN TO E.R. AND RELEASED SUBSEQUENTLY. ONE WITNESS SAID TIRE WAS "ON FIRE." BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT WITH TREE. PRIOR TO ACCIDENT, TIRES APPEARED IN GOOD SHAPE, LEFT- REAR COMPANION TIRE IS SAME AGE, MODEL AND MILEAGE AS RIGHT-REAR. LEFT REAR IS AVAILABLE FOR INSURANCE ADJUSTER INSPECTION. VEHICLE IS AT COLLISION CLINIC INC., ON XXXXXX XXXX IN MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS (SMALL SUB-DIVISION ADJACENT TO XXXXX XXXX). ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY. TIRE WAS COMPLETELY WITHERED AFTER INCIDENT. NO PRECURSOR PROBLEMS WHATEVER WITH EITHER TIRES OR VEHICLE (OTHER THAN EARLIER RECALL WITH WHICH WE COMPLIED AND RECEIVED NEW TIRES). *LA , GEM

WHEN THE CONSUMER MADE A LEFT TURN, SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO DRIVE TO HER DESTINATION. *AK FORD RECALLED TWO COMPONENTS IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *SCC *JB

SIDE AIR BAGS ARE ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM REAR CENTER OF THE SEAT BACK. THIS PLACEMENT ALLOWS THE WIRES TO BE DAMAGED BY THE FEET OF THE REAR SEAT OCCUPANT SETTING A TROUBLE CODE AND DISABLEING THE AIR BAG SYSTEM ! I AM A MECHANIC AND FOUND THIS ON AN EXPLORER I WAS WORKING ON TODAY.*AK