1994 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

TWO (2) OF THE FOUR (4) ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES HAD BULGES IN SEVERAL SPOTS AROUND THEM. I HAD THEM REPLACED AT NTB (NATIONAL TIRE & BATTERY) IN LOUISVILLE, KY ON 5/18/98 WITH ONLY 36,418 MILES FOR FEAR OF MAJOR FAILURE.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

WHILE TRAVELING ON VACATION IN 1999, I HAD A CHUNK OF RUBBER COME OFF MY TIRE. THE TIRE DID NOT BLOW OUT. EVEN THOUGH I HAD PLENTY OF TREADWEAR LEFT, I HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRE. THE RUBBER LOOKED BAD ON ALL MY TIRES SO I REPLACED THEM ALL. I STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL SPARE WHICH IS ALSO P235X75R15 FIRESTONE ATX. I WAS INFORMED BY MAIL FROM FORD THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT AFFECTED BY RECALL. WHEN I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE IT HAD 35,300 MILES ON IT. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE TIRES WOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED THAT QUICK, INCLUDING THE SPARE. I BELIEVE FORD MADE AN ERROR IN SAYING MY VEHICLE DID NOT COME WITH TIRES INVOLVED IN RECALL. I STILL HAVE THE SPARE TO PROVE IT. I WONDER IF FORD IS ACCIDENTLY MISINFORMING OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR TIRES NOT BEING INVOLVED IN RECALL. I ALSO FEEL THE RECALL SHOULD BE RETROACTIVE BACK TO INCLUDE 1999. I BOUGHT TIRES BECAUSE I WAS FORCED TO, NOT BECAUSE I WANTED TO. THE RUBBER ON MY TIRES LOOKED AWFUL EVEN THOUGH I HAD PLENTY OF TREADWEAR LEFT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235X75R15 )

WHILE ING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF INTERMITTEMTLY; AFTER FIVE MINUTE OR MORE THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART; VEHICLE BEEN IN INDEPENDENCE REPAIRS SHOP ON THREE OCCASION AND CONDITION STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS:

DURING THE FIRST PART OF AUGUST, I HEARD ABOUT THE RECALL ON MY FIRESTONE TIRES, I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MY LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER IN MONROE. THEY EXPLAINED THAT THEY WERE NOT DOING ANYTHING YET; HOWEVER, I COULD MAKE AN APPT. TO HAVE MY TIRES CHECKED. IT WAS 3 WEEKS BEFORE THEY COULD GET ME IN. I WAITED 3 WEEKS AND TOOK MY EXPLORER IN TO HAVE THE TIRES CHECKED. THEY LOOKED AT THE INSIDE OF 1 TIRE & SAID, YES, YOUR TIRES ARE BEING RECALLED, WE WILL PUT YOU ON THE LIST TO RECEIVE NEW TIRES, WE ARE ALL OUT AT THIS TIME. THEY ALSO STATED IT WOULD BE 2-2.5 MONTHS BEFORE THE TIRES WOULD BE IN. THEY NEVER BOTHERED TO CHECK MY AIR PRESSURE OR FOR ANY DEFECTS IN THE TIRES. I AM A SINGLE PARENT WITH 2 CHILDREN. MY SON JUST CAME HOME FROM A REHAB CENTER BECAUSE HE HAS A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJ. FROM A DRIVER WHO HIT US HEAD ON. I HAVE TO DRIVE MY SON TO FARMINGTON 1-2 TIMES A WEEK FOR DOCTOR APPTS. & THERAPY. I DRIVE ANYWHERE FROM 100 - 150 MILES PER TRIP, ON THE EXPRESSWAY. WE HAD A VACATION PLANNED FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND TO VISIT MY PARENTS IN ARKANSAS. WE HAD TO CANCEL OUR VACATION DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE TIRES. I AM VERY UPSET THAT IT TOOK 3 WKS FOR ANYONE TO EVEN LOOK AT MY TIRES AND DURING THE APPT., THEY ONLY LOOKED AT THE NUMBER ON 1 TIRE. THEY NEVER BOTHERED TO CHECK THE TIRES. I WAS NEVER PUT ON A LIST FOR NEW TIRES UNTIL THE DAY OF MY APPT., 3 WKS AFTER I CALLED. I AM WORRIED ABOUT MY ENTIRE FAMILY, ESPECIALLY MY SON WITH A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE WITH DEFECTIVE TIRES. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL DEATHS AND INJURIES DUE TO THESE DEFECTIVE TIRES AND THE NUMBER CONTINUES TO INCREASE. I RECEIVED THE FORM TO REPLACE THE TIRES ON MY OWN & GET REIMBURSED. I CAN'T AFFORD TO DO THIS, I AM A SINGLE PARENT AND MY EX DOES NOT PAY HIS REQUIRED SUPPORT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS, IF THERE ARE TIRES AVAILABLE FOR ME TO PURCHASE, WHY CAN'T FIRESTONE PUT THEM ON MY VEHICLE OR SEND ME TO SOMEONE WHO HAS THEM?

VERY INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIIVNG AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE JUST DIES. SOMETIMES IT WILL RESTART IMMEDIATELY AND SOMETIMES IT TAKES AN HOUR BEFORE IT WILL RESTART. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGONG PROBLEM FOR OVER A YEAR. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NO IDEA WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. *AK

TRUCK HAS A HISTORY OF NOT STARTING AFTER BEING TURNED OFF AND SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING.

BRAKES FAILED CAUSED CRASH INTO DIRT BANK,SEAT BELT FAILED CAUSED INJURIES TO FACE ARMES LEGS BACK

I OWN A 1994 FORD EXPLORER. ON OR ABOUT 1996 I BEGAN EXPERIANCING A VIBRATION IN THE VEHICLE AT HIGH SPEEDS, ABOVE 55MPH. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER AND HAD THE FRONT END ALIGNED AND THE TIRES ROTATED AND BALANCED. THIS ONLY SLIGHTLY REDUCE THE VIBRATION PROBLEM. I RETURN THE VEHICLE TO FIRESTONE AND HAD THEM RECHECK THE ALIGNMENT AND BALANCE AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE ALINGMENT WAS FIME. FIRESTONE TOLD ME TO CHECK WITH FORD TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETTENS RELATED TO VIBRATION AT HIGH SPEED. I CALLED FORD AND SPOKE WITH THEIR SERVICE MANAGER WHO TOLD ME THERE WAS A TSB RELATED TO VIBRATION IN EXPLORERS AT HIGH SPEEDS. I TOOK MY EXPLOER TO A FORD DEALER THE NEXT DAY TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A TSB RELATED TO THE VIBRATION AND THAT FORD HAD A FIX. THE FIX INVOLVED REPLACING THE MOTER MOUNTS WITH MODIFIED MOTER MOUNT AND ALSO MODIFICATIONS TO THE REAR SHOCK MOUNTS. I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE MY VEHICAL HAD EXCEEDED 50,000 MILES THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE FIX , WHICH AMOUNTED TO OVER $700 IN PARTS AND OVER $200 IN LABOR. I ALSO NOTICE WHEN I VEIWED THE TSB ON THE COMPUTER SCREEN THAT IT ONLY APPLIED TO MODEL UP TO 1996. I TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT I FELT FORD SHOULD REPLACE THE PARTS FOR FREE AND THAT I FELT IT WAS A SAFTY CONCERN. HE TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE MODIFICATION. I CALLED FORD'S 800 NUMBER AND EXPRESSED MY CONCERN A REGESTERD A COMPLAINT. SINCE THE MUCH PUBLICIZED RECALL OF THE FIRESTONE TIRES AND READING SOME OF THE FIRESTON/FORD EXPLORE "BAD MATCH" ARTICLES IN THE NEWS PAPERS I BEGAN TO THINK THAT THE FIRESTONE TIRES WERE NOT ENTIRELY TO BLAME FOR THE PROBLEMS. I HAVE DRIVE MY VEHICAL FOR OVER SIX YEARS NOW AND HAVE HAD THE ORIGNAL FIRESTONE ATX TIRES REPLACED THREE TIMES AND THE VEHICAL HAS AWAYS VIBRATED AT HIGH SPEEDS. I FEEL FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPAIR THE VEHICAL WITHOUT CHARGE TO THE OWNER. PLEASE CONTACT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.

TIRE LIFTGATE ASSEMBLY CABLE BROKE CAUSING THE SPARE TIRE TO FALL DOWN WHILE DRIVING. NLM

MY TEENAGE SON DRIVES THE FORD EXPLORER, I DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS SPORTS UTILITY IS SAFE.