1994 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

DT: 1994, FORD, EXPLORER LIMITED, CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WHEN THE VEHCILE STARTED SMOKING. CONSUMER STARTED HAVING BREATHING PROBLEMS. THE SMOKE STARTED THICK, AND CONSUMER COULDN'T SEE, AND HE PULLED OVER. WHEN THE CONSUMER GOT OUT OF THE CAR HE EEN SPARKS, THEN THE CAR BLEW UP. OWNER HAD NO PHYSICAL INJURIES. THE FIRE WAS SO HOT THAT TIRES MELTED AND EVEN THE KEYS MELTED. *AK

THE BRAKES WERE MAKING NOISE AND LOCKING UP WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED. TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR CHECK UP, AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THEY WERE WORN OUT AND LEAKING FLUID. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY CONSUMER.*AK ABS SYSTEM WAS CONTAMINATED. FOUR TIMES IN FEB., 2005 THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MIDAS. THE CONSUMER ASKED THE MIDAS MANAGER TO CHECK THE BRAKED BECAUSE HE FELT THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THEM. EACH TIME THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKES WERE FINE. MIDAS AUTO CORP WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE IS PARKED IN HIS DRIVEWAY AND IN NOT DRIVABLE. *BF *NM

VEHICLE WAS ON THE ROAD WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECKUP, BUT THE CAUSE WAS UNDETERMINED AT THIS TIME.*AK

THE BRAKES ARE MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AND LOCKING UP WHEN THEY ARE APPLIED. TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR A CHECK UP, AND RESULTS SHOW THAT THERE IS FLUID LEAKAGE AND BRAKES ARE WORN OUT.*AK

THE BRAKES WERE MAKING NOISE AND LOCKING UP WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED. TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR CHECK UP, AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THEY WERE WORN OUT AND LEAKING FLUID. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY CONSUMER.*AK

1994 FORD EXPLORER - SPARE TIRE DROPPED ON HIGHWAY AT 65 MILES PER HOUR. TIRE BOUNCED IN AIR 3 - 4 FEET IN FRONT ON VEHICLE FOLLOWING, WHICH SWERVED TO AVOID. CABLE SUPPORTING SPARE TIRE HAD RUSTED THROUGH. TYPICAL UNDER VEHICLE SUPPORT SYSTEM ON PICKUPS AND SUVS.

ON JULY 31, 2004, AT 5:00AM, I WAS AWAKEN BY POUNDING ON MY DOORS AND WINDOWS. AS I WAS COMING DOWN THE STAIRS I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW CAUSE I SAW ALOT OF LIGHT. I OPENED THE DOOR TO FIND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TELLING ME AND MY KIDS TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE. HE STATED THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. THIS HAD HAPPEN AFTER MY CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN THE SAME SPOT SINCE 7:00PM THE PRIOR DAY. MY VEHICLE WAS A 1994 FORD EXPLORER XL, 4 DOOR. THANK GOD THAT SOMEONE HAD SAW IT BECAUSE WHERE MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED WAS RIGHT NEXT TO MY GAS METER ON THE HOUSE. THIS COULD OF KILLED ME AND MY CHILDREN. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO PRY OPEN MY HOOD TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. THEY EVEN TRYED BREAKING OUT MY WINDOW TO GET TO IT. BY THEN THE WHOLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS DESTROYED THE DASH BOARD, GLOVE BOX AND EVERYTHING IN THE FRONT END WAS DESTROYED. I ONLY HAD NO-FAULT INSURANCE SO THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE DONE. I DIDN'T RECEIVE ANYTHING TO HELP ME FIX OR REPLACE IT. I HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE IT AWAY. I DIDN'T RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM THEM EITHER. I DID TAKE PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE AFTER THIS HAPPENED.

WHILE BACKING INTO GARAGE THE DRIVER'S SEAT SUDDENLY AND FORCEFULLY FELL BACK. THE THICK STEEL SEAT BOLT RESPONSIBLE FRO HOLDING THE SEAT SECURELY HAD BROKEN IN HALF. *BF WHEN THE SEAT COLLAPSED THE CONSUMER LOST SOME CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE TO SCRAPE AGAINST THE GARAGE. *NM

THE TRANSMISSION ON THE 1994 FORD EXPLORER APPEARS TO BE DEFECTIVE. THEY FAIL AFTER ONLY BETWEEN 75,000-125,000 MILES. *JB

1) SMELLED BURNING ELECTRICAL INSULATION WHILE DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA OF IDAHO FALLS, ID. PREVIOUSLY THAT DAY, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO START ON ONE OCCASION. MULTIPLE VEHICLE STARTS AFTERWARDS HAD BEEN WITHOUT INCIDENT.*AK 2) PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO INVESTIGATE. FOUND THE ALTERNATOR OUTPUT WIRE GLOWING RED AND THE INSULATION BURNING. IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE ENGINE, AND REMOVED THE BATTERY CABLES. ALTERNATOR WAS TOO HOT TO TOUCH (THEREFORE > 140F). 3) REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. REMOVED SIX INCHES OF BURNED UP ALTERNATOR OUTPUT WIRE (#6 AWG) AND THE CONNECTION LUG (#6 AWG W/ 1/4" POST). RELUGGED THE OUTPUT WIRE AND INSULATED THE LUG WITH ELECTRICAL TAPE AND HEAT SHRINK TUBING. NOTED THAT THE CONNECTION LUG HAD SHORTED TO THE ALTERNATOR FRAME BY THE EVIDENCE OF MELTED ALUMINUM FROM THE ALTERNATOR ON THE LUG. THE FACTORY INSTALLED LUG WAS NOT INSULATED BETWEEN THE LUG SHAFT AND THE ALTERNATOR CASE. IT WAS PROTECTED ON ITS EXTERNAL SIDE BY A BOOT SLIDE ON BOOT. OLD PARTS AND PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE.