1994 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. DRIVER ABLE TO REACH SHOULDER AND CALL REPAIR SERVICE. APPROX. 3 HRS. LATER DURING SAME TRIP, RIGHT REAR TIRE SEPARATED, DRIVER NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE SWERVED VIOLENTLY BACK AND FORTH THEN ROLLED 3 OR 4 TIMES. TWO INJURED OCCUPANTS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL. VEHICLE TOTALED. *( DOT NUMBER: VDHL1M0094 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

EXPLORER WAS IMPACTED BY SECOND VEHICLE ON LEFT REAR SIDE, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO EXPLORER AND CAUSING IT TO SPIN. LEFT SIDE OF SEAT BACK BROKE (I.E., VERTICAL METAL ARM BROKE, I.E., METAL SEPARATED), ALLOWING SEAT BACK TO COLLAPSE BACKWARD. THE TWO 11-YEAR OLD GIRLS SEAT-BELTED IN THIS SEAT WERE EJECTED REARWARD OUT FROM UNDER THEIR SEAT BELTS, EXITING REAR WINDOW(S). ONE WAS KILLED, OTHER SUSTAINED SERIOUS HEAD AND OTHER INJURIES. WE ARE ENGAGED IN LAW SUIT WITH FORD OVER THIS MATTER. WHAT IS NHTSA DONG TO ENSURE THAT AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS MAKE SEAT BACKS THAT WILL NOT BREAK IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES? WHY DON'T MANUFACTURERS MAKE SEAT BACKS AS STRONG AS THE SEAT BELTS? THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM IS COMPRISED OF THE SEAT PLUS THE SEAT BELTS, AND THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM CAN BE REDERED USELESS IF THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSES. *AK

ALL THIS VEHICLES SEEM TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE BUSHINGS ON THE STABLIZER BARS GO BAD. WHICH MAKES CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE HARD. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL SINCE THIS IS A CONTINUEING PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THIS REPAIR WILL ONLY LAST THE MOST 2 YEARS.*AK

THIS 1994 FORD EXPLORER XLT 4WD HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE CUT-OFF WHILE DRIVING . THIS PROBLEM START TO HAPPENED IN THE FALL OF 1999, RECENTLY ON MAY 17, 2000 AROUND 6 PM ON FAIRFAX COUNTY PARKWAY WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH THE ENGINE CUT-OFF BY ITSELF ... CAN NOT BRAKE ... STEERING WHEEL WAS HEAVY ALMOST CRASH WITH OTHER CARS. I AM NOT FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE.*AK

RECEIVED RECALL 99V31001 & CONTACTED DEALERSHIP FOR AN APPOINTMENT. WAS INFORMED PARTS NEEDED TO BE ORDERED BEFORE WORK COULD BE DONE. TOOK VEHICLE IN & NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. MECHANIC HAD NO ANSWER TO QUESTIONS OF PARTS FOR HYDRAULIC LIFT CYLINDERS. OWNER'S ONLY TRANSPORTATION. *AK

TREAD SEPARATION CAUSED ROLLOVER OF SUV AND DEATH OF CHILD. TREAD WEAR AT TIME OF CRASH WAS 25,000 MILES.*AK( DOT NUMBER: W2HLIMO204 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

RECALLED LIFTGATE BRACKET FAILED, HOWEVER VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. #. NK

THE BUSHINGS AROUND THE HINGE PINS WERE WEAK, CAUSING THE DOOR TO SAG, WHICH IN TURN MADE THE DOOR DIFFICULT TO CLOSE. EVENTUALLY THE LATCH MECHANISM HAS BEEN WEAKENED AND THE INTERIOR PANEL/DOOR HANDLE PULLED OFF. I HAVE CALLED ALL AREA WRECKING YARDS (IN WESTERN WASHINGTON AND OREGON) AND WAS TOLD THAT THESE COMPONENTS ARE SOLD OFF THE EXPLORERS AS SOON AS THEY ARRIVE. THE FELLOW AT THE PARTS-DESK AT THE COURTESY FORD DEALER IN POULSBO SAYS HE HAS HAD TO ORDER MANY HINGES AND LATCH REPLACEMENTS FOR EXPLORERS. THIS WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A WIDE-SPREAD PROBLEM BETWEEN EXPLORER OWNERS.

BREAK PADS WEAR OUT ABOUT EVERY 12,000 TO 20,000 MILES. MUCH LOWER THEN SHOULD. *AK

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO A SHORT CIRCUIT IN POWER MIRROR SWITCH. RECALL 97V083000 WAS ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. BUT DEALER DID NOT REGISTER THIS VEHICLE IN CONSUMER'S NAME WITH MANUFACTURER. THEREFORE, CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE. *AK