1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH OR LESS I HIT A SLIGHT BUMP AND HEARD A VERY LOAD BANG. THE FRONT LEFT DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY DROPPED, THE VEHICLE SWERVED INTO THE OPPOSING LANE AND TEND TO ROLL. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND I QUICKLY STOPPED. THE FORD DEALER REPLACED THE TORSION BAR AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS FAILURE. HOWEVER THEY REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR COST. THE REPAIR COST ME $171.67. DUE TO THEIR REFUSAL TO COVER A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE AND OTHER MEDIA COVERAGE OF EXPLORER PROBLEMS, I SOLD THE VEHICLE THIS WEEK. *AK

THIS VEHICLE HAS A EMMISIONS RELATED TORQUE CONVERTER PROBLEM WHICH MUST BE REPAIRED BY AN AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER. IT EFFECTS THE THE SHIFTING OF THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ENGAGING OF THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THIS PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER ON AUGUST 17, 1999 WITH 22,941 MILES AND AGAIN ON FEBRUARY 2, 2000 WITH 32,304 MILES. THE DEALER STATED IT WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC AND SINCE NO TROUBLE LIGHTS COME ON THAT THE FORD DIVISION WOULD NOT BE WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THIS IS FORDS PROBLEM NOT MINE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE UNDER MUCH STRESS DAILY AND FORD NEEDS TO OWN UP TO THE PROBLEM AND MAKE THE REPAIR AT THEIR COST NOT MINE. FORD MADE THE FAULTY VEHICLE AND I SHOULD NOT BE LEFT WITH THE EXPENSE OF FIXING THEIR FAULTY EQUIPMENT. LET ME ADD TORRINGTON FORD WILL NOT BE INVOLVED IN THIS NOR WILL THEY TOUCH THIS VEHICLE. THE FORD DEALERSHIP WILL BE OF MY CHOICE AND I WANT A LOANER VEHICLE WHILE THE REPAIR IS BEING MADE. I DON'T CARE IF THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, TORQUE CONVERTER, FRONT DRIVESHAFT AND THE PINION SEAL. THIS VEHICLE IS FAULTY AND IT WILL NOT BE AT MY EXPENSE. THANK YOU, [XXX] PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

FUEL INJECTION MODULE HAS WORN OUT. DEALER HAS ADVISED CONSUMER THAT PART WAS "DEFECTIVE" AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE.*AK

CAM CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED, AS DESCRIBED IN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS 00M12, 01M01, 12150, 6926. FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS REFUSES TO COVER THE REPAIR. THEY CLAIM THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I CLAIM IT IS. WHEN MINE FAILED, I WAS NEARLY RUN OVER BY A SEMI TRACTOR TRAILER FOLLOWING BEHIND ME DUE TO INSTANTANEOUS LOSS OF POWER WITHOUT WARNING. FORD SHOULD BE COMPELLED TO ISSUE A GENERAL RECALL ON ALL SUCH ENGINES WITH THIS KNOWN DEFECT.*AK

00 020/TREAD SEPARATION: LEFT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED A TREAD SEPARATION WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 65 MPH, WITH DRIVER ONLY IN A 1997, FORD, EXPLORER; UNAWARE OF ORIGINAL OR AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT; TIRE SIZE P235/75R15, DOT# W2HL1PY077. FIRESTONE NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TIRES WERE NOT COVER UNDER RECALL. *AK *JB

CONSUMER WAS STARTING TO ACCELERATE ALMOST REACHING SPEED OF 25-30MPH WHEN ENGINE SHUT OFF DUE TO CRANKSHAFT THAT FELL OFF. NO PRIOR WARNING . DEALER HAS TO REPLACE MOTOR, BUT CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK

TWO BACK TIRES AND PASSENGER'S FRONT TIRE AROUND THE RIM AREA ARE CRACKED. CONSUMER HAS A 1997, FORD, EXPLORER WITH ORIGINAL TIRES, SIZE P235/75R15. APPROXIMATE MILEAGE 42,000.*AK *JB

THE CRANK/DRIVE SHAFT COMPLETELY SHEARED OFF AND FELL OUT WITH THE PULLEY STILL ATTACHED. THE DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER AND THREE OTHER SERVICE PERSONNEL STATED THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. THE SERVICE MANAGER ALSO STATED HE COULD NOT EVEN BEGIN TO EXPLAIN HOW IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.

APPROX 1 MONTH AGO, VEHICLE FAILED JUST AFTER LEAVING THE FREEWAY AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND TO BE THE MAIN FUSE CONTROLLING ALL DRIVE-TRAIN COMPONENTS, INCLUDING COMPUTER, FUEL INJECTORS, TRANSMISSION, ETC. THE DEALER ( HARRIS FORD) COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE AFTER TWO DAYS OF INVESTIGATION. I WAS RETURNED THE VEHICLE WITH TWO EXTRA 30 AMP FUSES (AND A $500 BILL) IN CASE THE PROBLEM RECURRED. APPROX. TWO WEEKS LATER, THE VEHICLE AGAIN DIED, THIS TIME IN PORTLAND, OR. FORTUNATELY IT DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE FREEWAY, SINCE ALL POWER WAS LOST WHEN THE ENGINE DIED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT A PORTLAND DEALER FOR THE PAST WEEK, AGAIN WITH NO EXPLANATION OF THE CAUSE. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT RUN, AND I HAVE AN ESP, FORD NOR ITS DEALERS WILL COMMIT TO COVERING REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY. HAD THIS HAPPENED AT FREEWAY SPEED OF 60 OR 70 MPH, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD OCCUR, POTENTIALLY WITH FATAL INJURIES.*AK

PE00 020. CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 15MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, RIGHT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDERS. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS AT, P25570R16, FDOT W2CU1PX. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK *JB