1994 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

THE CYLINDERS/DAMPERS THAT ARE USED TO HELP RAISE AND HOLD THE LIFT GATE HAVE RIPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE BODY ON THREE SEPERATE OCCASIONS. AFTER THE THIRD FAILURE THE ENTIRE LIFT GATE WAS REPLACED UNDER FACTORY PROGRAM 95-M-87. BECAUSE THE FAILURE OCCURRED DURING THE 37TH OR 38TH MONTH AFTER PURCHASE AND BECAUSE THE DEALER HAD REPAIRED THE FAILURE TWICE BEFORE UNDER WARRANTY, THEY DECIDED TO HONOR THE FACTORY WARRANTY AND REPLACE THE ENTIRE LIFT GATE. SOMETIME THIS SUMMER, 1999, I NOTICED THE LIFT GATE WAS MAKING NOISE WHEN OPENED AND CLOSED. I BELIEVED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY RUST IN THE HINGE. IN AUGUST I NOTICED THAT THE LIFT GATE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND WASN'T OPENING AND CLOSING PROPERLY. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT THE WARRANTY NO APPLIED. THIS WAS BECAUSE THE LIFT GATE HAD FAILED MORE THAN 12 MONTHS AFTER INSTALLATION/REPLACEMENT. THEY CLAIM THAT A PIN THAT ATTACHES THE LIFT GATE TO THE HINGE HAS PULLED OUT OF THE BRACKET IN THE LIFT GATE. A VEHICLE WITH 46,050 MILES THAT HAS HAD THE LIFT GATE FAIL FOUR TIMES NOW SEEMS TO HAVE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DESIGN FLAW. A REVIEW OF THE NHTSA DATABASE INDICATES THAT LIFT GATE FAILURES IS FAIRLY COMMON OCCURANCE WITH FORD EXPLORERS ALTHOUGH THEY SEEM TO FOCUS ON THE CYLINDER/DAMPER PULLING OUT OF THE BODY. I THOUGHT I HAD REPORTED THIS TO NHTSA OVER THREE WEEKS AGO BUT A REVIEW OF THE DATABASE TODAY SHOWED THAT THERE WAS NO RECORD IN THE SYSTEM.

WHILE LOADING CAR WITH TAILGATE RAISED, SUPPORT BRACKET BROKE OFF AND CRASHED DOWN NARROWLY MISSING US AND ALMOST CRUSHED THE DOG. FORD NOW ADDS A SAFETY BRACKET OVER THE EXISTING WELD TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFEC

WHILE DRIVING MIRROR STARTS TO SMOKE, CAUSING OTHER FUNCTIONS IN THE VEHICLE TO BLOW OUT, SUCH AS THE RADI/AND MIRROR SWITCH. *AK

THE POWER MIRROR SWITCH IGNITED, CAUSING SMOKE, ETC.. RADIO AND CAR ALARM REMOTE ALSO CEASED WORKING. CAN NOT REPLACE FUSE, AS IT STARTS SMOKING AGAIN. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ADDRESSED BY YOU FOR FOUR-DOOR 1994 FORD EXPLORERS. I HAVE A 2D AND FORD WILL NOT FIX. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 97V083000 THANK YOU!

REAR LIFT GATE ON EXPLORER HAS BROKEN OFF ON THREE PREVIOUS OCASSIONS. ON THE THIRD OCCURANCE THE ENTIRE LIFT GATE WAS REPLACED UNDER A FACTORY 'RECALL' PROGRAM. THE BOLTS OR SCREWS HOLDING THE LIFT GATE TO THE HINGES HAVE NOW PULLED OUT OF THE LIFT GATE BRACKETS. DEALER CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR METAL FATIGUE FAILURE BECAUSE IT OCCURRED MORE THAN 12 MONTHS SINCE REPLACEMENT . CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY REJECTED CLAIM ALSO. THIS VEHICLE HAS 46010 MILES AND THE LIFT GATE HAS NOW FAILED FOUR SEPARATE TIMES. THIS IS NOT A MECHANICAL FAILURE BUT STRUCTURAL DESIGN FAILURE.

THE HYDRAULIC CYLINDER THAT SUPPORTS THE REAR LIFTGATE HAS PULLED AWAY FOM FRAME ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THE TRUCK WAS ALSO TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER COULD NOT CORRECT PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE. TRUCK NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. TRUCK WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL # 95I007000 FORD/STRUCTURE: HATCHBACK. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH PINE NEEDLES COLLECTED INTO OUTSIDE HEATER DUCT AND CATCHING ON FIRE. ALSO, REAR HYDRAULIC CYLINDER DEATCHED FROM VEHICLE BODY. DEALER NOTIFIED OF BOTH INCIDENTS, AND CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER NO RECALLS. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA INTHIS MATTER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50MPH WITH THE SUN ROOF CLOSED, SUN ROOF LATCH BLEW OUT & FELL BEHIND VEHICLE ONTO ROADWAY, WITHOUT ANY WARNING. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO CHECK OUT. *AK

MY BRAKES WERE MAKING A NOISE AFTER ONE YEAR, SO I TOOK IT TO WINSTON TIRES AND THEY PUT NEW BRAKES ON AND ONE NEW ROTOR ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THE BRAKES STILL WERE NOT RIGHT SO I TOOK MY EXPLORER TO UPLAND FORD AND THEY PUT A NEW ROTOR ON AND REINSTALLED NEW BRAKES. THE BRAKES STILL DID NOT SOUND RIGHT. THEY HAD A GRINDING SOUND TO THEM STILL. I TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK TO FORD OF UPLAND AND THEY CHECKED THE BRAKES AGAIN AND ADJUSTED THEM. THEY WERE STILL NOT RIGHT. I TOOK MY VIHICLE BACK A THIRD TIME AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. LESS THAN A YEAR LATER, 9-6-99, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO BIRCH FORD IN LA HABRA AND THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED FRONT BRAKES AND ROTARS IN THE FRONT. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THE PROBLEM I HAD PREVIOUSLY. THEY PUT THE BRAKES AND ROTARS ON AND NOW I AM HAVING TO TAKE MY VEHICLE BACK TO THEM TO SEE WHY THE BRAKES ARE GRINDING AGAIN AFTER A WEEK OF HAVING NEW BRAKES AND ROTARS INSTALLED. I AM TAKING MY VEHICLE BACK ON TUESDAY, 9-21-99. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WILL BE SAID BUT DO KNOW I HAVE SPENT OVER $800.00 ON BRAKES IN THE LAST YEAR ON MY FORD EXPLORER AND THE DEALER STILL CANNOT FIX MY BRAKES CORRECTLY.

WHILE CLOSING THE HATCHBACK LID, THE RIGHT HYDRAULIC CYLINDER BRACKET COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE LIFT GATE. I CONTACTED FORD AT THEIR HOT LINE AND WAS TOLD THAT RECALL #95M87 HAD ELAPSED AND THEIR WAS NOTHING FORD COULD DO ABOUT THE FAILURE. I ASKED FORD ABOUT SAFETY RECALL #95S21 AND THEY SAID THAT WAS FOR PREVIOUS FORD EXPLORERS. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS 1994 EXPLORERS, WHICH THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE LIFTGATE ($2000) WITHOUT A MILEAGE OR DATE CONDITION AND WITH THE NEW RECALL THEY NOW WILL NOT DO ANYTHING? I HAVE CONTACTED 25 OTHER EXPLORER OWNERS WITH IDENTICAL PROBLEMS. THEY TOO CAN NOT GET FORD TO REACT. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM, AS I CAN NOT OPEN THE DOOR WITHOUT THE THING FALLING DOWN. I CAN EVEN SELL THE CAR NOW. PLEASE ADVISE WHAT CAN BE DONE. THANK YOU, TOM SPALDING ([email protected])