1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE I WAS PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE ON AN ICY ROAD AT NIGHT BETWEEN DRIGGS, IDAHO AND VICTOR, IDAHO. I CLICKED THE DIMMER WHEN THEY WENT OUT, AND TRIED TO PUT THE DIMMER LEVER INTO ANY OTHER POSITION AND THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON. I HELD THE DIMMER SWITCH UP AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL IN THE "BRIGHT" FLASHER POSITION AND THEY CAME ON, BUT BLINDING ONCOMING TRAFFIC SO THAT THEY FLASHED THEIR LIGHTS AT ME. I DROVE THIS WAY TO MY HOME ABOUT SEVEN MORE MILES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! BROADWAY FORD (66 MI FROM OUR HOME) CHARGED US $134.41 TO REPLACE THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WHICH THEY THINK CAUSED THE PROBLEM, AND I UNDERSTAND FORD RANGERS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK

PE00 030 ; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 75MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER, AND SAW THAT LEFT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION.FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS AT, P2357515, DOT W2HLIPY037 . FIRESTONE HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK TIRE FAILURE CAUSED DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. *SLC

ORIGINAL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES, TRAVELING BETWEEN LANES WITH SNOW SLUSH ON ROAD, TIRES DIDN'T GRIP WELL WHEN PASSING OTHER VEHICLES. SIZE P235/75R15 DOT# W2HL1PY. *AK CONSUMER REPLACED ALL TIRES, DEALER STATED TIRES WERE ROUNDED ON THE EDGES. *SLC

AFTER BUYING VEHICLE, FOUND OUT THAT SPARE (P255/70R15) TIRE IS A DIFFERENT SIZE THAN REGULAR TIRES (P255/70R16) ON VEHICLE. CONSUMER BELIEVES IT IS UNSAFE IN CASE OF REPLACING TIRES WITH SPARE ONE.*AK *SLC

NOV '00 - TRUCK WOULD NOT START, HAD TO GET JUMP START. TOOK INTO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. DIAGNOSIS - IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE REPLACED. DEC '00 - TRUCK WOULD NOT START, HAD TO JUMP START. TOOK TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. DIAGNOSIS - GEM MODULE REPLACED. JAN '01 - TRUCK WOULD NOT START OR JUMP START. TOWED TO DEALER. DIAGNOSIS - CRANK POSITIONING SENSOR REPLACED. TOLD BY DEALER THAT THESE ALL WERE ELECTRONIC PARTS. NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THEY WOULD FAIL WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. CURRENTLY, THE 4WD INDICATOR LIGHTS ON THE DASH FLASH PERIODICALLY. LEFT VOICE MESSAGE WITH DEALER SERVICE ON 2/5 TO DISCUSS/FIX. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH STEPPED ON BRAKES PEDAL TO STOP, BUT BRAKES DID NOT WORK, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPING DISTANC. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED TWICE THE SAME DAY.*AK

INSPECTION REVEALED THAT ALL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P23475R15 TIRES HAVE CRACKS AROUND TREAD LINE, DOT # W2HL, DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE TIRES NOT INVOLVED IN RECALL (OOT-005). CJ

TWO FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P23575R15 TIRES WENT BAD AND WERE REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE PRIOR TO RECALL 00T-005, FIRESTONE WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT. CJ

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE (P235/75R15) FAILED, CONSUMER NOTICED A CHUNK OF TREAD MISSING, STEEL WEBBING VISIBLE, SLIGHT RAISED EFFECT IN TIRE, AND THE BEGINNING OF TREAD SEPARATION, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL TIRES. *SLC

CONSUMER WAITING FOR REIMBURSMENT UNDER RECALL (OOT-005), ALL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES P23575R15 REPLACED. CJ