1996 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

WHEN DRIVING MY 1996 EXPLORER AT 50 MPH ON A HIGHWAY I HEARD A LOUD CLICK AND LOST ALL POWER. I MANAGED TO STEER THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR CRANKED BUT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. MY MECHANIC TOWED THE CAR AND UPON EXAMINING THE CAR FOUND THAT THE CRANKSHAFT WAS BROKEN. HE FELT THAT MY EXPLORER'S CRANKSHAFT HAS A DEFINITE MANUFACTURING DEFECT SINCE THE CAR MILEAGE IS ONLY 28000MILES. HE URGED ME TO CONTACT TOWER FORD WHERE I PURCHASED THE EXPLORER. TOWER FORD ADVISED ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT PAY ANYTHING TOWARD THE REPAIR OF MY VEHICLE SINCE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. I AM FRUSTRATED. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE INJURY ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOW I HAVE A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 28000MILES WITH A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT -WITH NO HELP FROM FORD. I BELIEVE THAT THE CRANKSHAFT IN MY EXPLORER HAS A DEFINITE MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND FORD NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED.*AK

TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH. LEFT FRONT TIRE CAME APART. ABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. UPON INSPECTION OF THE REMAINS, WHICH INCLUDED THE TREAD BUT NO SIDE WALL, IT WAS APPARENT THAT THERE WAS NO CUT, PUNCTURE OR OTHER EXTERNAL DAMAGE THAT WOULD BE CAUSE FOR THE BLOWOUT. I TOOK THE REMAINS TO THE FIRESTONE STORE FROM WHICH I PURCHASED THE TIRES AND THE MANAGER AGREED WITH ME THAT THE TIRE HAD FAILED AT THE SIDEWALL , AND INVOLVED AN APPARENT HIGH TEMPERATURE. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW TIRE. THAT TIRE ALONG WITH THE OTHERS ARE SHOWING, IN MY OPINION, A STRANGE PATTERN OF "WEAR" ON THE SIDEWALLS AND NEAR THE BEAD. THESE TIRES WERE PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN NOV. 1999. THESE TIRES ARE NOT THE SIZE TIRES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN RECALL AS OF 8-14-00, BUT I BELIEVE THEM TO BE FAULTY. THEY SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY. THANK YOU. *AK( DOT NUMBER: 000 TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )

TIRE SEPARATION WAS WITNESSED BY MELBOURNE, FL. FIRESTONE STORE MANAGER -TED MCKERCHER (321) 723-4618. TIRES WERE REPLACED 4-24-2000.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P23575R15 )

WHILE WESTBOUND ON HWY 58, 26 MILES WEST OF NEEDLES, CA., THE TREAD ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SEPERATED AND WAS THROWN FROM THE TIRE. THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. I HAD FELT AND INCREASING VIBRATION IN THE CAR PRIOR TO THE SEPARATION. I HAVE SUBMITTED THE TIRE AND REPAIR ESTIMATES TO FIRESTONE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VDHL1PM086 TIRE SIZE: P235/75 R1 )

A VERY LOUD SLAPPING NOISE STARTED, I PULLED OFF ROAD AND FOUND THAT THE ENTIRE TREAD HAD COME OFF THE RR TIRE, ALSO SEVERING THE BRAKE LINE AND DAMAGING THE RESIN FENDER FLARE. AFTER CONTACTING FIRESTONE AND SENDING THEM THE TIRE CARCASS, THEY DID IN FACT SEND A CHECK FOR THE COST OF THE TIRE AND THE DAMAGE IT CAUSED. SHORTLY AFTER THAT TIRE SEPARATION, FOR PEACE OF MIND, I PURCHASED 3 WILDERNESS AT TIRES, TO MAKE ALL FOUR "NEW.'' TIRES. HOWEVER, WITH ALL THE PUBLICITY THAT THE FIRESTONE RECALL OF THE WILDERNESS TIRES, MY WIFE REFUSES TO RIDE IN THE VEHICLE. CONSEQUENTLY, IT SITS IN THE GARAGE. I WANT FIRESTONE TO EXTEND THE RECALL TO THE 16 INCH SIZE, AND RE-IMBURSE ME FOR MY EXPENSE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 255/70/R16 )

TREAD PEELED OFF TIRE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SKID, DAMAGED REAR QUARTER PANEL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

TIRE REMAINED INFLATED (LATER CHECKED TO CONFIRM CORRECT INFLATION PRESSURE); TREAD SEPARATED COMPLETELY, DAMAGED VEHICLE, LODGED AROUND AXLE IN WHEEL WELL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VDHL1PM136 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

1996 FORD EXPLORER TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 95. DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE TREAD CAME OFF CAUSING THE SUV TO FLIP TWICE. ALL 3 OCCUPANTS WERE INJURED AND HOSPITALIZED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: P235/75A15 TIRE SIZE: 105 SM/S )

I EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOWOUT AND LOST CONTROL OF MY SUV. THE SUV SPUN AROUND 3 TIME AND ALMOST FLIPPED OVER I STARTED OFF IN THE RIGHT LANE AND ENDED UP IN THE FAR LEFT LANE FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAD JUST HAD MY TIRE CHECKED A MONTH EARLIER AT A FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE FINE.*AK( DOT NUMBER: P235/75R15 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

I ORIGINALLY HAD THE ATX'S ON MY EXPLORER. ONCE THE RECALL WENT INTO EFFECT, I WENT TO A FIRESTONE CAR CARE CENTER IN NASHVILLE (STORE # 028150) AND THEY REPLACED THEM WITH THE BRIDGESTONE DUELERS. I DROVE TO WORK AFTERWARDS GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WHEN I NOTICED A SHAKING IN THE VEHICLE. I HAD JUST HAD A BALANCE AND FRONT END ALIGNMENT TO GO ALONG WITH THE REPLACEMENTS. SO THE NEXT DAY, I TOOK IT BACK AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THE MANAGER. IT WAS BUSY AND AT THE END OF THE DAY SO I SAID I WOULD BRING IT IN THE FIRST THING SATURDAY MORNING. THEY PLACED MY TIRES ON THE BALANCING MACHINE AND I WATCHED AS WE ALL NOTICED A WOBBLING IN ALL THE TIRES. THE MANAGER EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE CAUSE OF THIS HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH WHEN THEY MANUFACTURE THE TIRES, THEY HAVE A LIGHT AND HEAVY SPOT IN THEM. IF THAT HEAVY SPOT IS OFF OR EXTREMELY HEAVY, IT CAN CAUSE A WOBBLE. NEVERTHELESS, I ASKED WHAT AM I TO DO NOW. THE MANAGER STATED THAT I WOULD NOW BE PLACED ON THE REPLACEMENT LIST. I WOULD PREFER TO GO TO A FORD DEALERSHIP NOW, BUT SINCE I ALREADY HAD A REPLACEMENT DONE, I DOUBT IF THEY WILL REPLACE THEM AGAIN. THIS IS WHERE I NEED YOUR HELP. I HAVE ALL THE DOCUMENTATION STATING THE DEFECTIVE REPLACEMENT TIRES. CAN YOU SEND ME A LETTER AUTHORIZING A DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THEM AGAIN? OR CAN YOU HELP ME OUT IN ANY WAY OR SUGGEST WHAT ALTENATIVES I HAVE? ALSO, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY I HAD TO REPURCHASE THE LIFETIME WARRANTIES ON THE BALANCE AND ROAD HAZZARD WHEN I HAD THEM ORIGINALLY ON THE ATX'S. THE ATX'S WERE A RECALL, NOT TIRES THAT WORE DOWN FROM NORMAL USAGE WHERE A WARRANTY WOULD EXPIRE. I KNOW THE BRIDGESTONE DUELERS WERE NOT INCLUDED WITH THE RECALL, BUT THEY WERE MY REPLACEMENT TIRES, AND THEY TOO WERE IMPERFECT AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE FIRESTONE CAR CARE CENTER. AS A CONSUMER, I HAVE DONE WHAT WAS DIRECTED BY YOUR ADMINISTRATION. AS A CONSUMER AND A STATE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE, I HAVE GAINED NOTHING BY DOING WHAT I WAS DIRECTED TO DO. HELP ME!