1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

ENGINE CRANKSHAFT BROKE. WHILE SITTING IN VEHICLE HEARD A FUNNY NOISE. THEN, VEHICLE DIED, AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE CRANKSHAFT FELL OFF.

PE00 020; WAS CHECKING TIRES AND NOTICED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES ARE CRACKING ALL AROUND THE SIDEWALLS. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS#AT, P25570R16, DOT VNCU1TX237. HE WILL GET IN TOUCH WITH FIRESTONE.*AK

WHEN DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARMENT. VEHICLE CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER NOTED THAT ENGINE HAD A HOLE WHICH WAS CAUSED BY THE TIMING BELT THAT CAME OFF. ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

I HEARD A NOISE WHILE LEAVING PARKING LOT. IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS A RATTLING SOUND IN THE MOTOR, THEN THE TRUCK STALLED.. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THEIR DIAGNOSIS IS THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF A TIMING CHAIN FAILURE THAT JUMPED LOOSE AND KNOCKED A HOLE IN THE LEFT VALVE COVER. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OR OCCURENCE BEFORE THIS HAPPENED.

TIRES WERE WORN AT TIME OF PURCHASE (USED) AND EXPERIENCED A FLAT PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 00T-005, CONSUMER PURCHASED 4 NEW TIRE AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

CONSUMER RECIEVED RECALL 00T-005 FOR FIRESTONE TIRES WHICH WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION, THREE WERE REPLACED BECAUSE OF UNEVEN WEAR AND TIRE NOISE, THE OTHER TWO HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO THIS TIME BECAUSE OF WEAR, THE RECALL REIMBURSEMENT PLAN FAILS TO ADDRESS THE PERIOD OF TIME IN WHICH CONSUMER REPLACED HIS TIRES. NLM

EVEN THOUGH CHECKED AND FOUND NOT TO BE A RECALLED TIRE, WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH UP A FREEWAY WE EXPERIENCED TIRE TREAD SEPARATION BUT NO BLOW OUT. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE SLOWLY TO FIRESTONE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE BAD TIRE. WANTED TO REPORT TIRE SEPARATION FROM WILDERNESS AT FIRESTONE TIRE THAT WAS CLAIMED TO BE GOOD AND NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. I AM NOW STUCK WITH THREE MORE TIRES OF THE SAME NATURE THAT I FEEL MUST BE REPLACED BEFORE ANOTHER TREAD SEPARATION AND EXTENSIVE ACCIDENT. PLEASE SEE INTO ALL FIRESTONE TIRES OF THIS TYPE AS I AM NOW UNSURE THAT ANY ARE SAFE. (TIRESIZE: P275/R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P275/R15 )

RR TIRE SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING DOWN FREEWAY AT APPX 55 MPH. NO INJURIES. REPLACED WITH RECALLED TIRE VDHL. I HAVE REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES WITH GOODYEAR, AS OF 8/28/00. WILL BE REIMBURSED FOR 1 TIRE. HAVE REMAINING 3 TIRES IN POSSESSION. BELIEVE THESE SHOULD BE RECALLED AS WELL. ALL SHOW CRACK ALONG TREAD NEAR STEELBELT LINE. BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. I HAVE ORIG 3 TIRES AND PHOTOS OF TIRE THAT SEPERATED. (DOT NUMBER: W2HLIPY476 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

MY 1997 EXPLORER WILL TEMPORARLY STALLS WITHOUT WARNING SINCE NEW, USUALLY WHEN PULLING OUT INTO A STREAM OF TRAFFIC.THIS CAUSES A SEVERE SAFETY PROBLEM FOR THE OCCUPANTS OF THE CAR. I HAVE TAKED THE VEHICLE TO TALLAHASSEE, FORD, TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA SEVERAL TIMES (REMAINING OVERNIGHT THERE FOR OVER 10 DAYS) AND THE ONLY EFFORT TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WAS TO INSTALL A SET OF SPARK PUUGS. THE SERVICE MANAGER ADVISED ME NOT TO BRING THE CAR BACK SINCE THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND CAN'T BE FIXED. I FEEL NO ONE HAS TAKEN MY COMPLAINTS SERIOUSLY AND NO REAL EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO HAVE THE PROBLEM, NOTICIBLY WORSE IN HOT WEATHER AND I HAVE NO MORE SUPPORT FROM FORD MOTOR COMAPNY DESPITE WRITING AND CALLING FORD'S CONSUMER COMPLAINT DIVISION. THE CAR REMAINS TO BE HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE AND I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM. I AM REALLY SUPRISED AT FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR PLACING A LONG TIME CUSTOMER IN A DANGEROUS VEHICLE WITH NO SUPPORT IN MAKING NECESSARY REPAIRS.

TIRE SHREADED WHILE DRIVING ALONG I-81 JUST OUSTSIDE HARRISONBURG, VA. CAR CONTROLLED. SHREADING OF TIRE CAUSED PLASTIC TRIM TO BE DAMAGED. DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF RUINED TIRE AND DAMAGE TO TIM AVAILABLE. ALL TIRES REPLACED BY THE TIRE STATION, 202, WILLIAMSON RD, ROANOKE, VA, 24011 10/7/2000 AT NO CHARGE. ALLTIRES RETAINED BY AGENT. (DOT NUMBER: W2HL1PY TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)