1996 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

5 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, CONSUMER NOTICED A NOISE COMING FROM THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES P235/75R15, FIRESTONE INFORMED CONSUMER TIRES WERE OKAY, SEVERAL MONTHS LATER NOISE GOT WORSE AND WHEN EXAMINING TIRES FOUND THAT 2 HAD EXPERIENCED SLIGHT TREAD SEPARATION, FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED ALL 4 TIRES HAD EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING FULL REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

I PURCHASED MY 1996 FORD EXPLORER, IN NOVEMBER OF 1998. WHEN I PURCHASED IT, THE MILEAGE WAS AT 23,000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TWO OR THREE TIMES FOR MINOR REPAIR WORK WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT CURRENTLY HAS APRROX. 54,000 MILES ON IT AND I AM EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IT IS SLIPPING IN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR, AND IS ON THE VERGE OF NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. AFTER DOING SOME CHECKING I FOUND THAT IT IS GOING TO COST ME AT LEAST $2,400.00 FOR THE REPAIRS TO THE TRANSMISSION. I NORMALLY DO NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH HAVING TO TAKE CARE OF VEHICLE REPAIRS BECAUSE I DEPEND ON MY VEHICLES , FOR BOTH MYSELF AND MY FAMILY. HOWEVER, IT IS MY CONSIDERED OPINION THAT A NEARLY NEW VEHICLE SUCH AS THIS ONE WITH THE LOW AMOUNT OF MILEAGE THAT IT HAS, SHOULD NOT BE HAVING PROBLEMS LIKE IT IS CURRENTLY HAVING WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE FOR THIS MATTER TO BE INVESTIGATED SO THAT I CAN DETERMINE IF I AM ABLE TO RECEIVE ANY ASSISTANCE BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY, OR TO DETERMINE IF THERE ARE ADDITONAL CONSUMERS THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM THAT I AM HAVING AND JUST SIMPLY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER. THANK YOU FOR ANY ASSISTANCE THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO OFFER ME CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *AK

WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC THE ACCELERATOR STUCK THE CONSUMER STEPPED ON THE BRAKE BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. NLM

WHILE CONSUMER IS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, AND UPON MERGING INTO TRAFFIC ACCELERATOR PEDAL GETS STUCK, AND GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR.*AK

KNOCKING NOISE FROM ENGINE MANIFOLD AREA. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY NOTICEABLE PROBLEM. KNOCKING NOISE WOULD QUIET DOWN AFTER THE ENGINE WOULD HEAT UP. PROBLEM GOT WORSE OVER TIME. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOUND PROBLEM WITH THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD GASKETS LEAKING. *AK

A BOLT THAT HOLDS THE SWAY BAR BRACKET TO THE WHEEL SNAPPED DUE TO CORROSION WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL. DEALER WILL REPLACE BOLT WITH THE SAME DESIGN. *AK

THIS IS ANOTHER CASE OF FIRESTONE ATX TREAD SEPARATION AND FATAL ROLLOVER OF A FORD EXPLOER. I UNDERSTAND THROUGH OUR LOCAL CBS AFFILIATE THAT THIS AGENCY HAS OPENED A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF THIS DEFECT. IF NHTSA TRULY STANDS BEHIND THIER MOTTO, "PEOPLE SAVING PEOPLE" THEN YOU MUST PUT CONSUMER SAFETY FIRST BY RECALLING THESE TIRES ON THESE VEHICLES. BY ALLOWING FORD AND FIRESTONE TO AVOID AN EXPENSIVE RECALL, OUR GOVERNMENT IS STANDING BY AS PEOPLE DIE. ALL THIS IN THE NAME OF MONEY. YOU MUST BE WELL AWARE OF THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEING PAID TO VICTEM'S FAMILIES TO KEEP THIS ISSUE OUT OF THE COURTROOM. IF YOUR WAITING FOR FORD AND FIRESTONE TO RECALL THESE TIRES OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF THEIR HEARTS AND TO SAVE LIVES, KEEP WAITING. OUR ONLY HOPE IS NHTSA. THIS AGENCY HAS THE ABILITY TO SAVE LIVES. PLEASE DO IT. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

TIRES ARE CRACKING ON THE SIDEWALL, I'M AFRAID TO GETUP TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THERE IS PLENTY OF TREAD LEFT ON THE TIRES. THEY SAY "MADE IN CANADA" I COULD NOT FIND THE DOT #.( DOT NUMBER: NONE TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE FORCING THE CONSUMER OFF THE ROAD SO AS NOT TO COLLIDE WITH OTHER VEHICLES, THIS CONDITIONS HAS ALSO CAUSED A ACCIDENT INVOLVING THE CONSUMERS DAUGHTER, SHE SUSTAINED CUTS TO HER FACE AND OTHER INJURIES. NLM

ENGINE CRANKSHAFT CRACKED. THERE WAS NO WARNING. MECHANIC SAID IT BROKE IN HALF.*AK