1996 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

AFTER VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN AND WAS PARKED IT CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER BELIEVED FIRE HAD STARTED IN THE ENGINE. *AK

RIGHT FRONT AND LEFT REAR DOOR HANDLES ON THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE BROKE, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET OUT OF VEHICLE. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

WATER WAS LEAKING FROM ENGINE HEAD GASKET. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE IT MAKES A CLANKING NOISE UNDERNEATH ON RIGHT SIDE OF WHEEL. WHEN CONSUMER APPLIES BRAKES, PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. ALSO, PEDAL IS VERY SOFT. *AK

THE BROKEN INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE MAY HAVE BEEN BROKEN FOR A LONG TIME BUT, BECAUSE OF THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK FEATURE BEING ACTIVATED IT WASN'T NOTICED UNTIL THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK WAS DEACTIVETED ONLY TO FIND THAT THE DOOR HANDLE WOULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR. UPON DISASSEMBLY, I FOUND THE PLASTIC CAM THAT UNLOCKS THE LATCH OF THE DOOR TO BE CRACKED OFF RENDERING THE HANDLE USELESS. AS FOR THE TRANSMISSION, THE PREMATURE AND EXPENSIVE FAILURE SHOULD BECOME A RECALL ITEM FOR FORD AS I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OWNERS OF THIS TYPE VEHICLE ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS OF GREAT FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCE AND POSSIBLE TRAGIC HEALTH CONSEQUENCE.. I'D SAY A DISPORPORTIONATE NUMBER OF EXPLORER OWNERS ARE ENCOUNTERING SIMILAR TRANSMISSION FAILURES. THE LIFE THREATENING CONDITION OF A BAD TRANSIMISSION COULD HAVE LED TO A LOCK-UP OR UNEXPECTED RAPID DECELERATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHICH COULD HAVE ROLLED THE TRUCK. INTERNAL COMPONENTS WERE BADLY SCARRED AND IRREPAIREBLY DAMAGED. INITIAL SYMPTONS WERE HESITATION ON ACCELLERATION AT SHIFT POINTS FORD ISSUED SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETINS TO ADDRESS THESE SYMPTOMS BUT NEVER RECALLED THE DEFECTIVE PRODUCT.*AK

PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION, VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE CRUISE CONTROL STICKING/THROTTLE BODY FAILURE, VEHICLE ACCIDENT RESULTING FROM ACCELERATION, NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAGS DURING COLLISION RESULTING IN INJURY TO CONSUMER. *MJS

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH COULD FEEL VEHICLE PULLING TO THE RIGHT. ALSO TIRES WERE WORN OUT ON THE OUTSIDE. *AK

THE TRANSMISSIONS COMPUTER RUINED THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND SEVERAL OTHER COMPONENTS. NM

I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND HEARD A BIG BANG, LIKE SOMEONE THREW SOMETHING AND HIT THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK. I TOOK IT INTO FORD AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG BECAUSE THE BOLT BROKE HOLDING THE ARM TO CONTROL THE FRONT END. IT WAS JUST HANGING ON BY A THREAD WAITING TO POP OUT AND ME TO LOSE CONTROL AND BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WORSE, KILLED. THEY FOUND THIS OUT A WEEK LATER WHEN I RETURNED TO HAVE THE OTHER WORK COMPLETED. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON (THE SECOND TIME WITHIN 16,000 MILES) AND MY WINDOW WASHER WAS BROKE. WHEN THEY WENT TO CHECK THE FRONT END AGAIN THEY PUT IT UP ON THE RACK AND THAT IS WHEN THE BOLT FELL OUT. I WAS TOLD I WAS LUCKY TO BE THERE. IF IT WENT WHEN I WAS DRIVING I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. WHAT REALLY UPSETS ME IS, THEY TOLD ME THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT IN, THAT I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT DID IT CONSTANTLY. I AM STILL COUNTING MY BLESSINGS TO THIS DAY. NO ONE COULD EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT CAUSED THIS PROBLEM OR WHY IT HAPPENED. I WAS TOLD BY FORD MOTOR CO. THAT THIS ISN'T A RECALL ITEM AND FINANCIALLY THEY COULDN'T HELP BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. WARRANTY OR NOT, THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED!! TO ME THIS IS SHODDY WORKMANSHIP ON FORD'S PART. THE PRICE YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE VEHICLES IS OUTRAGEOUS AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE DEATH TRAPS. I'M CONSTANTLY PUTTING MONEY INTO IT (BESIDES MY MONTHLY CAR PAYMENTS) TO KEEP IT ON THE ROAD. I AM VERY DISSATISFIED WITH THIS VEHICLE AND WILL NEVER BUY A FORD PRODUCT AGAIN! I JUST WANT BUYERS TO BEWARE!!

WAS LOOKING FOR NEW TIRES FOR EXPLORER, WHEN CAME UPON DESCRIBTION OF TROUBLES WITH FIRESTONE ATX'S. WE HAVE HAD THREE FAIL, AND THIS ONE TODAY WAS WHILE I WAS DRIVING. A PIECE OF THE TREAD CAME OFF, LEAVING A BARE TUBE(?). MANAGED TO GET HOME, AT THAT POINT, TIRE WENT FLAT. ?THESE ARE DANGEROUS TIRES!( DOT NUMBER: )