1996 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

NOTICED GAS WAS BEING SPLATTERED ON THE WHEEL WELLS, AND ON THE BACK OF THE CAR. CALLED FORD, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO HELP. WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL STREET STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF NEUTRAL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. *AK

THE FIRESTONE TIRES THAT WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON MY 96 EXPLORER HAVE OBVIOUS DEFCT. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS WITH A RIGHT REAR TIRE THAT DEVELOPED A "BUMP" THAT CREATED EXCESSIVE WEAR IN ONE SPOT IN A MATTER OF MINUTES OF HIGHWAY DRIVING. THAT TIRE WAS REPLACED AND THE VEHCLE WAS IN NORMAL SERVICE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER THAT. AT 3/10/00 THERE WAS A TIRE FAILURE REGARDING THE LEFT REAR TIRE AND AND ACCIDENT RESULTED. THE VEHICLE WAS VERY CLOSE TO A SERIOUS ROLL-OVER ACCIDENT AS IT SPUN OUT OF CONTROL ON TWO WHEELS TILL IT COLLIDED WITH A LIGHT POST AND STOPPED. THE FAILING TIRES AND ROLL-OVER TENDENCIES OF THE EXPLORER PROVED TO BE A DISASTEROUS COMBINATION. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: R7515 )

PROBLEM STARTED AT 23115 MILES. WHILE GOING AT 25 OR 60 MPH VEHICLE WILL DROP OUT OF GEAR. THIS MAY HAPPEN WHILE TRYING TO CHANGE LANES, VEHICLE WILL JUST DROP OUT OF GEAR. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS VERY UNSAFE, ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN ABOARD. ALSO, WHEN CHANGING LANES THERE IS JUST NO CONTROL. *AK

THIS LOSS IS SIMILIAR TO ANOTHER PREVIOUSLY REPORTED. THIS LOSS IS VERY SIMILAR IN NATURE TO THE DEACTIVATION SWITCH FIRE LOSSES IN THE LINCOLN TOWN CARS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD, AND CAN NOT VERIFY THIS, THIS SAME PART IS USED IN THIS VEHICLE, THE BRONCO AND THE EXPEDITION. PLEASE CONTACT JOHN REUTTER FOR FURTHER DETAILS WHEN NEEDED. 727-848-3923

UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS THE TREAD CAME OFF FROM THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. DAMAGE THAT OCCURED: LEFT FRONT FENDER, LEFT COWL, LEFT ROCKER MOLDINGS, LEFT FRONT BLINKER, LEFT FRONT MOLDINGS AROUND THE FOG LIGHT.*AK( DOT NUMBER: VDHL 1PM TIRE SIZE: 235/75R15M )

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON REPEATEDLY. SOMETIMES WILL GO OFF BY ITS SELF,SOMETIMES BATTERY HAS TO BE DISCONNECTED.WILL NOT IDLE PROPERLY.WE HAVE HAD IT IN THE GARAGE SEVERAL TIMES TO BE PUT ON A SCOPE WITH ABSOLUTELY NO RESULTS AT ALL.I FEEL IT IS SOME KIND OF A SENSOR PROBLEM.PLEASE HELP!! *AK

WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE I NOTICED SOME SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I STARTED TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHEN THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BURST INTO FLAMES. I GOT PULLED OVER AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE AND OPENED THE HOOD WHERE I NOTICED THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY ON FIRE. I TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, BUT THE FIRE WAS BURING TOO HOT FOR ME TO GET CLOSE, THE FIRE DEPT ARRIVED IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES AND PROCEEDED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE, AT WHICH TIME IT WAS TOO LATE, THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY BURNED UP. I ONLY HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR LESS THEN 4 MONTHS AND HAD NO WORK DONE TO IT AT ALL AND IT JUST BLEW UP ON ME. I JUST GOT OUT OF THE CAR IN TIME BEFORE BEING SEVERELY BURNED MYSELF. I DID PURCHASE A 3YR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY FROM THE SELLING DEALER AT TIME OF PURCHASE WHIHC WAS SUPPOSE TO BE A BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. THIS VEHICLE WAS IN EXCEPTIONAL CONDITION, HENSE THE REASON I PURCHASED IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM GOING TO DO FROM HERE, BUT I NOW FIND MYSELF WITHOUT A VEHICLE AND THANKFULLY WITHOUT ANY PHYSICAL INJURY, THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE POSSIBLY KILLED ME AND THIS MATTER SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED SO THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. *AK

THE ENTIRE TOP SURFACE OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE CAME OFF CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN ROLL OVER ACCIDENT. YH

WHILE SITTING AT A STOP SIGN VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED FORWARD WITHOUT APPLICATION OF GAS PEDAL. VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER CAR. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE. *AK

THE DOOR HANDLE HAS BROKEN THREE TIMES. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT FIX,RE-DESIGN THE HANDLE. FAMILY AND FRIENDS ALSO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THERE 1996 EXPLORER. I'M A SAFETY EXPERT FOR DOL-OSHA AND FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND FORD NEEDS TO FIX "ASAP" THE PLASTIC DESIGN OF THE HANDLE. IF YOU CAN NOT GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE DURING A POTENTIAL CRASH THIS COULD BE A SAFETY PROBLEM. *AK