1999 FORD EXPLORER SPORT Complaints

DT: DRIVING WHEN HE FELT GAS PEDAL WENT DOWN, IT BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ALL ON ITS OWN IN BUSY TRAFFIC. HE WAS PRESSING BRAKE AT THE SAME TIME IN EFFORT TO STOP. COULD SMELL SOMETHING AS IF BURNING. JAMMED IGNITION INTO PARK AND PULLED KEYS OUT. VEHICLE STOPPED. CALLED TRIPLE A AND THE COPS, VEHICLE WAS TOWED. NO ACCIDENT. NO REPAIRS YET. TOW DRUCK DRIVER SUPSECTS SOMETHING WITH GAS PEDAL HAS BROKEN OFF.*AK

THE CRANKSHAFT SHEARED OFF DIRECTLY BEHIND THE HARMONIC BALANCER, THE TRUCK HAS ONLY 70,000 MILES, WILL REQUIRE MAJOR ENGINE WORK TO FIX. IT BROKE UNDER NORMAL ACCELERATION CONDITIONS.*AK

@ 50,000 MILES RADIATOR WENT OUT AND WE REPLACED W/ NEW RADIATOR/ HEADS IN THE MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED / ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS / RE-BUILT TRANSMISSION PUT IN / DRIVER'S SEAT RECLINER FAILURE . *AK

THIS REPORT CONCERNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER SPORT 2DR 4X4. VEHICLE HAS 144,000 PLUS MILES. SPECIFICALLY THIS PERTAINS TO THE FRONT DRIVER?S SEAT (NON-POWER MODEL). OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS I HAVE REPLACED THE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT (BOTTOM FRAME) THREE TIMES. EACH TIME THE SEAT FRAME HAS BROKEN IN THE SAME MANNER. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE FRAME METAL RIPS/TEARS AT THE LOCATION OF THE MOUNTING BOLT FOR THE RECLINE LEVER. THIS TEARING CAUSES THE SEAT BACK TO RECLINE WITHOUT WARNING ON THE LEFT SIDE CAUSING THE DRIVER TO FALL BACKWARDS AWAY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. FORD HAS STATED THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY INFO ON THIS. THIS IS SOMEWHAT STRANGE AS THEY APPARENTLY DIRECTED DEALERSHIPS APPROXIMATELY 2 YRS AGO TO REPLACE THIS FRAME ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. THE PROBLEM IS VERY APPARENT AND A VERY EASY FIX. THE TEARING OCCURS JUST TO THE FRONT OF THE (FRONT) BOLT HOLE ABOUT 1/8 INCH FROM THE HOLE. THERE IS A LARGE SPOT WELDED PLATE INSIDE THE FRAME WHERE THE BOLTS FOR THE RECLINE LEVER INSERT INTO THE FRAME. IF THIS PLATE WAS EXTENDED ABOUT 4 INCHES OR MORE PAST THE FRAME HOLES THIS PROBLEM WOULD NOT OCCUR. I HAVE DETAILED PHOTOS OF THIS FRAME AND PROBLEM AREA AVAILABLE FOR USE TO YOUR OFFICE AS WELL AS THE FRAME ITSELF.*AK

RECALL 00V072000 CONCERNING ELECTRONIC FUNCTIONS. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE INOPERATIVE. ALSO, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND THE 4X4 CONTROL WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. *AK

VEHICLE FAILS TO START ON OCCASION. THE ENGINE WILL TURN OVER, BUT WILL NOT CATCH. AFTER WAITING FOR SEVERAL HOURS OR A DAY, THE VEHICLE WILL ONCE AGAIN START. SOMETIMES, AFTER LETTING THE ENGINE TURN OVER MANY, MANY TIME, THE ENGINE WILL CATCH. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN MOSTLY WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT. FIRST INCIDENT WAS ON JULY 14, 2004 ONLY A FEW WEEKS AFTER WE BOUGHT THE EXPLORER.*AK

THE CAM SHAFT SYNCHRONIZER LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE TEETH TO BREAK OFF OF IT, THEREFORE NOT LETTING THE OIL PUMP WORK TO PUMP THE OIL TO THE ENGINE, WHICH CAUSED THE BEARINGS TO BE SCORED. *AK

I HAVE A 1999 FORD EXPLORER SPORT WITH A STEP BAR THAT HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OF THE FIRST YEAR OF PURCHASE. AFTER THE WINTER OF 2000 THE BARS HAS BEEN RUSTING MORE AND MORE THERE IS NOTHING THAT I CAN DO AS A CONSUMER. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPLACE IT UNDER MY WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY CONSIDER THAT WEAR AND TEAR. THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE ATTENDED TO AS A SAFETY ISSUE. STEPPING ON A RUSTY BAR THAT WILL GIVE ANY TIME SOON CAN NOT BE GOOD FOR ANYONE WITH LITTLE KIDS.*AK

ROLL OVER ACCIDENT INVOLVING 1992 FORD EXPLORER. *MR THE CONSUMERS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ALONG WITH HER GRANDSON AND LOST CONSCIOUSNESS WHILE DRIVING UNEXPECTEDLY, HIT A TREE AND THE MEDIAN, FLIPPED OVER SEVERAL TIMES, LANDED ON THE ROOF AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *SC *JB

WHEN USING TURNING SIGNALS STEERING COLUMN BEGAN TO SMOKE. NO FIRE REPORTED. *AK