1999 FORD EXPLORER SPORT Complaints

THE FACTORY PRESSURIZED CYLINDERS THAT HOLD THE HOOD OPEN HAVE FAILED. I HAVE NARROWLY AVERTED INJURY WHEN THE HOOD CAME FALLING DOWN. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A POSSIBLE DESIGN DEFECT. I PLAN TO REPLACE THEM, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT THE MANUFACTURER'S REPLACEMENT COULD BE SIMILARLY UNSAFE.*AK

BOUGHT VEHICLE FROM AMERICAN FORD IN HACKENSACK NJ CAR ALWAYS HAD A HUMMING SOUND IN THE FRONT THOUGHT ONLY TO BE TIRES TOOK CAR BACK TO FIX THREE TIMES WHILE I STILL HAD ORGINAL WARRANTY AND NOT ONCE DID ANYONE SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE HUMMING. ON THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THEY SAY THIS PART IS NOT COVERED AND WAITED UNTIL NOW TO SAY, OH BY THE WAY YOU HAVE A BAD HUB AND IT WILL COST YOU 500.00 TO GET IT FIXED. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THIS PART WAS DEFECTIVE BEFORE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND THEY OUGHT TO BE RESPONSIBLE IN FIXING IT. I ORIGINALLY TOOK THE CAR BACK THE 4TH TIME BECAUSE WHEN I CAME TO A STOP THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE AGAIN WHEN PRESSING DOWN THE ACCELERATOR. *MR

POOR PERFORMANCE/DURABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. INCLUDES 5 RECALLS (TO DATE) AND THE NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN THE VEHICLE AFTER ONLY 72,000 MILES OF OPERATION. OTHER PARTS NOT PROPERLY FUNCTIONING AT THIS TIME ARE THE RADIO, CRUISE CONTROL, AND BRAKE LIGHTS.*AK

PURCHASED A 1999 FORD EXPLORER SPORT IN OCTOBER 2003. THE VEHICLE HAD 59303 MILES ON IT WHEN WE PURCHASED IT. A FEW WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE THE AIR BAG LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS NORMAL. WE FINALLY TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND IT TURNS OUT THAT IT IS FAULTY ELECTRICAL AND OUR AIR BAGS WON'T DEPLOY. APPARENTLY OUR BUMPER TO BUMPER EXTENDED WARRANTY (MINUS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR) DOES NOT COVER SAFETY ITEMS. THE DEALERSHIP WE PURCHASED IT FROM WON'T HELP US. NOW WE ARE DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT IS UNSAFE. *NM

WHILE STARTING VEHICLE SHUTTERED FOR 10 SECONDS AND THEN IT SHUT OFF. MOST OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS DO NOT WORK AFTER THE INITIAL START UP.*AK *MR

VEHICLE 1999 FORD EXPLORER SPORT (2DR) VIN [XXX] THIS INVOLVES A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE FRONT SEAT RECLINER HANDLES ON THE SIDE OF THE SEATS. FORD HAS ISSUED A RECALL (03S04) TO REPLACE THE "DRIVER SEAT RECLINER BOLT." HOWEVER, MY COMPLAINT INVOLVES THE RECLINER HANDLES WHICH FELL APART ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OF OUR VEHICLE. ON BELOW DATE, MY WIFE EXITED THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND USED THE HANDLE TO MOVE THE SEAT FORWARD SO OUR DAUGHTER COULD EXIT THE REAR SEAT AREA. THE HANDLE FELL APART IN TWO PIECES AND THE BACK PART OF THE SEAT FLEW FORWARD TO THE DASH. THE BACK PART OF THE SEAT WILL NOT HOLD A POSITION AND FREELY MOVES BACK AND FORTH INTO THE REAR SEAT AND FORWARD TO THE DASH RENDERING THE SEAT UNSAFE AND USELESS. ON 2/6/04, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SOUTH BAY FORD, 13900 HAWTHORNE BLVD, HAWTHORNE, CA 90250 PH 310 644-0211 FOR THE RECALL WORK. I ALSO ADVISED THEM THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT HAD COME FREE BECAUSE OF A FAULTY RELEASE HANDLE. I WAS CALLED LATER AND ADVISED IT WOULD COST OVER 400 DOLLARS TO REPAIR THE FAULTY RELEASE HANDLES ON BOTH THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SEATS. THE SERVICEMAN INFORMED ME THE DRIVERS SEAT RELEASE MECHANISM WAS ALSO ABOUT TO FAIL. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT FORD DEFINITLY HAS A SAFETY ISSUE HERE INVOLVING THEIR SEATS IN THIS VEHICLE. FORD HAS ALREADY ADDRESSED ONE SAFETY ISSURE INVOLVING THE RECLINING SEATS WITH THE RECALL INVOLVING THE FAULTY BOLT. THE BOLT WAS REPLACED IN ORDER TO PREVENT EXACTLY WHAT IS OCCURRING WITH THEIR FAULTY RECLINER RELEASE MECHANISM. THE RECLINER HANDLE FELL APART WHEN MY WIFE SIMPLY TOUCHED IT AND THE OTHER, ACCORDING TO THE SERVICEPERSON, IS ABOUT TO FALL APART. I WOULD HATE TO IMAGINE IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MATTER THE NHTSA SHOULD INVESTIGATE. *AK UPDATED 07/27/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WHICH WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A MINOR SIDE COLLISION WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH. UPON IMPACT, VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES FROM BROKEN WINDOW GLASS.*AK

RECALL REPAIRS CANNOT BE PERFORMED UNLESS THE RECLINING SEAT HANDLE CAN BE FIXED. ALTHOUGH THE INITIAL RECALL PROBLEM CAUSED THE HANDLE TO BE BENT, THE DEALER WANTS THE CONSUMER TO PAY FOR IT. CONSUMER FEELS HE IS BEING GIVEN THE RUN AROUND TO GET THE VEHICLE FIXED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, PASSANGE SIDE SPINDLE AT THE POINT OF STEERING CONNECTION TO IT, BROKE CAUSING VEHICLE TO POOL AND PUSH ALL OVER THE ROAD OUT OF CONTROL. DEALER SAW NO PRIOR DAMAGE TO IT OR OTHER PART (TIRE, RIM, EXT.) AND STILL REFUSE TO COVER UNDER BUMPER-TO-BUMPER COVERAGE.