Ford Explorer Complaints (1996)

1,450 consumer complaints on file.

#10137219October 20, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DT: CONTACT STATED IN 02-05 THE CAR STARTED SMOKING WHILE DRIVING. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND THERE WAS A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR WAS DESTROYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. THE CONSUMER REPORTED OF HAVING NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FIRE. HE WAS NOT SURE IF IT WAS ELECTRICAL OR CAUSED BY THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL. *AK *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10139597October 13, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
I WAS DRIVING FROM LOUISVILLE TO REHOBOTH BEACH, DE. I LEFT AROUND 4:00 AM WITH NO TROUBLE WITH MY CAR. APPROXIMATELY 9:45 AM EST MY CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT ON MY CAR AND MY CAR KEPT ACCELERATING AND WOULD NOT STOP. I PUSHED EVERY BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND KEPT PUSHING THE BRAKES AND THAT WOULD ONLY SLOW DOWN THE CAR. MY CAR WAS TRAVELING IN EXCESS OF 80+ MPH, I ONLY HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL SET ON 74. MY CAR WAS DRIVING OUT OF CONTROL ON THE CURVY AND MOUNTAINOUS ROADS OF HWY 79 N AND THIS WENT ON FOR AROUND 5 MILES BEFORE I CAME TO A STRAIGHT-AWAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAIN AND WAS ABLE TO PUT MY CAR IN NEUTRAL (SLAMMING ON THE BREAKS) MY CAR STILL DID NOT STOP, I FINALLY PUT IT IN PARK (I'M IN THE EMERGENCY LANE NOW, ) STILL DID NOT STOP AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. MY BREAKS WERE SMOKING AND I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO STOP. THIS WAS BETWEEN MILE MARKER 71 & 72. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED AAA (MY CELL PHONE WAS OUT OF RANGE SO I HAD TO PUT IT ON ROAM) AND THE HIGHWAY PATROL SHOWED UP WITHIN MINUTES AND WAITED WITH ME UNTIL THE TOW TRUCK CAME. HE THEN TOWED ME TO GASSAWAY FORD WHERE THE SERVICE MANAGER (JOHN SMALLWOOD) CHECKED OUT MY CAR AND TOLD ME THE CRUISE CONTROL PIECE WAS DEFECTIVE. HE REMOVED IT FROM MY CAR AND CHECKED MY BREAKS AND SAID THEY WERE O.K. (I DROVE THE REST OF MY TRIP TO REHOBOTH AND BACK TO LOUISVILLE, THE BREAKS APPEAR TO BE LOOSE NOW AND NOT AS TIGHT AS THEY ONCE WERE). HE GAVE ME THE DEFECTIVE PIECE AND THEY WERE OUT OF THAT PART SO IT WAS NOT REPLACED ON MY CAR. HE ADVISED TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH FORD AND WITH THE NHTSA BECAUSE THE PIECE WAS DEFECTIVE AND I'M LUCKY I WASN'T KILLED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10138932October 6, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1996 EDDIE BAUER, FORD EXPLORER..THE VEHICLE HAS OPERATED FINE FOR THE PAST YEAR, BUT IN JUNE THE WIPERS, WINDOWS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND SOME INTERIOR SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN, THEN COME BACK ON, THEN LOCK UP AGAIN. AFTER TALKING TO MY DEALER, THEY TELL ME IT LIKELY THE GEM GOING OUT. THEY INFORMED ME THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN MADE ON 1999 MODELS, BUT THAT IT DIDN'T COVER 1996'S. I'VE SPOKEN TO A NUMBER OF OTHER 1996 OWNERS AND HAVE VISITED A NUMBER OF EXPLORER SITES ONLINE AND EVIDENTLY THIS ISN'T AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. THE NHTSA RECALL FOR THE 1999'S IS IDENTICAL TO THE PROBLEMS I'M HAVING...IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THE GEM IS AN EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT PART AND MY MECHANIC SAYS IT SHOULDN'T HAVE WENT OUT IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE VEHICLE IS MECHANICALLY PERFECT AND IS KEPT IMMACULATE, BUT THIS PROBLEM IS MAKING ME SERIOUSLY QUESTION PURCHASING A NEW VEHICLE GIVEN ALL THE ELECTRONIC GARBAGE THAT IS PLACED ON THEM NOWADAYS. FORD DOESN'T SEEM TO RESPOND TO THIS COMPLAINT, JUST TELLING ME THAT IT ISN'T A RECALLED ITEM AND THEREFORE ISN'T THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10137939September 28, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
I OWN A 96 FORD EXPLORER AND WAS TOLD BY CO-WORKERS THAT A DEFECTIVE PART HAD BEEN RECALLED IN THE 2000 MODEL F-150 THAT PART WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH THAT WAS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE BRAKE FLUID HOUSING, IT WAS A LIVE WIRE EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE WAS OFF AND THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION, IF FOR ANY REASON THERE WAS A SPARK OR SHORT THAT WIRE WOULD CAUSE THE CAR TO EXPLODE. I NOTICED THAT I HAD A LEAK AROUND A PART IN MY FORD EXPLORER THAT WAS IN FRONT OF MY BRAKE FLUID HOUSING AND WHEN I WENT TO THE FORD DEALER TO FIND OUT WHAT THE LEAK WAS FROM THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT I HAD THAT SAME PART THAT WAS BEING RECALLED IN THE F-150. THE PART ONLY COST 18.00 DOLLARS TO REPLACE BUT THE POINT THAT I'M MAKING IS HOW WOULD I HAVE EXPLAINED TO MY FAMILY WHY MY CAR EXPLODED WHEN I WOULD OF HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS WRONG. I WOULD LIKE TO PUT A WORD OUT TO ALL THE EXPLORER OWNERS AROUND THE WORLD TO HAVE THERE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCHES CHECK OR REPLACE SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A UNPLEASANT VISIT TO THE FORD REPAIR PLACE TO FIND OUT THAT THEY COULD OF NOT COME BACK THE NEXT MORNING. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10137301September 22, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DT: THE VEHICLE STARTED ON FEBRUARY 2, 2005 TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT, BUT DID NOT REPLACE IT. ALSO, THERE WAS A RADIATOR LEAK. THEY DID NOT REPLACE ANYTHING. WHEN PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR THE TRUCK WILL JERK. FORD SAID THIS WAS THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSE TO DRIVE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THEY SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC COULD TELL IT WAS NOT HOOKED UP PROPERLY. NOW THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THIS WAS WHY THE VEHICLE WAS TORN UP DUE TO THE WAY FORD HAD THE CONSUMER DRIVE THE VEHICLE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10136983September 19, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
1996 FORD EXPLORER TWO DOORS: CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL MELTED. NEW BUTTONS PUT BY A PRIVATE TECHNICIAN AT MY OWN COST. SEVERAL FORD VEHICLES ARE BEING RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT NOT MINE. WHY NOT? I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10136458September 14, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATES THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH O MELTED BECAUSE OF THE HOT SUN. THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES WORK, BUT THE CONSUMER NO LONGER USES THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO A SERVICE DEALER TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10135387September 6, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
DT: CONTACT'S SON OWNS A 1996 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. HER SON DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 1-2 HOURS. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES SOMEONE KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND SAID THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER YET, BUT WAS GOING TO DO SO.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10134425August 28, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1996 FORD EXPLORER HAD SPONTANEOUS ENGINE FIRE WHILE PARKED AND UNATTENDED. CAR HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR 8 HOURS PRIOR TO FIRE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128479July 12, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
DRIVING ON THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY WITH HUSBAND, MYSELF AND 21 MONTH BABY IN CAR, PASSING VEHICLE, WHEN PUT FOOT ON BRAKE SLOWED DOWN THEN WHEN LET OFF BRAKE, CAR ACCELERATED TO A HIGH SPEED, APPLIED BRAKE 2 MORE TIMES, BOTH TIMES, SLOWED DOWN BUT WHEN TOOK FOOT OFF BRAKE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO HIGH SPEEDS WITHOUT EVER TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL, RESULTED IN A SPIN-OUT ON THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY STOPPING SHORT OF CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICHLE. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT. CALLED FORD CONSUMER RELATIONS, WAS TOLD TO TAKE TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TEST. TOOK CAR THE NEXT DAY TO A FORD DEALER IN CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE NEW JERSEY, SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH CAR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10126640June 27, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
DT: WHEN GOING DOWN THE ROAD THE ACCELERATOR FELL OFF THE FIREWALL OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN HAVING IT REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP THEY HAD MADE A COMMENT SAYING THEY HAD SEEN THAT BEFORE. THEY DRILLED BOLTED THE FIREWALL AND ATTACHED IT WITH BOLTS INSTEAD OF SPOT WELDING IT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10126262June 22, 2005
WHEELS
DT: CONSUMER'S SON WAS DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT STREET AND THE VEHICLE FISH TAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE WITNESSES TO THIS. THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE WHEEL WITH TIRE INTACT CAME OUT. THE VEHICLE LEANED AND FLIPPED, AND TIPPED OVER. IT LANDED HALFWAY ON SIDEWALK AND HALFWAY IN STREET. EMERGENCY CREWS WERE CALLED. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO A DEALER, AND HAS NOT HAD ANY REPAIRS DONE. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#10126141June 21, 2005
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
BRAKE FAILURE - REAR BRAKES FAILED, BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. BRAKE LINE RUSTED OUT AT REAR BY AXLE. NEW LINE INSTALLED. GARAGE SAID COMMON PROBLEM ON FORDS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124607June 8, 2005
TIRES:TREAD/BELT, STEERING, STRUCTURE, VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR, SUSPENSION
SUDDEN TREAD SEPARATION ON LEFT REAR TIRE OF FORD EXPLORER CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL AND ON-ROAD ROLLOVER. TIRE WAS A COOPER ELDORADO RADIAL ZR1, SIZE P23575R15, DOT# 3DHLEKN2900.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
5
Deaths:
2
#10124524June 7, 2005
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 1996 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND NONE OF HIS AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONSUMER WAS HIT IN THE FRONT END. *TT
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124285June 6, 2005
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
DT: THE DRIVER'S SEATS BROKE FROM THE METAL PART BY WHERE ONE ADJUSTS SEAT FORWARD AND BACKWARD. WAS SITTING IN THE SEAT AND THE BOLT THAT HOLDS SEAT IN PLACE BROKE. A MECHANIC THAT INSTALLS THE SEATS IN THE FORD EXPLORER COME LOOKED AT IT AND SAID IT SHOULD HAVE NEVER OF HAPPENED. WAS INJECTED INTO THE BACK SEAT, AND THEN GOT OUT. THEN HUSBAND GOT IN AND MOVED VEHICLE , INJECTED HIM FORWARD . ALSO, IT BLEW ALL THE ELECTRICAL FUSES , BOUGHT NEW FUSES AND NOW IT WORKS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10118130April 19, 2005
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER' S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT STAY LATCHED. A SAFETY PROBLEM. DOES FORD EVEN CARE IF I'M KILLED BECAUSE IT COMES UNLATCHED. THANK YOU FMC. I'LL BE AT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT FORD SHOULD FIX. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10113653March 30, 2005
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH WILL NOT STAY BUCKLED, EA02-011. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *BF *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10115953March 28, 2005
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK PROPERLY, TRAPPING THE DRIVER AND CHILD IN THE VEHICLE. PRESSING THE 'UNLOCK' BUTTON DOES NOTHING. SO FAR, THE FORD DEALER WANTS AROUND $400 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND SAYS IT IS NOT A RECALL ITEM. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#10112983March 23, 2005
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE, THEY LOCKED UP AND THE VEHICLE SLID AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THEN ROLLED OVER. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
5
Deaths:
0

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