Ford Explorer Complaints (1996)

1,450 consumer complaints on file.

#559232January 9, 2001
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDEEN ACCELERATION WHILE CONSUMER WAS BRAKING TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT, THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH WAS STOPPED, CONSUMER FOUND RECALL 97V-074 WHICH SPEAKS OF THE SAME FAILURE BUT THE CONSUMER WAS DENIED RECALL DUE TO VIN. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#739061January 9, 2001
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNCONTROLLED (RUNAWAY) ACCELERATION AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN 20 DEGREE F TEMPERATURE. UPON EXITING THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, I PROCEEDED THROUGH THE FIRST LIGHT (GREEN) WITH OUT NEEDING TO BRAKE OR STOP. THE SECOND (IMMEDIATE) LIGHT WAS ALSO GREEN AND I PROCEEDED THROUGH IT WITH SLIGHT ACCELERATION (NO BRAKING). THE NEXT LIGHT WAS RED WITH A LINE OF CARS WAITING TO PROCEED AND I APPLIED THE BRAKES. AT THAT POINT, THE CAR STARTED TO SLOW AND THEN BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AND WAS AT WIDE OPEN THROTTLE WITHIN A SECOND OR SO. I BRAKED AS HARD AS I COULD AND MOVED THE SHIFT LEVER TO NEUTRAL AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, BUT THE VEHICLE HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO CRASH INTO THE REAR CAR IN LINE, WHICH, IN TURN CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF IT. BOTH OTHER DRIVERS WERE INJURED AND TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THIS ACCIDENT IS COVERED IN THE BRIGHTON, NY POLICE REPORT #100220. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR CO. AFTER EXPLORING THE NHTSA DATABASE AND DISCOVERING NHTSA CAMPAIGN 97V07400. MY VEHICLE, ACCORDING TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS NOT RECALLED UNDER THIS CAMPAIGN, ALTHOUGH THE CRITERIA DESCRIBED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN SUMMARY APPEAR TO BE MET BY MY VEHICLE. NOTE: I AM VERY SURE THAT I DID NOT MISTAKENLY APPLY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL RATHER THAN THE BRAKE PEDAL. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#739086January 9, 2001
SUSPENSION:FRONT, SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
ON DEC. 13, 2000, MY 22 YEAR OLD SON TOTALLED THIS VEHICLE AFTER HITTING A PATCH OF "BLACK ICE" WHILE TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH. THE VEHICLE ROLLED ACCORDING TO AN EYEWITNESS 4 TIMES AND LANDED ON ITS ROOF. MY SON WAS, THANK GOD, WEARING HIS SEATBELT! HE WAS ABLE TO RELEASE HIS SEATBELT AND CRAWLED THROUGH THE DRIVER'S WINDOW WHICH HAD BEEN BROKEN OUT. HE ESCAPED WITHOUT ANY INJURIES! MY CONCERN IS SO MUCH EMPHASIS HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE ROLLOVER POSSIBILITIES WHEN A TIRE BLOWS, WHY NOT THE POSSIBILITY OF FLIPPING WHEN HITTING ICE? IS ANYTHING BEING INVESTIGATED TO CORRECT THE TOP HEAVINESS OF THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY THE 2-DOOR MODELS. MORE EMPHASIS NEEDS TO BE PLACED ON THE NECESSITY OF WEARING SEATBELTS TO SURVIVE A ROLLOVER.. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#738999January 8, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE WAS IDLING FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#738910January 7, 2001
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
DUE TO DEFECTIVE REAR DEFROSTER, CAR BURNED AND WAS COMPLETE LOSS. FORD WAS CONTACTED BUT CLAIMED THAT THEY WERE NOT LIABLE BECAUSE NO OPEN RECALLS EXISTED. THE REPRESENTATIVE IN THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS REFUSED TO GIVE ME THEIR NAME AND REFUSED MY REPEATED (3X) REQUESTS TO SPEAK WITH THEIR SUPERVISOR. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#738944January 7, 2001
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN ACCIDENT. STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT, HIT IN REAR BY CAR TRAVELING AT ABOUT 40 MPH, CAR PUSHED FORWARD INTO CAR IN FRONT OF ME, THIRD CAR PUSHED INTO FOURTH, FOURTH INTO FIFTH, AND FIFTH INTO SIXTH CAR. FRONT AND REAR BUMPERS DESTROYED, SIGNIFICANT FRONT AND REAR DAMAGE, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#738772January 4, 2001
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#558726January 3, 2001
TIRES
FIRESTONE TIRES, ATX 23575R15 TOO WORN AND WOULD NOT BE REPLACED WITHOUT CHARGE. *CJ
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#558744January 3, 2001
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
CONSUMER PURCHASED THREE PRORATED FIRESTONE TIRES, AFTER RECALL CONSUMER PURCHASED A DIFFERENT BRAND AND WAS REIMBURSED AND CONSUMER BELIEVES HE SHOULD ALSO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE THREE PRORATED TIRES. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#738687January 3, 2001
TIRES
WHILE RETURNING FROM CHRISTMAS VACATION ON I-70 WE SUFFERED A BLOWOUT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE OF OUR 1996 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. WE HAD JUST PASSED A TRACTOR-TRAILOR AND I WAS IN THE INSIDE LANE. THE THIS CAUSED ME TO SWERVE IMMEDIATELY INTO THE OUTSIDE LANE IN FRONT OF THE SEMI AND THEN ONTO THE SHOLDER OF THE ROAD. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND STOP PARTIALLY OFF THE ROAD IN THE SNOW. I LATER TOOK THE TIRE TO MY MECHANIC AND HE EXAMINED IT AND STATED THE TREAD HAD SEPERATED TO THE BEST OF HIS KNOWLEDGE. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY STATED IT WAS A GOODYEAR PROBLEM. I CONTACTED GOODYEAR AND THEY STATED IT WAS A FORD EXPLORER PROBLEM. NEITHER I, MY WIFE WHO IS 4 MONTHS PREGNANT, NOR MY 21 MONTH OLD CHILD WERE INJURED BUT HAD I BEEN IN THE OUTSIDE LANE I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WENT INTO THE DITCH AND THIS COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I AHD JUST HAD THE FROD EXPLORER RECALL FOR THE SWAY BAY LINKS AND A TIRE INSPECTION COMPLETED BY THE FORD DEALER BEFORE WE LEFT ON OUR TRIP (900 MILES BEFORE THE TIRE FAILURE) AND I WAS GIVEN NO ADVICE ABOUT NEEDING NEW TIRES OR IF THE SWAY BAR LINKS HAD CAUSED ANY DAMAGE TO THE TIRES. I HAD MY TIRES ROTATED AT 35281 MILES. I BELIEVE THERE IS POSSIBLY A PROBLEM WITH MY GOODYEAR TIRES OF THE EXPLORER IS THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEMS. (TIRESIZE: P265/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P265/75R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#877302January 3, 2001
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
PASSENGER'S DOOR IN REAR WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS UNSAFE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#738512December 30, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
DURING ROUTINE BRAKE INSPECTION, MASTER CYLINDERS WERE FOUND TO BE LEAKING. BRAKE PADS WERE FOUND TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION. THIS CONCERNS ME AS '95 EXPLORERS WERE RECALLED FOR PROBLEMS WITH MASTER CYLINDERS, NOT TO MENTION THE NUMEROUS OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#738533December 30, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME SUBJECT VEHICLE HAS SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO FULL THROTTLE AFTER AN INITIAL START FROM BEING STOPPED, I.E., AT A STOP LIGHT. FORD CLAIM FLOOR MAT INTERFERENCE. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATING I HAVE DISCOVERED ONE COMMON DENOMINATOR BETWEEN THIS INCIDENT AND THE 60+ SIMILAR COMPLIANTS ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE. THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#738229December 25, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
IN AUGUST OF 1999 I HAD A TIRE SEPARATING ON MY EXPLORER, I REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES IN THE SAME MONTH AT FIRESTONE. I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE THE FOLLOWING YEAR.I TURNED IN THE REQUIRED INFO AND WAS DENIED BECAUSE IT HAPPENED BEFORE JAN 2000. I GUESS IF I HAD BE INJURED OR KILLED FIRESTONE WOULD ACCEPT MY CLAIM OF 324.00 FOR THE TIRE REPLACEMENT EXPENCE. I AM NOT HAPPY WITH THERE RESPONCE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VDHL TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#738060December 20, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
UNCONTROLLED RAPID ACCELERATION. ONLY STOP BY SET TRONSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND/OR PUNCH DOWN ON GAS PEDAL. HAPPENED 3 TIMES TO DATE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#876781December 20, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 55 MPH ON EXPRESSWAY WHEN VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN , REACHING SPEEDS OF 90 MPH . CONSUMER PUT BOTH FEET ON BRAKE PEDAL, BUT VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. CONSUMER HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND TURN OFF IGNITION, AND IT TOOK ABOUT 2 MILES BEFORE VEHICLE STOPPED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#737975December 19, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ACCELERATION CONTINUED AFTER RELEASING PEDAL. OCCURRED WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING A LEFT-HAND TURN, AND PRESSED DOWN ON BRAKE FULLY WITH NO EFFECT. ENGINE STILL 'REVVED' AT FULL THROTTLE, WITH BRAKE AT FULL PRESSURE, CAUSING A SQUEALING TURN. ONLY AFTER SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL DID ENGINE STOP RACING AND ACCELERATION STOP. THIS OCCURRED TO A LESSER DEGREE A WEEK OR TWO EARLIER, BUT COULD NOT DEFINITIVELY IDENTIFY IF ACCELERATION PROBLEM AT THAT TIME. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#737936December 18, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY GOING 75MPH WE STARTED FEELING A STRONG SHAKE IN THE FLOORBOARD. I REDUCED SPEED TO 50MPH AND REACHED OUR DESTINATION. I TOOK THE TIRES TO BE INSPECTED AND TWO HAD TREAD SEPARATION. I CONTACTED FIRESTONE AND THEY WERE NOT HELPFUL. I DECIDED TO REPLACE MY TIRES SINCE THIS IS THE THIRD PROBLEM I HAVE HAD WITH THESE TIRES. I KEPT THE OLD TIRES. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2UUIP0 TIRESIZE: P22570R15)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#876598December 15, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WHILE TRAVELING 60-65MPH VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. WOULD START TO SHIMMY. THEN WOULD DIE OUT. MANAGED TO PULL OVER. WOULD WAIT APPROXIMATELY 1/2 HR & RESTART VEHICLE. THEN, IT WOULD STALL OUT AGAIN. BEEN TO DEALERSHIP IN CINCINNATI TO CHECK IT OUT. ALSO, IN NORTH CAROLINA, BUT NOTHING WAS FOUND AT EITHER DEALERSHIP BY MECHANICS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#558582December 14, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
2 FIRESTONE ATX II TIRES BEGAN SEPARATING AT THE EDGES, COONSUMER REPLACED THEM, SOON AFTER CONSUMER LEARNED OF RECALL, BUT REPLACEMENT MAY HAVE TAKEN 3 MOS, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES WITH A COMPETIVE BRAND AND WHEN REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT IT WAS DENIED BECAUSE THEY WERE PURCHASED PRIOR TO AUGUST 9, 2000. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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