Ford Explorer Complaints (1996)

1,450 consumer complaints on file.

#724462June 23, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
GAS PEDAL PIVOT FRAME BECAME DETACHED FROM FLOORBOARD/FIREWALL WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH. PEDAL WAS HELD WITH 3 FLIMSY SPOT WELDS. REPAIRED BY DEALER BY BOLTING THROUGH BRACKET AND TRUCK BODY. CONTACTED FORD, AND THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING. I NOTED A COUPLE OF INSTANCES OF SAME PROBLEM IN YOUR DATABASE. VERY FORTUNATE THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE BELTWAY, WHERE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS, IF NOT DEADLY.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#724295June 21, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I PURCHASED MY 1996 FORD EXPLORER, IN NOVEMBER OF 1998. WHEN I PURCHASED IT, THE MILEAGE WAS AT 23,000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TWO OR THREE TIMES FOR MINOR REPAIR WORK WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT CURRENTLY HAS APRROX. 54,000 MILES ON IT AND I AM EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IT IS SLIPPING IN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR, AND IS ON THE VERGE OF NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. AFTER DOING SOME CHECKING I FOUND THAT IT IS GOING TO COST ME AT LEAST $2,400.00 FOR THE REPAIRS TO THE TRANSMISSION. I NORMALLY DO NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH HAVING TO TAKE CARE OF VEHICLE REPAIRS BECAUSE I DEPEND ON MY VEHICLES , FOR BOTH MYSELF AND MY FAMILY. HOWEVER, IT IS MY CONSIDERED OPINION THAT A NEARLY NEW VEHICLE SUCH AS THIS ONE WITH THE LOW AMOUNT OF MILEAGE THAT IT HAS, SHOULD NOT BE HAVING PROBLEMS LIKE IT IS CURRENTLY HAVING WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE FOR THIS MATTER TO BE INVESTIGATED SO THAT I CAN DETERMINE IF I AM ABLE TO RECEIVE ANY ASSISTANCE BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY, OR TO DETERMINE IF THERE ARE ADDITONAL CONSUMERS THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM THAT I AM HAVING AND JUST SIMPLY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER. THANK YOU FOR ANY ASSISTANCE THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO OFFER ME CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#863920June 21, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
5 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, CONSUMER NOTICED A NOISE COMING FROM THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES P235/75R15, FIRESTONE INFORMED CONSUMER TIRES WERE OKAY, SEVERAL MONTHS LATER NOISE GOT WORSE AND WHEN EXAMINING TIRES FOUND THAT 2 HAD EXPERIENCED SLIGHT TREAD SEPARATION, FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED ALL 4 TIRES HAD EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING FULL REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#784706June 16, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC THE ACCELERATOR STUCK THE CONSUMER STEPPED ON THE BRAKE BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#784691June 12, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET FAILED. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#723694June 7, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
KNOCKING NOISE FROM ENGINE MANIFOLD AREA. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY NOTICEABLE PROBLEM. KNOCKING NOISE WOULD QUIET DOWN AFTER THE ENGINE WOULD HEAT UP. PROBLEM GOT WORSE OVER TIME. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOUND PROBLEM WITH THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD GASKETS LEAKING. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#723697June 7, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#863193June 7, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHILE CONSUMER IS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, AND UPON MERGING INTO TRAFFIC ACCELERATOR PEDAL GETS STUCK, AND GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#863085June 6, 2000
SUSPENSION:REAR
A BOLT THAT HOLDS THE SWAY BAR BRACKET TO THE WHEEL SNAPPED DUE TO CORROSION WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL. DEALER WILL REPLACE BOLT WITH THE SAME DESIGN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#723398May 31, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
THIS IS ANOTHER CASE OF FIRESTONE ATX TREAD SEPARATION AND FATAL ROLLOVER OF A FORD EXPLOER. I UNDERSTAND THROUGH OUR LOCAL CBS AFFILIATE THAT THIS AGENCY HAS OPENED A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF THIS DEFECT. IF NHTSA TRULY STANDS BEHIND THIER MOTTO, "PEOPLE SAVING PEOPLE" THEN YOU MUST PUT CONSUMER SAFETY FIRST BY RECALLING THESE TIRES ON THESE VEHICLES. BY ALLOWING FORD AND FIRESTONE TO AVOID AN EXPENSIVE RECALL, OUR GOVERNMENT IS STANDING BY AS PEOPLE DIE. ALL THIS IN THE NAME OF MONEY. YOU MUST BE WELL AWARE OF THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEING PAID TO VICTEM'S FAMILIES TO KEEP THIS ISSUE OUT OF THE COURTROOM. IF YOUR WAITING FOR FORD AND FIRESTONE TO RECALL THESE TIRES OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF THEIR HEARTS AND TO SAVE LIVES, KEEP WAITING. OUR ONLY HOPE IS NHTSA. THIS AGENCY HAS THE ABILITY TO SAVE LIVES. PLEASE DO IT. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
1
#552425May 30, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE FORCING THE CONSUMER OFF THE ROAD SO AS NOT TO COLLIDE WITH OTHER VEHICLES, THIS CONDITIONS HAS ALSO CAUSED A ACCIDENT INVOLVING THE CONSUMERS DAUGHTER, SHE SUSTAINED CUTS TO HER FACE AND OTHER INJURIES. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#723354May 30, 2000
TIRES:SIDEWALL
TIRES ARE CRACKING ON THE SIDEWALL, I'M AFRAID TO GETUP TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THERE IS PLENTY OF TREAD LEFT ON THE TIRES. THEY SAY "MADE IN CANADA" I COULD NOT FIND THE DOT #.( DOT NUMBER: NONE TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#862639May 26, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE CRANKSHAFT CRACKED. THERE WAS NO WARNING. MECHANIC SAID IT BROKE IN HALF.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#862487May 24, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
AFTER VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN AND WAS PARKED IT CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER BELIEVED FIRE HAD STARTED IN THE ENGINE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#862352May 23, 2000
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
RIGHT FRONT AND LEFT REAR DOOR HANDLES ON THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE BROKE, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET OUT OF VEHICLE. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#723093May 23, 2000
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
FRONT AND REAR DOOR HANDLES FAIL - UNABLE TO OPEN DOORS FROM INSIDE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#862199May 19, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WATER WAS LEAKING FROM ENGINE HEAD GASKET. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#862078May 17, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN STARTING VEHICLE IT MAKES A CLANKING NOISE UNDERNEATH ON RIGHT SIDE OF WHEEL. WHEN CONSUMER APPLIES BRAKES, PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. ALSO, PEDAL IS VERY SOFT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#552159May 8, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION, VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE CRUISE CONTROL STICKING/THROTTLE BODY FAILURE, VEHICLE ACCIDENT RESULTING FROM ACCELERATION, NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAGS DURING COLLISION RESULTING IN INJURY TO CONSUMER. *MJS
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#722413May 8, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
THE BROKEN INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE MAY HAVE BEEN BROKEN FOR A LONG TIME BUT, BECAUSE OF THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK FEATURE BEING ACTIVATED IT WASN'T NOTICED UNTIL THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK WAS DEACTIVETED ONLY TO FIND THAT THE DOOR HANDLE WOULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR. UPON DISASSEMBLY, I FOUND THE PLASTIC CAM THAT UNLOCKS THE LATCH OF THE DOOR TO BE CRACKED OFF RENDERING THE HANDLE USELESS. AS FOR THE TRANSMISSION, THE PREMATURE AND EXPENSIVE FAILURE SHOULD BECOME A RECALL ITEM FOR FORD AS I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OWNERS OF THIS TYPE VEHICLE ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS OF GREAT FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCE AND POSSIBLE TRAGIC HEALTH CONSEQUENCE.. I'D SAY A DISPORPORTIONATE NUMBER OF EXPLORER OWNERS ARE ENCOUNTERING SIMILAR TRANSMISSION FAILURES. THE LIFE THREATENING CONDITION OF A BAD TRANSIMISSION COULD HAVE LED TO A LOCK-UP OR UNEXPECTED RAPID DECELERATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHICH COULD HAVE ROLLED THE TRUCK. INTERNAL COMPONENTS WERE BADLY SCARRED AND IRREPAIREBLY DAMAGED. INITIAL SYMPTONS WERE HESITATION ON ACCELLERATION AT SHIFT POINTS FORD ISSUED SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETINS TO ADDRESS THESE SYMPTOMS BUT NEVER RECALLED THE DEFECTIVE PRODUCT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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