Ford Explorer Complaints (1996)

1,450 consumer complaints on file.

#719741March 6, 2000
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON REPEATEDLY. SOMETIMES WILL GO OFF BY ITS SELF,SOMETIMES BATTERY HAS TO BE DISCONNECTED.WILL NOT IDLE PROPERLY.WE HAVE HAD IT IN THE GARAGE SEVERAL TIMES TO BE PUT ON A SCOPE WITH ABSOLUTELY NO RESULTS AT ALL.I FEEL IT IS SOME KIND OF A SENSOR PROBLEM.PLEASE HELP!! *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#719174February 24, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE I NOTICED SOME SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I STARTED TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHEN THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BURST INTO FLAMES. I GOT PULLED OVER AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE AND OPENED THE HOOD WHERE I NOTICED THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY ON FIRE. I TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, BUT THE FIRE WAS BURING TOO HOT FOR ME TO GET CLOSE, THE FIRE DEPT ARRIVED IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES AND PROCEEDED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE, AT WHICH TIME IT WAS TOO LATE, THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY BURNED UP. I ONLY HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR LESS THEN 4 MONTHS AND HAD NO WORK DONE TO IT AT ALL AND IT JUST BLEW UP ON ME. I JUST GOT OUT OF THE CAR IN TIME BEFORE BEING SEVERELY BURNED MYSELF. I DID PURCHASE A 3YR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY FROM THE SELLING DEALER AT TIME OF PURCHASE WHIHC WAS SUPPOSE TO BE A BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. THIS VEHICLE WAS IN EXCEPTIONAL CONDITION, HENSE THE REASON I PURCHASED IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM GOING TO DO FROM HERE, BUT I NOW FIND MYSELF WITHOUT A VEHICLE AND THANKFULLY WITHOUT ANY PHYSICAL INJURY, THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE POSSIBLY KILLED ME AND THIS MATTER SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED SO THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#551045February 22, 2000
TIRES
THE ENTIRE TOP SURFACE OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE CAME OFF CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN ROLL OVER ACCIDENT. YH
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#718861February 16, 2000
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
THE DOOR HANDLE HAS BROKEN THREE TIMES. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT FIX,RE-DESIGN THE HANDLE. FAMILY AND FRIENDS ALSO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THERE 1996 EXPLORER. I'M A SAFETY EXPERT FOR DOL-OSHA AND FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND FORD NEEDS TO FIX "ASAP" THE PLASTIC DESIGN OF THE HANDLE. IF YOU CAN NOT GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE DURING A POTENTIAL CRASH THIS COULD BE A SAFETY PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#857025February 16, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
WHILE SITTING AT A STOP SIGN VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED FORWARD WITHOUT APPLICATION OF GAS PEDAL. VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER CAR. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#856917February 15, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WHILE DRIVING TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO FLIP, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK *ML
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#856839February 14, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TRAVELLING 70MPH HEARD A LOUD NOISE, AND VEHICLE WENT INTO A SPIN. WENT FROM THE WESTSIDE ACROSS THE TWO LANES AND ACROSS THE MEDIAN AND WOUND UP IN THE DITCH ON THE EAST BOUND SIDE. CONTACTED A TOWING COMPANY TO CHANGE THE TIRE. DROVE HOME. FIRESTONE SOLD CONSUMER FOUR NEW WILDERNESS TIRES AT HALF PRICE. THE ORGINAL TIRES WERE ATX. *AK THE TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED AFTER THE INCIDENT. THE SPIN WAS CAUSED BY THE TREAD HITING THE VEHICLE. *YH
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#718606February 11, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
TRUCK HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE 3 TIMES FOR THIS AND STILL NOT FIXED. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED WITHIN SUMMARY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#718559February 10, 2000
SUSPENSION:FRONT
EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR DUE TO INABILITY TO ALIGN FRONT AND REAR ENDS OF VEHICLE TO TOE, CANTOR, AND CURB. FORD SAYS ITS A DESIGN FLAW AND ALL FUTURE MODELS, INCLUDING THE YEAR 2000 MODEL OF THE EXPLORER AND EXPEDITION ARE USING THE SAME DESIGN. OUR VEHICLE LEAPED OFF OF THE HIGHWAY, NEARLY CAUSING US TO GO AIRBORN AND LEAVE THE INTERSTATE. THIS WOULD HAVE MOST DEFINITELY CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY IF NOT MULTIPLE FATALITIES. FORD IS NOT CONCERNED WITH THIS DEFECT, YET, MILLIONS OF FOLKS BUY THESE SUV'S EACH YEAR. PLEASE HELP AFFECT THE CHANGE. THANK YOU. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255/70R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#856524February 8, 2000
TIRES
FIRE STONE TIRES KEEP SHREDDING. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#856553February 8, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
ORIGINAL TIRE ON VEHICLE HAD TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER BOUGHT A SET OF FIRESTONE TIRES. THE LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. DEALERSHIP TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE TIRE HAD DEFECTIVE TREAD. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#856042February 2, 2000
EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:CARRIER/RACK
AAA CAME TO REPLACE THE SPARE TIRE. TURNED THE CABLE FOR THE SPARE TIRE TO COME DOWN. TIRE WAS LOWERED FROM STORAGE AREA, REACHED UP, AND THE CABLE BROKE. MOVEMENT OR THE POSITION OF THE CABLE COULD BE RUBBING UP AGAINST THE RIM OF THE SPARE TIRE. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#718084January 30, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
O/D AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND THE TRUCK WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#550510January 21, 2000
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
BOTH REAR DOOR CHILD SAFETY LOCKS DO NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#558831January 9, 2000
STRUCTURE
CONSUMER STARTED EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE, THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE, ONE PERSON WAS INJURED WHILE PUTTING OUT THE FIRE, THE AXLE HAD BROKEN AND MELTED, BUT NO ONE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#854457December 28, 1999
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER'S SIDE/REAR PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLES WOULD NOT UNLATCH, CAUSING THE OCCUPANT TO BECOME TRAPPED IN THE SEAT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#783852December 20, 1999
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
ACCELERATOR PEDALS STICKS ON OCCASION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PASS A CAR OR ACCELERATE TO A HIGHER SPEED, WHEN THE OCCURS THE CONSUMER HAS TO KICK THE PEDAL, PULL IT LOOSE WITH FOOT OR HIT THE BRAKE TO DISLODGE THE PEDAL. *ET
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#715851December 9, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TEMPERATURE GAUGE SHOWED HOT. DROVE TO DEALER 5 MILES AWAY. DIGNOSIS: BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#784348December 6, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, WHEELS
ABS WHEEL SPEED SENSORS FAILED.*ET
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#715717December 6, 1999
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NO SUMMARY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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