Ford Explorer Complaints (1997)

1,773 consumer complaints on file.

#8000701December 13, 2001
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN DISENGAGING CRUISE CONTROL VEHICLE THROTTLES DOWN AND ACCELERATES. CONSUMER HAS TO DEPRESS BRAKES OR SHUT OFF CRUISE CONTROL. VEHICLE HAS AN AGGRESSIVE ACCELERATION. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER URGED CONSUMER TO RECREATE PROBLEM FOR THEM TO CHECK IT OUT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#899802December 4, 2001
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AT 45,000 MILES TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. AT 70, 000 VEHICLE STARTED TO HESITATE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#755210December 3, 2001
TIRES
IN CONTACTING FIRESTONE TO RECEIVE A REBATE FORM FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WILDERNESS TIRE THAT BLOW OUT FOR ME, THE FIRSESTONE 800 NUMBER AND THE LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER DOES NOT HAVE AND WILL NOT PROVIDE A COPY OF THE REIMBURSEMENT FORM. IT NICE THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE 16 INCH TIRES, BUT A CUSTOMER CANNOT RECEIVE THE FORM FROM EITHER THE MANIFACTURER OR THEIR CORPORATE RETAIL OUTLET.*AK (TIRESIZE: 16)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#899424November 26, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. DEALER REPLACED BOTH FRONT HUBS AND SENSORS. *AK CONSUMER STATED THE FRONT BRAKE SENSORS ARE CONFUSED, THEY THINK THEY ARE ON WET PAVEMENT, WHEN REALLY DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT.*SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#899395November 23, 2001
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH, VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
WINDSHIELD WASHER COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER TWICE, MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH WAS REPLACED THE FIRST TIME. IT DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. SECOND TIME DEALER COULD NOT FIND CAUSE. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR ONE DAY IN COLD WEATHER OUTSIDE, PROBLEM WAS REPLICATED AND THEY FOUND RELAYS OVERHEATING AND STICKING CAUSED BY SHORTED MALFUNCTION SWITCH ON PRIOR REPAIR AND THEY REPLACED BOTH RELAYS. *YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#754768November 21, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
CYLINDER HEADS OR HEAD GASGETS FAILED CAUSING COOLANT LEAK INTO CYLINDERS AND OUT EXHAUST. SUSPECT FAULTY HEATER VALVE LEAKED COOLANT CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND DAMAGE HEADS OR GASGETS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#898843November 6, 2001
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON ROAD TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE., AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, VEHICLE ACELLERATED ABOUT 100MPH. HAD FOOT ON BRAKES, BUT VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING. CONSUMER TURNED VEHICLE OFF. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#753883October 30, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, SEAT BELTS
WELL, THE FIRST THING THAT STOPPED WORKING WAS THE THERMOSTAT, THEN THE WINDOW REGULATOR AND SEAT BEALT, I WENT TO THE DEALER AND JUST TO SEE THE PROBLEM I WAS CHARGED 160USD . I THINK IT'S UNFAIR BUT THEY SAID I HAD TO PAY AND NOTHING WAS DONE TO THE CAR. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED AT SEARS BECAUSE I WAS SCARED AND SIMPLY REPLACED THEM 4 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR. I CALLED THE DEALER AND FIRESTONE RECALL BUT THEY ARE NOW ASKING FOR A DOT CODE IN WHICH SEARS DID NOT GIVE ME. NOW I AM ONLY ASKING TO PLEASE TRY TO REFUND SOMETHING. I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY GIVE TOO MANY PROBLEMS AND THE DEALER GETS AWAY WITH PROBLEMS IN WHICH THEY NEED TO FIX BECAUSE THEY ARE FACTORY PROBLEMS. *AK (TIRESIZE: 15INCHES)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#753906October 30, 2001
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ACCELERATOR SUDDENLY AND UNCONTROLLABLY CAUSES VEHICLE TO GO FROM A STOPPED CONDITION, FOOT ON BRAKE, CRUISE CONTROL OFF. EXTREME BRAKING EFFORT AVOIDS COLLISION. PROBLEM PRESENTED TO FORD SERVICE AT DEALER, DIAGNOSTIC TESTS DONE AND NO REPAIR PROVIDED. FORD SERVICE DENIED KNOWLEDGE OF ANY SIMILAR PROBLEMS OF THIS TYPE AND OFFERED NO RECALL REPAIRS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#898167October 24, 2001
TIRES
THREE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT TIRE FAILURES. CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 70 MPH ON DRY ROAD CONDITONS WHEN FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE WENT FLAT WITHOUT WARNING. SECOND TIRE FAILURE WAS ON FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER STATED HE IS UNABLE TO GET ANY ASSISTANCE FROM FIRESTONE OR DEALER, CONSUMER HAS NOW REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES.*SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#897850October 17, 2001
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
AFTER PARKING VEHICLE CONSUMER COULD NOT UNBUCKLE SEAT BELT. CONSUMER HAD TO CUT SEAT BELT TO FINALLY GET OUT OF VEHICLE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#753166October 12, 2001
TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE
WHEN A MICHELIN DEALER RECENTLY REPLACED THE FOUR 16 INCH 255 FIRESTONE TIRES, HE COMMENTED THAT THE SPARE IS A FIRESTONE 15 INCH 225 TIRE. IS IT SAFE TO MIX THES SIZES? THE 16 INCH TIRES WERE ORIGINAL EQUIUPMENT ON THE CAR -- NOT PURCHASED AS AN OPTION. FORD HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY INQUIRY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#753075October 10, 2001
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS
THE FAILURE OF THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT WHICH IS AN LED (LIGHT EMITTING DIODE) ASSEMBLY IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. WHEN THE BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE WAS DISCOVERED I WENT TO THE MANUFACTURER'S DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. FIRST I WAS QUOTED A REPAIR PRICE 35 TIMES HIGHER THEN THE AVERAGE BRAKE LIGHT REPLACEMENT OR $350.00. ULTIMATELY, I HAD THE REPAIR DONE FOR $265.00 AFTER SOME SERIOUS DIALOGUE ABOUT THE COST OF THIS PART VERSUS NORMAL BRAKE LIGHT REPLACEMENTS. I EMPHASIED A PART COSTING $35 TIMES THE NORMAL BRAKE LIGHT BULB REPAIR SHOULD BE ENGINEERED TO LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. IF IT DID NOT THEN IT MUST BE AN ENGINEERING OR MANUFACTUREING DEFECT. THE DEALERSHIP SAID FORD WOULD NOT RESPOND POSITIVELY TO MY ARGUEMENTS AND THE BEST THEY COULD DO WAS $265.00. I BELEIVE THE SAFETY ISSUE IS DRIVEN BY THE COST OF THIS ASSEMBLY. THERE MAYBE MANY FORD EXPLORERS ON THE ROAD WITH THIS DEFECTIVE PART, SIMPLY BECAUSE THE COST TO REPAIR IS PROHIBITIVE. IN SOME STATES VEHICLE INSPECTIONS ARE NOT REQUIRED UNTIL THE VECHICLE IS RESOLD AND THEREFORE THE PROBLEM COULD GO UNDECTED CREATING A SERIOUS RISK FOR THE DRIVER OF THE FAILING VEHICLE AND ANYONE FOLLOWING BEHIND. I SUGGEST A SAFETY ALERT BE ISSUED IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY BEEN DONE GIVING CONSIDERATION TO THE NUMBER OF LED ASSEMBLIES, BRAKE LIGHT FAILURES AND THE COST OF THE REPAIR THAT A RECALL ALSO BE CONSIDERED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#897459October 9, 2001
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THERE'S A WINDING AND GRINDING NOISE WHENEVER TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS. IT IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE GOING INTO REVERSE WITHOUT WARNING.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#897390October 5, 2001
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
HAD STARTED VEHICLE & SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. RESHIFTED BACK TO DRIVEAND THEN INTO REVERSE AGAIN TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. WHEN IT HAPPENED A THIRD TIME, TRANSMISSION DAMAGED LEFT FRONT TIRE. VEHICLE NOW AT DEALERSHIP. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#897152October 1, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CAM TENSIONER BROKE. METAL PIECE FROM TENSIONER RAN THROUGH ENGINE AND DAMAGED IT. THERE WAS A RECALL ON VEHICLE'S MAKE/MODEL; BUT, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED BECAUSE IT EXCEEDED 100000 MILE WARRANTY. CONSUMER BOUGHT VEHICLE AND DIDN'T KNOW RECALL.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#897160October 1, 2001
WHEELS:HUBCAP/COVER
VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING 35MPH. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP TO CHECK ON ALIGNMENT. INFORMED NOT ALIGNMENT. MECHANIC INDICATED PROBLEM IWAS LOCATED IN WHEEL HUB. IT WAS NOT REPAIRED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#562552September 25, 2001
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
THE TREAD OF THE LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER OFF THE ROADWAY, THE DRIVER OVERCORRECTED TO RETURN TO THE ROAD WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROTATE CLOCKWISE, UPON THE VEHICLE SLIDING THE LEFT REAR TIRE BECAME DEFLATED AND THE WHEEL BEGAN TO GOUGE INTO THE ROADWAY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERTURN SEVERAL TIMES, THE DRIVER SUSTAINED CONTUSIONS AND ABRASIONS TO HIS ARMS AND UPPER TORSO AREA, THE LEFT REAR OCCUPANT WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE ANS SUSTAINED CONTUSIONS AND ABRASIONS TO HIS HEAD, NECK, ARMS AND LEGS, THE OTHER THREE OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENTS, FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL INVESTIGATION, FIRESTONE, NO OTHER TIRE INFO GIVEN)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
3
#896790September 25, 2001
STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM
WHILE MAKING A SLOW TURN TO PARK THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE. VEHICLE STOPPED , CONSUMER TRIED TO BACK UP, BUT AGAIN VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. CONSUMER SAW LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS TILTED TO ONE SIDE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER WHO NOTICED THE FRONT STEERING KNUCKLE HAD BROKEN.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#752538September 24, 2001
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
ACCELERATOR PEDAL FELT LOOSE, PULLED OVER AND EXAMINED. THE BRACKET ON WHICH THE PEDAL WAS MOUNTED HAD COMPLETELY BROKEN OUT FROM THE FIREWALL OF THE VEHICLE. UPON EXAMINATION, THE BRAKET HAD BEEN ATTACHED WITH THREE SPOT WELDS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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