Ford Explorer Complaints (1996)

1,450 consumer complaints on file.

#872035October 2, 2000
TIRES
DRIVING 70MPH WHEN STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE. HEARD THUMPING NOISES AT THE SAME TIME. VEHICLE ALSO STARTED TO VIBRATE. WAS SLOWING DOWN & PULLED INTO WALMART. HAD A SALESPERSON IN THE TIRE SECTION LOOK AT TIRES. THE LEFT FRONT HAD TREAD ON IT, BUT COMPLETELY UNEVEN. THE TREAD STILL ON TIRES BARELY. PULLED ALL FOUR TIRES OFF VEHICLE. FIRESTONE AT P275/75R15 WITH 42,000 MILES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#733086October 1, 2000
TIRES
I PURCHASED MY 96 FORD EXPLORER IN NOV. 95 AND HAVE HAD A VEHICLE SHUDDER PROBLEM THAT BECOMES A SAFETY PROBLEM WHEN TIRES ARE INFLATED BEYOND THE RECOMMENDED TIRE PRESSURE OF 26PSI. FORD HAVE NOW RECOMMENDED TIRE PRESSURES OF 30PSI, WHICH I CANNOT DO WITHOUT RISKING A VEHICLE LOSS OF CONTROL SITUATION.THE FIRST TIME TIS HAPPENED, IT ABSOLUTELY SCARED THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF ME, TO PUT IT POLITELY! I HAD JUST PICKED UP THE TRUCK FROM THE MISSION VALLEY FORD AFTER SOME BRAKE WORK. I TOOK THE TRUCK UP TO FREEWAY SPEED AND WHILE TRAVELING OVER SOME ROUGH FREEWAY SURFACE THE TRUCK ALMOST WENT OUT OF CONTROL. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER WHERE FAILURE ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED. THE ONLY ISSUE THE SERVICE ENGINEER IDENTIFIED AS ABNORMAL WAS THEY HAD SET THE TIRE PRESSURE TO 30PSI(ALL TIRES). RESETTING THE TIRES BACK TO 26PSI ELIMINATED THE PROBLEM.THIS PROBLEM RESURFACED TWICE MORE SINCE AND RESETTING THE TIRES TO 26PSI CORRECTED THE LACK OF CONTROL PROBLEM. THE SHUDDER I NORMALLY FEEL APPEARED TO EXTEND INTO THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO CONTROL THE TRUCK WHEN I TRAVELED OVER A ROUGH PATCH IN THE SURFACE OF A FREEWAY. EMERGENCY BRAKING BROUGHT THE TRUCK BACK UNDER CONTROL. I NO LONGER ALLOW MY WIFE TO DRIVE THE EXPLORER.IM FAMILIAR WITH STEERING WHEEL SHUDDER AS A RESULT OF POOR WHEELING BALANCING, BUT THIS IS DIFFERENT. THE WHOLE VEHICLE SHUDDERS, NOT THE STEERING WHEEL, AT CRUISING SPEEDS OF 60 MPH AND ABOVE, AND IS PARTICULARLY OBVIOUS ON LONG JOURNEYS. THIS WAS IDENTIFIED TO YOUR SERVICE DEPT., WHO SUGGESTED THAT THE TRACKING AND/OR THE TIRES MAY BE AT FAULT. TRACKING HAS BEEN CHECKED AND NEW TIRES PURCHASED, BUT NEITHER CORRECTED THE PROBLEMT SHUDDER PROBLEM HAS BEEN VERIFIED BY THE SERVICE DEPT OF THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED MY EXPLORER. SEE ATTACHED SERVICE RECORDS DATED 6/12/97 AND 12/1/98 FOR THIS PROBLEM.PLEASE REVIEW THE ABOVE INFORMATION AND ATTACHED SERVICE RECORDS. I EAGERLY AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#733044October 1, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WEAR DEFECT. LEFT FRONT TIRE(ALTHOUGHT IT WAS ON OTHER AREAS AS THE TIRES WERE ROTATED) ALWAYS HAD EXCESSIVE INSIDE TREAD WEAR. I COMPLAINED TO FIRESTONE AND THEY SAID I PROBABLY NEEDED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT. I HAD THREE ALIGNMENTS DONE IN THE SUCEEDING 18 MONTHS AND IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. AFTER I HAVE READ ABOUT THE DEFECT IN THE TIRES, I THOUGHT MAYBE THAT WAS AN INDICATION THE TREAT WAS FAULTY. IT ONLY HAPPENED ON ONE TIRE. I DIDN'T REPORT AS I REPLACED THE TIRES WHEN NECESSARY BUT THOUGHT IS WAS ODD THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN. (TIRESIZE: 16/225)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16/225 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#555009September 30, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
THE TREAD ON THE LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL AND ROLL SEVERAL TIMES, THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INCAPACITATING INJURIES (TEXAS PEACE OFFICERS ACCIDENT REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15,RADIAL ATX M/S, VDHL1PM465). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#555015September 30, 2000
TIRES
LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL, AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER (FLORIDA TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, RADIAL ATX M/S, W1HLAT5387, LEFT REAR). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
4
Deaths:
0
#555019September 30, 2000
TIRES
THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER ABOUT THREE TIMES BEFORE COMING TO REST IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION, ONE OCCUPANT WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND LATER DIED, THE OTHER OCCUPANTS WERE INJURED (KANSAS MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, RADIAL ATX M/S, VDHL1PM375). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
1
#555028September 30, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
THE LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE WHICH WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT ROLLED OVER FROM END TO END WITH THE LEFT FRONT AND RIGHT REAR CORNERS SUSTAINING MOST OF THE IMPACT, DURING THE ROLLOVER BOTH REAR SEAT PASSENGERS WERE EJECTED, ONE PERSON WAS KILLED IN THIS ACCIDENT THREE OTHERS WERE INJURED (ARIZONA TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, RADIAL ATX M/S, LEFT REAR). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
1
#555032September 30, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
REAR TIRE BLEWOUT CAUSING DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD, THE DRIVER JERKED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND THE VEHICLE ENTERED THE ROAD AND FLIPPED THREE TIMES LANDING ON ITS WHEELS, PHYSICAL EVIDENCE DOES NOT SUPPORT BLOWOUT, BUT DOES INDICATE TREAD SEPARATION WHICH PARTIALLY CAME OFF THE BODY OF THE TIRE, THREE PEOPLE WERE INJURED ONE WAS KILLED (TEXAS PEACE OFFICES ACCIDENT REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, RADIAL ATX M/S, VDHL1PM276, RIGHT REAR). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
1
#555039September 30, 2000
TIRES
WHILE DRIVING THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE STRUCK A GUARDRAIL AND OVERTURNED, ALL FOUR OCCUPANTS WERE INJURED (SOUTH CAROLINA UNIFORM TRAFFIC COLLISION REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P255/70R16, WILDERNESS AT M/S, W2CU1PX465, RIGHT REAR). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
4
Deaths:
0
#555040September 30, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
REAR LEFT TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE TREAD CAUSING TRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE HICH THE TRAVELED TO THE LEFT GRASS SHOULDER, AFTER ENTERING THE SHOULDER THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ROTATE IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION AND STARTED TO OVERTURN FOR ABOUT 89 FEET BEFORE IT CAME TO REST ON THE DRIVERS SIDE ,DRIVER, PASSENGER AND REAR RIGHT PASSENGER SUSTAINED INCAPACITATING INJURIES, THE REAR LEFT PASSENGER SUSTAINEDNON-INCAPACITATING INJURIES (BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, RADIAL ATX M/S, VDHL1PM246, LEFT REAR, FLORIDA, TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
4
Deaths:
0
#555044September 30, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
REIGHT REAR TIRE SEPARATED CAUSING DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WENT OFF THE SHOULDER THROUGH THE MEDIAN AND OVERTURNED SEVERAL TIMES AND EJECTED THE DRIVER AND 4 OF THE 5 PASSENGERS,FIVE OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED INCAPACITATING INJURIES AND ONE OCCUPANT WAS KILLED(BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, RADIAL ATX M/S, VDHL1PM166, RIGHT REAR, FLORIDA TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
5
Deaths:
1
#554977September 30, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
THE RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD DETACHED FROM THE TIRE, THE TIRE THEN BLEWOUT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER TO THE RIGHT, THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL BY OVERCORRECTING TO THE LEFT, THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO A BROADSIDE SKID, AS THE VEHICLE WAS SLIDING THE RIGHT SIDE TIRE DEFLATED CAUSING THE RIM TO DIG INTO THE PAVEMENT THUS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FLIP OVER TWICE LANDING RIGHT SIDE UP, THERE WAS 1 FATALITIE (DRIVER) AND THREE PASSENGERS (RF, RR, CR) SUSTAINED INJURY (NEW MEXICO UNIFORM ACCIDENT REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE P235/75R15 RADIAL ATX M/S VDHL1PM385). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
1
#554980September 30, 2000
TIRES, STRUCTURE
THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PROCEEDED TO SKID INTO THE SOUTHSIDE OF THE ROADWAY INTO A DITCH AND COLLIDED WITH A UTILITY POLE, THERE WERE 2 FATALITIES(TEXAS OFFICERS ACCIDENT REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, RADIAL ATX M/S, VDHL1PM435, LEFT REAR). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
2
#554992September 30, 2000
TIRES
THE BACK LEFT TIRE BLEWOUT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLLOVER COMING TO REST ON IT'S LEFT SIDE, THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT WAS FOUND IN THE BUCKLED POSITION YET THE DRIVER WAS EJECTED, THE DRIVER WAS KILLED, ONE OCCUPANT SUSTAINED INCAPACITATING INJURIES AND THE OTHER HAN NON-INCAPACITATING INJURIES (TEXAS PEACE OFFICES ACCIDENT REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, RADIAL ATX M/S, VDHL1PM415, LEFT REAR). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
1
#555000September 30, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
THE LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE BODY OF THE TIRE WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL, THE DRIVER STEERED BACK LEFT PARTIALLY INTO THE LEFT LANE THEN BACK TO THE RIGHT, AT THIS POINT THE VEHICLE SPUN PARTIALLY CLOCKWISE OFF ROADWAY THEN ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS TOP AND A GUARDRAIL, TRAVELED OVER THE GUARDRAIL TO FINAL REST ON ITS ROOF, ONE PASSENGER WAS KILLED FOUR OTHER SUSTAINED INCAPACITATING INJURIES(FLORIDA TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, RADIAL ATX M/S, VDHL1PM196, UNKNOWN POSITION). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
4
Deaths:
1
#555001September 30, 2000
TIRES
TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLLOVER TWICE, ONE OCCUPANT SUSTAINED NON-INCAPACITATING (FLORIDA TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, RADIAL ATX M/S, VDHL1PM016, RIGHT REAR). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#555003September 30, 2000
TIRES
THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SWERVED TO THE RIGHT THE OVERTURNED SEVERAL TIMES AND CAME TO REST AFTER STRIKING SOME TREES AND STRUBS ON THE WEST SHOULDER, PASSENGERS #1, #5, #6 AND THE DRIVER WERE EJECTED, PASSENGERS #5 AND #6 WERE SEATED IN THE REAR CARGO AREA PRIOR TO THE CRASH, 2 PEOPLE WERE KILLED, 2 HAD INCAPACITATING INJURIES, 2 HAD NON-INCAPACITATING INJURIES AND ONE HAD POSSIBLE INJURIES (FLORIDA TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, RADIAL ATX M/S, LEFT REAR). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
5
Deaths:
2
#555007September 30, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
LEFT REAR TIRE BEGAN TO SEPARATE, THE VEHICLE VEERED INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE THEN STEERED BACK ACROSS THE LANES ROTATING COUNTERCLOCKWISE, THE RIGHT TIRES WHERE DIGGING INTO THE GRASS MEDIAN WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLLOVER TWICE IN THE GRASS MEDIAN, THE DRIVER WAS EJECTED DURING THE FINAL ROLLOVER SEQUENCE (FLORIDA TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, RADIAL ATX M/S, VDHL1PM306, LEFT REAR). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
1
#555008September 30, 2000
TIRES
RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLLOVER, THE DRIVER WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE INFANT WAS FOUND IN THE DRIVES SEAT WITH SOME LACERATIONS TO THE FOREHEAD (ARKANSAS MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISION REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, RADIAL ATX M/S, VDHL1PM096, RIGHT REAR). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#555786September 29, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
FACTORY INSTALL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES EXPERIENCED CRACKING AND SEPARATION FROM THE BELT PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 00T-005 WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHIMMY WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBUIRSEMENT FOR REPLACED TIRES. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Ford Explorer