Ford Explorer Complaints (2000)

1,026 consumer complaints on file.

#10033183August 20, 2003
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
MY WIFE & I EXPERIENCED A SEVERE WHEEL VIBRATION (OSCILLATION) IN THE FRONT END OF OUR 2000 FORD EXPLORER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE SEVERITY OF THE VIBRATION ALMOST MADE THE TRUCK UNCONTROLLABLE. WHEN THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN QUOTED ITS A DESIGN FLAW; YOU HAVE AIR IN THE RACK & PINION STEERING. THE AIR APPARENTLY ENTERS THROUGH THE HOUSING SEALS WHEN THE TRUCK WAS BEING SERVICED AFTER A FAN BELT TENSIONER RUPTURED AND THE TRUCK HAD TO BE MANUALLY STEERED. THE ONLY WAY TO REMOVE THE AIR FROM THE HOUSING WAS TO RUN THE VEHICLE FOR AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF TIME UNTIL THE AIR CIRCULATES WITH THE POWER STEERING FLUID THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND ESCAPES AT THE RESERVOIR. THIS DESIGN FLAW KNOWN BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. NOT ONLY DO MY WIFE AND I FEAR FOR OUR LIVES NOW WHEN WE DRIVE THIS VEHICLE, BUT MY KIDS ARE TERRIFIED TO RIDE IN THE VEHICLE AS WELL. WE RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS PRE-CERTIFIED FORD EXPLORER IN FEBRUARY OF 2003 AT PARKWAY EAST FORD IN PITTSBURGH PENNSYLVANIA. I TRULY BELIEVE WITH MY YEARS OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING BACKGROUND THAT THIS KNOWN DESIGN FLAW MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE RECENT ROLL-OVER FATALITIES OF THE FORD EXPLORER IN CERTAIN CASES. THE EXCESSIVE NORMAL LOAD STRESS AND SHEAR STRESS FORCES ENDURED FROM THE WHEEL OSCILLATION WOULD DEFINITELY CONTRIBUTE TO THE TIRE TREAD SEPARATION. THE P255-75R16 TIRE HAS A MAXIMUM LOAD OF 2271 LBS. THANK YOU, CONCERNED CONSUMERS DAVID & JULIA WEBER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10031477August 15, 2003
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS, STEERING
CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TOP HINGE OF DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR SEPARATED FROM THE BODY OF VEHICLE.*AK CONSUMER ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING. *PH *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026536August 15, 2003
TIRES
THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR RIGHT TIRE BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. *AK *SCC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10032825August 14, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MULTIPLE FAILURES REPORT FROM THE VEHICLE COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR FAILING TRANSMISSION. THIS CAR IS BARELY THREE YRS OLD WITH LOW MILEAGE AND THE TRANSMISSION IS ALREADY FAILING. FORDS SERVICE EXPLANATION IS THAT THE VEHICLE REQUIRES REGULAR TRANSMISSION CODDLING (SERVICE) TO MAINTAIN THE OVERALL LIFE OF THE TRANSMISSION. AND OF COURSE I'M JUST OVER THE MILEAGE FOR POWERTRAIN WARRANTY CONVERAGE. I UNDERSTAND FROM MORE THAN ONE REPUTABLE CAR SERVICE DEALERS THAT THE EXPLORER IS NOTORIOUS FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10032702August 12, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
ONE YEAR AGO I STARTED MY CAR AND PRESSED ON THE GAS AND IT WOULDN'T GO. THE DEALERSHIP CORRECTED THE PROBLEM UNDER MY WARRANTY. IN JULY 2003, MY EXPLORER BEGAN SLIPPING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT BY REPLACING THE GASKETS THIS SEEMS TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM IN OTHER FORD EXPLORER VEHICLES. THE COST WAS $500. REPLACING THE GASKETS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM ,AND THE DEALER SAID THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THEY ALSO STATED THAT MY CAR WAS NO LONGER COVERED BY A WARRANTY. I HAD 41,000 MILES AND THE WARRANTY ENDED AT 36,000. I CONTACTED FORD'S CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX SINCE MY WARRANTY ENDED. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THERE IS NO RECALLS. MY VEHICLE BEGAN SLIPPING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND AND 2ND AND 3RD. I TOOK MY EXPLORER TO AAMCO TRANSMISSIONS KNOWING THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY BUT I DIDN'T HAVE CONFIDENCE IN FORD FIXING MY VEHICLE. APPARENTLY, THE TORQUE CONVERTER CAME APART AND PIECES WERE THROWN THROUGHOUT MY TRANSMISSION--TOTAL COST THIS TIME WAS $2,800. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10031205August 10, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE STARTED LOSING POWER. WAS TOLD IT NEEDED A TUNE UP. ALSO WAS TOLD THAT THE SPARK PLUG WIRES WERE BROKEN AND FRAYED. THEY WERE REPLACED ALONG WITH ALL THE FILTERS AND NEW FLUIDS AS WELL AS A FUEL SYSTEM CLEANER. WHEN THIS DID NOT WORK I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAR NEEDED TO GO TO A FORD DEALER AS THE CAR WAS "THROWING OUT ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT CODES". IT WAS TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE ADVISER THAT THE CAR WAS FIXED AND RUNNING IN TIP TOP SHAPE. SINCE THEN I HAVE ENCOUNTERED STALLING AND STILL NO POWER AND THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING ROUGHER. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON RIGHT AFTER I PICKED IT UP FROM THE DEALERSHIP. IT HAS COST ME $1,000 SO FAR AND AM AFRAID WHAT IT WILL FINALLY COST TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10022790August 7, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE LEFT CALIPER RETURNED THE BRAKE PAD, WHICH CAUSED THE PAD TO WEAR, AND A SQUEAKING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE WHEEL. THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE REAR BRAKE PAD AND LEFT REAR ROTOR. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *CB *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10030719August 4, 2003
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WENT TO SIT IN DRIVER'S SEAT AND BACK SUPPORT COLLAPSED WITHOUT WARNING. SUBSEQUENTLY, BACK SUPPORT COULD NOT BE LOCKED IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. BACK SUPPORT COULD HAVE COLLAPSED WHILE MOVING AT HIGH SPEEDS OR COLLAPSED UPON A CHILD IN THE BACKSEAT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10030677August 3, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I OWN A 2000 FORD EXPLORER WITH 36,000 MILES. FOR THE PAST WEEK THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WITH NO WARNING. IT HAS DONE IT 7 TIMES NOW; IT AS IF SOMEONE THREW A SWITCH. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE A PATTERN OF OCCURRENCE. IT HAS DONE IT ON ACCELERATION COASTING AND BRAKING. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM BECAUSE AT HIGH SPEEDS THE POWER STEERING SHUTS OFF AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET OFF THE ROAD. ONCE OFF THE ROAD, YOU HAVE TO PUT IT IN PARK, WILL NOT START IN NEUTRAL, AND IT STARTS RIGHT BACK UP.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10030657August 2, 2003
TIRES
LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026904August 1, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE PEDAL FADED BEFORE THE VEHICLE RESPONDED TO THE PEDAL. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED MASTER CYLINDER FAILURE. *AK WHEN TESTED ON GRAVEL, ONLY THE BACK BRAKES WORKED WHICH WAS ONLY AFTER THE PEDAL WAS ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. COMPLETE FAILURE COULD HAVE RESULTED. *SCC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10027264July 15, 2003
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HIT THE MEDIAN. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026952July 8, 2003
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE LOWER BALL JOINTS AND SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, THE DEALER REPLACED THE RELAY SWITCH.*MR THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR. INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING WHEN THE BRAKES WERE FULLY APPLIED THE LIGHTS STAYED ON. WHEN THE BRAKE WAS DISENGAGED, THE INDICATOR SIGNALED AGAIN, IN SPITE OF REPLACEMENT THE PROBLEM THE CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY, HOWEVER THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. *TS *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10025274July 2, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
WHEN THE VEHICLE SITS FOR 4-8 HOURS I WOULD ATTEMPT TO START IT AND THEN IT WOULD CUT OFF. THEN ATTEMPTED TO RESTART IT CUTS OFF. I WOULD HAVE TO STEP ON THE GAS TO START IT AND KEPT MY FOOT ON THE GAS. IF I LET GO OF THE GAS THE ENGINE WOULD SHAKE AND THEN IT WOULD STALL. NO ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHEN DRIVING. THIS HAPPENED AT 60,000 MILES. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IN WOODSTOCK GA ON JUNE 30, 2003 AND STATED THAT MOST OF THE EXPLORERS AND EXPEDITIONS ARE COMING IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALER FOUND IT IS THE IAC VALVE STICKING OR THE IGNITION MODUCLE SENSOR BAD AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. IF IT WAS FOR NOT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THE PART ALONE COSTS $225.00 IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, WITH THE FORD DON;T UNDERSTAND WHY FORD DOES NOT RECALL THEM. I CONSIDERED THIS A DEFECT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026279June 30, 2003
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH VEHICLE WAS IN A COLLISION. CONSUMER STATES THAT BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10025117June 27, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE EVP SENSOR MELTED AND DAMAGED THE IGNITION SWITCH, OTHER SENSORS AND COMPONENTS. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10024597June 20, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, SUSPENSION
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE WILL HEAVILY JERK, AND THEN ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WILL COME ON AND STAY ON THE REMAINDER OF THE TIME VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023459June 20, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE WILL NOT START AT TIMES WITHOUT DEPRESSING AND HOLDING ON THE GAS. VEHICLE STALLS OUT AND/OR THE RPM'S BARELY IDLE OVER 0. AT OTHER TIMES WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THE RPM'S REV UP HIGH. SEEMS NOT TO BE GETTING SUFFICIENT POWER WHEN DRIVING, CAN DEPRESS GAS PEDAL TO FLOOR BUT WILL NOT PICK UP ANY SPEED. BEEN UNABLE TO TAKE THE TRUCK OVER 80 MPH. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10024330June 18, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
TRANSMISSION FUEL LINE BROKE AND LEAKED FUEL ONTO THE MUFFLER AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHILE DRIVING.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023224June 17, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DEALER HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE AFTER OIL PRESSURE DROPPED OUT WITHOUT WARNING. ENGINE LOCKED UP BEFORE I COULD TRAVEL 1/4 MILE TO GET OFF ROAD. FORD MOTOR COMPANY OFFERED NO HELP SINCE ENGINE HAD 39000 MILES, 3000 MILES OVER WARRANTY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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