1996 Ford Explorer complaints

FIRESTONE ATX TIRES WERE REPLACED BERCAUSE OF NOISE, BALANCE AND WEAR PROBLEMS. NLM

PE00020, CONSUMER NOTICED WHEN HE BOUGHT VEHICLE THAT TIRES WERE SEPARATING AND TREAD WAS SPLITTING. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE FIRESTONE #AT, P25570/R16. *AK ALL FOUR TIRES STARTED TO CRACK AROUND AND IN BETWEEN THE TREAD AND SIDE WALLS AT ABOUT 18000 MILES. *YH

FIRESTONE ATX TIRE (P235 75 R15) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION ALSO CAUSING ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *SLC

WE HAVE OWNED THIS EXPLORER SINCE 1996 AND EVERY YEAR THE THERMOSTAT OR THE SENSOR HAS TO BE REPLACED. IS THEIR A FIX TO THIS PROBLEM FROM FORD. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 35MPH IN SNOW. WHILE GOING UP A HILL REAR END CAME AROUND & IT ROLLED OVER. DEALER & MANUFACTURER WERE NO HELP, THEY REFERRED CONSUMER TO NHTSA HOTLINE. *AK

THE CONSUMER HAS THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES, HOWEVER THE ONES ON THE VEHICLE ARE NOT PART OF THE RECALL, THE TREAD IS BEGINNING TO SEPARATE AND STRESS CRACKS ARE FORMING, THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT SHE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED, THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED ON 11-5-00. *SLC

CONSUMER REPLACED FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235/75R15) IN 1999 DUE TO UNWARRANTED WEAR, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED THE RECALL LETTER AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT TIRES. *SLC

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL VEHICLE OVER TO SAFETY. LEFT REAR FIRESTONE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM RIM. CONSUMER DID NOT PROVIDE TIRE BRAND OR SIZE. *SLC

NOTICED HAIRLINE CRACK CIRCLING TIRE AT BOTTOM OF TREAD. I CONTACTED FIRESTONE, INITIALLY I WAS OFFERED 1 REPLACEMENT TIRE OF THE SAME TYPE AS THE FAILED TIRE IF AN INSPECTION OF THE PROBLEM TIRE VERIFIED MY CONCERN REGARDING THE BEGINNING OF TREAD SEPARATION PROBLEM. I INFORMED THE FIRESTONE HOTLINE AND DEALER REP THAT THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE, I WANTED ALL TIRES REPLACED EVEN THOUGH THESE WERE NOT UNDER RECALL. I INFORMED THEM THAT IT WAS LUDICROUS TO BE PUT IN A SITUATION WHERE I WOULD BE FORCED TO CONTINUE CHECKING ALL TIRES EVERY THREE DAYS. I WOULD NOT BE PUT IN THAT SITUATION. BEING PERSISTANT, I WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT DIST MGR. NO TOLL FREE #, AT MY OWN EXPENSE (PHONE) I CONTACTED DIST MGR. HE APPROVED ALL REPLACEMENT, WHEN CONFIRMED. CONFIRMED BY COMPANY OWNED TIRE STORE 11/13/00. ALL FIVE REPLACED 11/14/00 WITH BRIDGESTONE DUELER AT. I AM SATISFIED AT THIS TIME. I SIMPLY WANTED TO REPORT FAILURE OF TIRE MADE IN WILSON, NC. AFTER BEING PUSHED, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE DID THE RIGHT THING, ALTHOUGH THEY HAD TO BE PUSHED, AFTER THE FIRST LINE OF CONTACT TRIED TO MINIMIZE AND DEFLECT. I PRAISE FIRESTONE FOR EVENTUALLY DOING THE RIGHT THING. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HLIPYL08 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

I AM ASSOCIATED WITH THE U.S. AIRFORCE, STATIONED AT RAF LAKENHEATH, ENGLAND. WITHIN THE PAST THREE WEEKS BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT RODS CONNECTING THE FOWARD ANTI-SWAY BRACE TO THE FRAME HAVE SHEARED OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE EFFECT OF THIS WAS EXCESSIVE BOUNCING AND LOSS OF SMOOTH CONTROL OF THE STEARING. BOTH INCIDENTS OCCURRED AT APROXIMATELY FIFTY MILES AN HOUR. MY SPEED HAD TO BE REDUCED TO APROX. THIRTY MILES AN HOUR TO MAINTAIN A REASONABLE CONTROL AND STABILITY. PART OF THE RODS REMAINED IN THE SWAY BAR, UNTIL I REMOVED THEM FOR REPLACEMENT. THE ONLY DAMAGE THAT I OBSERVED TO THE ROD WAS WHERE THE SHEAR OCCURRED.*AK

ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS TOO CLOSE TO BRAKE PEDAL ONE INCH AWAY. THE MASTER CYLINDER DEVELOPED A LEAK ALLOWING THE BRAKE PEDDLE TO TRAVEL PAST THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BECAUSE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS SO CLOSE THE INCIDENCE OF HITTING BOTH PEDALS BECOMES GREATER AS IT WAS WITH MY VEHICLE. WE HAD COME TO AN ALMOST COMPLETE STOP THEN THE 1996 EXPLORER ACCELERATED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF US. SIMPLE FIX BEND THE ACCELERATOR ARM AWAY FROM THE BRAKE PEDDLE. ON 98 EXPLORER'S THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS THREE INCHES AWAY INDICATING FORD DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM, FIXED IN LATER MODELS, BUT FAILED TO NOTIFY 96 EXPLORER OWNERS OR THEIR DEALERS. *AK

I BOUGHT THIS SUV USED AND I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING A GREAT VEHICLE, BOY WAS I WRONG. IT HAS BEEN ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER WITH THIS SUV. PLEASE CHECK ALL OF MY COMPLAINTS THIS IS AN INTERIOR PROBLEM, THESE THINGS CANNOT BE CAUSED BY EVEY DAY USE. THE PROBLEMS I AM HAVING ARE, BACK SEAT DOOR HANDLES ARE BROKE, THE SPARE TIRE RELEASE BROKE THE FIRST TIME IT WAS USED, THE AIR BAG LIGHT WENT OFF AND CAUSED AN INCONVIENCE TO MY FAMILY, THE TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE ALINGMENT HASEN'T BEEN RIGHT SENSE I'VE OWNED IT, THE BACK SEAT DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY, IT WILL NOT RELEASE TO FOLD FORWARD, AND THE MOTOR ON THE HATCH HASEN'T WORKED PROPERLY FROM DAY ONE OF MY OWNERSHIP. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS MATTER. THANK FOR ALL YOU DO. MARGIE HULSEY. ML

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P255 70 R16) ARE EXPERIENCING SIDEWALL AND TREAD SEPARATION. *SLC

THE FIRESTONE ATX P 234/75R15 105S M/S DOT VDHL 1PM-435 TIRES WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO RECALL (00T-005) DUE TO VIBRATION PROBLEMS, CONSUMER HAD PREVIOUS REPAIRS TO THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM TO TRY AND REMEDY VIBRATION WITHOUT REMEDY, CONSUMER REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *MJS

DESIGN OF CONSOLE CAUSES REARVIEW MIRROR PLACEMENT TO BE TOO LOW. THIS CREATES A BLIND SPOT FOR DRIVER WHEN TRYING TO MERGE RIGHT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP SEEMS TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. FORD HAS AGREED TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURHTER INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A THUMPING SOUND. THEN, HE SLID, BUT WAS ABLE TO BRING VEHICLE TO SAFETY. HE NOTICED THAT RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM RIM. ALSO, THERE WAS DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. FIRESTONE, #AT, P235/75R15 #DOT VDHL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, AND FIRESTONE HAS REPLACED TIRES.*AK *SLC

CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES FOR AN UPCOMING TURN WHEN THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AND WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT, THE ROLLOVER RESULTED IN 3 PEOPLE SUSTAINING INJURIES. *SLC

FUEL SHUT OFF SWITCH ACTIVATED BY FRONT PASSENGER'S LEG TWICE WHILE VEHICLE IN OPERATION*AK

BUSHING THAT HOLDS STABILIZER BAR IS GONE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO VIBRATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.*AK

CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR RECALL (00T-005) REPLACEMENT TIRES, THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THEM WITH MICHELIN TIRES, CONSUMER IS HAVING TROUBLE OBTAINING RECALL REIMBURSEMENT. *MJS

THE FIRESTONE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO RECALL (OOT-005) DUE TO VIBRATION AND BLOWOUT WHICH RESULTED IN MINOR ACCIDENT WHEN THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE FRONT PANEL AND DRIVERS DOOR. CONSUMER HAD PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH VIBRATION AND WENT TO THE FIRESTONE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS WITHOUT REMEDY (1998-1999). *MJS

CONSUMER REPLACED FIRESTONE TIRE DUE TO IRREGULAR TIRE WEAR AND VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT BUT WAS DENIED BECAUSE THEY WERE PURCHASED FROM A COMPETITOR PRIOR TO AUGUST 9, 2000. NLM

WHILE TRYING TO PASS OTHER VEHICLES CONSUMER'S VEHICLE STARTED ACCELLERATING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INOFRMATION.*AK

NOISE WAS COMING FROM VEHICLE. BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND INFORMED CONSUME RTHAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.*AK

FIRESTONE ATX TIRES EXPEREINCED SEPARATION FOLLOWED BY A BLOWOUT OF THE LEFT REAR TIRE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE INTO OPPOSING LAND AND RUN OFF THE ROAD, AFTER THE CAR RAN OFF THE ROAD THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER NUMEROUS TIMES, INJURIES ARE UNDER REVIEW (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT). NLM

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A LEMON SINCE I LEASED IT AND THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS DONE NOTHING TO TRY AND STOP THE PROBLEMS. THEY HAVE REFUSED ON ALL ACCOUNTS TO EVEN RIGHT UP A SERVICE COMPLAINT SO THERE WILL BE A RECORD OF THE TIMES I HAVE TAKEN IT IN FOR PROBLEMS. THIS VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOTALLY TAKEN OFF THE ROAD YEARS AGO. THE DOOR LOCK IN THE REAR GOES UP AND DOWN AT RANDOM AND IT DOES IT REPEATLY UNTIL I HAVE TO SHUT THE CAR OFF BECAUSE I,M AFRAID IT WILL CATCH FIRE. THE TIRES STARTED WEARING THROUGH WHEN THERE WAS ONLY 30,000. MILES ON THEM, AND NOW IT WILL NOT CRANK UNLESS I HOLD THE GEAR SHIFT UP PAST THE P MARK ON THE COLUM AND I LIVE ON A FLAT PAVED ROAD. THE FORD COMPANY SAID IT WAS FROM PARKING ON A HILL. I LIVE IN SOUTH EAST GA, WE HAVE NO HILLS.*AK( DOT NUMBER: )

FIRESTONE TIRES FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 00T-005. NLM

FIRESTONE TIRES FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE OOT-005, CONSUMER REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

THE BELT OF THE FIRESTONE TIRES WERE BROKEN RESULTING IN A ROUGH RIDE, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT BUT WAS DENIED BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT TIRE WERE PURCHASED FROM A COMPETITOR PRIOR TO AUGUST 9, 2000. NLM

OWNER REPLACED ALL 3 TIRES DUE TO TREAD WEAR PRIOR TO RECALL(ONE TIRE REPLACED ON 7/13/98 TWO OTHERS ON 4/12/99) AND IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FROM FIRESTONE. *CJ

CONSUMERS LEFT REAR FIRESTONE TIRES LOST IT'S TREAD WHILE DRIVING PRIOR TO RECALL OOT-005, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

FOR ABOUT 1-2 MONTHS WE HEARD A WOBBLING SOUND PARTICULARLY WHEN DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER (CAPITOL FORD) THEY STATED THAT THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE AND THAT WE SHOULD HAVE IT REPLACED. WE HAVE SINCE REPLACED THE TIRES, BUT WE STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL, SAME MODEL SPARE.*AK (TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

INJURED PASSENGER SUSTAINED MAJOR PERM. INJURIES DUE TO TIRE FAILURE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

EMERGENCY BRAKE "DISINTEGRATED" W/O INDICATION OTHER THAN RATTLE

TENSIONER THAT KEEPS BELT TIGHT SHEARED OFF CAUSING LOSS OF BELT TENSION AND LOSS OF POWER STEARING. LUCKY THAT CAR WAS IN DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME. (ENGINE WAS AT IDLE). TENSIONER FELL TO THE DRIVEWAY. WAS PUTTING GRAND BABIES IN THE CAR IN PREPARATION FOR MAKING A TRIP. COULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHE IF THE EVENT HAD HAPPENED A FEW MINUTES LATER WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED.

CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE A FLAT TIRE WITH THE SPARE, THE SPARE TIRE WAS ONLY 15" AND THE WHEEL IS 16", THIS CAUSED DIFFICULTY IN CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER ALMOST GOT INTO SEVERAL ACCIDENTS DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL (TIRE MAKE/MODEL NOT PROVIDED). *MJS

CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE NEW MICHELIN TIRES, AND WAS SERVICED FOR THE ABS LIGHT AND TWO DAYS AFTER WORK COMPLETED VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER FOR NO KNOWN REASON (02-MAY-00), DEALER CLAIMS IT IS NO FAULT OF THE ABS, THE VEHICLE FLIPPED ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS (07-OCT-00 AND 14-OCT-00). *MJS

CONSUMER REPLACED FIRESTONE (P235 75 R15) TIRES PRIOR TO RECALL AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

OWNER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FROM FIRESTONE, DUE TO TIRE FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK, THE TREAD PEELED AWAY FROM TWO TIRES, ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO RECEIVING SAFETY RECALL (00T-005). *CJ

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 00T005 AND HAD TIRES REPLACED ON HIS OWN, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE NOT THE PROBLEM, A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

FIRESTON ATX TIRES (P235 75 R15) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, ON ONE OCCASION THE TREAD SEPARATION CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT REAR PANEL AND UNDER THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE DAMAGE OF THE VEHICLE. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT WITHOUT WARNING AND THE TREAD WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND THE RIM, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT (FIRESTONE ATX). NLM

BRIDGESTONE E-MAILED TO THE CONSUMER THAT HIS TIRES ARE ON RECALL, CONSUMER CALLED TO THE LOCAL STORE AND THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT RECALL.(BRIDGESTONE DUELER AT P225 X75 X15 )*ET

CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED VARIOUS SUSPENSION PROBLEMS, INSTALLATION OF THE CASTER/CAMBER KIT WAS NECESSARY TO PROPERLY ALIGN THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO POSSIBLE SUSPENSION PROBLEMS WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FISHTAIL AND CRASH INTO A UTILITY POLE, TWO INJURIES DUE TO COLLISION. *MJS THE CONSUMER NOW BELIEVES THE ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO THE ADVISIORY TO INFLATE ALL 15 INCH TIRES TO 26 PSI, THE CONSUMER HAD 45 PSI ON REAR TIRES AND THE DEALER DEFLATED THEM TO 26 PSI WHICH SHE BELIEVES CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL. NLM

REPLACEMENTS FOR ORIGINAL GOOD YEAR. PURCHASED AT COSTCO. (DOT NUMBER: 8XHL TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

GLASS IS SOFT - PITTING AND CHIPPING OCCUR EASILY

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. *SLC

TWO FIRESTONE TIRES EXPERIENCED SIDEWALL BLOWOUTS, CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT BUT WAS DENIED BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT TIRES WERE PURCHASED PRIOR TO JANUARY 1, 2000. NLM

THE FIRESTONE (ATX P 235/75R15) TIRES WERE REPLACED DUE TO SEPARATION PRIOR TO RECALL (00T-005) NOTIFICATION, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *MJS

CONSUMER IS BEING DENIED RECALL (00T-005), MANUFACTURER STATES THAT THE TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED, HOWEVER THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THEY WERE INCLUDED, HOWEVER THE TIRES ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR REPLACEMENT. *MJS