1997 Ford Explorer complaints

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING LESS THAN 30 MPH AND STALLED. ALL LIGHTS CAME ON. TOWED TO DEALER WHO FOUND CRANKSHAFT HAD BROKEN. CRANK PULLEY HAD BROKEN OFF ENGINE. NO PRIOR WARNING. *AK

CONSUMER HAD FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS TIRES ON TRUCK. WHILE DRIVING HAD A TIRE BLOWOUT ON FREEWAY. CONSUMER DID NOT HIT ANYTHING, JUST HEARD A BIG BANG.*AK

TWO FIRESTONE TIRES HAD BELT SEPARATION, THE CONSUMER HAD ALL FOUR TIRES REPLACED, ONE OF THE REPLACEMENT TIRES EXPERIENCED BELT SEPARATION, THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT BUT THE CLAIM WAS DENIED BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED PRIOR TO AUGUST 9, 2000 ON A NON PRO-RATED BASIS (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT). NLM

CONSUMER WAS BACKING UP AND ACCELERATOR STUCK, APPLIED MORE PRESSURE TO PEDAL, AND VEHICLE HIT FIRE HYDRANT. BUMPER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. RECENTLY, CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 00V422.*AK *SLC

VEHICLE HAS FOUR DOORS, DOORS IN REAR WILL NOT OPERATE UNLESS UNLOCKED DOORS FROM INSIDE. WHEN OPERATING FROM OUTSIDE TOO OPEN, DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT OPEARATE. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY DOORS WILL NOT OPERATE UNLESS CONSUMER IS OUTSIDE TO OPEN THEM. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK *JB

FAILURE OF SECONDARY HOOD LATCH WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 50-55 MPH, CAUSED HOOD TO OPEN, AND ALMOST CAUSED A VEHICLE CRASH. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WAS NOT COVER UNDER A RECALL. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

SEE ATTACHMENT LETTER (NO ATTACHMENT LETTER) DEFECTIVE TIRE

GAS PEDAL STICKS INTERMITTANTLY,

FAULTY GEM MODULE CAUSED MALFUNCTION OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, 4X4, LIGHTS AND POWER WINDOWS. NLM

CONSUMER WENT IN TO HAVE TIRES ROTATED AND BALANCED, CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT TIRES WERE NOISY AND STARTING TO MAKE A THUMPING NOISE MECHANIC INSPECTED TIRES, AND FOUND TIRES TO BE CRACKING BETWEEN THE CLEATS ON ALL 4 TIRES WHICH MEANS TREAD SEPARATION WAS IN ITS BEGINNING STAGES, CONSUMER HAS REPLACED ALL 4 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT (P235/75R15) ALTHOUGH TIRES NOT A PART OF RECALL. *JB

THE BRACKET WHICH ATTATCHES THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FIREWALL OF THE VEHICLE SHEARED OFF WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. IT WAS ATTATCHED BY 3 SMALL SPOT WELDS WHICH I FEEL IS INSUFFICIENT TO HOLD THIS BRACKET IN PLACE.*AK

FAULTY TIRES CAUSE HUMMING NOISE WHILE DRIVING, TREAD WEAR AND VIBRATIONS, THE CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT (FIRESTONE P235/75R22L ALL TERRAIN SBR OWL TIRES, VNHL 1PY - 017 D22 7477). NLM

WHILE DRIVING 65MPH GAS PEDAL SNAPPED OFF, ALL THREE WELDS HOLDING GAS PEDAL SNAPPED. *AK

PE00 020 ; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON HIGHWAY. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER, AND NOTICED THAT RIGHT REAER TIRE SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE. FIRESTONE, RADIAL ATX, P23575R15 DEALERSHIP AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK DOT V2HL1PM296, VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING ALL LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD CAME ON, HUMMING SOUND, HAD VEHICLE TOWED. CRANKSHAFT HAD BROKEN.*AK

WITH 7/32" TREAD DEPTH REMAINING, TIRE TREAD BEGAN TO SEPARATE FROM THE BODY OF THE TIRE. I KEPT THE TIRE FOR YOUR EXAMINATION SHOULD YOU DESIRE.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HL TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235/75R15) DOT VNHL, EXPERIENCED THUMPING NOISES AT SPEEDS OVER 40MPH, INSPECTED TIRES AND FOUND CRACKING, TREADS WERE BEGINNING STAGES OF SEPARATION ON ALL 4 TIRES, CONSUMER WENT TO FIRESTONE DEALER WHO REFUSED TO LOOK AT TIRES, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

BOTH FRONT AND REAR TIRES BLEW OUT SIMULTANEOUSLY AS CAR PULLED FROM PARALLEL PARKING AND TURNED CORNER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CANADIAN TIRE STORE WHERE ONE BLOWOUT WAS REPAIRED AND THE OTHER REFILLED. CONTACTED DEALER AND WERE TOLD TIRES WERE NOT GUARANTEED WITH CAR SALE SO WE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE AS OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE. TRI-TOWN RUBBER INC. REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES, MOUNTED AND BALANCED FOR $286.00 (SAME MAKE AND MODEL). ON JANUARY 16, 2000, A BLOWOUT ON FRONT LEFT OCCURRED AGAIN. CAR WAS AGAIN TOWED AND PAID TO HAVE NEW TIRE (SAME MAKE & MODEL) PUT ON VEHICLE. SUBMITTED COMPLAINT TO FIRESTONE UNDER RECALL AND WAS DENIED BECAUSE REPLACEMENT TIRES WERE PURCHASED PRIOR TO JANUARY 1, 2000. WANTED NHTSA TO HAVE INFORMATION FOR RESEARCH ON INCIDENTS OF TIRE FAILURE STILL BEING RESEARCHED EVEN THOUGH WE NO LONGER HAVE VEHICLE (3/11/00 TRADED IN). ) (DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

TWO OF THE VEHICLE TIRES HAD MISSING RUBBER FROM THE TREADS, THE CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRE AND REQUEST REMBURSEMENT (FIRESTONE ATX P235/75R15). NLM

DOOR LOCK WILL NOT OPERATE WITH INSIDE LOCK BUTTONS OR HAND REMOTE LOCKS. *AK *SLC

VEHICLE IS SHOWING SAME SYMPTOMS AS MENTIONED IN RECALL 00V422000 REGARDING 4.0 L ENGINES. THROTTLE IS STICKING AND CONSUMER HAS TO FORCE PEDAL TO MOVE. THIS IS A CONTINUOUS EVENT THAT SEEMS WORSE AFTER CRUISE CONTROL HAS BEEN USED. *AK *SLC

JOHN SEEGERS. NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VNHL TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

I WAS INSPECTING AND ROTATING MY TIRES AND NOTICES THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE WAS RIPPING AT THE RIM. THIS COULD HAVE FAILED DURING OPERATION AND HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I EMAILED GOODYEAR ON THIS ISSUE AND ASKED HOW THEY WOULD HANDLE THIS ISSUE. I HAVE THE TIRE STILL ON THE RIM AND HAVE PHOTOS WHICH COULD BE EMAILED. PLEASE ADVISE. I WOULD LIKE TO BUY NEW TIRES ASAP. (TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

SAME PROBLEM AS IN RECALL 98V060000, JUMP STARTING. CONSUMER JUMPED STARTED VEHICLE, AND FUEL LINES BLEWOUT. *AK

AFTER VEHICLE IS TURNED ON HAS TO TAP OR PUMP GAS PEDAL SO THAT ENGINE WILL NOT TURN OFF, AND COULD MOVE WITHOUT A PROBLEM. *AK

THE CONSUMERS FIRESTONE WILDERNESS ATM TIRES WERE DETERMINED TO BE DEFECTIVE BY THE DEALER, THE DEALER HAD NO TIRES AVAILABLE TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE ONES SO THE CONSUMER PURCHASED TIRES FROM ANOTHER TIRE CENTER, THE CONSUMER RETURNED THE DEFECTIVE TIRES TO FIRESTONE THEN WAS TOLD THAT HIS TIRES WERE NOT A MATCHED SET AND THAT ONLY TWO WERE ELEGIBLE TO BE RETURNED, THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR FAULTY TIRES. NLM

THE CONSUMER SUBMITTED A CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF FAULTY FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES, THE TIRES WERE CLEAR THE RECALLED TIRE BEARING VDHL IN THE DOT SERIAL NUMBER, THE MANUFACTURER DENIED REIMBURSEMTN STATING THE THE TIRES WERE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 00T-005. NLM

CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE O RING IN INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND TRANSFER BOX OF 4- WHEEL DRIVE.

VEHICLE LEANS TO THE LEFT, VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, ADJUSTMENT TO TORSION BAR MADE, DID NOT APPEAR TO CORRECT PROBLEM, VEHICLE TAKEN BACK TO DEALERSHIP, OWNER WAS TOLD BAR OR UNDERLYING SPRINGS NEED TO BE REPLACED. CJ

FRONT BALL JOINTS ARE WEARING EXCESSIVELY DUE TO A LACK OF LUBRICANT. NEW BALL JOINTS DO NOT REQUIRE LUBRICATION. MECHANIC REFUSES TO REPLACE OLD BALL JOINTS WITH NEWER BALL JOINTS.*AK

I AM SENDING THIS INFORMATION AS REQUESTED BUT MY MAJOR CONCERN IS THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN PERSONALLY INFORMED FOR THE RECALLS TO THE FORD XLT EXPLORER EXCEPT THE ONE FOR THE FIRESTONE TIRES AND THE ONE FOR THE MOTOR OIL PUMP. MY WIFE AND MYSELF CONTACTED BAYAMON FORD DEALER FOR INFORMATION ON OTHER RECALLS THAT APPEARED IN THE NEWS AND NO RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED FROM THE DEALER. COULD YOU UPDATE ME IN THIS ISSUE? SHOULD I CONTACT THE FORD COMPANY? *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE TREAD OF THE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE CARCASS DAMAGING THE LEFT REAR QUARTER PANEL (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235-75-R15 DOTVNHL1PY346). NLM

WHILE MAKING A STOP WHEELS LOCKED UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO INTO A SPIN, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. THERE WERE MINOR INJURIES. *AK THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE STEERING MECHANISM HAD BEEN DAMAGED. *YH

WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED IN LIGHT TRAFFIC, THE CRANKSHAFT ON MY 1997 FORD EXPLORER BROKE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP QUITE ABRUPTLY. THE MOTOR MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $4500. THIS IS A PART FAILURE THAT PLACES INDIVIDUALS AT CONSIDERABLE RISK. HAD THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AT HIGH SPEED IN RELATIVELY HEAVY TRAFFIC, E.G. FREEWAY TRAFFIC AT 55 MPH OR HIGHER, THERE WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN SERIOUS INJURIES AND PROBABLY FATALITIES. TO DATE, FORD MOTOR COMPANY STEADFASTLY REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM AND, FURTHER, REFUSES TO PARTICIPATE IN PAYING FOR ANY PORTION OF THE NECESSARY REPAIRS OR ASSOCIATED COSTS SUCH AS TOWING BILLS AND CAR RENTALS WHILE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS ARE BEING MADE. *AK ALSO SEE 560357.

CONSUMER REPLACED THE FAULTY FIRESTONE TIRES (P235/75R15) PRIOR TO RECALL 00T005, FIRESTONE IS DENYING REIMBURSEMENT DUE TO REPLACEMENT TIRES BEING PURCHASED 20 DAYS PRIOR TO RECALL START DATE. *SLC

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A TRAFFIC SIGNAL, THE ENGINE SIEZED AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP. UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE, I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION WHERE INSPECTION BY A MECHANIC REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT HAD BROKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO CONLON-COLLINS FORD IN CRYSTAL LAKE, IL WHERE THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT WAS BROKEN AND THE ENGINE MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $4,500. I REPORTED THE MATTER TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY'S CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER. THEY INDICATED THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED PREVIOUSLY AND NO RECALL NOTICES OR SERVICE BULLETINS HAVE BEEN ISSUED WITH REGARD TO THIS PROBLEM. FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS BEEN RELUCTANT TO DISCUSS BEARING ANY PART OF THE COST FOR REPAIRS OR INCIDENTAL EXPENSES SUCH AS TOWING OR RENTAL OF A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE WHILE REPAIRS ARE UNDER WAY. A CRANKSHAFT SHOULD NEVER BREAK AND ONE CERTAINLY SHOULD NOT EXPECT IT TO FAIL AFTER ONLY 52,000 SUBURBAN MILES. IN MY OPINION, THIS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT HAD THIS INCIDENT OCCURED AT HIGH SPEED OR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURIES AND/OR FATALITIES. *AK

WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN STEERING WHEEL WOULD PULL AND POP. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE FOR SWAY BAR;HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN.*AK THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED AFTER 21/2 YEARS. *YH

ORIGINAL MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE P23575R15 DOT W2HL. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, TREAD ON LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED AND BLEWOUT, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE LEFT QUARTER PANEL AND RUNNING BOARD, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL TIRES AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

FIRESTONE TIRES (P255 70 R15) EXPERIENCED CUPPING WHICH WAS CAUSING A THUMPING NOISE, DEALER INSPECTED TIRES AND STATED TIRES WERE SAFE, HOWEVER CONSUMER LATER NOTICED EXCESSIVE WEAR ON EDGES OF TIRES AND EXPOSED STEEL BELTS SO HE HAD THEM REPLACED, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING SOME REIMBURSEMENT SINCE FIRESTONE IS DENYING THE REQUEST DUE TO TIRES BEING PURCHASED PRIOR TO JANUARY 2000. *SLC

THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE I WAS PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE ON AN ICY ROAD AT NIGHT BETWEEN DRIGGS, IDAHO AND VICTOR, IDAHO. I CLICKED THE DIMMER WHEN THEY WENT OUT, AND TRIED TO PUT THE DIMMER LEVER INTO ANY OTHER POSITION AND THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON. I HELD THE DIMMER SWITCH UP AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL IN THE "BRIGHT" FLASHER POSITION AND THEY CAME ON, BUT BLINDING ONCOMING TRAFFIC SO THAT THEY FLASHED THEIR LIGHTS AT ME. I DROVE THIS WAY TO MY HOME ABOUT SEVEN MORE MILES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! BROADWAY FORD (66 MI FROM OUR HOME) CHARGED US $134.41 TO REPLACE THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WHICH THEY THINK CAUSED THE PROBLEM, AND I UNDERSTAND FORD RANGERS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK

PE00 030 ; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 75MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER, AND SAW THAT LEFT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION.FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS AT, P2357515, DOT W2HLIPY037 . FIRESTONE HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK TIRE FAILURE CAUSED DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. *SLC

ORIGINAL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES, TRAVELING BETWEEN LANES WITH SNOW SLUSH ON ROAD, TIRES DIDN'T GRIP WELL WHEN PASSING OTHER VEHICLES. SIZE P235/75R15 DOT# W2HL1PY. *AK CONSUMER REPLACED ALL TIRES, DEALER STATED TIRES WERE ROUNDED ON THE EDGES. *SLC

AFTER BUYING VEHICLE, FOUND OUT THAT SPARE (P255/70R15) TIRE IS A DIFFERENT SIZE THAN REGULAR TIRES (P255/70R16) ON VEHICLE. CONSUMER BELIEVES IT IS UNSAFE IN CASE OF REPLACING TIRES WITH SPARE ONE.*AK *SLC

NOV '00 - TRUCK WOULD NOT START, HAD TO GET JUMP START. TOOK INTO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. DIAGNOSIS - IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE REPLACED. DEC '00 - TRUCK WOULD NOT START, HAD TO JUMP START. TOOK TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. DIAGNOSIS - GEM MODULE REPLACED. JAN '01 - TRUCK WOULD NOT START OR JUMP START. TOWED TO DEALER. DIAGNOSIS - CRANK POSITIONING SENSOR REPLACED. TOLD BY DEALER THAT THESE ALL WERE ELECTRONIC PARTS. NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THEY WOULD FAIL WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. CURRENTLY, THE 4WD INDICATOR LIGHTS ON THE DASH FLASH PERIODICALLY. LEFT VOICE MESSAGE WITH DEALER SERVICE ON 2/5 TO DISCUSS/FIX. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH STEPPED ON BRAKES PEDAL TO STOP, BUT BRAKES DID NOT WORK, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPING DISTANC. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED TWICE THE SAME DAY.*AK

BATTERY EXPLODED WHILE VEHICLE WAS IDLING. NO FIRE OR INJURIES. *AK

TWO FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P23575R15 TIRES WENT BAD AND WERE REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE PRIOR TO RECALL 00T-005, FIRESTONE WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT. CJ

INSPECTION REVEALED THAT ALL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P23475R15 TIRES HAVE CRACKS AROUND TREAD LINE, DOT # W2HL, DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE TIRES NOT INVOLVED IN RECALL (OOT-005). CJ

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE (P235/75R15) FAILED, CONSUMER NOTICED A CHUNK OF TREAD MISSING, STEEL WEBBING VISIBLE, SLIGHT RAISED EFFECT IN TIRE, AND THE BEGINNING OF TREAD SEPARATION, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL TIRES. *SLC

CONSUMER WAITING FOR REIMBURSMENT UNDER RECALL (OOT-005), ALL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES P23575R15 REPLACED. CJ