1998 Ford Explorer complaints

THE VEHICLE BEGAN RIDING ROUGH AND MAKE ALOT OF ROAD NOISE, THE CONSUMER REPLACED ALL THE TIRES PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 00T-005, CONSUMER SUBMITTED FORM FOR REIMBURSENT BUT THE MANUFACTURER DENIED THE CLAIM BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED FROM A COMPETITOR PRIOR TO AUGUST 9, 2000 (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT). NLM

TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED, IT LOST INTERNAL INTEGRITY & EXPERIENCED INTERNAL CLUTCH DAMAGE. METAL EXITING THE TORQUE CONVERTER CAUSED OCCULUSSIONARY BLOCKAGES AT REAR SECTION LUBE ORIFICES ELEVATING INTERNAL AMBIENT TEMPERATURES WHILE ELEVATING STRESS TO GEARTRAIN COMPONENTS. CLUTCHES & BANDS BECAME METAL IMPREGNATED. BEARINGS BUSHINGS & WASHERS BECAME PITTED DUE TO METALIZED FLUID PASSING THROUGH INNER SURFACES. SPRAGS BECAME FLAT SPOTTED AT CAM SURFACE - DAMAGED THE RACE & CREATED MORE METAL. SOLENOIDS WERE METAL CONTAMINATED. INTERNAL SEALS WERE HARD, INDICATING METAL CONTAMINATION. VEHICLE WOULD ONLY RUN IN REVERSE AFTER THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND REQUIRES $2400 IN REPAIRS. CAR ONLY HAS 46000 MILES ON IT. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT A 30% GRADE OR MORE WITH A 1/4 TANK OF GAS OR LESS ENGINE SHUT OFF. DEALER HAS CHECKED TWICE, AND SAID THAT IT HAPPENED DUE TO DESIGN FLAW. *AK

THE CONSUMER HAS FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235/75R15) ON VEHICLE, WHILE DRIVING ON WET (NOT RAINING) ROADS THE VEHICLE HAS HYDROPLANED ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. *SLC

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 35MPH ON A MAIN STREET AND SUDDENLY HEARD A NOISE. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SIDE SHOULDER, AND NOTICED THAT LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE.. TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS#AT, P235 R15. THERE WERE NO INJURIES INVOLVED AT THIS TIME. *AK

HOOD SLAMMED SHUT UNEXPECTEDLY DURING SERVICING. HOOD SUPPORTS ARE NOW VERY WEAK AND CANNOT SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE HOOD. *AK

BEARING FAILED CAUSED BY DIRT PASSING BY SEAL/ CAUSING SQUEAK IN FRONT L/R SIDES / WILL CAUSE BEARING FAIL "FORD SERVICE MANAGER HAS STATED THAT FORD KNOWS IS "ONLY FRONT DRIVE TRAIN COMPONET NOT COVERED. HAVE HAD TO REQUEST PAST RECALLS TO BE DONE AFTER 8 TIMES BEING TOLD THEY DID IT, I FOUND OUT WAS LIED TO AND HAD TO CONTACT YOU IN PAST TO GET FORD TO FIX. ATTY. GENERAL AZ HAS COMPLAINT FILED. *AK

THE TIRE HAD A CRACK ALL AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE BELT. MY REGULAR TIRE STORE INDICATED THAT THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF A TREAD SEPARATION. THE TIRE WAS BUILT IN WILSON NORTH CAROLINA. THE AUTHORIZED FIRESTONE TIRE STORE REPLACED IT WITH NO CHARGE. *AK (TIRESIZE: P23575R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P23575R15 )

PE00020, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT 1998, FORD EXPLORER, TIRE SIZE P235/75R15, NOT RECALL, ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE CRACKS ALONG TREAD WHICH SEEMS THAT TREAD MAY CAME OFF, WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. *AK FIRESTONE SAYS IT IS NORMAL FOR TIRES TO HAVE CRACKS. *YH

IN TODAY'S NEWSPAPER FIRESTONE SAYS THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THE WILDERNESS AT TIRE (DECATUR PLANT) FAILED IS BEACUS OF CRACKING ON THE SHOULDER. I HAD NOTED SHOULDER CRACKING ON THIS VEHICLE WHEN THE DECATUR TIRES (AND I HAD LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON THE TIRES) WERE RECALLED. BUT, TOOK THIS NOT TO BE A PROBLEM SINCE THE CANADIAN VERSION OF THE TIRES WERE NOT RECALLED. WHEN I CONTACTED FIRESTONE BY E-MAIL THEY REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. IT DOES NOT SEEM THAT THESE TIRES WOULD BE SAFE IF THEY WERE CRACKING THE SAME AS THE DECATUR TIRES BUT MAYBE THEY ARE. HOW DO I ADDRESS THIS? *AK (TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

PE-00-020; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE P23575R15, DOT NUMBER NOT AVAILABLE TIRES HAVE OVER 31 THOUSAND MILES ON THEM. . CONSUMER NOTICED A BULGE IN THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE, TIRES HAVE BEEN ROTATED. *AK *SLC

WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

I HAD NOTED THAT MY TIRES WERE ALL FOUR LOOKING BAD FOR NO MORE MILES THAN I HAD ON THE CAR. TIRES HAD BEEN ROTATED EACH TIME THE OIL WAS CHANGED (3000 MILES), SINCE PURCHASING NEW. ON 08/09/00 WENT IN FOR OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION AND COLONY TIRE SUGGESTED THAT IT WOULD NOT BE SAFE FOR ME TO BE DRIVING WITH TIRES AS THE LEFT REAR HAD THREE SPLITS AND HAD SEPARATED IN ONE PLACE. THE OTHERS SHOWED CRACKS. COLONY TIRE CALLED FIRESTONE TO SEE ABOUT CONSIDERATION FOR THE TIRES. AT THAT TIME HE WAS TOLD OF THE UPCOMING RECALL BUT THESE WERE NO A PART OF RECALL. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE WRITTEN THE BRIDGESTONEFIRESTONE CO., FORD MOTOR CO.CALLED CELLA FORD, ALSO COLONY TIRE HAS SENT THE TIRES (4) BACK TO FIRESTONE.ALL THIS TO NO AVAIL AS ALL THEY HAVE ON THEIR MIND IS THE RECALL. WHICH DOESN'T PAY FOR MY HAVING TO BUY FOUR NEW TIRES OR RUN THE RISK OF A FATAL ACCIDENT DRIVING IN 90+ DEGREE WEATHER. *AK (TIRESIZE: 225-70-15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225-70-15 )

THE CONSUMER REPLACED FOUR OF THE FIRESTONE TIRES DUE TO SEPARATION DEFECTS, CONSUMER IS BEING DENIED REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT WAS PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION (00T-005). *MJS

WHEN ENGINE IS FIRST STARTED IN THE MORNING IT HAS A RUN AWAY THROTTLE UNTIL IT WARMS UP. ACCELERATES TO ABOUT 2000 RPMS AND DROPS BACK TO ABOUT 500 RPM. VEHICLE IS NOT PUT INTO ANY GEAR UNTIL AFTER THE ENGINE WARMS UP AT WHICH TIME IT IDLES SMOOTHLY.*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE WOULD STALL. WHILE AT AN INTERSECTION ON A SIX LANE ROAD, IN MIDDLE LANE, VEHICLE STALLED. FELT THIS WAS DANGEROUS BECAUSE CONSUMER COULD HAVE BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHEN REAR TIMING CHAIN JUMPED TIME, TIMING CHAIN BROKE. DEALER SAID ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

CONSUMERS DAUGHTER OWNS THE VEHICLE THAT HAS THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES WHICH HAVE EXPERIENCED THREE BLOWOUTS PRIOR TO RECALL, CONSUMER IS TRYING TO OBTAIN RECALL (00T-005) REPLACEMENT, HOWEVER THE TIRES MAY NOT BE ON THE LIST FOR SIX MONTHS, CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIME INVOLVED FOR RECALL REPLACEMENT. *MJS

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (15 INCH) EXPERIENCED 12 FLAT TIRES AND 2 TREAD SEPARATIONS ALL PRIOR TO RECALL 00T005, CONSUMER PURCHASED NEW TIRES OF A DIFFERENT BRAND, CONSUMER HAS NOW TRADED IN 1998 EXPLORER TO LEASE A 2000 EXPLORER AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE PREVIOUS TIRE FAILURES AND IS REQUESTING THAT THE FIRESTONE TIRES ON THE 2000 EXPLORER BE REPLACED WITH ANOTHER BRAND. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING GAS PEDAL FELL APART DUE TO ACCELERATOR CABLE BREAKING WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. *AK *SLC

ON 11-7, VEHICLE WAS MAKING S-LIKE MOVEMENTS, CONSUMER HAD DIFFICULTY KEEPING VEHICLE IN THE LANE, AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS, THE PROBLEMS CEASED, HOWEVER THE FOLLOWING DAY THE SAME PROBLEMS OCCURRED AND CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE STEERING WHEEL BEING TURNED, CONSUMER COLLIDED TWICE WITH THE GUARDRAIL. *SLC

PEE00 020; CONSUMER WAS PUTTING AIR INSIDE OF TIRE AND NOTICED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES IN INNER SIDE OF TIRE TREAD WERE BEGINNING TO SEPARATE. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS #AT P25570R16. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK

VEHICLE STOPPED PRODUCING HEAT. HEATER CORE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACED IT HERSELF. *AK

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 45MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A THUMPING NOISE. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDERS, AND NOTICED THAT DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS A#AT, P255.70R16. *AK

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE ISSUES WITH PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE STEERING CAPABILITIES. TECHNICIANS HAVE BLOWN FOAM IN THE A-PILLERS, ADDED SOUND PROOFER, RIVETED THE LEFT FLOOR PAN, AND NOT TO MENTION, AS STATED ON THE SERVICE ORDER, REPOSITIONED THE FLOOR MAT, AS A SOLUTION. THE VEHICLE HAS A BINDING IN STEERING BETWEEN THE STEERING COLUMN AND SOMETHING IN THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL. NO ONE CAN SEEM TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BOARD, AND AT THIS TIME, HAVE HAD NO RESPONSE. THIS PROBLEM HAS ONLY WORSENED, AND I FEEL IT NEEDS SOME ATTENTION BEFORE IT BECOMES A MAJOR LIABILITY FACTOR ON FORD MOTOR COMPANY, THE DEALERSHIP, AND ANY OTHER PARTIES INVOLVED WITH THIS MATTER. WHAT IS THE POINT OF WHERE ENOUGH IS ENOUGH? OR MAYBE I SHOULD GET MY INSURANCE COMPANY INVOLVED ALONG WITH A ATTORNEY. THIS IS THE POINT AT WHICH I'M AT. I NEED SOMEONE TO UNDERSTAND THIS VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM, BEFORE SOMEONE BECOMES A STATISTIC ON THE ACCOUNT OF ALL OF THE PROBLEMS THAT NO ONE CAN RESOLVE WITH THIS VEHICLE.*AK

THERE WAS A MASSIVE FUEL SYSTEM FAILURE UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN FUEL ODOR, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

WHILE AT A CURVE DRIVING 30 TO 35 MPH, RIGHT REAR FIRESTONE TIRE WENT FLAT DUE TO A NAIL IN TIRE, VEHICLE ROCKED BACK AND FORTH VIOLENTLY. CONSUMER WAS AFRAID VEHICLE WOULD ROLL OVER. *AK TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE WILDERNESS, SIZE P255/70R15, DOT W2UU 1PO138. *SLC

YOU STATE "FIRESTONE DOES NOT PLAN TO RECALL THE APPROXIMATELY 5.6 MILLION WILDERNESS AT TIRES MANUFACTURED AT ITS OTHER PLANTS (JOLIET, CANADA AND WILSON, NC) OR OTHER MODELS OF WILDERNESS TIRES. " HOW CAN I BE SURE WILSON, NC TIRES ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THE DEATHS NATIONWIDE. OF ALL THE 148 DEATHS, NONE INVOLVED NC TIRES??? I HAVE FAMILY WHO DO NOT RIDE WITH ME BECAUSE I HAVE WILDERNESS AT'S. (DOT NUMBER: WL XXXX TIRESIZE: 225R75-15)

ENGINE STARTING FAILURE HAS CAUSED THE CAR TO BE LEFT TWO TIMES, EACH TIME IT STUMBLED AND WHEN IT DID START MY WIFE PUT IT INTO DRIVE AT WHICH TIME IT ROLLED INTO TRAFFIC AND CUT OFF AGAIN. THIS IS DANGEROUS, THE SHOP I TOOK IT TO COULD FIND NO BAD CODES AND HAD NO IDEA WHY IT HAPPENED. I FOUND A TSB CONCERNING IT ON YOUR WEBSITE SO NOW I KNOW OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. CONCERNING THE SQUEELING COMING FROM THE FRONT END AT SPEEDS FROM 0-40, I TOOK IT TO A SHOP AND THEY SPRAYED SOME LUBRICANT ON IT BUT THE NOISE RETURNED, I AM AFRAID THAT SOMETHING IS GOING TO FAIL IN THE FRONT END AND AGAIN. I FOUND A TSB CONCERNING THE SAME PROBLEM ON YOUR SITE, SO I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS PROBLEM. THE OIL LEAK WAS NOTICED WHEN THE SQUEAL PROBLEM WAS INVESTIGATED AND AGAIN I NOTICED A TSB CONSERNING THE REAR MAIN SEAL LEAKING.*AK

THIS COMPONENT HAS FAILED FOUR TIMES STARTING JUN 24 2000, THEN AGAIN AUG 15TH 2000, OCT 7TH 2000 AND THEN NOV 24TH. NO SADFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DENIED REFUND FOR THE COST OF REPLACEMENT TIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE PURCHASED PRIOR TO JANUARY 1, 2000, THE TIRES WERE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY CAUSE POOR HANDLING IN THE VEHICLE, ONCE REPLACED THE VEHICLE HANDLED PERFECTLY. NLM

CONSUMER RECEIVED ONLY PARTIAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR RECALL 00T005 FOR THE REPLACEMENT FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES (P235/75R15). *SLC

ALL FOUR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES WERE INSPECTED AND FOUND TO HAVE VISIBLE CRACKS, THE TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL BUT THE CONSUME IS WAITING FOR CONSIDERATION. NLM

ORIGINAL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES ON A FORD, EXPLORER, 1998, LEFT FRONT AND LEFT REAR TIRES BLEWOUT, AND TRUCK FLIPPED OVER.P2557016 109. *AK DOT# VNDU. *SLC

HEAD GASKET FAILURE: TRUCK OVERHEATED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DIAGNOSED AS BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235 70 R16) EXPERIENCED CRACKING AND SHOWED SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION, THE TIRES ARE NOT PART OF THE RECALL. *SLC

THE FIRESTONE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE HAD VISIBLE CRACKS AROUND THE TIRE WHERE THE TREAD SEPARATION WAS OCCURRING, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL THE TIRES AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *MJS

BRAKES FAILED WHILE IN PARKING LOT WITHOUT WARNING DUE TO FAILURE OF BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE IS SERVICED EVERY 3500 MILES. *SLC

CONSUMER HAD THE FIRESTONE ATX TIRES (P235/75R15) REPLACED DUE TO RECALL 00T005, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER HAS NOT YET RECEIVED REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

ALL FOUR FIRESTONE TIRE TREADS WERE BEGINNING TO SEPARATE FROM THE TIRES (DOT SERIAL # VN), CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 75MPH ON HIGHWAY AND CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET ON 75. MPH. WAS CLIMBING UP A HILL, AND CRUISE CONTROL CONTINUED TO SPEED UP.CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SPEED UP. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65 MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE. VEHICLE STARTED TO FLIP OVER TWICE. DREIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS, P23575/R15, A#DOT VDHLITY. THERE WERE SOME INJURIES.*AK

TIRE REPLACED PRIOR TO RECALL (00T-005), OWNER REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT.

FIRESTONE WOILDERNESS AT TIRES CAUSED VIBRATION AND NOISE WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235 75 R15) ARE EXPERIENCING CRACKING ON THE SIDEWALL BELOW THE TREAD SURFACE.

THE CONSUMER HAS FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235/75R15), THESE TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, HOWEVER ON 2 OCCASIONS THE TIRES EXPERIENCED BLOWOUTS WHERE THE TREAD PEELED FROM THE TIRES, THE CONSUMER PURCHASED NEW TIRES AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC