1999 Ford Explorer complaints

THE ENGINE MAKES NOISES SIMILAR TO A DIESEL ENGINE. FORD SUPPOSEDLY HAS AN INTERNAL BULLETIN ON THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THAT FORD WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM PRIOR TO SELLING THE VEHICLE. THEY HAVE AGREED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BUT NOT TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE. I EXPECT THAT THIS PROBLEM EXIST IN MANY FORD EXPLORERS.

INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON AUTOMATICALLY OR WILL BECOME INOPERABLE, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND FIXED THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

HAD RECEIVED NOTICE 99V123000. CONTACTED DEALER & SET APPOINTMENT. WAS INFORMED NO PARTS AVAILABLE. WOULD NOTIFY WHEN PARTS WERE IN. HEARD NOTHING. CONTACTED DEALER & MADE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT. TOOK VEHICLE IN ON DATE. AFTER ARRIVING, WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC NO PARTS. DEALER COULD NOT PROVIDE LOANER UNTIL PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. *AK

WIPERS WILL COME ON WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHTAWAY OR ACTIVATING TURN SIGNAL LEVER AND STOP DURING RAIN

WIPERS WILL WORK FOR NO REASON!

I HAVE COMPLAINED A FEW TIMES ABOUT THE PROBLEM, THE DEALER KEEPS TELLING ME THE PART IS STILL ON BACK ORDER (4 MONTHS)

WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE OUT OF CONTROL. THEY HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN. HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A GEM MODULE FOR 6 WEEKS AND DEALER STATES HE DOES NOT HAVE THE PART AND IT IS ON "BACK ORDER." WHEN I HIT A BUMP, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS GO OUT OF CONTROL. WHEN I USE MY TURN SIGNAL THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS GO OUT OF CONTROL. SAW A REPORT ON CHANNEL 7 NEWS THAT STATES THE PROBLEM MAY NOT EVEN BE THE GEM MODULE. WHEN IS FORD GOING TO ADDRESS AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A DEFINATE SAFETY HAZARD WHEN THE WIPERS GO OUT OF CONTROL UNEXPECTEDLY. PLEASE REPLY. CHANNEL 7 ADVISED VIEWERS TO NOTIFY YOUR ORGANIZATION.

CRUISE CONTROL CABLE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME PER NOTICE, HOWEVER DEALERSHIP SWITCHED CABLES FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE (INCORRECT) RECALL REPAIR.(99V-062). YH

WAS SMELLING FUMES INSIDE VEHICLE. NOTICED FUEL FROM EXHAUST PIPE. PARKED VEHICLE & CHECKED UNDERNEATH & SAW THE LEAKAGE. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER. WAS INFORMED FUEL INJECTORS WERE OPEN. THIS WAS CAUSING THE LEAKAGE PROBLEM. *AK

5 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHEN MOVING FROM STANDSTILL, SHIFTING TO 2ND GEAR. PROBLEM WAS FIXED 1ST TIME AND HAS REOCCURRED 4 MONTHS LATER. LOCAL DEALER FIXED BOTH TIMES, REPLACING SAME PART BOTH TIMES. 2ND TIME, FACTORY RECOMMENDED OVERHAUL OF TRANSMISSION, DONE BY DEALER. PROBLEM APPEARS TO SURFACE IN 4 MONTH INTERVALS. NOW HAVE APPROX. 800 MILES ON LATEST FIX.

I HAVE HAD MULTIPLY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE -WHO CAN I TURN TO FOR HELP?

WE ARE ONE OF THE APPARENT 1.5 MILLION VECHICLE OWNERS EFFECTED BY THE RANDOM OPERATION OF OUR WINDSHIELD WIPERS (FRONT). THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR WHILE USING OR JUST AFTER USING THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL.

I BROUGHT THE TRUCK IN FOR THIS PROBLEM ON MANY OCCASIONS,AND WAS TOLD THEY ARE WORKING ON IT.I HAVE KEPT A RECORD OF THE TIMES I BROUGHT IT TO DEALERSHIPS,AND HAVE FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IN THE STATE IN WHICH I BOUGHT IT.I WISH THEY WOULD HAVE TOLD ME THIS PROBLEM IN THE BEGINNING,WHICH THEY NEW ABOUT SINCE 1996.I HAVE A 6 MONTH OLD AND AM AFRAID TO PUT HER IN OUR NEW TRUCK WHICH I PURCHASED AND TAKE ON LONG TRIPS FOR FEAR THE WIPERS MAY NOT WORK WHEN I NEED THEM.I SPEND $26,000 ON SOMETHING I DON'T WANT MY WIFE TO DRIVE ALONE IN TO VISIT HER PARENTS.I THINK THEY SHOULD GIVE US A LOANER CAR UNITL FORD FIXES THE PROBLEM. I KNOW IT ISNT IN THE CONTRACT,BUT I CONTRACTED FOR A VEHICLE THAT WORKS 100% ALSO,AND THEY DECIEVED ME AND MANY OTHERS,SO FORD BROKE THE CONTRACT.

THE WIPERS ARE WHAT THE TELEVISION REFERRED TO AS PHANTOM....I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT

AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD REMAIN ILLUMINATED, AND HAD TO BE RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES BEFORE IT WAS EFFECTIVELY REPAIRED

RECEIVE A STATIC SHOCK UPON STEPPIMG OUT OF VEHICLE AND TOUCHING DOOR TO CLOSE IT. FORD HAS A SPECIAL SERVICE MESSAGE #03373 WHICH CONFIRMS THIS BUT STATES THIS IS A NORMAL CONDITION. I OWNED A 1992 FORD EXPLORER AND NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN. IN ADDITION, NO ONE SPENDS $28,000 FOR A VEHICLE AND RECEIVES A STATIC DISCHARGE AND FINDS THAT ACCEPTABLE. PROBLEM #2 IS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON BY THEMSELF PERIODICALLY.

THE WIPER COME ON WHEN THEY WANT, AND WORK ON ONE SPEED WHEN THEY DO ACTIVATE. THE WASHERS DON'T WORK, CAUSING PROBLEM WITH VISABILITY IN RAINY WEATHER. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. MJS

THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH AIRBAG SYSTEM WHICH WON'T DEPLOY IN EVENT OF A CRASH SO IT WONT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT. ALSO PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD WIPER MALFUNCTION WHICH MAY CAUSE VISUAL DIFFCULTY AND CRASH. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MJS

AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHED CODES AND THEN STAYED ON. DEALER REPLACED MODULE. WAITED TWO WEEKS FOR PART. SAME PROBLEM REOCCURED TWO WEEKS LATER AND AS OF 9/25/99 HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED.

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 60 TO 70MPH FRONT WHEELS SHAKE AND VIBRATE. ALSO THE STEERING WHEEL JERKS OUT OF THE DRIVER'S HANDS. DLR HAS SEEN VEHICLE 4 TIMES, AND CANT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WAS LOSING FUEL THROUGH EXHAUST PIPE. COULD SMELL ODOR /FUMES INSIDE OF VEHICLE. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER AND WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC WHO CHECKED, THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS WERE STUCK OPEN, CAUSING THE LEAKAGE. *AK

WOULD BE DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD FAIL TO WORK PROPERLY. WOULD COME ON BY THEMSELVES. WHENEVER ITS RAINING, WIPERS WOULD STAY IN LOW POSITION & NOT HIGH. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO HAVE VERY POOR VISIBILITY. BEEN TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. * AK

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE IN OVERDRIVE. LIGHT WAS BLINKING ON/OFF. ENGINE STARTED TO ROAR & THEN IT STOPPED. VEHICLE WAS MOVING SLOWLY WHEN IT HAPPENED. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC NEW TRANSMISSION IS NEEDED. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL EITHER BECOME INOPERATIVE OR WILL TURN BY THEMSELVES ON WITH SWITCH TURNED OFF. DEALER CLAIMS NO SOLUTION AVAILABLE . *AK

WHEN STARTING UP THE CAR, AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, AND TAKING IT BACK TO THE DEALER. *AK *MJS

WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE INADVERTENTLY WORKING.THIS ALSO HAPPENS WHEN TRYING TO USE TURN SIGNALS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE & NO RAIN, WINDSHIEL WIPERS CAME ON FOR NO REASON. WHEN THEY ARE IN USE, THEY WOULD FAIL TO WORK AT HIGH OR INTERMITTENT. THE TURN SIGNAL IS ERRATIC. BEEN TO DEALER & MECHANIC REPAIRED PROBLEM. SINCE THEN, PROBLEM WITH WIPERS HAVE REAPPEARED. THE PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER. *AK

WIPERS GO ON BY THEMSELVES VERY OFTEN, STARTLING THE DRIVER. THEY DO NOT ATTAIN TOP SPEED ON DEMAND, THOUGH THEY DO OCCASIONALLY BY THEMSELVES AND THEN DROP TO THE LOWER SPEED BY THEMSELVES. WASHER DOES NOT WORK ON DEMAND, ALTHOUGH VERY OCCASIONALLY IT DOES WORK.

THE COMPUTER CHIP MODULE HAS CAUSED WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO COME ON & OFF ON THEIR OWN CONTINUOUSLY. THIS CAN OCCUR EVEN IF IT'S NOT RAINING. WHEN MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS WIPERS COME ON WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON. CAUSING HAVOC WITH DRIVER'S VISIBILITY. WILL BE TAKING TO DEALER TO CHECK. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES AND WILL NOT OPERATE AT HIGH SPEED. DEALER CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE COMPLETELY NON-FUNCTIONAL, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE ROAD IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. *AK

THE NEW HEADLIGHT WHICH THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED, THE LOW BEA LIGHT IS TOO BRIGHT AND BLINDS OTHER DRIVERS. THIS MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. THE HIGH BEAM IS WAY TOO BRIGHT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY 55MPH AND WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL IS ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS RUN. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON IF VEHICLE HITS A BUMP IN THE ROAD. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AT APPROX 45MPH SWITCHED LANE TO THE RIGHT HAND, AND ANOTHER VEHICLE CAME OUT FROM THE CONSUMER'S RIGHT, SWERVED BACK OVER TO ANOTHER LANE TO AVOID HITTING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. BUT, INSTEAD VEHICLE REAR ENDED CONSUMER'S CAR. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. ALSO, INERTIA SWITCH FAILED. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS AUTOMATICALLY OPERATE. WHEN THE BLINKERS ARE APPLIED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATE. WILL NOT OPERATE ON HIGH UNLESS THE BLINKERS ARE ON. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILS TO WORK PROPERLY WHEN IN USE. WOULD COME ON/OFF BY THEMSELVES. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. THIS CAUSES POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK

APRIL 20,1999 CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE WITHOUT SPEED CONTROL CABLE WHICH WAS NOT TOLD TO CONSUMER DURING THE PURCHASE. ON MAY 28,1999 DEALER INSTALLED AN OLD SPEED CONTROL CABLE INTO THE VEHICLE WITHOUT CONSUMER KNOWING WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT / INJURY. HOWEVER, THE OLD CABLE WAS STILL INSTALLED, BUT THE DEALER INSTALLED THE NEW CABLE TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH RECALL NOTICE (99V062000). *YC

THE AIR BAG SENSORS FOR SIDE AIR BAG WAS MISSING. THIS CAUSED FRONTAL AIRBAGS NOT WORK LIKE THEY SHOULD. THE AIR BAG LIGHT INDICATOR ON INSTRUMENT PANEL CAME ON. HAD TAKEN TO DEALER & INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE CAUSE OF PROBLEM COULD NOT BE LOCATED. *AK

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE AT 70 MPH IT BEGAN TO SHAKE VIGOROUSLY, IT SHOOK SO BADLY THAT WHEN TRYING TO LOOK OUT THE REAR VIEW MIRRIOR, DRIVER COULD NOT SEE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPER SELF ACTIVATE CONTINUALLY, THE GEM MODULE REPLACEMENT IS NOT AVAILABLE TO RECTIFY PROBLEMS AT THIS TIME. MJS

WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM, WITHOUT WARNING, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WENT COMPLETELY OUT. OWNER HAD TO WAIT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNTIL THE WIPERS STARTED BACK UP. DLR HAS SEEN VEHICLE, AND IS WAITING FOR PART. *AK

WINDHSHIELD WIPERS ARE TOTALLY INOPERATIVE, CAUSING LOSS OF VISIBLITY.DEALER HAS REPLACED COMPUTER MODULE .PLEASE PRIVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH A FIRE STARTED IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR PANEL. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER SAFELY AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CAR WILL NOT START . ALSO, CONSUMER SMELLED GAS FUMES. TOOK CAR TO THE DEALER, AND THEY TOLD HUIM THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. *AK

REAR BUMPERS ON THIS SERIES IS SO HIGH ABOVE GRADE THAT THEY ARE INEFFECTIVE. A SIMPLE BUMPER TAP FROM A NORMAL SEDAN AS IN PARALLEL PARKING, IS SUFFICIENT TO DO THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS DAMAGE SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE RAISED BUMPER. MY COMMENT: REQUIRING BUMPER STANDARDS LIKE "5 MPH" IS IRRELEVANT IF BUMPERS DO NOT MATCH. THE FORD EX... SERIES BUMPER HEIGHT IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF NON-STANDARD, UNNECESARILY BURDENSOME, DESIGN CHANGE. *AK

SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE THE VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COMMERCE TO OPERATE WITHOUT THE SWITCH BEING ACTIVATED. HOWEVER, ON JULY 20, 1999 THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE WAS REPLACED, ON AUGUST 16, 1999 THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILURE ALMOST RESULTING IN COLLISION. PROBLEM WAS NEVER CORRECTED, PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *YC

WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE INOPERABLE. WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED THE WIPERS WILL ACTIVATE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COMES ON/OFF ON ITS OWN. WHEN TURNED ON WILL NOT GO FAST. WOULD SLOW DOWN OR SPEED UP ON ITS OWN. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED A MODULE IS NEEDED. MANUFACTURER HAS PARTS ON BACK ORDER.*AK