1999 Ford Explorer complaints

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN, DUE TO FAILURE OF THE POWER DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY.

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL, #99S09, CONCERNING SPPED CONTROL FAILURE. RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE ON JUNE 16,1999. BUT, ON JUNE 30, 1999, CONSUMER ACTIVATED CRUISE CONTROL AND IT STUCK AT 70 MPH ,CAUSING BRAKES TO BURN OUT WHILE TRYING TO STOP VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

MULTI-TURN FUNCTION TURN SIGNAL/ WINDSHIELD WASHER, INTERMITTENT WIPER AND HIGH-BEAM MALFUNCTIONS. WASHERS FAILS TO ACTIVATE WHEN STALK IS "PUSHED IN" FOR WASHER REQUEST (EVENTUALLY WASHER WILL FUNCTION AFTER SEVERAL "PUSHES" WASHER PUMP NOT BROKEN), ACTIVATING TURN SIGNAL(S) ACTIVATES WINDSHIELD WIPER (ACTIVATING TURN SIGNAL SHOULD NOT TURN YOUR WIPERS ON), WIPERS TURN ON WITHOUT USER INTERVENTION (WIPERS TURN ON BY THEMSELF) *AK

HAD RECEIVED RECALL NOTICES 99V062001 & 99V062000 IN MAIL & NOTIFIED DEALER. RECALL INVOLVED 2 VEHICLES. HAD BEEN INFORMED THAT PARTS FOR SPEED CONTROL WERE NOT AVAILABLE. WAS INFORMED WILL BE AVAILABLE IN JULY. OWNER NOT SATISFIED.*AK

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICES 99V062000 & 99V062001. RECALL AFFECTED 2 VEHICLES IN POSSESSION. CONTACTED DEALER. WAS INFORMED PARTS FOR SPEED CONTROL WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL JULY. OWNER NOT SATISFIED. *AK

HAD RECEIVED RECALL NOTIC E 99V062001 IN THE MAIL. CONTACTED DEALER. TOOK VEHICLE IN. MECHANIC DISCONNECTED CRUISE CONTROL & WAS DRIVER CHARGED. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REREPAIR CRUISE CONTROL WITHOUT OWNER PAYING FOR IT. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES. WHEN IT RAINS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS SLOW DOWN TO ALMOST A NON-OPERATING MODE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

REC'D RECALL NOTICE 99V062001 & 99V062000. HAVE 2 VEHICLES AFFECTED. HAD CONTACTED DEALER & WAS INFORMED NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. MIGHT BE AVAILABLE IN LATE JULY SOMETIME.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. MJS

THE AIR BAG MODULE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & HAD IT ON DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE. INFORMED CONSUMER NO AIR BAGS IN VEHICLE. NO PARTS WERE ORDERED FOR MODULE LIGHT. TOOK VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER & THE MODUILE WAS INSTALLED. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE INOPERABLE ON HIGH. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML

WINDSHIELD WIPERS SPORADICALLY COME ON WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON, SOMETIMES AS MUCH AS 10 TIMES IN A HALF HOUR. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE AND CAN'T FIX IT. *AK

FUMES COMING FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM ARE SO STRONG THAT CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO DRIVE WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN. THE DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. ALSO, WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF BRAKE PEDAL, BRAKES DO NOT RELEASE COMPLETELY. THIS HAPPENS DURING NORMAL BRAKING, NO INCLEMENT WEATHER. BRAKE BOOSTER WAS REPLACED. CONSUMER STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING VALVE CHATTER. NLM

WIPERS GO ON AUTOMATICALLY WHILE DRIVING WHEN YOU HIT A BUMP IN ROAD OR WHEN YOU USE YOUR TURN SIGNAL AND STOP INTERMITTENTLY WHEN RAINING CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. NLM

DEALER DISCONNECTED SPEED CONTROL, AND DRIVER CAN'T TELL HOW FAST HE IS TRAVELING. *AK.ET.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS GO ON FOR NO REASON, SOMETIMES WHEN SIGNALING. *AK

IN MARCH 1999, YOU ISSUED RECALL NR. 99V062000 WHICH STATED THAT THESE VEHICLES(INCLUDING MINE) MIGHT HAVE DEFECTIVE CRUISE CONTROL CABLES WHICH "COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A CRASH." OWNERS WERE ADVISED"NOT TO USE THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM UNTIL A REPLACEMENT CAN BE MADE." I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE ON MAY 1, 1999, AND WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE OUTSTANDING RECALL NOTICE. AFTER DRIVING OVER 1000 MILES MOSTLY WITH THE SPEED CONTOL ON, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD, STATING "DURING MARCH OF THIS YEAR YOU WERE NOTIFIED NOT TO USE THE SPEED CONTOL SYSTEM UNTIL YOU HAD THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE INSPECTED..." I WROTE THE DEALER ASKING FOR AN EXPLANATION. HE HAS'NT REPLIED. WHAT DO YOU THINK? *AK

WHILE IN USE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTION WHICH MAY CAUSE VISIBILITY PROBLEMS AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. ALSO WHILE DRIVING, WITHOUT WINDSHIELD WIPERS IN USE, WIPERS MAY ACTIVATE UNEXPECTEDLY. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

I PURCHASED THIS 99 EXPLORER IN FEBRUARY AND ALREADY IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES FOR DIFFERENT DEFECTS INCLUDING ON THE FIRST DAY I BOUGHT THE TRUCK AND TOOK IN HOME WITH 6 MILES ON IT THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING AND EVENTUALLY WENT OUT ON THE TRUCK. SINCE IT WAS A SATURDAY THAT THIS HAPPENED THE TRUCK SAT TILL MONDAY WHEN THE DEALER HAD IT TOWED BACK (I DID NOTICE TRANSMISSION FLUID ON THE GROUND).THE DEALER SAID THIS PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A CONNECTOR ON THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LINE NOT BEING SEALED OR TIGHTENED. I ASKED IF THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION WHICH THEY SAID IT WOULDN'T BE BUT THIS LEADS ME TO MY NEXT PROBLEM. THE TRUCK DOES NOT ACCELERATE THROUGH THE GEARS PROPERLY BUT FORD SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH AFTER LOOKING AT IT AGAIN. NEXT IT WAS IN FOR THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE WHICH THEY SENT A LETTER TO ME FOR BUT DID NOT HAVE THE CABLE IN STOCK AND WERE SUPPOSE TO DISABLE THE SPEED CONTROL UNTIL ONE CAME IN. THEY DID NOT DISABLE IT WHICH WAS VERY HAZARDOUS SAFETY WISE. NEXT THE TRUCK HAS BEEN IN BECAUSE ONE OF THE SPEAKERS WAS BLOWN AND IN FACT AFTER GETTING THAT ONE REPLACED THE OTHERS SOUND JUST AS BAD AS THE BLOWN ONE AND THE RADIO HAS NEVER BEEN TURNED PAST HALFWAY. MY LATEST PROBLEM IS THAT MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON SPORACTICALLY AT ANY TIME AND STAY ON FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS AND I CANNOT TURN THEM OFF SEEING AS I DIDN'T TURN THEM ON. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT EVERY 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR. I HAVE NOT BEEN TO THE DEALER ABOUT THIS BECAUSE ONE I

AIR BAG SENOR LIGHT REMAIN ON; VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON THREE OCCASION AND CONDITION REOCCUR.

A CHILD PASSENGER SEATED IN A BOOSTER SEAT BECAME ENTANGLED BY AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT. THE BELT WAS ENGAGED IN THE AUTOMATIC LOCKING RETRACTOR MODE AND WAS ALSO TWISTED ABNORMALLY. WHEN THE BELT WAS UNBUCKLED, THE AUTOMATIC LOCKING RETRACTOR MODE CAUSED ALL OF THE SLACK TO BE DRAWN UP INTO THE MECHANISM AND THE REMANING PORTION OF THE BELT BECAME EXTREMELY TIGHT SURROUNDING THE CHILD'S MIDSECTION. SINCE THIS MODE DOES NOT ALLOW ANY SLACK TO BE GIVEN BACK, AND NO OVERRIDE PROVIDED, THE BELT HAD TO BE CUT IN HALF TO REMOVE THE CHILD FROM THE VEHICLE.

CONSUMER HAS HAD A RECALL LETTER SINCE MARCH OF 1999 FOR THE SPEED CONTROL. MANUFACTURER RECALL 99S09/NHTSA: RECALL 99V062001. THE DEALER HAS NOT COMPLIED WITH THE LETTER YET. *AK

RECALL 99V062; DEALER DEACTIVATED CRUISE CONTROL DUE TO RECALL. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY TO MAXIMUM SPEED (120 MPH). REGULAR OR EMERGENCY BRAKES ONLY SLOWED VEHICLE TO 100 MPH. VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED, TWO MILES AWAY, WHEN SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND IGNITION TURNED OFF. CRUISE CONTROL HAD NOT BEEN DEACTIVATED AS DEALER CLAIMED THEY HAD. *AK

ENTIRE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRES ARE BENT INWARD TOWARDS THE FRONT FENDER. ALSO, TIRES ARE EXPOSED TO RUBBING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

THERE ARE ALREADY 4-5 THINGS WRONG WITH THIS BRAND NEW VEHICLE. I HAD TO HAVE THE CD REPLACED, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS MAKING NOISE DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS RECALLED, AND THE PART HAS STILL NOT COME IN AS PROMISED, THE WINDOW SEAL KEEP COMING OFF, THE HEATING SYSTEM IS TOO HOT AT LOW SETTING AND TOO COLD AT LOW SETTING. AK

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER STARTS UP WHEN THE CONTROLS ARE NOT ACTIVATED. 30 - 60 SECONDS LATER IT WILL START AGAIN. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS RANDOMLY ACTIVATE, CYCLE ONCE, THEN RETURN TO PARKED POSITION. THIS COULD EASILY DISTRACT A DRIVER AND THIS LAPSE OF ATTENTION COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK

I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY THE 1999 FORD EXPLORERS DO NOT HAVE A SHIELD PROTECTING THE GAS TANK. THE 1997 AND 1998 HAVE A SHIELD. IF I DID NOT HAVE A FULL TANK OF GAS I COULD HAVE BURNED TO DEATH. SOMETHING FLEW UP FROM THE ROAD AND STRUCK MY GAS TANK. I WAS SICK FOR 4 HOURS FROM THE GAS FUMES. PLEASE SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS. IT GIVES ME A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY KNOWING THAT MY FUEL TANK IS EXPOSED THE WAY IT IS.

BRAKE LIGHTS ARE UNRELIABLE AND COULD LEAD TO A COLLISION. IN PARTICULAR, THE BRAKE LIGHTS MAY NOT WORK DURING GENTLE BRAKING OR WHEN STOPPED WITH FOOT STILL ON BRAKE PEDAL. FREE PEDAL HEIGHT IS 4.75 INCHES, BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON AT 4.625 INCHES, GO OFF WHEN ANY PRESSURE IS RELEASED ABOVE 4 INCHES. AS YOU CAN SEE, ANYTIME THE BRAKE PEDAL COMES UP BETWEEN 4 AND 4.625 INCHES, SUCH AS WHEN LETTING UP SLIGHTLY TO MAKE A SMOOTH STOP, THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE OFF. I OFTEN FIND MYSELF SITTING AT STOPS WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND NO BRAKE LIGHTS, A VERY HAZARDOUS CONDITION. DEALER HAS REPLACED SWITCH TWICE, ALL THREE SWITCHES EXHIBIT SAME BEHAVIOR. ON LAST REPLACEMENT, DEALER SAID THEY CHECKED SEVERAL OTHER EXPLORERS, THEY ALL DO THE SAME.

THIS IS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE WHICH HAS ALREADY EXPERIENCED 3 SIGNIFICANT DEFECTS. IT HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE 3 OUT OF 10 DAYS. NO DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING UNKNOWN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WHICH CAUSES SEVERAL COMPONENTS TO FAIL. MJS

TRANSMISSION WOULD START TO SLIP WHEN TRAVELING JUST 10MPH. THE RPMS WOULD BE OVER 3 THOUSAND. HAD VEHICLE CHECKED AT DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED TRANSMISSION WAS STUCK & THAT IT'S A FACTORY DEFECT, ALMOST BLEW UP. ALSO, SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT KEEP ACCURATE SPEEDS. IF SPEED IS INCREASED,IT WOULD FAIL TO WORK. THIS WAS REFERRED TO MECHANIC BY MANUFACTURER. *AK

PASSENGER SIDE WINSHIELD ARM BROKEN. NLM

THE WINDSHEILD WIPERS BEGIN RUNNING WITHOUT THE CONTROLS BEING ACTIVATED. THIS WILL HAPPEN 2-3 TIMES IN A 30 MINUTE DRIVING PERIOD AND CAN BE ASSOCIATED WITH USING THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL, BUT ALSO OCCURING AT RANDOM INTERVALS. IT HAS BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE I ATTEMPTED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AND IT IS WAITING FOR PARTS. THIS CAUSES QUITE A DISTRACTION.

IN THE FIRST 25 DAYS I OWNED AND OPERATED MY EXPLORER, I EXPERIENCED 4 INCIDENTS OF BRAKE MALFUNCTION. IN ALL FOUR OF THE INCIDENTS, I WAS TRAVELING AT SLOW OR MODERATE SPEEDS. IN THE TWO INSTANCES WHERE THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE I WAS TRAVELING FORWARD, I WAS TRAVELING AT 15-25 MPH AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO SLOW AND NOT COME TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP. I DID NOT LOSE BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND (DID NOT SLOW) TO MY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. IN THE TWO INSTANCES WHERE I ENCOUNTED BRAKE FAILURE IN REVERSE, I WAS TRAVELING AT 5 MPH AND EXPERIENCED NO LOSS OF BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE. IN THE 4/24 INCIDENT, I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARALLEL PARK. AS I BACKED INTO THE SPOT AND ATTEMPTED TO SLOW BEFORE STOPPING, I BRAKED, BUT THE EXPLORER DID NOT SLOW OR OBVIOUSLY STOP. I HAD TO PUT THE CAR HASTILLY IN "DRIVE" TO AVOID HITTING THE PARKED CAR BEHIND ME. AGAIN, I WAS ONLY TRYING TO PARK AT 5 MPH OR LESS, BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT SLOW THE VEHICLE LIKE THEY DO NORMALLY.

CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING HEAVY VIBRATIONS FROM ENGINE AREA WHEN SITTING STILL VEHICLE IS IDLING VERY HIGH. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WITH WEIGHT IN THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE, REAR END IS LOWER THAN THE REST OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH BLINDS DRIVER WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC AT NIGHT. CAN CAUSE A HANDLING PROBLEM. *AK

UNABLE TO HAVE AIR BAG ON/OFF SWITCH INSTALLED, PART NOT AVAILABLE.

ACCELERATOR STICKS. ALSO, WENT OUT OF CRUISE CONTROL AND VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN, JUST KEPT GOING. THROTTLE REPLACED TWO TIMES. DEALER CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

FRONT SEAT HINGE MADE OF 3 STEEL SLOTTED PLATES, THE MIDDLE PLATE SLIDES W/MOVEMENT OF SEAT. WITH SEATBACK IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION ALL THREE SLOTS LINE UP, ALLOWING CHILD TO EASILY INSERT FINGER THROUGH HOLE. UPON MOVING SEATBACK FORWARD, MIDDLE PLATE SLID, AMPUTATING CHILDS INDEX FINGER.

WHILE DRIVING EVERYTHING THAT WAS ELECTRICAL STOPPED WORKING, INCLUDING STEERING/LIGHTS/WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS, ALSO, ENGINE SHUTDOWN, ALMOST CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML

CONSUMER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN STEPPING ON BRAKES PEDAL TO STOP OR REDUCE SPEED, THE VEHICLE STARTS VIBRATING FROM THE FRONT TO STEERING WHEEL. DEALER HAS NOT FOUND THE PROBLEM THAT CAUSED IT. *AK

THE LOCATION OF THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT IS TOO HIGH, AND DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME VISUAL IMPACT AS A MORE EYE LEVEL LOCATION WOULD HAVE. *AK

DURING DECELARATION AT AN INTERSECTION, THE REAR WINDSHIELD EXPLODED. UPON INSPECTION DRIVER FOUND GLASS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE AREA. WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER WAS NOT ENGAGED AT THE TIME. OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE @70 DEGREES. SOME BURN MARKS FOUND ON SURROUNDING FRAME AREA AFTER ARRIVAL AT DEALERSHIP. NO FLYING OBJECTS OBSERVED HITTING THE WINDSHIELD BY DRIVER FOLLOWING AFFECTED VEHICLE.

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT FLASHES 2 TIMES THEN 9 TIMES FOR FIVE SEQUENCES AND THEN REMAINS ON. THIS USUALLY OCCURS ON FIRST START IN THE MORNING BUT MAY NOT OCCUR ON SUBEQUENT STARTS. DEALER SERVICE RESET COMPUTER AND WHEN THAT DIDN'T WORK REPLACED THE AIRBAG MODULE. IT HELPED FOR ALMOST A DAY BUT THE PROBLEM CAME BACK . I DON'T KNOW IF THE AIRBAG WILL WORK IF NEEDED.

I HAD CALLED EARLIER TODAY TO SUBMIT A COMPLAINT BUT I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE QUICKER. I AM WRITING TO YOU IN REGUARDS TO THE FORD EXPLORER SPORT 2 DOOR SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE HAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM. FORD HAS REPLACED THE STANDARD 4 STEEL LEAF SPRINGS WITH 1 CARBON FIBER LEAF SPRING AND USED 4 SPACERS TO RAISE UP THE VEHICLE SO IT WON'T BE NOTICABLE. UNFORTUNATLY THIS SYSTEM WILL NOT WITHSTAND ANY WEIGHT. THE MAXIMUM TONGUE WEIGHT IS 540 POUNDS. FORD STATES AND FALSELY ADVERTISES THAT THIS VEHICLE WILL TOW 4,880 POUNDS. IF ONE WERE TO ATTEMPT TO TOW THIS AMOUNT OF WEIGHT THE REAR END WOULD ALMOST BE TOUCHING THE GROUND. THIS VEHICLES DESIGN IS INADEQUATE FOR A 4X4 SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE AND TECHNICALLY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED UNSAFE. WHEN ONE TRANSPORTS 4 PERSONS AND GEAR THE VEHICLE SAGS TO TREMENDOUSLY AT NIGHT THAT THE HEADLIGHTS BLIND ONCOMMING TRAFFIC. ALSO, WITH THAT AMOUNT OF WEIGHT THE VEHICLE BECOMES UNSTEADY AND IS HARD TO CONTROL. ONE LEAF SPRING SUPPORTING THE ENTIRE REAR END OF THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH SUPPORT WHICH IN PART WILL CAUSE THE SHOCKS TO WORK JUST THAT MUCH HARDER AND WEAR OUT MUCH FASTER. I WENT TO A DISPUTE BOARD ON THE 2ND OF MARCH TO PLEAD MY CASE. I MADE SURE TO CALL THEM AHEAD OF TIME TO LET THEM KNOW THAT I WAS BRINGING DOWN THE VEHICLE SO THEY COULD SEE JUST EXACTLY WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT I HAD BROUGHT THE VEHICLE THEY STATED THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SEE IT. WITHOUT ACT