1997 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE ON THE VEHICLE FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE ROLLOVER ACCIDENT AND INJURY TO THE CONSUMER. *MJS

THE VEHICLE WENT ONTO THE SHOULDER THEN OVER, CORRECTED WHILE COMING BACK ONTO TO ROADWAY AND ROLLED OVER STRIKING A LIGHT POLE (BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, WILDERNESS AT M/S, VDHL1PY207, LEFT REAR). NLM

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AT 55-60 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION TIRE HAD A BLOWOUT . *AK THE TIRE WAS SHREDDED WITH THE BELT BEING TOTALLY SEPARATED. THE TIRE WAS NOT ON RECALL. *YH

I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 55MPH WHEN HEARD SLIGHT THUMPING NOISE, FOLLOWED BY HUGE NOISE, WHEN I REALIZED MY RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. THE FORD EXPLORER REMAINED VERY STRAIGHT AND I PULLED OVER. THE TIRE WAS SHREDDED INTO PIECES. AT THE TIME I THOUGHT IT WAS A STRANGE BLOW OUT BECAUSE IT DIDN'T SEEM INSTANTANOUS. I ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE IN GOOD SHAPE. ALWAYS ROTATED, ETC.. SINCE THE TIRES HAD 42,000 MILES I REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES. UNFORTUNATELY WITH THE SAME BRAND!! IT WASN'T UNTIL I HEARD ABOUT THE TIRES ON THE NEWS THAT I REALIZED WHY IT HAPPENED. I WONDER HOW MANY OTHERS THERE ARE THAT NEVER EVEN REPORTED A PROBLEM. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235-75/15 )

IGNITION WIRES AND PLUGS NEED REPLACED, CONSUMER FEELS DEALER SHOULD MAKE THESE REPAIRS. *SLC

FIRESTONE ATX TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, THE CONSUMER REPLACED ALL OF THE TIRES PRIOR TO RECALL 00T005 AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT, CONSUMER HAS A SPARE TIRE THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, BUT IS ON A WAITING LIST FOR THE REPLACEMENT. *SLC

FIRESTONE AT P235/75/R15---THE TIRE THAT FAILED WAS OEM PER THE NI. (CLAIM#43-R430-696) *MW

NO SUMMARY( DOT NUMBER: )

ENGINE CRANKSHAFT FAILED. *ET

ORIGINAL TIRES ON A FORD, EXPLORER, 1997, P23575R15, DOT W2HL. ALL 4 TIRES ON VEHICLE ARE WEARING FASTER THAN NORMAL. CONSUMER FEELS ITS A DESIGN PROBLEM, AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHERE THEY WERE MADE. *AK THE CUSTOMER HAD TIRES ROTATED EVERY 3000 MILES. CUSTOMER HAD ALL 4 TIRES REPLACED . *YH

NO SUMMARY( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235 75R15 )

THE RIGHT REAR TIRE CAME APART CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER TO THE LEFT SPINNING AROUND ONTO THE MEDIAN AND STRUCK THE CONCRETE BARRIER WITH THE RIGHT FRONT, THEN CONTINUED TO SPIN AND STRUCK THE BARRIER WITH THE RIGHT REAR, THE VEHICLE THEN OVERTURNED SEVERAL TIMES AND CAME TO REST, ONE PERSON WAS KILLED AND THE OTHER SUFFERED NON-INCAPACITATING INJURIES (FLORIDA TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE P235/75R15 WILDERNESS M/S W2HL1PY416 RIGHT REAR). NLM

THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED AS THE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. YH

PE00-020;ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FORD, EXPLORER, 1997 TIRE SIZE P235/75R15, DOT W2HL WITH 45,000 MILES. CONSUMER EXPERIENCED RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATION, RESULTING IN BLOWOUT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH . CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL TO SIDE WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT. CONSUMER FELT A SLIGHT VIBRATION AND A THUMP NOISE POSSIBLY A MINUTE BEFORE THE BLOWOUT.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MP VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING,AND WHEN INCREASING THE SPEED STEERING WHEEL WILL STOP SHAKING. THEN, TOOK VEHICLE TO A TECHNICIAN. TECHNICIAN FOUND OUT THAT TIRES TREAD WAS SEPARATING, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN FRONT END COLLISION. *AK

TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING ON PA TURNPIKE. VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, RAIN/SNOW CONDITIONS, TIRE COMPLETELY SHREDDED. AAA RESPONDED FOR ROADSIDE ASSISSTANCE, PA STATE TROOPERS ALSO RESPONDED DUE TO (DANGEROUS) LOCATION OF VEHICLE, MOTHER TRAVELING ALONE WITH TWO SMALL CHILDREN( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING ON PA TURNPIKE. VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, RAIN/SNOW CONDITIONS, TIRE COMPLETELY SHREDDED. AAA RESPONDED FOR ROADSIDE ASSISSTANCE, PA STATE TROOPERS ALSO RESPONDED DUE TO (DANGEROUS) LOCATION OF VEHICLE, MOTHER TRAVELING ALONE WITH TWO SMALL CHILDREN( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

WHILE TRAVELING WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, CONSUMER COULD NOT TURN OFF CRUISE CONTROL. GAS PEDAL WENT INVOLUNTARILY TO THE FLOOR, AND CAR ACCELERATED FROM 68 MPH TO 85 MPH. VEHICLE HAD TO BE SHUT DOWN IN ORDER TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. *AK *ML

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD HER THAT A HOLE WAS PRODUCED IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.*AK

ACCELERATOR BRACKET THAT HOLDS ONTO FIREWALL CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING DUE TO FAILURE OF THE 2 SPOT WELDS WHICH WERE THE SIZE OF AN ERASER TIP ON FIREWALL. DEALER REPAIRED BRACKET BY RE-SPOT WELDING THE BRACKET. *AK *ML

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF VEHICLE. THEN, SLOWED DOWN AND FOUND OUT THAT RIGHT REAR FIRESTONE (P235 75 R15) TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED.*AK THE DOT # IS VDHL1PY THE CONSUMER STATED ON THE APPLICATION THAT THERE WAS ONE FATALITY, HOWEVER NO OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED. *SLC

WHILE APPROACHING A BRIDGE CONSUMER HEARD A "POP" NOISE, SECONDS LATER THE TIRE WENT DOWN (FIRESTONE WILDNESS AT 235-75-R15). NLM

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 70 LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A TREAD SEPARATION. DRIVER COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE, CHANGING LANE BECAUSE OF THE SEPARATION. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS AT P235/75 R15 DOT W2HL027477. *AK

WHILE GOING UP HILL CAR WAS BACKING BACK DOWN HILL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND HAD TRANSMSSIION REPLACED. FEBRUARY 2000, CONSUMER HAD TO GET A TOTAL OF 3 TRANSMSSIONS.ON 07-OCT-2000, WHILE WAITING AT A LIGHT, CONSUMER TOOK FOOT OFF OF BRAKE AND VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS. *AK

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

THE SIDEWALL FAILED ON THIS TIRE. TO DATE TWO OTHER TIRES ARE SHOWING SIMILAR DAMAGE. I AM A PRETTY GOOD DRIVER AND DO NOT RUB MY TIRES ON CURBS, ETC. IT IS ALMOST LIKE THE SIDEWALL IS PEELING AWAY EXPOSING A WHITE LAYER BENEATH. NATURALLY THE RECENT NEWS PROMPTED THIS RESPONSE, BUT MY CONCERNS ARE VERY REAL. THANK YOU AND KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK - I SLEEP BETTER AT NIGHT KNOWING YOU ARE PROTECTING MY FAMILY'S INTERESTS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 23575R15 )

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE CAUSED VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE VIBRATION, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION WHICH CAUSED THE VIBRATION, THE SPARE TIRE ALSO WAS OUT OF BALANCE AND HAD TREAD SEPARATION, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL TIRES AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT EVEN THOUGH THE TIRES ARE NOT PART OF RECALL 00T005. *SLC

COMING OUT OF GARAGE SMELLED FUEL. POPPED THE HOOD, AND COULD SEE GAS SQUIRTING OUT OF CARBURETOR. CONTACTED DEALER, AND HAD A LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACE THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY.*AK

4 WHEEL DRIVE STUCK IN LOW. IF SWITCHED OUT OF LOW THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGES FROM BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR AXEL SO THE VEHICLE JUST STOPS. EVEN THOUGH THE LIGHTS ON DASH INDICATE THE VEHICLE IS IN 4 WHEEL HIGH THE VEHICLE REMAINS IN 4 WHEEL LOW. WE HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 2 1/2 YEARS AND NEVER ONCE USED 4 WHEEL LOW. WITH THE SNOW THIS WEEK I USED 4 WHEEL LOW TO GET OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. I DID NOT GO MORE THEN 3 FEET FORWARD WHEN THE TRANSMISSION BECAME STUCK. NOTHING I DID WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. WHEN I CONTACTED FORD ALL THEY TOLD ME WAS MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRENTY SO I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. I KNOW FROM OTHER EXPLORER OWNERS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE FEAR HERE IS THAT THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM COMPLETELY DISENGAGES AND MY VEHICLE WITH MY FAMILY IS PUT AT RISK AS OTHERS COME UP ON US AT SPEED. THANKS FOR THE SITE. KEVIN

VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN IN 4 TIMES - SOME PARTS REPLACED -DEALER CAN NOT FIND PROBLEM. FORD MOTOR COMPANY CONTACTED NOT RESOLVED. VEHICLE 4- WHEEL DRIVE LOW AND HIGH LIGHTS BLINK WHILE DRIVING THEN THE VEHICLE WILL NOT GO INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE. AFTER YOU TURN OFF CAR AND RESTART THE SYSTEM RESETS AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE WORKS. THIS PROBLEM COULD BE DANGERIOUS AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF 4 WHEEL DRIVE DOES NOT WORK AND THIS WOULD ALSO PROBABLY INCLUDE AUTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE MODE FOR SLIPPERY CONDITIONS. *AK

TRANSFER CASE WENT OUT TRAVELING BETWEEN SPEEDS OF 40-60 MPH, NO PULLING POWER IN GEAR.*AK

EXPERIENCED A SURPISE BLOWOUT WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE 45 FREEWAY IN HOUSTON - NO ROAD HAZARDS - THE TIRE JUST BLEW UP. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

1-21-00 TOOK CAR INTO MAGIC FORD IN SANTA CLARITA, CA. FOR WARRANTY WORK, REPLACE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I WAS INFORMED BY TIM HEMING THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS WERE BAD. ABOUT $1500.00 TO FIX. I ASKED IF IT WAS A WARRANTY ITEM. HE SAID NO, BUT I CAN CALL THE FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE GUIDE TO SEE IF I CAN GET FINACIAL HELP. I DID AND THEY SAID NO. 1-27-00 I HAD MY OWN SERVICE TECH. PICK UP CAR AND START THE REPAIRS. 2-1-00 MY SERVICE TECH., KEN WAGNER LIC.#0706-121676 INFORMED ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS WERE BROKEN AND SUCKED UP IN THE ENGINE AND DESSTROYED THE ENGINE. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS HAVE BEEN UPGRADED FROM SOME KIND OF PLASTIC MATERIAL TO METAL. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE DEALER HE ORDERED THE PARTS FROM HAS ORDERED 104 OF THEM. THE DEALER IS ANTELOPE VALLEY FORD LANCASTER, CA. THE COST TO BUY AND INSTALL THE NEW ENGINE WAS $4000.00 I HAD TO PAY TO KEN WAGNER. I THINK THAT DO TO THE FACT THAT THE PARTS HAVE BEEN UPGRADED AND SO MANY ARE BEING ORDERED THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR MY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE. *AK

TIRE BLEWOUT CAUSING DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE COMING TO REST, NO SKID MARKS WERE OBSERVED ON THE ROADWAY, DRIVER SUSTAINED NON-INCAPACITATING INJURIES (FLORIDA TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, WILDERNESS AT M/S, W2HL1PY436, UNKNOWN TIRE POSITION). NLM

INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE EXHAUST GAS SENSORS HAD TO BE REPLACED PREMATURALY.*AK

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)

OCCUPANTS CANNOT EXIT REAR SEAT, DOOR HANDLES DO NOT WORK.

I DID NOT FOLLOW FORD'S RECOMMENDED INFLATION PRESSURE BUT KEPT THESE TIRES INFLATED TO 30PSIG AS FIRESTONE IS NOW RECOMMENDING AND TWO OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES FAILED WITH TREAD SEPARATION ANYWAY.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 15 )

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER'S WHEEL COLLASPED, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DEALER REPLACED BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING 70MPH HEARD LOUD NOISE, LEFT REAR WHEEL FROZE. VEHICLE VEERED TO LEFT OVER 2 LANES & THEN RIGHT OVER 2 LANES. SPUN AROUND & WAS FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. WENT BACKWARDS & HIT A CULVERT. TOOK OFF & WAS AIR BORNE. LANDED UPSIDE DOWN. UNLOCKED SEAT BELT & CRAWLED OUT. POLICE AND EMERGENCY VEHICLE ARRIVED. INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED & WRAPPED AROUND AXLE. VEHICLE TOTALED. TIRES WERE FIRESTONE RADIAL AXT. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE DIDN'T GET ANY KIND OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TIRES AND NO OFFER OF SETTELEMENT FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *YH

I HAVE HAD TWO DIFFERENT "THREAD PEELS" ON THESE TIRES. IN ONE CASE, THE TIRE BLEW AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. DAMAGE THAT TIME WAS $924 BECAUSE THE THREAD CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY LEFT REAR PANEL. FIRESTONE REPLACED THE TIRE AND PAID FOR THE DAMAGE. THIS WAS AROUND JAN OF 1999. THIS JANUARY, 2000, I LOST ANOTHER TIRE BUT THIS TIME THE TIRE WENT DOWN MORE SLOWLY AND DID NOT CAUSE ANY DAMAGE. FIRESTONE AGAIN REPLACED MY TIRE AND I WAS PAID THIS APRIL 2000. IN BOTH CASES, I WAS DRIVING AT 70MPH AND THE TIRES WENT OUT AFTER I WAS DRIVING OVER 350 MILES. I HAVE ASKED FIRESTONE TO REMOVE THESE TIRES AND REPLACE THEM WITH ANOTHER BRAND. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH FIRESTONE WED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

AUTOMOBILE JUMPED OUT OF PARK AND ROLLED FORWARD AND HIT A POLE. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. *AK

THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE OFF AND KNOCKED A HOLE IN THE VALVE COVER TENSIONER. COULD SMELL OIL BURNING PRIOR TO PROBLEM WITH TIMING CHAIN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS OF TIMING CHAIN. *AK

THE DOOR HANDLE MACHANISM HAS FAILED ON EACH OF THE REAR DOORS. A PLASTIC PIECE BROKE OFF THE MECHANISM. THIS RESULTED IN NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE, INHIBITING EGRESS OF ANY PASSENGERS DURING AN EMERGENCY. BOTH FAILED MECHANISMS HAVE BEEN REPLACE BY THE SELLING DEALERSHIP AT OUR EXPENSE. REPRESENTATIVES AT THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED TO US BOTH TIMES THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OUR TYPE OF VEHICLE. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. IT IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO GET THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP IN A TIMELY MANNER TO GET THIS DOOR OPENING REPLACED. WE HAD OUR BROKEN PART REPLACED TODAY. FORD PART # F77Z-7821818-AAJ IS THE ONE THAT WAS MOST RECENTLY REPLACED. *AK

CAR MAKES A RATTLING NOISE WHEN DRIVEN. ALSO, VEHICLE HAS SCRATCHES/CUTS ON ITS BODY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE. WHEN LET GO THE GAS PEDAL, ALL 4 WHEELS LOCKED UP. ALSO, CV JOINT ON THE FRONT DRIVESHAFT HAD SEPARATED. *AK

ALL 4 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES P255/70R16 ARE CRACKING ON THE SIDEWALLS, CRACKS BEGIN WHERE THE TREAD STARTS, DOT W2CU. *SLC

PE00 020; CONSUME R WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A RATTLING NOISE AND FELT VIBRATION INSIDE VEHICLE. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER, AND NOTICED THAT LEFT FRONT TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS#ATX, P2375R15 # . THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO REPORT. *AK

LIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLY ON T CRUISE CONTROL ON THE STEERING COLUMN HAS FAILED TWICE IN LESS THAN 12 MONTHS. DO NOT BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE HAPPENING & COULD CAUSE PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH SWITCH TO USE.--*AK (TIRESIZE: 235/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75R15 )