2000 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HAD A FLAT TIRE, AND AND LOST CONTROL/ VEHICLE FLIPPED TWICE. THERE WERE INJURIES. *AK

WHEN STEERING VEHICLE WILL GO STRAIGHT, AND WHEN TRYING TO TURN WHEEL IT JERKS . WHEN TRYING TO TURN WHEEL EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT IT IS HARD, AND IT MAKES A GRINDING NOISE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THEY KNEW IT WAS A PROBLEM, BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A SOLUTION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. *NLM

BLOWOUT AT 35 MPH, POW HISS HISS, LUMP LUMP. *AK (DOT NUMBER: 8XML TIRESIZE: 235/75R15)

CONSUMER HAD DIFFICULTIES RESTARTING VEHICLE AFTER ENGINE HAD BEEN RUNNING. ALSO, ENGINE STALLED WHILE OPERATING VEHICLE. WHEN ENGINE STALLED, VEHICLE WAS VERY HARD TO CONTROL, AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

IDLE SPEED CONTROL VALVE FAILURES ON FORD EXPLORERS CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO CRANK, START, THEN IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MAINTAIN IDLE. THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING IS TO CONTINUE TO APPLY THROTTLE. THIS IS POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS IF PERFORMED WHILE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE, AS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION (I.E. AUDI 5000) CAN RESULT. MANY EXPLORER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. LOCAL FORD DEALER CHARGES $200 TO REPLACE THE VALVE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH TRANSMISSION GOT STUCK, AND VEHICLE COULD NOT ACCELERATE. WHEN TRYING TO PICK UP SPEED VEHICLE START SHAKING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO CUT OFF. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND FIXED IT UNDER WARRANTY.*AK

SEATBACK DOES NOT PROTECT AGAINST WHIPLASH. FOR PEOPLE 6 FEET OR TALLER, VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE ADJUSTABLE HEAD RESTS. *AK *JB

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH AND APPROACHING AN ENTRANCE RAMP FOR INTERSTATE AND ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS ENTERING INTERSTATE AND WAS HEADING DIRECTLY TOWARDS CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. CONSUMER COULD NOT MOVE INTO NEXT LANE. INCHED OVER INTO NEXT LANE, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, VEHICLE WAS ABSOLUTELY UNCONTROLLABLE, AND ROLLED DOWN THE INTERSTATE ATLEAST 2 TIMES, LANDING UP RIGHT. UPON EXAMINATION, THERE WAS A 2 INCH TEAR ALONG SIDEWALL OF LEFT REAR FIRESTONE TIRE. THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 14,349 MILES ON THE TIRES. *AK FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES, P255/70R16, DOT VNCU1PX060, THERE WERE 3 INJURIES IN THE ACCIDENT. *SLC

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING AT LOW SPEED OF 10 OR LESS MPH OR WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP POSTION. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCURRING. PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK

STEERING VERY SENITIVE AND QUICK TO RESPOND, THE TRAFFIC IN FRONT STOPPED AND I SWERVED TO THE RIGHT, MISSING THE CAR INFRONT OF ME, CROSSED TO LANES ON MY LEFT, MISSED ALL CARS AND THEN ROLLED OVER, TIRE WAS BLOW-OUT, ALL DUE TO STEERING MECHANISM FAILURE.

VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ONLY FIVE MILES ON HIGHWAY AND TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED. ALSO, WHEN CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES VEHICLE WOULD TAKE A LONG TIME TO STOP. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK *SLC

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND CONSUMER NOTICED PASSENGER'S SIDE MIDDLE WINDOW, VENT WINDOW, WAS COMPLETELY SHATTERED INTO SMALL PIECES. *AK

TIRE BLOW OUT ON SIDE. NO HOLES IN TREADS BUT TREAD SEPARATION FROM REST OF TIRE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HL TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

PE 00 020/TREAD SEPARATION: LEFT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED A TREAD SEPARATION WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH, WITH ONLY DRIVER IN A 2000 FORD, EXPLORER; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE P235/75R15, DOT# UNAVAILABLE; DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK TIRE SEPARATED AT SIDEWALL, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE MOLDING ON THE RIGHT REAR DOOR. *SLC

ORIGINAL TIRE ON A FORD, EXPLORER, 2000. RIGHT PASSENGER TIRE SEPARATED AT SIDEWALL AT 40 MPH.*AK FIRESTONE WILDERENSS, SIZE P235/75R15, PASSENGER REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED SIDEWALL SEPARATION ALMOST CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL. *SLC

AFTER PURCHASE OF FIRESTONE 235/75R15 WILDERNESS AT TIRES (DOT # 8XHL), CONSUMER FOUND TREAD CAPS HAD A SAW TOOTH SHAPE MEASURING ABOUT 3/4 INCH CROSSWISE AND A DEEP CRACK IN THE TREAD CAP, CONSUMER REPLACED TIRES AFTER RECALL NOTICE AND WAS REIMBURSED. *TT

WHEN STARTING UP VEHICLE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ON UNTIL VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. HAVE BEEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS SEVERAL TIMES.*AK CONSUMER ALSO STATRED THE TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARD LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE, DEALER REPLACED THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH, ALSO THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT,AND THERE WAS ALSO SMOKE COMING FROM THE UPPER STEEING COLUMN.*SLC

AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ON A HEAD ON CRASH. FRONT LEFT WHEEL AND ASSEBLY RIPPED OFF DOORS TWISTED OUT OF ALIGNMET, AUTO IMPACTED TWICE. WAS AIR BAG SUPPOSED TO DEPLOY OR NOT?

TRANSMISSION FAILS TO BRAKE IN LOW GEAR. HAVE REPAIRED 3 TIMES, FORD REFUSES TO REPAIR AGAIN, SAYS THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT CANT FIX IT. I USE LOW GEAR IN STEEP MOUNTAIN TERRAIN WHERE I LIVE AND IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THEY SAID USE THE BRAKES. I THOUGHT THEY SHOULD FIX THE VEHICLE. PLEASE HELP.*AK

DRIVERS FRONT TIRE DEVELOPED A HAIRLINE CRACK BETWEEN THE SIDEWALL AND THE BEAD, MOST OF THE WAY AROUND THE WHEEL. OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE FROM NEW. CONFIRMED BY TIRE DEALER. ONCE REMOVED ALSO FOUND SIMILAR CRACKS ON THE INSIDE BETWEEN THE BEAD AND SIDEWALL. HAD ALL4 TIRES REPLACED AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION. HAVE REQUESTED REFUND FROM FIRESTONE. THE RECALL MUST BE STEPPED UP TO INCLUDE VN TIRES. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF NOT FOUND AND THE TIRE BLEW.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VNHL1PY230 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

CONSUMER HAD THE HEAT & DEFROSTER ON. BACK WINDOW SHATTERED IN PIECES. THE COLLISION SHOP SAID IT COULD BE FROM A HEATING MALFUNCTION. QUITE A FEW VEHICLE ARE COMING IN WITH THIS PROBLEM.*AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND THE DOOR WAS CLOSED WHEN THE WINDOW SHATTERED INTO PIECES. *YH

PURCHSED VEHICLE NEW. AFTER 6000 MILES ENGINE DEVELOPED A RATTLING SOUND WHEN COLD. DEALER REPLACED ENGINE AND NEW ENGINE MAKES SAME SOUND AFTER 6000 MILES. DEALER SAYS IT IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE OHV ENGINE. IF SO, WHY DID THEY REPLACE IT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

BRAKES HAVE FAILED ON TWO OCCASIONS. BOTH TIMES AT LOW RATE OF SPEED, AFTER FIRST BRAKING STOPS VEHICLE, BUT THEN BRAKES FAIL CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER FIRST TIME OF FAILURE IN FALL OF 2000. THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE . *AK

THE TIRE BLEW OUT ON THE SIDE WALL WHERE THE THREAD ADHERES TO THE SIDEWALL.*AK (TIRESIZE: P245/75R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P245/75R16 )

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 35MPH WHILE CHANGING INTO A TURN LANE BRAKES WERE SUDDENLY APPLIED, THEY LOCKED UP AND VEHICLE SKIDDED. THIS WAS SECOND TIME VEHICLE HAS DONE THIS. CONSUMER HAS A PRIVATE MECHANIC TO LOOK AT VEHICLE. CONSUMER WILL ADDED THE VIN#. *AK

VIBRATIONS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *AK

I WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON I95 THROUGH BUCKS COUNTY PA AND THE REAR WINDOW SHATTERED AND BLEW OUT. THE PRICE LISTED IN DAMAGES WAS THE LIST PRICE FOR A NEW WINDOW. I WAS THAT THERE WAS A REPORT ON THE NEWS ABOUT WINDOWS BLOWING OUT BUT HAVE NOT CONFIRMED THE INFORMATION. *AK

VEHICLE FAILED TO START. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, VEHICLE DECELERATED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING CAUSING LOSS OF POWER. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *SLC

STOPPED CAR IN TRAFFIC TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN. VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED. FELT LIKE VEHICLE WAS IN NEUTRAL. THEN AFTER AWHILTE IT LUNGED FORWARD WITH GREAT FORCE. I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND AVOIDED A COLLISION. THIS TIME THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. PREVIOUSLY THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP.*AK

WHEN STARTING UP VEHICLE AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON, LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME WHILE DRIVING. HAD LIGHT FIXED SIX TIMES AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *SLC

ABOUT 50% OF THE TIME THE TURN SIGNAL WILL NOT LOCK IN PLACE, YOU HAVE TO JOCKEY THE STEERING WILL TO GET THE TURN SIGNAL TO STAY ON. THE MECHANISM WAS SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED ON 1/17/2001 AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NORMAL OPERATION FOR THE TURN SIGNAL. ON APRIL 30, 2002 I HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE DEALER AND MENTIONED THE CONTINUED ISSUE WITH THE TURN SIGNAL. I WAS TOLD THAT SOME OF THEM ACT THIS WAY...IT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS (GREG BOWER). I CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM. I FIND THE PROBLEM NOT ONLY AN IRRITANT, BUT ALSO A SAFTEY PROBLEM. I FIND MY ATTENTION DIVERTED FROM DRIVING SAFELY WHEN I AM TRYING TO GET THE TURN SIGNAL TO LOCK IN PLACE (TO SAFELY SIGNAL TO OTHER DRIVERS MY INTENTIONS).*JB

VEHICLE STALLED AT ANY SPEED, MOSTLY ON LONG TRIPS. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. ONCE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED DEALER REPLACED A VALVE, AND VEHICLE HAS NOT STALLED SINCE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH SLIP ON A ICE SPOT AND LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, CRASHING INTO AN UTILITY POLE, AND NONE OF DUAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK

TIRE BLEW OUT ON DRIVER REAR CAUSED NEAR UNCONTROLLABLE VEHICLE.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VDCU1PX429 TIRESIZE: 255/70/16)

THE LOVELACE LAW FIRM REPRESENTS MS. LATONYA WASHINGTON WITH RESPECT TO THIS ACCIDENT. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FORD EXPLORER INVOLVED IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS RENTED FROM BUDGET CAR AND TRUCK RENTAL, OKALOOSA COUNTY AIR TERMINAL, FORT WALTON, FLORIDA, ON JAUNUARY 5, 2001. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED UPON REQUEST. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: 8XHL TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH DRIVESHAFT SNAPPED IN TWO, DEALER REPAIRED IT UNDER WARRANTY, BUT, SAID THAT HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT, AND SENT IT TO FORD COMPANY. CONSUMER HAS YET TO HEAR FROM FORD.*AK

I WAS TRAVELING ON RT 7 AT APPROX 40MPH, THAT WAS BELOW THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT BECAUSE WE HAD JUST EXPIERENCED A SNOW STORM AND THE ROADS WERE NOT VERY CLEAR. AS I SLOWED DOWN TO BETTER HEAR WHAT WAS GOING ON I HAD STARTED TO HEAR THE SOUND A FLAT TIRE MAKES, SO I PULLED OFF AT THE NEXT EXIT AND SAW THAT MY TIRE WAS FLAT AND CALLED AAA. THEY HAD TOLD ME TO REPORT THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WAS A FIRESTONE TIRE AND IT MAY BE ONE OF THE RECALLED TIRES. I HAD MY TIRES CHECKED SOME TIME AGO WHEN THE RECALL FIRST HAPPENED BUT I WAS INFORMED MY TIRES WERE NOT PART OF THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE THE WILDERNESS ATS. I FEEL THERE MUST BE SOME KIND OF DEFECT FOR THIS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE I AM POSITIVE I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING IN THE SNOW SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HL TIRESIZE: P235 75R15)

R16 TIRES MUST BE INCLUDED IN FIRESTONE RECALL. WE FEAR FOR OUR LIVES AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY ABLE TO REPLACE ALL NEW TIRES WITHOUT FIRESTONE'S MONETARY HELP! RECALL! RECALL! RECALL! *AK (TIRESIZE: R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: R16 )

DURING PANIC BRAKING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL PULL VIOLENTLY TO RIGHT. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES, AND REPLACED VARIOUS ASPECTS OF BRAKING SYSTEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS PERTAINING TO THIS DEFECT. *AK

1993 FORD EXPLORER--SPARE TIRE CABLE RUSTED OUT ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO AND WE HAVE NO IDEA IF THIS TIRE FELL OUT ON AN INTERSTATE OR LOCAL TRAFFIC, WE NOW ALSO HAVE A 2000 FORD EXPLORER. WILL THE SAME THING HAPPEN AGAIN? MY SON-IN-LAW WAS TRANSPORTING PRISONERS WITH A 1998 EXPLORER AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO HIM IN TRAFFIC. *LA

TRANSMISSION OR TRANSFER CASE SEEMS TO BE DROPPING OUT OF GEAR. REGARDLESS OF SPEED IT WILL DROP OUT THEN BACK IN GEAR. SOMETIMES WHEN BACKING UP AND THEN PUTTING VEHICLE IN DRIVE IT SITS THERE FOR ALMOST ONE MIN. UNTIL IT KICKS IN. BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP A FEW TIMES AND THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL. WHEM I BOUGHT THIS IN AUG OF 2000 TRANSFER CASE WAS EMPTY OF FLUID AND DID NOT FIND OUT FOR TWO WEEKS. DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO CHECK IT OR CHANGE IT. ALREADY HAD A NEW ENGINE IN THIS IN THE FIRST THREE WEEKS OF OWNERSHIP.*AK

TRAVAILING AT 45 MPH ON COLD ROAD SIDEWALL BLEWOUT. *AK (DOT NUMBER: 8XHL TIRESIZE: P23575R15)

WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 30 MPH, THERE WAS A BLOW OUT ON RIGHT REAR WILDERNESS AT P25570R16 TIRE, NOT INVOLVED IN RECALL (00T-005), OWNER WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR COST OF 4 NEW MICHELIN TIRES. CJ

THE VEHICLE 16 INCH FIRESTONE TIRES WERE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 00T-005 AND THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE TIRES WERE SAFE, BUT WHILE DRIVING THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT, THE CONSUMER PURCHASED 4 NEW TIRES AND REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT (5 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 255/70R16). NLM

LEFT REAR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE DOT 8XHL (NO SIZE GIVEN) HAS A CRACK THAT IS 1" LONG AND 1/8" WIDE, CONSUMER STATES RIGHT REAR TIRE HAS AN INDENT AND IS WORRIED THIS TIRE WILL BURST. *SLC

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE TEMP GAUGE DOES NOT READ, CHECK GAUGE & ENGINE LIGHT COME ON. MUST WAIT AT LEAST 5 MINS FOR TEMP TO COME UP. REPORTED TO FMC THEY STATE NORMAL MUST WAIT FOR WARM UP BEFORE DRIVING.

ON NOVEMBER 1, 2000 CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL CORRECTED FOR SEAT BELT BUCKLES NOT FASTENING. ON DECEMBER 13, 2000 CONSUMER WAS COMING OFF A ROAD, STARTED SLIDING AND ROLLING OVER, BUT PASSENGER'S SIDE AND DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELTS DIDN'T CATCH. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY, I NOTICED A SLIGHT VIBRATION. A SHORT TIME LATER, I FELT THE VIBRATION AGAIN AND THE TIRE BLEW. I WAS TRAVELING AT 60MPH. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS INJURED. I CONTACTED FORD ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THEY CAME TO EXCHANGE THE TIRE WITH THE SPARE. I THEN DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALER NEAR WHERE I WORK (MAGIC FORD, VALENCIA, CA). I REQUESTED THAT ALL FIVE TIRES BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE RIM ON WHICH THE TIRE BLEW. IT WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. I HAVE RECEIVED A BILL FOR $1,020.00 FROM MAGIC FORD, AND DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE OBLIGATED TO HAVE TO PAY. ALTHOUGH THE EXACT MODEL OF TIRE IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. I AM IN POSSESSION OF THE TIRE AND ALL SURROUNDING PAPERWORK. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VNCU1PX080 TIRESIZE: P255/70R16)

THIS IS A 4 WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE; WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN WITH CAR IN 4- WHEEL DRIVE, VEHICLE WAS HANDLED INPROPERLY, AND IT WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN WHEEL BACK TO STRAIGHT POSITION. CONSUMER ALMOST HIT ANOTHER CAR. TOOK TO DEALER, AND DEALER AGREED TO STEERING PROBLEM. *AK