2000 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND FLASHING. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES BUT MECHANIC CAN NOT RESOLVE PROBLEM.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER, BUT CHECK THE FUEL CAP LIGHT CAME ON. ALSO, THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS BACK AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *YH

A PIECE WITHIN ENGINE HAS BROKEN OFF, AND IT IS MAKING A CLANGING NOISE WITHIN ENGINE. DEALER CLAIMS FORD HAS INSTRUCTED THEM NOT TO DIAGNOSE OR FIX DEFECT.*AK

THERE IS A KNOCK IN THE ENGINE UPON ACCELERATING. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO PLANTATION FORD TWICE AND EACH TIME I AM TOLD THAT THIS KNOCKING NOISE IS A "CHARACTERISTIC OF THE ENGINE". PER FORD ENGINEERS THIS ENGINE IS NO LONGER USED IN CURRENT PRODUCTION THEREFORE, THEY CAN COMPARE MY ENGINE TO ANOTHER ENGINE WITH LOW MILEAGE. THE MECHANICS AT PLANTATION FORD DO AGREE THERE IS A NOISE IN THE ENGINE BUT NO ONE SEEMS TO WANT TO FIX IT. NO I HAVE NOT HAD ANY FAILURES OR ACCIDENTS YET. HOWEVER, COMMON SENSE TELLS ONE THAT A KNOCK IN AN ENGINE IS NOT GOOD. PLEASE HELP ME.*AK

AM FEARFUL TIRES ARE NOT SAFE, HAVE COMPLAINED TO FORD AND FIRESTONE RIDE HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY BUMPY AND ROUGH, AM FEARFUL TIRES ARE DEFECTED, FORD TOLD ME THE TIRE WAS CHOPPED UP DUE TO ROTATING BUT OK TO DRIVE. CAN YOU DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. I WANT MY TIRES REPLACED. FEARFUL THEY MAY BE DEFECTED.*AK (TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

I RECENTLY READ IN THE PAPERS ABOUT THE NEW 'UNOFFICIAL' RECALL THAT FORD WILL NEED TO DO TO REPLACE EVEN MORE TIRES FOR FORD EXPLORERS. I OWN AN EXPLORER AND MY TIRES WERE NOT PART OF THE RECALL FROM LAST AUGUST. HOWEVER, AFTER HEARING THAT POSSIBLY MORE OF THE TIRES ARE AFFECTED. I CONTACTED A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT SINCE THERE IS NO "OFFICIAL" RECALL THEY WOULD CHANGE MY TIRES FOR ME BUT I WAS LIABLE FOR THE COST OF MOUNTING, BALANCING, AND THE COST FOR THE 4 TIRES (PLUS SPARE) ALSO. I FIND THIS RIDICULOUS AND I'M SURE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE. I HAVE CHECKED MY TIRES AND ALTHOUGH I AM UNSURE OF WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR AND DO NOT CONSIDER MYSELF QUALIFIED TO SAY IF THE TIRES SHOULD BE CHANGED OR NOT, I DO HAVE AN UNEASY FEELING ABOUT DRIVING ON THE TIRES I CURRENTLY HAVE. I DO ALOT OF TRAVELING IN MY EXPLORER AND DO NOT WANT TO BE A PART OF THE STATISTICS ON FORD'S RECALL PAPERS IN THE FUTURE. SO, WHAT ARE MY NEXT STEPS? I WAS ASKED TO FILL OUT THIS COMPLAINT FORM. SO WHO CAN I CONTACT TO GET THE SERVICE I AM ENTITILED TO? I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY FOLLOW UP THAT YOU CAN OFFER TO ME. I LOVE MY SUV BUT I ALWAYS HAVE AN UNEASY FEELING ABOUT THE TIRES I AM RIDING ON.*AK

WHEN DRIVING, GROVES,WATER PUDDLES ,A LOW PART IN THE ROAD ,ECT WILL MAKE THE CAR JERK TO ONE SIDE OR TH OTHER, OR PULL VERY HARD DEPENDING ON THE SIDE THE GROVE,WATER ECT IS ON. IT HAS NOT YET CAUSED HARM TO MY FAMILY BUT IT VERY WELL COULD HAVE MANY TIMES. THIS HAPPENS AT SPEEDS AS LOW AS 10-15 MPR. *AK

I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH FORD'S ACTIONS ON BLAMEING FIRESTONE FOR THE ROLLING OVER OF THE FORD EXPLORER. I KNOW ON MY TRUCK IF YOU HIT A BUMP OR ARE ON A ROUGH ROAD THE TRUCK IS SO BOUNCEY THAT IF FILLS LIKE THE REAR WHEELS ARE COMEING OFF OF THE GROUND. THE WILDERNESS TIRES MAY HAVE SOME KIND OF DEFECT BUT I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS WITH MY FIRESTONE TIRES. I HAVE HAD MY FIRESTONE TIRES FOR A YEAR AND THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE EXPERIENCED HAS BEEN KEEPING THE WEIGHTS ON THE WHEELS. THE SUSPENSION ON THE 2 DOOR EXPLORER IS SO STIFF THAT I COULD SEE WHY THE TRUCK WOULD ROLL OVER WHEN THE TIRE LOST AIR PRESSURE. FORD HAS BEEN BLAMEING FIRESTONE AND VIS VERSA AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM EXCEPT TO REPLACE THE TIRES WHICH I DONT BELIEVE CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER. IF I HAVE A CD PLAYING IN MY CD PLAYER AND I DRIVE DOWN A RUFF ROAD OR HIT A BUMP OVER 50 MILES PER HOUR THE CD WILL COME OUT OF THE CD PLAYER AND THE TRUCK WILL BOUNCE, IT FILLS LIKE THE BACK WHEELS COME OFF THE GROUND. *AK (TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

I'M FOLLOWING ALL THE INFO ON HOW BAD EXPLORERS ARE REGARDING ROLLOVERS. WELL THE SHOCKS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE THE ABSOLUTE WORST I'VE EVER SEEN ON ANY VEHICLE. IT IS LIKE RIDING ON A TRAMPOLINE ALL THE TIME. IT'S NO WONDER THEY ROLL OVER SO EASILY WHEN EVERY BUMP YOU HIT ALMOST SENDS IT SKYWARD. OBVIOUSLY THEY'VE INSTALLED THE CHEAPEST POSSIBLE SHOCKS IN THE FACTORY. IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN GET NEW SHOCKS FROM FORD AND DECREASE MY PROBABILITY OF ROLLOVER IN THE EVENT OF ANY SMALL FENDER BENDERS???*AK

AT LOW SPEEDS OF 20-35MPH WHEN BRAKING VEHICLE SLIDES & SWERVES, BRAKES SHAKES. *AK

AT 20-35MPH WHEN BRAKING VEHICLE SLOWLY, BRAKES GRIND EXCESSIVELY, VEHICLE SLIDES AND SWERVES.*AK

THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT END THAT IS CAUSING PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO TIRES. FORD HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN CORRECTING PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

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

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING LOSS OF ALL POWER STEERING. ALSO, OVERDRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON DASH BEFORE VEHICLE STALLED OUT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER HAS YET TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE IS INHERENTLY UNSAFE BECAUSE A RAPID TURN OR ANY INVASIVE MANEUVER COULD RESULT IN ROLLOVER. *YH

BACK TIRE BLEW OUT ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO. I REPLACED IT AND I AM WAITING ON MY DEALER TO CONTACT ME ABOUT REMOVING. TKAING TOO LONG.*AK

THE FOUR SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS INADEQUATELY DESIGNED FOR TOWING THE LOADS FOR WHICH IT IS ADVERTISED BY MANUFACTURER, THE GEAR RATIOS ARE TOTALLY INADEQUATE FOR THE LOAD, THE VEHICLE STALLS NEARLY STALLS IN FIRST GEAR ON THE GRADE.*YH

CONSUMER REPLACED FIRESTONE TIRES WITH GOODYEAR WRANGLERS. SINCE REPLACEMENT OF TIRES THERE IS BAD VIBRATION, AND STEERING WHEEL IS LOOSE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT NOISE ONLY APPEARS FROM GOODYEAR.*AK

I NOTICED ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE THAT THERE ARE 7 COMPLAINTS ABOUT STALLING. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS THE I.A.C. VALVE. I KNOW OF 3 OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS PROBLEM. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED ON ME WAS AT 70MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. THE DEALER STATED THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. BUT, THIS COULD BECOME A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

TIMING TENSIONER WAS FIXED UNDER RECALL A YEAR AGO. CURRENTLY, WHEN STARTING UP VEHICLE, IT SOUNDED LIKE 2 PIECES OF METAL HITTING TOGETHER. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THIS WAS COMMON AMONG EXPLORERS. PLEASE ADD VIN? *AK

CONSUMER HAS HAD A LENGTHY HISTORY OF SERVICE WORK PERFORMED ON THIS VEHICLE SINCE DAY OF PURCHASE, PROBLEMS ARE CENTERED AROUND THE STEREO UNIT. THE UNIT WOULD MAKE CD'S AND TAPES SO HOT THAT THEY BURN WHEN TOUCHING THEM TO REMOVE FROM STEREO SYSTEM. (ATTORNEY ON BEHLAF OF CLIENT. *JG

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON AT 60 MPH AND VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT COMMAND FROM 60 TO 85 MPH. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES,AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. APPLIED ON OFF BUTTON, BUT IT WOULD NOT WORK, HIT EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON AT 55MPH, AND AFTER TRYING TO APPLY BRAKES TO REMOVE CRUISE CONTROL, VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 70MPH ON TWO OCCASIONS. DEALER NOTIFIED AND IS WAITING FOR PART WHICH IS NOT IN STOCK.*AK *TT

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE BECOMES HESITANT, AND JUMPS. TOOK TO DEALER, AND DEALER HAD REPAIRS DONE ON VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, VEHICLE LEAKS. TOOK TO DEALER AGAIN. DEALER STATED THAT TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REPLACED A SECOND TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THE SEAT BELT ON LEFT BACK SEAT DOES NOT WORK, HOWEVER THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*TT

CONSUMER STATES MANUFACTURER DESIGNED THE TETHER HARDWARE FOR A CHILD SAFETY SEAT TO TAILOR THE FRONT SEAT INSTEAD OF THE BACK. BY LAW IT IS RECOMMENDED CHILDREN 12 AND UNDER ARE TO BE BUCKLED IN THE BACK SEAT. THAT IS THE SAFEST PLACE. THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT IS NOT OPERABLE FOR BACK SEAT OCCUPANTS. *JG

THE BRAKE BOOSTER FAILS INTERMITTENTLY AND CAUSES AN APPROXIMATE 90% LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. THE PEDAL IS HIGH AND FIRM BUT NO BRAKING POWER. THE EFFECT IS THE SAME AS WHEN THE BRAKES ARE PUMPED WITH THE ENGINE OFF CAUSING A LOSS OF VACUUM AND POWER ASSIST. IT DOES NO OCCUR WHEN THE DEALER SERVICE TESTED THE VEHICLE SO NO FIX AS YET.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE AND HESITATE. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, ENGINE BEGAN TO KNOCK EXCESSIVELY. DEALERSHIP INSISTED THIS WAS THE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE ENGINE, AND DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO REMEMDY THE CONDITION. *AK IN ADDITION VEHICLE STALLED OUT TWICE. *TT

I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 1998 EXPLORER THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM I AM HAVING WITH MY 2000 EXPLORER. FROM TALKING WITH THE FORD DEALER MECHANIC, THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT IS OCCURRING AFTER 30,000 MILES THAT IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE PROBLEM IS UPON STARTUP OF THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WILL CRANK, AND WHEN THE IGNITION KEY IS RELEASED, THE ENGINE DIES IMMEDIATELY. THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING IS TO KEEP ONE FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL DEPRESSED. TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ONE FOOT MUST BE ON THE GAS AND ONE ON THE BRAKE TO KEEP THE ENGINE FROM STALLING. THIS IS PRESENTING A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND FORD IS QUITE AWARE OF IT, BUT DOING NOTHING IN THE FORM OF A RECALL OR SAFETY BULLETIN TO CONSUMERS. FORTUNATELY MY 1998 FIRST FAILED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT MY 2000 HAPPENED AFTER MY 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE PROBLEM OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY BUT FREQUENT AT TIMES, AFTER DRIVING SEVERAL MILES, IT WOULD CORRECT ITSELF. I THINK FORD NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM AND DO ANY REPAIRS AT NO COST TO THE OWNER. *PH *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**766061

TROUBLE STARTING. HAD TO REPLACE IDLE AIR CONTROL MOTOR.*AK

CONSUMER STATES OF HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. TS

WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON AT 63 MPH THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE STALLED. *YH

CONSUMER STATE WHILE TRAVELING WITH SPEED CONTROL ON SPEED CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE CAUSE CONSUMER APPLIES FORCE TO BRAKE TO STOP VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSIONS FAILURE. THE DEALER WILL NOT HELP DUE TO THE UNIT NOT BEING THE ORIGINAL AND THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. SCC PH

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT A WALL, AND THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB

THE VEHICLES DOORS REMAINED LOCKED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. *NLM

WHEN THE REAR SEATS WERE FOLDED DOWN, THE BUTTONS FAILED TO LOCK THE SEAT IN PLACE TO ENLARGE THE TRUNK AREA. THIS CAUSED THE SEAT TO BE AT LEAST 7 INCHES OFF THE FLOOR. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS AND WAS FINALLY TOLD THE SEAT WAS NOT DESIGNED TO LOCK SECURELY INTO PLACE. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE SPARE TIRE THAT WAS MOUNTED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE FELL OFF INTO THE ROAD AND VEHICLE RAN OVER IT. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NOISE COMING FROM VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION CASE.*MR THE DEALER STATED NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. FOUR MONTHS AGO, THE DEALER STATED THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE TIRES. THE CONSUMER WANTED TO HAVE THIS CHECKED OUT. *PH *JB

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE STALLED MORE FREQUENTLY WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE IS UNDETERMINED. *NLM

WHILE EXITING THE FREEWAY VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. DRIVER TAPPED THE BRAKES, AND ENGINE SPEED INCREASED EVEN MORE. AS A RESULT, DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE WENT AIRBORNE AND LANDED ON THE CURVE. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL 03 V 159 000; BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN.*AK

EXCESSIVE FORCE HAD TO BE APPLIED TO OPEN DOORS ALTHOUGH THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK WAS IN THE UNLOCK POSITION.*AK

PROBLEMS WITH FRONT BALL JOINTS ON 2000 FORD EXPLORER.*MR CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE IS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE WAY THE BALL JOINTS WERE MADE ON THE SUV. CONSUMER FEELS THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. *PH *JB

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE JERKS WHEN AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTING GEARS. DEALER STATED THAT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NEEDED A NEW VALVE KIT. *AK

AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD. *MR THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ON LONG AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS TRACED TO THE WIRING HARNESS. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SCC *JB

THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STARTED TO FLICKERED OR STAYED ON WHILE DRIVING. THIS COULD RESULT IN PREMATURE OR NON DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALERSHIP HAS ONLY PERFORMED A TEMPORARY FIX TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THEY SERVICED THE TRUCK TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE STILL EXISTS. *AK *CB *JB

WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED TECHNICIAN DETERMINED ALL FOUR TIRES TREAD BROKE. COOPER TIRE, P255/70R16. *AK

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, POWER WINDOWS, DOME LIGHTS, AND WARNING INDICATORS STOPPED OPERATING DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN THE GENERIC ELECTRONIC MODULE. *NM THE DEALERSHIP WAS HELPFUL BUT WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN THE PARTS FOR ABOUT A WEEK. *NM

WHILE SHIFTING GEARS VEHICLE JERKED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WORN-OUT PARTS.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY AIR BAG LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC REPLACE THE STEERING WHEEL, AND THE SAFETY HARNESS. HOWEVER, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK