2004 Ford Explorer Brakes Problems

on [XXX] brought to local shop on power steering leak. Week before, Paid $50 for inspection. on [XXX] appointment was line and replaced. But tech said get pass brake line was rotted and was bad leak of brake fluid. On [XXX] my wife's Explorer was reinspected and rear driver side brake copper line also reported rotted after paying $539.95 for power steering low pressure and brake line. Wife's Eddie Bauer 2004 v8 was reported to FORD Motor Co. Case# [XXX] defective copper brake lines on suv. No good will offered no warrantee fue to latent defective brake line copper tubing coming from ABS modular. ABS LIGHT COMES ON AT TIMES. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

THE OEM STEEL BRAKE LINE THAT CONNECTS THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR BRAKES WAS APPARENTLY RUBBING AGAINST SOME COMPONENTS OVER THE RIGHT FRAME RAIL WHICH ABRADED THE PLASTIC COATING RESULTING IN CORROSION OF THE BRAKE LINE AND FAILURE OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM. *TR

STOPPING AT RED LIGHT STEPPING ON BRAKE VEHICLE SPEED UP INSTEAD OF STOPPING. CAUSING ME TO SIDE SWIPE FOUR VEHICLES AND GO THROUGH AN INTERSECTION

THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AS I WAS ABOUT TO PULL OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. I SHUT THE VEHICLE DOWN AND CALLED FOR A TOW. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION. THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE RUBBER HOSE COMPONENT OF THE BRAKE LINE HAD SPRUNG A LEAK, LEADING TO THE COMPLETE LACK OF BRAKING. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF IT HAD HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN TRAFFIC, OR JUST ABOUT ANY OTHER MOVING SITUATION, I WOULD LIKELY HAVE CRASHED, WITH DIRE RESULTS TO ME AND POTENTIALLY TO OTHERS. THERE WAS NO WARNING. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A SITUATION LIKE THIS IN OVER 30 YEARS OF DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 1 MILLION MILES .VERY DISCONCERTING. VERY DISAPPOINTING. I WOULD LIKE FOR FORD ENGINEERS TO EXPLAIN THEMSELVES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS SYSTEM WOULD INDEPENDENTLY ACTIVATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE BRAKES TO SEIZE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD SWAY 180 DEGREES TO THE SIDE BEFORE STOPPING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE BRAKE HYDRO LOCK SYSTEM. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE ABS ELECTRONIC UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 88,902.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLVO VNL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE WHEN HE APPLIED THE PARKING BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY ROLLED AWAY. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE SLACK ADJUSTER ON THE SECOND AXLE WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 415,000.

BRAKE FAILURE, FRONT WHEEL BRAKE HOSE (BURST/FAILED), 3X IN ONE YEAR INCLUDING FAILURE OF NEW PARTS INSTALLED BY FORD. THIS RESULTED IN TOTAL LACK OF BRAKES, IN ONCE CASE WHILE TRAVELING ON I287 AT HIGH SPEED! THIS WAS IN 20011/2012 BEFORE WE TRADED CAR IN. FORD INSISTED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE PART. THE CAR HAD ABOUT 100,000 MILES ON IT, WAS 6-7 YEARS OLD. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS TYPE OF FAILURE ON ANY OTHER CAR I OWNED INCLUDING MANY THAT WERE MUCH OLDER AND HAD MANY MORE MILES ... LET ALONE 3X ON THE SAME VEHICLE! THIS REALLY MUST BE A DEFECTIVE PART!!! AN THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE ONGOING WITH NEWER MODELS OF THE FORD EXPLORER AS WELL?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE GOING 45 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED BUT FAILED. THE CONTACT TRIED TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WOULD ONLY DEPRESS PARTIALLY. SHE TRIED AGAIN A FEW MOMENTS LATER AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED COMPLETELY INTO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT HAD TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE IN THE BRAKE LINE, WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES LATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115000.

I BACKED SUV OUT OF GARAGE AND PUT IN PARK, GOT OUT OF VEHICLE WHILE STILL RUNNING (TO CLOSE GARAGE DOOR), CLOSED THE SUV DOOR, TURNED AROUND AND SAW THAT SUV WAS MOVING FORWARD INTO MY GARAGE. I OPENED THE SUV DOOR WHILE IT WAS MOVING AND JUMPED IN THE DRIVERS SEAT, PUSHED ON THE BRAKE AND SUV DID NOT STOP, I WAS LOOKING DOWN AT THE FLOOR TO SEE WHY SUV DID NOT STOP, PULLED UP MY FOOT AND PLACED IT BACK DOWN ON THE BRAKE. SUV STILL DID NOT STOP. IT THEN MADE A LOUD NOISE LIKE THE ENGINE WAS REEVING UP AND THEN THE SUV TOOK OFF FORWARD, RAN THROUGH THE BACK OF MY GARAGE, RAN THROUGH MY BACK YARD, RAN OVER A TREE IN THE YARD, RAN THROUGH MY BACK YARD FENCE AND MY NEIGHBOR'S FENCE AND CRASHED INTO THE BACK SIDE OF NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE. ALL WHILE THIS WAS OCCURRING, I WAS INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WITH MY LEFT LEG STICKING OUT OF THE CAR (SINCE I JUMPED IN THE SUV IN A HURRY, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT MY LEG WAS STILL OUT OF THE SUV), I CONTINUALLY ATTEMPTED TO STEP ON THE BRAKES (EACH TIME LIFTING MY FOOT UP SO THAT I COULD PLACE IT DIRECTLY ON THE BRAKE), THE ENGINE REEVED UP AGAIN WHILE GOING THROUGH THE YARD. THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED THE SUV WAS THE TALL CONCRETE FOUNDATION OF MY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE THAT IT RAN INTO. I JUMPED OUT OF THE SUV, FELL TO THE GROUND AND LAID THERE FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE I REALIZED THAT MY SUV WAS STILL RUNNING, THEN I JUMPED BACK INTO THE SUV AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF.

MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER CAUGHT ON FIRE TODAY. THE FIRE BEGAN UNDER THE HOOD. PER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE STARTED AROUND THE CRUISE CONTROL AND BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AREA. FORD DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL OUT FOR THIS YEAR MODEL, UNLIKE THE 2003 AND OLDER MODELS, BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS DRIVEN TO SEVERAL POINTS, DROP THE KIDS OF AT SCHOOL, ONE AT DAYCARE, AND A STOP FOR BREAKFAST. NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH OUR CAR. AFTER ARRIVING TO WORK, MY WIFE GOT A CALL THAT HER CAR WAS ON FIRE. THERE WERE NO SIGNS, MALFUNCTIONS THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WERE ALWAYS PERFORMED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE BRAKING FROM SPEEDS OF 25 MPH, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 92,505.

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE THE VEHICLE STALLS WHEN BRAKING. THIS FAILURE OCCURS ONLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS AT 1/4 TANK OF GAS OR LESS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO FORD FOR REPAIR ON 3 OCCASIONS. THE HAVE REPLACED THE ABS SENSOR, THROTTLE BODY AND A FUEL INJECTION CLEANING WAS PERFORMED. NONE OF THIS HAS FIXED THE PROBLEM. DEC 4 2009 WAS THE FIRST OCCURRENCE AND HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE LAST BEING TODAY 2-24-2010. *TR

WHEN SERVICING FRONT BRAKE PADS, CALIPER PISTON CRUMBLED WHEN OPENING CALIPER. NORMALLY, SUCH PISTONS ARE METAL. THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY MANUFACTURED WITH SUBSTANDARD MATERIALS. IF THIS HAPPENED WITH THE VEHICLE IN MOTION, AN ACCIDENT MIGHT HAVE OCCURRED. *TR

2004 FORD EXPLORER XLT HAVING RECURRING PROBLEMS WITH ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED TWICE. THE FIRST TIME THE PROBLEM OCCURRED, THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLAM AS A FAULTY SWITCH WHICH THEY REPLACED. THE SECOND TIME THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS A SPEED SENSOR ON THE REAR AXLE. *JB

WHILE GOING TO OPEN THE REAR HATCH OF MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER, I NOTICED A CRACK IN THE HATCH DOOR FROM JUST BELOW THE WINDOW DOWN TO THE NEXT PANEL. WHEN I OPENED THE WINDOW ON THE HATCH DOOR, I NOTICED THAT THE LEFT HINGE THAT HOLDS THE GLASS IS COMING LOOSE. I AM UNABLE TO UTILIZE THE REAR CARGO AREA OF MY VEHICLE NOW FOR FEAR THAT THE LEFT HINGE WILL BREAK OFF RESULTING IN THE ENTIRE DOOR COMING OFF THE VEHICLE AND FALLING OR DROPPING ONTO ME OR ONE OF MY CHILDREN, CAUSING SEVERE PERSONAL INJURIES. THE MILEAGE ON MY VEHICLE IS APPROXIMATELY 70,000 MILES. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET TO CORRECT THIS FAILURE BECAUSE AFTER READING OTHER PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCE WITH HAVING FORD REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND THE GOVERNMENT THUS FAR REFUSING TO ISSUE A RECALL, MY HANDS ARE TIED. I DO NOT WANT TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR MYSELF BECAUSE I HAVE ALREADY BEEN BURNED BY FORD ON OTHER ISSUES RELATING TO THIS VEHICLE, I.E., THE ABS MODULE AND THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. *TR

MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER HAS SEVERAL ISSUES SINCE 38,000 MILES, THE RECENT COMPLAINT AT 57,000 MILES IS THE ABS MODULE AND THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND AT THE SAME TIME THE CRUISE CONTROL STOP WORKING. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT AT. THEY TRIED TO RESET THE COMPUTER. ADVISED ME I WOULD NEED A NEW ACS MODULE FOR THE ABS. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO TRY AND GET THE MODULE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE BEST FORD WOULD DO IS TO SPLIT THE COST OF THE MODULE WITH ME, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR LABOR TO INSTALL. WHEN ASKED HOW MUCH THE MODULE COST. WAS TOLD 1160.00. THIS WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEY WOULD TRY TO FIND A USED MODULE. I CALLED BACK AFTER SEVERAL DAYS AND WAS INFORMED THEY COULD NOT FIND ONE. THE NEXT DAY I GOT ON THE PHONE AND WITHIN 20 MINS HAD FOUND A MODULE AT A LOCAL SALVAGE YARD. ASKED THE DEALERSHIP IF THEY WOULD PURCHASE THE USED MODULE WITH THE MONEY FORD WAS GOING TO PROVIDE WITH THE NEW MODULE TO FIX IT. THEY SAID NO. FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS AWARE THAT MANY OF THE 2004 EXPLORERS HAVE ABS AND POWERTRAIN ISSUES, YET THEY FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE. NOW I CAN TELL A DIFFERENCE IN MY BRAKING. SOMETIMES NOW WHEN I HAVE TO USE THE BRAKES, I CAN FEEL SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT. I AM WORRIED THAT WHEN I WILL NEED THE ABS TO WORK I WILL NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO STOP. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL HAS STOPPED WORKING AS WELL WITH THIS AMOUNT OF MILEAGE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN UNABLE TO TELL ME IF THE CRUISE CONTROL IS RELATED TO THE ABS MODULE. THEY NEVER CHECK THE CRUISE CONTROL PROBLEM AND WAS NOT AWARE OF IT TILL I HAD CALLED THEM BACK ON THE USED ABS MODULE. FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP AND TAKE CARE OF THESE MAJOR ISSUES WITH THESE EXPLORERS....POOR PARTS INSTALLED AT TIME OF MANUFACTURING. FORD SHOULD BE LIABLE. *TR

MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH MY EXPLORER. WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE CAR JOLTS WITH A CLUNKING NOISE. ABS LIGHT IS ON AND 4X4 HIGH LIGHT FLASHES. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ON BUT NO HOSE LEAKS CAN BE FOUND. WRENCH LIGHT COMES ON EVEN AFTER TPS REPLACEMENT SUGGESTED BY OBD-II. VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE OWNED 7 FORDS, THIS IS THE WORST I HAVE OWNED. *TR

BRAKE SYSTEM ISSUES, 2004 FORD EXPLORER. BRAKING SYSTEMS MAKES A SIGNIFICANT BUMP AND NOISE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. *JB

MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH MY EXPLORER. WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE CAR JOLTS WITH A CLUNKING NOISE. WHILE DRIVING CAR JOLTS OCCASIONALLY. WHEN BRAKING CAR SHAKES. ABS LIGHT IS ON AND 4X4 HIGH LIGHT FLASHES. EXPLORER WAS TAKEN IN DECEMBER 2004 AND FIXED FOR THE TRUCK JOLTING INTO REVERSE. TRUCK NOW HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. TRUCK TO BE TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER NEXT WEEK. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON A DRY INTERSTATE, THERE WAS A LOUD POP THAT SOUNDED LIKE A BALLOON POPPED. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, THE PEDAL WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND AND RAN INTO A DITCH WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. THERE WERE MINOR INJURIES SUSTAINED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT BODY SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD FRACTURED APART.