2001 FORD Explorer

This is the second time the transmission on this vehicle has failed. The first time was in 2006 at approximately 70,000 miles. Now, the transmission has failed again. Each time, a complete rebuild of the transmission was necessary at a cost of over $2,000. Although the vehicle has 4 wheel drive and includes a factory towing package, the vehicle has only rarely been used for towing (twice a year to tow a boat to the lake for the season at a distance of 60 miles) and has only been used in 4 wheel drive when roads are snow-covered, which is perhaps 2 – 4 times each winter. The cost and inconvenience pale to the fact that in both cases the failure has occurred while driving in traffic, leaving the vehicle drive train completely powerless and inoperable, creating an extremely dangerous condition for the occupants.

My understanding is that this is a long-standing problem with Ford Explorer transmissions, but that the company has not sought to correct its design failures, leaving owners with vehicles that are dangerous and unreliable.

While idling in driveway, no occupants/driver, with transmission in park, vehicle shifted into reverse, crashed through two chain link gates then rolled along approximately 30 feet of chain link fencing before I was able to run it down and stop it. At one point I was pinned between truck, and fence causing multiple injuries.

transmission failure- no warning-

STEERING CONTROL WAS LOST WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WAS LOST DURING A LANE CHANGE. FAILURE RESULTED IN A CRASH.

Purchased in Jan. 07. Took it to the car wash and the doors are pitted in spots and flacking, it appeared perfect when I bought it, so I assumed that the car wash soap was to harsh, and now I believe that the dealer new and they touched up the doors so I wouldn\’t know. The windshield wiper blade just flops so I purchased a knew one and it appears that it is the Pivot part of the blade holder.

Our vehicle dies or fails to start on frequent and random occasions. I personally have traced this problem to the connector in the main wiring harness that bolts to the PCM located on the firewall. Wiggling of this plug generally is sufficient to start vehicle and yes the retaining bolt is tight when this occurs. Other times this plug has to be removed from the PCM and reinstalled in order to start vehicle. I have since attempted to tighten the individual female connectors within the plug with temporary success in alleviating the starting problem.My vehicle currently has 81,xxx miles on it and this has been a problem since roughly 55,xxx miles. I have not taken this vehicle to Ford for repair as I am a former outo mechanic and find Ford shop rates too expensive. I feel that the wiring connector is defective and needs to be replaced as a permanent \\\”fix\\\””.”

My son bought explorer 2 weeks ago.He is a college student and cannot afford this repair bill. A vechile with under 35,000 miles should not have a fuel pump failure.

In July 2003 I bought this Ford Truck through my Credit Union\’s Buying Service used. The mileage on the vehicle at that time was 35,723 and I paid almost 18 grand for it. The repair problem I ran into 2 months later was that the truck was not shifting gears properly and would stall with the O/Drive light flashing on and off. The description per \"Gwinnett Place Ford\" in Duluth, GA where I took it was: Transmission O/Drive light flashing — See History, See Avery replace Kit: Damaged Valve Body Gaskets. Road Test not OK Trans slips on 2/3/ shift. Perform elect transmission diag. Trans code PO733 (Incorrect Ratio for 3rd gear) Remove Valve Body and replace damaged valve body plate and Gaskets. Update Valve Body with service kit, reinstall Pan, refill post road test OK No Warranty!As of 5/3/04 the truck is experiencing similar problems when it comes to shifting gears and the O/Drive light. I took it to the same Ford dealer as indicated above and they informed me today that I need to replace the \"Valve Body Assembly\" at $2800 new with warranty, or $2300 rebuilt and no warranty to address this issue. I find that ludicrous considering the transmission now only has 40,000 miles on it. Thank you VERY much for your reply, hearing from you today was a pleasant surprise. As a result of the NHTSA website information you provided I was able track down and link my vehicle problem with Service Bulletin 15887 (Power Train) listed on that website. It may have been that I did a poor job of describing my problem when I first contacted your agency. The Summary Description in TSB 15887 describes the problem (PO733) that my truck is having. In comparing this description with what is stated on the Authorized Ford Dealers Service Invoice when I took my Explorer Sport Trac in May 2004. I found the same reference (P0733) on in describing the problem. Per your advice I contacted Technical Information Services with a request for TSB #15887. Again thanks for your help, your diligence in responding to a consumer request has made a difference, and I wanted you to know that. I don\’t think I would have been able to find out what I did without your help. if you or your agency needs any additional information from me about my vehicle problem, please do not hesitate to call on me.

I was told by several different mechanics that the engine has locked, Because of the timing chain, timing belt, valves and lifters. Also, there seems to be a problem with all of the Ford 4.0L motors (in the Explorer Sports). I have not driven my truck since September of 2003, on which I am Still paying a note & insurance.

I purchased this car on October 8,2003. Three days after I bought it the check engine light came on. I brought the car back four times back to back. The first time they said nothing was wrong. the second and third time the same thing. On the fourth attempt, they had me take it to one of "their" mechanics. He said it was a bad switch in the system. Not even a whole week later, the check guage light came on. The car lot where I bought it from said they were not going to look at my car because out of the kindness of their heart they’ve already looked at it. So I took it to a Ford dealership, they fixed it and said it was a problem with transmission, and the steering wheel. They car lot said it was not their problem. I had to pay out of my pocket for some problems that are still under warranty. Then the first time the check engine light came on I later found out that a sales person who was not certified mechanic, tried to fix the car when they said they were sending it to a mechanic. I’m still having problems and it seems like there just getting worse!

I have several more invoices 7-29-03 replaced dust seals and forgot to put brakes back together lost whole front end and braking. Had truck for 3-4 days They have replaced the water pump pulley and s belt 2-3 times. Cruise control 10-16, 12/31/02 again squeling noise 02/28/03 defrost kills truck and chirping still. 2/10/03 steering wheel snaped part falls around inside,cruise control was fixed, bearing failure in belt tensioner again. Today still having the same problem. COME GET THE PIECE OF !@!@#@#. I am sick of taking this truck in every month to fix something. IT IS A LEMON

I have had nothing but problems since I bought my 2001 Ford Explorer Sport with 8,000 miles on it. Most issues have been resolved except the rear windshield wiper (which they keep saying works, but when I try, it doesn\’t), and the severe paint peeling over the entire body of the vehicle. We are currently working with Ford for the second time to see if they will cover it. We were told the first time that if I had been a \"loyal customer\" and bought Fords before, they would help me out.

I have a major defect in the paint and went through my insurance company about it and they told me that it was a known defect and nothing they can do i purchased this vehicle in february 2008 and now it is not worth close to what i paid for it. I had contacted the dealer and they wanted 7500.00 to fix it told me it was my problem contacted ford and no response from them finally got the insurance quote and it’s going cost 2500.00 to get it fix

2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT I recently had an accident where the airbags deployed. This was my first experience with this and it was a real shock. Not the deployment of the bags, which I was prepared for by watching the testing with Crash dummys by Consumers Reports.My shock was with the loss of visibility and fresh air from the gas or powder that came out of the bags. I was disoriented for about 30 seconds until I thought to lower the windows.I would like to get the word out to drivers and passengers, especially the older people and those suffering from Asthma or some other breathing malady. Also, if you can give me contact info I would like to suggest to all the Automobile mfg. to consider having the windows lowered automatically after the bags deploy for the health of the occupants. The airbag was collapsed immediately out of my face, but I still was unable to control the vehicle because I was choking on the gas and could not see. Fortunately I was stopped by a curb after being hit or else other cars or people could have been involved because of this 30 seconds when I was not in control of the vehicle.

2001 ford explorer with speed control system recall. consumer states that the dealer to fix the recall stated that they were unable to obtain the replacement parts. dealer finally disconnected the speed control until the parts were available. *kb

Safety recall 03s03 and 03s04 2001 ford explorer.*mr *cb

Consumer called complaining about having problems with the air bag light on the panel. also stated that the air bag light will come on every now and then to the point that consumer dosen't know if the air bag work or not. dealer was contacted and stated that the air bag was fixed but the light still comes on. ts

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 03v281000 (seats). the contact stated that her son noticed that the front driver's seat was hard to recline up and down. the vehicle was taken three times to shaker's family ford lincoln (831 straits turnpike, watertown, ct 06795) for the recall. on the first dealer visit, the mechanic was unable to remove the upper bolt on the driver's side high back seat. on the second visit, the dealer was able to remove the upper bolt and installed a new bolt however, the contact believed that the dealer damaged the seat in the process of installing the new bolt. the contact stated that the seat no longer reclined and needed the middle row seats to keep it upright. on the third visit, the contact was informed that the seat needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but declined to offer any assistance. the failure mileage was 143,800.

My name is [xxx] i am the owner of the vehicle mentioned my mother is the first name on the contract. this vehicle has been reported to have a steering and braking problem four times to the dealership where i purchased it and once to another. i have since had an accident in this vehicle due to the problems that this vehicle has. i have for months tried to solve this through the proper channels . this was not resolved and i have documentation to prove so. i have never asked the dealership for anything other than to fix it or replace the vehicle with another one equivalant to this one . they kept letting me leave the service dept thinking it was fixed only to find out that day or a couple of days later after driving it that it was never fixed. i had an accident that never needed to happen and i have been out money out of my own pocket because of this vehicle and it is still under warranty. i need this problem investigated and solved . you may be my last hope before i have to obtain a lawyer for this dealership and ford..thank you [xxx], [xxx] , parrottsville, tn [xxx] [xxx]. *ak parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Air bag light on since i purchased the vehicle from a private party in 2014.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. while driving 35 mph, the front passenger wheel seized and caused the contact to head towards oncoming traffic. there was no crash involved. the vehicle was not able to be driven and was towed. it was diagnosed that the front passenger side wheel bearing disintegrated. the vehicle was repaired and the wheel bearing was replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 128,600.

Driving around 30 mph on a flat straight paved road when it suddenly shifted into 4 wheel low.

Switched into 4 wheel drive low without a command while driving around 30 mph on a dry level paved road.

Tl* the contact owned a 2001 ford explorer. while driving 55 mph, the contact steered to the right and the vehicle skidded and crashed into a guardrail. the air bags deployed. the contact sustained four broken ribs and back injuries that required medical attention. a police report was filed. the vehicle was towed and destroyed. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 115,000. updated 10/19/16*lj

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. while driving various speeds or while parked, the driver side turn signal failed to illuminate inside and outside the vehicle. also, the brake lights failed to illuminate. when the steering column was tilted to the upper position, the interior and exterior turn signal lights and the brake lights illuminated. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact stated that the vehicle experienced a complete loss of power. the failure occurred without warning. during colder temperatures, the failure worsened. the vehicle was taken to the dealer but the diagnosis was not disclosed. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 1,000. updated 05/17/17*lj *cn

Smoke coming from steering... can feel a change in engine while driving, feels like a rough ride, and overdrive starts to flash.

Tl* the contact owned a 2001 ford explorer. while driving, a burning odor was present and the air bag deployed without warning or an impact. there were no injuries. the contact was able to coast the vehicle to the side of the road. the contact noticed flames under the hood. the fire department extinguished the fire. the contact was not aware if a fire report was filed. the vehicle was towed to a residence and deemed destroyed. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact stated that the vehicle leaked anti-freeze and transmission fluid. there was also rust underneath the vehicle and a hole in the running boards, which almost caused them to detach. the contact claimed that the ground could be seen through the hole. the vehicle also produced thick smoke. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the dealer was not contacted. the contact planned to have the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failures and referred the contact to nhtsa. the failure mileage was 170,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. while the vehicle was stationary, the child safety locks are not functioning on the rear doors could not be opened from the inside, but only from outside the vehicle. marysville ford in marysville, washington was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall on the vehicle. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 30. *tt *tr

I have a great 2001 ford explorer but it started leaking from the roof and the leak source can not be found. there was no damage, just something changed. there is now mold all over the interior and its posing a great health risk to myself and any occupants. i would like the problem fixed by ford.

The extirer door hadle keep breaking can not get into vehicle with out going thru back door.if i had an accident there would be no way so.eo e could get me out.i have owned vehicle for 2 years and i have replaced ed them 3 times and again they are broken.

The s.u.v leaks water in causing issues i had to replace the brain and fuse box now minexpensive has a drainage of its battrey and the light done go off i replaced the battrey an altnator.an as well.ford should fix it thy he to many issues like this.parked in drive way.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. while driving 35 mph, the contact heard a loud thump coming from the rear hatch window. upon further investigation, the rear hatch window was loose. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 72,000. ....updated 07/05/16 *bf updated 07/13/16.*jb

Main problem at the moment is a clicking, knocking noise that sounds like is coming from underneath truck in the middle. you can feel truck shake/vibrate when you hear the noise. previous problems lug bolts came loose and almost cause tire to fall off. other problem truck started off sounding like the brake pads were going then the truck started making a horrible grinding noise . felt like the engine was going to fall out. ended up being front passenger side tire. rim had stattered.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. while driving at approximately 5 mph, the contact depressed the brake pedal with force and the passenger seat independently folded forward and then backwards. the seat would no longer hold its upright position and had to be propped up by folding down the rear seat. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the weld on the back of the seat had fractured and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the contact stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 03v281000 (seats). the approximate failure mileage was 66,500. updated 04/04/16*lj a bolt was replaced in the seat back. updated 04/05/16.*jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. while driving 25 mph, the vehicle shook violently. the failure recurred numerous times. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 119,699.

Was making a right hand turn from a city street into my community and about 90 degrees into the turn the steering locked up and i was headed for the median. i stopped with the brakes and looked down at the dash and the battery picture was red which helped me to realize the car had turned off. i put the car in park and then started it up and the problem was gone.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. while driving, the front driver side seat belt would suddenly unlock. in addition, the driver side and passenger side front seats would move forward when making a sudden stop and the passenger side door and hatch door would not open. the vehicle was not diagnosed and repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failures. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 166,694.

Frame /body mounts, creak, squawk crunch , the noise is most noticeble when turning or hitting bumps. some peple also describe the noise a hammer beating under the vehicle, the cause is deteriorate body to frame mount cushions, these cushions apper to have been made of substandard material, much like chinese valve stems that cause so much trouble after a few years the body mounts dry rot , crumble and literally fall apart, this a terrible, this can provoked a accident.

On driving my truck it slowed down almost to a stop then moved but continued to putter and slow down--i got scared and got it in my driveway and called aa to tow to my service mechanic--the mechanic had it for 2 days and could find nothing wrong with it---i told him i felt it was in the gearshift automatic as when i put it in p it lunges forward and i have to put my foot on the brake again--also when i have it in d the gearshift does not stay in the middle, as it always did. he said it might be water in the gas, which i said no to. i know my vehicle as i had it from day one and it did not drive like that. it has only 110,000 miles on it and i took good care of it for upkeep and now that i am retired and age 70, money to repair does not come easy with small pension and social security.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact stated that the vehicle was included in an unknown manufacturer recall. the dealer performed the repair, but the failure recurred. the contact noticed smoke near the engine compartment that entered the vehicle near the dashboard. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified. the nhtsa campaign number was unavailable. the failure mileage was not available.

I was sitting in a restaurant drive thru when the car turned off. i turned the car back on & inched a bit forward in line. moments after that while in drive, but not moving, i heard a loud pop. after that, i saw flames shooting towards the front windshield coming from under the hood on my side. i put the car in park, turned off the car and took the key out of the ignition and fled. the restaurant workers came to my aid and put the fire out before it spread. when i went back to say thank you, they told me that they heard a second pop before they put out the fire. i have reported this to ford headquarters. they checked my vin and told me that the vehicle was under recall for a defect that causes fires. i took the car to a ford dealership a couple months prior to this incident and they did not tell me anything about a recall on the car. also, the car oil was last changed 3/5/2015 and was below the mileage for another oil change, so i am so confused as to why this happened. *tr

Rear end of car thumped every time you would go over the smallest separation in the road and also on a bumpy road. replaced rear end shocks. still have the same problem of thumping. some times it feels like i'm going to loose the rear end of the vehicle. i was told possibly now that back bushings holding the body to the frame may be disintegrated. vehicle has always been well maintained and garaged. i have found out that there have been many complaints about this occurring now with this 2001 model. you would think there would be a safety recall by ford to fix these bushing problems. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact stated that the body mounts corroded which caused the frame to become detached from the body of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a dealer and the rear body mounts were replaced. the front parts were not replaced due to the parts being unavailable. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

The ford explorer 2001 xls 4.0l rear wheel drive transmission is defective in slip 4 to 5 gear in 75000 miles. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the anti lock braking system suddenly malfunctioned and the vehicle failed to stop. the conatct had to engage the emergency brake to stop the vehicle. the contact indicated that the defect occurred multiple times. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to diagnose the defect. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 100,000.

Ford explorers manufactured in 2001 were equipped with defective engineered body to frame bushings which have completely deteriorate and just as easily crumbled in your hand, now, but begin deteriorating only a few short years from when new. ford stopped using this style manufactured mount bushings after these few manufacturing years because they knew they were defective. i've spoken to many explorer owners who have this exact same problem , and those i ask to look under their vehicles, which are not a visible defect unless under the car and hands-on inspection, also found this problem. my vehicle is in like-new condition otherwise and has always been garaged in the state of florida. these body to mount bushings, when deteriorated cause serious safety problems to explorer drivers and all others driving in other vehicles, due to unexpected swaying and or bouncing possibly causing the vehicle to crash and cause serious injury to anyone driving near the explorers. i believe, and am sure, that the material mix of the rubber/silicone bushings was compromised during manufacturing and these vehicles should immediately recalled to replace these bushings which should last the lifetime of the vehicle. cars 40 plus years old have body to frame bushings still in good condition. for these bushings to start deteriorating after only a few years and being completely useless at this age and condition of vehicle is unheard of. now is the time to make sure all explorer sport owners in the 2001 plus or minus vicinity be notified by ford of this defect. please look under any explorer sport made in 2001 , and you can confirm my findings. also, have a private engineer test the bushing rubber/silicone materials used in this year range, and i assure you they will back my claim. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact stated that while reversing into a parking space, the vehicle lunged forward without warning. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the current and failure mileage was 26,500.

For the second time, the vehicle's transmission failed, leaving the vehicle completely powerless while driving. the transmission also failed at approximately 70,000 miles in 2006, again while driving the vehicle in traffic. in both cases, i, as the driver, was nearly involved in accidents with other vehicles because of the complete loss of the transmission power train. the vehicle also gave no warning of the failure prior to these events. it is my understanding that this has been a long-standing design defect with ford explorers, with a high number of vehicles from the early 2000s suffering similar transmission failures. this is both dangerous and, i believe, a defect that could cause injury and/or death.. i also wish to add that this vehicle, which is 4 wheel drive and includes a factory installed towing package, has only occasionally been used for towing a boat (2x per year) and is seldom used in its 4 wheel drive capacity (only on snow covered roads 2-3 times per year). the vehicle has been well maintained. the cost of the repairs in each case was over $2,000. *tr

As with so many explorers i have read about, my o/d light comes on and flashes. i lose all power during initial acceleration and then the truck shoots off like a rocket. if i turn the ignition off, the light resets and the vehicle is ok for a while until the light as with so many explorers i have read about, my o/d light comes on and flashes. i lose all power during initial acceleration and then the truck shoots off like a rocket. if i turn the ignition off, the light resets and the vehicle is ok for a while until the light comes on again. i had the codes read and it came up a solenoid problem. i had them replaced and ten miles from the lot, the light came on again. i have read that this is a known issue from ford, but they have yet to act on this issue. comes on again. i had the codes read and it came up a solenoid problem. i had them replaced and ten miles from the lot, the light came on again. i have read that this is a known issue from ford, but they have yet to act on this issue. i took it to the ford shop and they told me that they have fixed several and they go right back out it was a waste of my time.. does someone have to get killed before u all fix this if u try to take off and it slips and will not go u can and will get hit. *tr

I was driving and i saw and smelt smoke. i immediately could tell where it was coming from because i saw the smoke coming out of the hazard light on top of my steering wheel, it then turned into a flame,it was inside of the steering wheel. i pulled off to the side of the road because fortunately i had water with me and i poured a little bit of water on the flames that were coming out of where the hazard light is. this has happened 2 times,with the final result being 2 fires. it happened a 3rd time with just smoke. i no longer have the ability to use my windshield wipers and some of my interior lights no longer work. i don't know if this has caused other problems ie...my check engine light being on as well as my cruise control working when it wants to and other times not working at all plus the buttons on the inner side of the steering wheel being hot to the touch! i'm terrified to drive my own car! *tr

An accident occurred wherein a young man was severely injured. he survived, but has a plate in his jaw, and severe scarring on his face. his sister was also a passenger and was injured, but less severely. the right rear tire appears to have blown out, causing the crash. a witness immediately behind the car at the time of the accident stated: "i noticed what looked like one of the right side tires bend to the side and suddenly explode. at that point the driver lost control due to the tire explosion and swerved to the center divider and crashed. information on the tires is as follows: radial sxt all terrains. dot number on the tires were xfa 0307 and the tire size was 75/16. all tires passed inspection three months before, with a tread of 6/32. the officer noted the tread separated from the tire. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact stated that while the vehicle was unoccupied, it became engulfed in flames. the vehicle was destroyed. the failure was not diagnosed. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

Body mounts deteriorate before their time and ball joint fail. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. while driving approximately 45 mph, the transmission failed to respond with an unusual whining noise. the vehicle was coasted to the side of the road and the engine was turned off. upon restarting, the vehicle resumed normally. the failure recurred on a separate occasion. the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the failure mileage was unavailable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact stated that the vehicle crashed into a tree and upon impact, all of the air bags deployed except for the front driver's side air bag. the vehicle was completely destroyed. the driver sustained neck and back injuries. the vehicle was not taken to a mechanic to diagnose the failure. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure and current mileages were 101,000.

Cpsc#i12a0111a. 2001 ford explorer. consumer stated that a day after she brought the car it broke down. *ln the consumer stated there was a problem with the engine, as well as a hole in gas tank, which had rusted out, the bearings needed to be replaced, the tire were dry rotted, as they kept going flat, the driver's door did not lock, the rear doors did not open from the inside, the rear driver's door did not open at all, the outside handle was broke, the rear hatch would not close, and most of the time it had to be slammed shut.

Vehicle was idling in driveway with the drivers door open. transmission was in park. transmission dropped into reverse, rolled backwards in driveway, crashing through two chainlink gates, the door was torn back against the fender, i tried to reach into the truck to turn it off, and was pinned between the truck, and the chain link fence. explorer currently in the collision shop, and transmission will be repaired when the bodywork is done. *tr

Transmission failed without warning. would not catch 3rd gear and then sounded like a toolbox was scattered under the car. car successively lost all gears except 1st. repair cost over $2800.00. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. while the vehicle was stopped, the contact noticed smoke coming from under the vehicle. the vehicle was destroyed as a result of the fire. there was not a police or fire report filed. the dealer was not notified of the failure since the vehicle was purchased from a private seller. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure however, did not offer any assistance. the current and failure mileages were 150,000. the vin was unavailable.

Turn signal was turned on and smoke came billowing out of stearing collum. smelled burnt wiring. fire inside of collum minimal damage as i turned off signal immediately. took to garage next day. the wireing had rubbed on collum and shorted out. repaired. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact was driving approximately 45 mph when the engine exhibited an abnormal increase in rpms. the vehicle then accelerated abnormally and the contact was involved in a crash that involved four additional vehicles. no injuries were reported and a police report was filed. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the servo plug had popped out of place and fractured the side of the transmission. the dealer advised that the transmission would need replacing. the manufacturer was contacted who did not offer any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 118,000. the vin was unavailable.

Ford explorer 2001, v8 5.0l engine. the original manufacturer spark plugs had rusted in the iron block and metal ring separated from the ceramic part when i try to remove them. a broken threaded part remained in the engine block. it happened on the first three tried. on fist two i was able to use a remover to extract the left over part, on the third one, the threader broke in the head. i had to take the car to a mechanic shop, pull both cylinder heads out and replace the rest of the spark plugs. ports needed to have inserts installed. defect is due to the design of the spark plug with short thread followed by a cylindrical part that accumulates moisture and rust. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. when the contact attempted to open the rear window the lift gate failed to open. the manufacturer stated that the vin wasn't included in recall 04v442000 structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: hinge and attachments; therefore they will not offer any assistance. the vehicle will be taken to the dealer to be repaired. the failure and current mileages were 126,643.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact was driving approximately 20 mph and encountered bumps in the road. the vehicle exhibited a loud rattling noise coming from the rear end of the vehicle. the failure occurred whenever traveling over bumps or uneven road surfaces. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the technician informed that the failure was related to the rear internal panel. the front and rear shocks were replaced. the contact stated the vehicle had been taken to the dealer on numerous occasions for the identical failure which there were no resolutions. the failure continued to occur. the failure mileage was approximately 6,000. the vin was unavailable.

Od light is flashing and the first gear shifts real hard. i took it to the ford shop and they told me that they have fixed several and they go right back out it was a waste of my time.. does someone have to get killed before u all fix this if u try to take off and it slips and will not go u can and will get hit. *tr

I have a 2001 ford explorer and at first the truck would slip in and out of gears so i took it to a certified mechanic and was told i needed a neutral safety switch. i had that replaced about a month ago. yesterday, i was driving and the truck slipped out of drive.... and it would not accelerate. i pulled over and attempted to restart the vehicle and the o/d off light started flashing. this truck is going to cost me over 2,000 dollars to fix and it seems as if i am not the only one experiencing the same problems. please help! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer with goodyear wrangler rt/s tires, size p255/70r16. the contact noticed the rear passengers tire was flat and the remaining three tires exhibited signs of dry rotting. the vehicle was towed to a local tire shop. the mechanic advised they would take partial liability for three of the four tires and the fourth would be replaced at the owners expense. the contact believed the tire manufacturer should take the liability for all four tires. the dot number was unknown. the tire failure mileages was 32,985. the vehicle failure and current mileages were 112,461.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer xlt. the contact stated the composite panel, which is attached to the lift gate, began to crack and fracture from the vehicle. the dealer was unable to offer remedy for the failure and advised contacting the manufacturer. there were no repairs made to the vehicle. the failure mileage was 15,463 and the current mileage was 90,438. updated 05/19/10*lj

Ford explorer o/d light flashing, transmission slipping. *tr

As with so many explorers i have read about, my o/d light comes on and flashes. i lose all power during initial acceleration and then the truck shoots off like a rocket. if i turn the ignition off, the light resets and the vehicle is ok for a while until the light comes on again. i had the codes read and it came up a solenoid problem. i had them replaced and ten miles from the lot, the light came on again. i have read that this is a known issue from ford, but they have yet to act on this issue. *tr

'o/d off' light if blinking, on and off. while light is blinking the car seems to be sluggish and does not respond to throttle properly. rough shifts while driving. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. she stated that the driver seat belt buckle failed. she was not able to take the seat belt off.the contact stated she will take the vehicle to the dealer or a garage for repair. the contact stated she will contact the manufacturer .the failure and the current mileage was 172,236.

My 2001 ford explorers transmission is having shifting problems followed by it's overdrive light flashing. i talked to several ford transmission friends and they advised me to install a upgrade kit in the valve body. this was done, fluid and filter changed, to no avail. the light intermittently flashes and the transmission shifting weird. after reading several posts on several sites regarding this problem, i am at a loss at what to do. several people stated that they went to the extent of replacing the transmissions with new ones and the light still flashing and having the same problems. my explorer has 60k miles on it and this problem started at only 50k miles, to me this is a problem ford should acknowledge, and allow some compensation to it's loyal customers. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the chrome steel wheels have exterior corrosion. this condition has caused the tires to lose air pressure. this failure has occurred twice before. she was advised by a technician at the dealer to pay $257.00. to replace bother rear tires. the failure mileage was 105,000.

When i have used my speed control i have had smoke come out of the top of my steering column twice. the smoke comes through the hole for my emergency light button on the top of my steering column. this happened recently for the third time. the ford dealer is charging $652.63 to replace the wire harness and the switch that controls wipers, hazard lights, blinkers, etc. the recall was replaced, and they say the two are not related. apparently this could cause an electrical fire as would the recall part. the suv is a ford explorer 2001 v8 xlt. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. he stated that the air bag light remained illuminated continuously and blinks when there is no passenger in the seat. the dealer will not diagnose the failure without the contact paying a fee. the light has been illuminated for approximately 2 weeks. the dealer also stated that the warranty expired and there were no related recalls. the failure mileage was 93000 and the current mileage was 94144. updated 05/11/09. *lj updated 05/12/09.*jb

2001 ford explorer timing chain rattle and failure. on 4.0l sohc. there are many people with this problem on forums. ford needs to have a recall of this potentially dangerous motor issue or reimburse people that need to have this repaired. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact heard rattling noises in the engine and the vehicle shut off. the vehicle was taken to a body shop and the mechanic stated that she needed a new transmission. the contact got a second opinion and was informed that a new engine was needed. a third repair shop stated that the timing chain and camshaft were the causes of the failure. the contact was informed that the parts were modified and were defective; therefore, entirely new parts were needed. the vehicle has not been repaired. the dealer diagnosed the issue as having engine failure. the failure and current mileages were 135,000.

1. lying in bed only to be awoken by boom (tire blowing out) at 5:00 a.m. 2. failure was speed control deactivation switch, also known as a "brake pressure switch...ignited setting vehicle on fire 3. nothing done...vehicle was totaled in fire. *tr

Vehicle was parked in the garage. after 4 hours later the car was burning. called the fire department... *tr

After researching the problem with my 2001 ford explore i discovered that there was a recall on the 2001 ford explorer with the speed control activation switch. my speed control activation switch is malfunctioning and their has been a recall in place for quite sometime and i was never notified. the recall # is 07v336000. *tr

Ford explorer 2001 blend door needs replaced. car is in great condition except for this problem which is a safety issue i found out early one morning on a cold day when the windshield would not defrost and i could not see threw it while i was on the highway. i kept pulling over to wipe the windows and headed back home. i have made an appointment with ford service and i know it's going to cost alot. after researching on the web i learned that this is a very common problem. i feel this should be a recall because it is a real safety issue and it is so common of a problem. thank you, christine *tr

Ford part # 1l24-7h473-ag vendor # m799g motorola model # 01mu152b06 date code 01211 serial # 21396939

My ford explorer 2001 had a recall notice last year regarding cruise control. i took my vehicle into bremen ford in bremen, in to have it disconnected. i was told it would get the part in shortly. this was in november of 2007. in april i received a letter from ford stating the problem should have been fixed or will be shortly through the summer. as yet, it is going on a year and i have heard absolutely nothing about the parts or getting my truck fixed. what seems to be the problem. i heard there were not enough parts to go around. what does this safe for your company? you should not sent out a notice unless you intend to remedy the problem. how much longer am i supposed to wait? *tr

I have a 2001 explorer and the paint has been peeling off for a couple of years. if i wash it with high pressure, the paint will blow off the hood. paint has bubbled and come off on the hood, tailgate and both quarter panels over the rear wheels. i hand wash it at this point to minimize more paint loss. *tr

My 4 door explorer is equipped with recliner high back seats. about a 2 months ago i was driving and the seat on the front left hand (driver side) it recline with out warning until is came in contacted with the second row seat cushion. i went to a ford dealer ship and was informed that there was no recall for such problem. i have send and made calls and send letters to ford, but they have fail to answer any of my letters. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. while driving 75 mph, the contact activated the cruise control. she began hearing a clicking noise and smelled something burning. he deactivated the cruise control, but the burning smell persisted. the contact did not continue to drive the vehicle. he received a safety recall notice three months ago, but the switch was never disconnected or repaired. nhtsa campaign id number 07v336000 (vehicle speed control) was referenced. the current and failure mileages were 80,016.

Wife parked explorer in garage, 20 min later heard a loud noise then noticed the vehicle was engulfed in flames. luckily, we were able to save our home and everyone is alright. car is completely totaled and our garage is a disaster. *tr

Received recall notice in august 2007 for problems with speed control on 2001 ford explorer. called local ford dealer, was told no parts shipped from ford yet, will be december before they get them. called in jan 08, still no parts, will be march before they get them, called march 26, 2008 was told no part shipped, will be end of may at the earliest. ford motor company knew of the problem way before the recall notices were sent out in august 07. ford would have spent months denying there was a problem and then more time trying to find a work around before finally admitting they had no choice but to follow gov.'t guidelines and do a recall - months if not longer before the letters were sent out. plenty of time to know how many vehicles were effected and get the parts ordered. it will be a minimum of 1 year since the problem was noticed and letters sent before the parts actually arrive at the dealers for repair of problem. inexcusable! and the nhtsa should be doing more than ignoring it! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 07v336000 (vehicle speed control). the part was unavailable. she has made three attempts to have the dealer disconnect the switch, but they continued to state that they did not have the time. there had been no failure to date. the current mileage was 106,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 for explorer. the contact received a recall notice for the vehicle speed control in september of 2007. the parts are still not available for the recall repair. there had been no failure to date. the recall number was unknown. the current mileage was 195,000.

On wednesday january 2, 2008 a rollover accident occured on my wifes 2001 ford explorer. she was driving home when she set her cruise control to 60 mph. when she hit her brakes to release the cruise control and slow down, the vehicle did not slow down and her cruise control did not release. she was able to get the vehicle slowed down to approximately 40 mph when she came to a t in the road. she was unable to make the turn and the vehicle rolled over with her and 2 young children in the vehicle. *cn

2001 ford explorer with speed control system recall. consumer states that the dealer to fix the recall stated that they were unable to obtain the replacement parts. dealer finally disconnected the speed control until the parts were available. *kb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact stated that she received a recall for the vehicle speed control (nhtsa campaign id # 07v336000). the dealer disconnected the wiring harness and stated that the parts would be available in december of 2007. the manufacturer stated that the parts would not be available until march of 2008. as of january 3, 2008, the dealer had not repaired the vehicle. the current mileage was 75,000 and there had been no failure to date.

Received cruise deactivation switch recall in august 2007. ford website notes parts were shipped to dealers. dealers have not received the parts. they have no idea when they will be there. called ford corp and was advised the switches would not be shipped until at least march. that is at least 8 months since they decided a recall was necessary. why has this not been mentioned in the media and why have the consumers not been sent 2nd letters advising that ford is incompetent?*cn

I have a '01 ford explorer involved in a safety recall for the cruise control issued in aug-07, as of today 5-dec-07) my local dealer still does not have parts and have been told not to expect them until 1st quarter. unsatisfactory and unacceptable. is ford delaying so the expense does not hit them this year? they could show a better profit for 2007 if so. sounds like manipulating the books to me, at the expense of consumer safety. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 07v336000 (vehicle speed control). the manufacturer stated that the part for the recall repair would be unavailable until march of 2008. there had been no failure to date. the current mileage was 88,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 07v336000 (vehicle speed control). the manufacturer stated that the part would be unavailable until march of 2008. there had been no failure to date. the current mileage was 82,000. received 12/12/07. 64200 updated 12/12/07

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact received a recall in august of 2007 for the vehicle speed control (nhtsa campaign id # 07v336000). the dealer stated that the part was unavailable and offered to disconnect the vehicle speed control; however, they did not state when the part would be available. the contact was dissatisfied with the remedy for the recall and the amount of time he had to wait. there had been no failure to date. the current mileage was 125,000. updated 01/09/08. *lj the consumer stated parts will not be available until sometime in 2008. updated 12/12/07 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 07v336000 (vehicle speed control). she stated that the closest dealer was 75 miles away and the part was unavailable. she did not want to have the switch disconnected due to the inconvenience. there had been no failure to date. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 39,000. *updated 12/12/07 *bf updated 12/12/07 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact received a recall notice in august of 2007 for nhtsa campaign id number 07v336000 (vehicle speed control). a month later, he took his vehicle to have the speed control switch deactivated and the dealer informed him that the parts would be unavailable until october. on october 11, 2007, the contact called the dealer and they stated that the parts would remain unavailable until january of 2008. there had been no failure to date. the current mileage was 45,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 07v336000 (vehicle speed control). the dealer stated that the parts were unavailable and did not know when they would arrive. the contact felt that this was unacceptable. there had been no failure to date. the current mileage was 118,000. updated 12/12/07. *jb

Mounting bolt from rear hatch window pulled loose, became stripped. hatch window falling of vehicle. *jb

I received a recall notice from ford concerning the speed control. i called bob bennet ford about the fix. they said they had the parts and could fix it on a first come first serve bases. i drove 30 miles only to find out they did not have the part and didn't know when they would get them. i drove home and called ben satcher ford. they said they had the parts and would be able to install the fix in about 10 to 15 minutes. i drove to satcher ford (45 miles). when i got there donald reed service advisor informed me they were out of the parts and had been for several days. he at least disconnected the wires to the speed control. he did not know when more parts would be available. it seems to me that if ford does a recall they should have the parts on hand to solve the problem they caused in the first place. i heard about this problem several years ago. why am i now just getting the notice to fix the problem. i connect ford when i first heard of the problem and they claimed they knew nothing about. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the vehicle caught fire while parked. the fire was contained to the engine compartment and extinguished by the fire department. the vehicle was destroyed. the purchase date was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 95,000. the consumer stated he would like ford to furnish another vehicle and be reimbursed for rental cars as a result of this incident. the consumer provided pictures, 2 engineers report and 2 letters from ford regarding the incident. the consumer stated his cruise control stopped working last winter. the brake fluid was low on 2 occassions. updated 08/01/07 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. while driving 35 mph, the vehicle began to ride roughly and backfired when the contact attempted to accelerate. the contact attempted to replace the spark plugs, however, the hex nut snapped when it was removed. approximately one week later, the dealer inspected the vehicle and stated that the threaded part of the spark plug had failed inside the head. the dealer recommended that a machine shop remove the spark plug. as of july 3, 2007, the vehicle has not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 54,184.

After coming to a complete stop in a local neighborhood attempted to shift the vehicle into park as my wife exited the vehicle. the shift lever broke inside the steering column with the transmission in reverse. i was able to manually shift the linkage on the side of the transmission using a pair of pliers while the emergency brake was set, and my wife applied the brakes. the vehicle was then driven to the local ford dealer, where i was informed that the entire steering column would need to be replaced at a cost of $1200.00. this vehicle was bought new in 2001 and has only 58,000 miles. it has not been abused in any manner. there was no warning whatsoever that there was any type of a problem. surely, this was a manufacturing defect that ford will probably deny.*ak

Tl* - the contact stated that while his 2001 ford explorer was parked in the driveway, the vehicle caught on fire underneath the hood. the fire damaged the entire front end of the vehicle, the electrical wiring, piping and anything that was concerning plastic melted in the vehicle. the fire dpeartment stated that this falure was common with ford explorer, that the cruise control switch would get stuck and catch on fire. contact can provide incident report and pictures. jrb

I am experiencing the timing belt tensioner issue that resulted in the ford customer service satisfaction program #00m12. this extended the warranty to 6 years or 72,000 miles on that part. too late for me, as i began having trouble a few months a go. now, i am at 6 years/87,000 miles. my local ford dealer said they knew nothing and so i called ford directly. they told me to lodge a complaint with nhts. pretty bad situation for me and many others as i have been researching on the internet. *nm

2001 explorer lost tire tread and blew out. *ts *jb

While driving on interstate, tire tread separated from the right rear tire causing vehicle to come into contact with gravel along the edge of the highway resulting in vehicle turning over several times. driver and passenger injured and vehicle was a total loss. *jb

Ford explorer 2001 - when i use the signal light, it frequently sounds like there is an electrical problem. it sounds like a bad connection. i have been told this electrical short can cause my truck engine to catch fire. *nm

At 37,741 miles,my 2001 ford vehicle had to have its lower right and left ball joints replaced because they were in dangerous condition according to the ford repair shop. it seems to me they had to be defective from day one in order to both fail at this low mileage. jeep liberty also dodge durango vehicles had similar failures. ford told me they are backing up their product as normal failure while the garage foreman has said he has had many similar cases. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 55 mph, the throttle and speed control stuck causing the vehicle to surge over 90 mph. the cruise control was not in use at the time. the brakes would not work and the contact stated the constant pressure to the brakes caused them to smoke and almost catch on fire. there were no lights illuminated on the dashboard prior to the incident. the dealership was alerted. there were no problems with the vehicle's cruise control prior to the incident.

Dt*: the contact stated since ownership, the lower ball joints have been replaced three times. the vehicle was purchased at 44,159 miles and has been driven 22,530 miles since purchase. the breakdown on the repairs are; on 12/13/03 at 28,676 miles both lower ball joints were replaced, on 08/05/04 at 35,260 miles-the left lower ball joint and spindle arm were replaced, this was only 6,584 miles since the previous ball joint replacement, and on 12/26/05 at 44,159 miles-both lower ball joints and the right upper control arm were replaced at only 9,331 miles from previous replacement. the contact expressed concerns regarding the continuous repairs to the service manager at the dealership who determined the niagara falls area has the highest rate of failure for ball joints in the country. there were no additional explanations for the extreme rate of failure. most of the miles on the truck are thruway miles. this vehicle has never been in an accident or driven in a manner to cause or aggravate this type of problem.

At around 55000 miles i had to replace my rear axle and i am now at 62000 and my o/d will start flashing and my 2001 explorer will shift hard or not shift at all. *nm

After having my 2001 lmtd edition explorer parked for over 45 minutes, the vehicle caught on fire and was consumed. it was a total loss, melted down to the frame of the vehicle. the fire marshal was unable to determine the cause of the fire as the damage was so severe, but i was referred to several articles regarding similar ford explorer fires. *jb

My vehicle has an idle air control malfunction and after conferring with other ford owners. most have had the same problem with their vehicle. i am concerned it may be a bigger problem than ford may be aware of. we would like to have it investigated if possible. my vehicle is a 2001 ford explorer. *jb

2001 ford explorer hood flew open and broke the hinges. *ts this failure resulted in damage to the hood and hinges, wiper blades and cowl area (ohio traffic crash report). *nm

Dt: the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. the contact stated cruise control was not working properly. she had the cruise control set at 35 mph while going up a hill, but was pulled over by the police, and they stated she was going approximately 65 mph. the consumer showed the police that this was what actually happened. this happened 7 times in the last 4 months. the on/off switch that was used to disengage the cruise control will not work, and the contact had to apply the brakes hard to disengage the cruise control. the contact has not been to a service dealer to have the vehicle inspected, and has not contacted the manufacturer. the contact stated the lights on the steering wheel did not illuminate. the fuse has been replaced to remedy this situation, but it did not fix the lights problem. *ak

Dt: about a month ago the vehicle was parked with windows up the consumer got in and put the key in the ignition and the vehicle started smoking from the hazard warning light switch, the emergency lights. stopped smoking after consumer started the engine, in duration of about 20 seconds. this happened about 3-4 times per week since after a long trip. this most often occurred when windows were up and it was very hot outside. consumer has not even inspected the under hood or engine compartment after this occurred. consumer took vehicle to a dealer yesterday and has not done a diagnostic test. . consumer did not know what was done to the vehicle but wished to file complaint. consumer noted there was no fire. ford wanted consumer to pay for repairs. *ak

Defective intake manifold on 2001 ford explorer xlt. *nm

In an attempt to avoid an chain reaction accident my husband, robert, veered off the road. our 2001 ford explorer hit a tree, flipped over trapping him in the vehicle and the airbags failed to deploy. thank god, he was not seriously injured, but the emotional trauma goes without saying. it is very upsetting to pay money for safety equipment only to have that equipment fail when you expect it to work. *jb

2000 ford explorer accelerator pedal became stuck causing a surge of acceleration.*mr as a result the consumer's wife went thur a garage door. *bf *nm

The generic electronic module (gem) experienced a condition referred to as "lock-up" in which the gem controlled electronic 4x4 system could not be turned on.

Dt: the front bolt that holds the drivers' seat severed off. *ak

2001 ford explorer 4 wheel drive the cruise control has burned out on the steering column. this started approximately 8-9 months ago and the steering column kept having smoke come out of it while i was driving. then it would stop, and just start up out of the blue,but about 4 mts. ago the cruise control finally went out. this item has been recalled on may vehicles of the same year, but my particular vin# has not been recalled. my suv has the exact problem that has happened in many of the vehicles and there is a recall already in place, just not for my vin #. they want me to repair it at my cost.

2001 ford explorer experiencing problems with a short in the wiring to the radio and the keyless entry system is inoperative. *mr the consumer was informed that the radio was no good. the problem was found to be a bad fuse. the consumer purchased two new batteries for the vehicle. *sc *jb

The driver noticed while applying the brakes a loud knocking noise started coming from the rear of the vehicle. the driver took the vehicle to the dealer. the mechanic informed the driver that the left and right brake caliper needed replacement. please provide additional information. *nm

Vehicle began stalling when it was around 30 degrees or lower in the winter and would have to restart the vehicle 3 or 4 times to get it to stay started, now vehicle does this every morning and even when its warm out. took vehicle to dealer, dealer put seal on intake platton. vehicle does it every time you start it now.

Overdrive turns off - ford has issued technical service bulletin ((tsb) 03-22-10 in obvious recognition of numerous problems ,but refused to pay for the repairs. *ak

While attempting to back the vehicle up, it caught fire without warning. the driver was pronounced dead at the scene. as a result the vehicle was considered a total loss. please provide additional information. *jb

Was driving approximately 50 mph heard a popping noise. noticed white smoke coming from steering column. no flames appeared. pulled vehicle over and shut everything down. contacted police and towed the truck. at the mechanic's shop was informed that the cruise control cable was pinched off and started the electrical fire. no injuries reported. *ak *tt

While the vehicle was parked a fire started under the hood. the vehicle was totaled. *jb the problem may be related to the cruise control as other ford model vehicles. *sc *jb

The tread peeled off of the tire while the consumer was doing 55 miles per hour. the consumer made her way off of the freeway this tire included in the tread separation nhtsa recall 01t016000. *nm

While driving the vehicle consumer states that smoke comes from the dash where the hazard light is. it gives off a unpleasant smell, and then it goes a way. please provide any further information. *nm

Vehicle was parked in the garage for an hour when all of a sudden it caught on fire along with consumer's home. results showed that there was a short with the cruise control switch under the hood.*ak

Vehicle: ford explorer xls, my 2001. problem: front suspension lower ball joint failure at low mileage (50000km and 63000 km, or aprox 31000miles and 39000miles). the failure was detected early and didnot have dramatic consequences. one part has been changed. the other will be dealt with soon.*ak

My driver's side seat belt closes in the car door on a regular basis. i have brought this to the dealership attention but the response was that it retracted ok when they looked at it. my concern is that over time this may cause wear on the belt that would prevent it from working properly in the event of an accident. *jb

Driver seat recliner bolt, the seat back/recline/forward broke, replaced several times. *bf the oil filter had come with a hole too large, the driver's side seat handle broke, the tires blewout and caused an accident that totaled the vehicle. *sc

The right front wheel was hot to the touch. all four rotors where replaced. *tc *sc *jb

The driver seat loose, seat track broke. replaced seat track. *bf the weld on the seat track had broken. the consumer requested reimbursement. *sc

The consumer received a recall on the bolt under the driver's seat. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the problem was repaired. three months later the popping noise started again. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer who indicated that the bolt was fine but that the lever failed. the manufacturer was notified but the refused any assistance because the lever was not part of the recall. *jb

I have had bf goodrich tires seperate and lucky for me i did not have an accident i had a auto shop tell me about it before an accident occurred. *ak

Nhtsa recall 01x001000 concerning firestone wilderness at tires. consumer contacted the dealer, and was informed that the parts were not available. it has been three years, and the dealer does not have the parts available. *ak

While involved in a collision rear middle seat belt latch plate separated. as a result the occupant was thrown out of the window. no major injuries reported. *ak

On two separate occasions i was involved in accidents that did damage to the front end of my explorer. both accidents were at speeds in excess of 25 miles per hour. one accident totaled the other vehicle involved. no other time did the airbags in my vehicle deploy. i don't feel this is a safe vehicle to continue driving my family in. *jb

The consumer noticed the rear passenger 's side tire was flat. when the consumer changed the tire, he noticed that the spare tire was a goodyear wrangler p26570r17. this tire was not the same tire that was on the truck. the tire that was flat was a coreovan wild track radial suv ms p2657017. please fill in additional information on the #dot number. *jb

Vehicle vibrated uncontrollably. vehicle was taken to the dealer, and mechanic determined that all four wheels were defective. a mechanism inside of the wheel tread sheared off into the manufacturer's tires, and caused the uneven wear and tear. *ak

Driver's rear tire experienced tread separation while driving 70 mph on a ford explorer 2001 vehicle. the tire remain inflated. original equipment, tire size 275/60r17, and dot# adt044t0101. *ak

The driver was merging from the highway onto the center lane without warning, and another vehicle crashed into the consumers vehicle. the driver lost control of the vehicle and the driver and passenger air bags did not deploy. the driver and passengers were injured. *jb

There were repeated problems with the idle air control motor on 2001 ford explorer. *mr upon starting the vehicle, the engine immediately stalled. *sc

At times my left turn signal when engaged doesnt work and at this time i notice smoke coming out of steering collumn,this has something to do with pressing the brakes, sometimes when i depress it works then goes off when pressing a second time, also display on stereo works part time only maybe one out of every ten drives. *ak

On january 25,2004 i was approaching a trafic signal in my 2001 ford explorer i slowed to approximately 5mph. my foot was not on the accelerator, but when i hit the brake the car lunged forward ,and hit the car in front of me. i hit the brake as hard as i could but the car would not stop. the engine made a reving sound as it lunged forward. the car in front of me sustained damage totaling $ 1237 and the passenger complained of a neck aggrivation. my car sustained minimal damage to the bumper. this was the 1st accident i have ever been in where it was alleged that i may be at fault, clearly i was not. this surge when decelerating has happened 2 times after this accident, both of which were witnessed by a passenger in my car. luckily nobody was injured on these occasions. i have since taken the car into the dealer whereupon i was informed that the dealer had received a technical service buletin (tsb) from ford regarding an idle air control (iac) valve for this make and model dated 2/5/03. the dealer replaced this valve on 5/20/04.*ak

I purchased this car on october 8,2003. three days after i bought it the check engine light came on. i brought the car back four times back to back. the first time they said nothing was wrong. the second and third time the same thing. on the fourth attempt, they had me take it to one of "their" mechanics. he said it was a bad switch in the system. not even a whole week later, the check guage light came on. the car lot where i bought it from said they were not going to look at my car because out of the kindness of their heart they've already looked at it. so i took it to a ford dealership, they fixed it and said it was a problem with transmission, and the steering wheel. they car lot said it was not their problem. i had to pay out of my pocket for some problems that are still under warranty. then the first time the check engine light came on i later found out that a sales person who was not certified mechanic, tried to fix the car when they said they were sending it to a mechanic. i'm still having problems and it seems like there just getting worse!

Transmission failure- no warning-

I have several more invoices 7-29-03 replaced dust seals and forgot to put brakes back together lost whole front end and braking. had truck for 3-4 days they have replaced the water pump pulley and s belt 2-3 times. cruise control 10-16, 12/31/02 again squeling noise 02/28/03 defrost kills truck and chirping still. 2/10/03 steering wheel snaped part falls around inside,cruise control was fixed, bearing failure in belt tensioner again. today still having the same problem. come get the piece of !@!@#@#. i am sick of taking this truck in every month to fix something. it is a lemon

While driving 35 mph there was are no turn signal or brake light. driver would move the steering wheel in another direction and the signals and brake light would come on and off. the driver was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic informed the consumer there was no recall for this vehicle. *ak

Airbags did not deploy after front-end collision with speed of approx. 25-30 miles per hour. resulting in cervical sprains to two passengers. passengers were wearing seat bags. vehicle was equipped with two air bags. *jb

When the consumer attempted to brake, the vehicle experienced extended stopping distance. the driver had an accident as a result. the vehicle rolled over. please describe further details. *jb

The passenger side seat back kept flying forward when the truck came to a stop. t he consumer feels very unsafe driving this truck. please describe any further details. *nlm

While driving 72 or 73 mph, the left front tire tread separated. general maxus p23575r15. please provide further information. *ph

Problems involving 2001 ford explorer. *mr (the letter was written in spanish) there was a problem with the front differential. *scc *jb

While driving at any speed, the vehicle lost total power. *ak when the new motor was placed in the vehicle, it would just die while in motion at any speed. it had taken the dealer three attempts when they told the consumer that there wasn't a running code, so it could not be fixed. *scc *jb

When the brake pedal is depressed at any speed vehicle pulls to the right and then jerks forward. dealership replaced the calipers, and turned the rotors in an attempt to fix the problem, but problem still exists.*ak

Safety recall 03s03 and 03s04 2001 ford explorer.*mr *cb

Front seat passenger's seat belt came unbuckled during a rollover accident. front seat passenger ended up in the back seat. *la

I notice the 2001 ford excursion had gear box problems. i just had to replace steering and tie rods on my 2001 explorer. also, i had to replace the idle control valve and a friend also has an idol control valve problem on his 2001 explorer. are these problems at large. if so, i would love to have ford reimburse me for these charges on a vehicle that just has 37,600 miles on it.*ak

Transmission leaks while driving or parking. dealer notified.*ak

Consumer complained about air bag problems. when the consumer closed the passengers door, the side air bag deployed while the vehicle was not running. manufacturer was contacted and stated that they will call the dealership and then they will call consumer back. *ak the incident occurred when the door was slammed by the consumer's daughter. *scc *jb

After starting vehicle air bag light would illuminate and remain on. contacted the dealership, and mechanic indicated that problem could not be resolved.*ak

There was a warning indicator that was originally illuminated green. when the indicator turned blue the vehicle was taken to the dealer for repairs. the indicator was for the lighting system, and the dealer made some repairs, but did not inform the consumer of what was done. currently, the indicator is not on at all, and the dealer cannot determine why it is not working. also, the rear window windshield wiper was not operating. dealer stated motor had to be replaced. *ak *ph *nlm

Vehicle is in the remedy scope for recal 03v281000 subject: high back seats. dealer does not have the parts to perform the recall repair.*ak

While driving and with no warning driver's side seat collapsed, causing consumer to fall backwards into the rear seats. dealer has been notified.*ak

40,500 miles, ford explorer v8. vehicle would sway and pull side to side from front end, mostly unsafe at higher speeds on highway. dealer (miller ford , mrt. 38 , mount holly, nj)said it needed both front ball joints replaced. i had them replaced for $700 vehicle has never driven the same and does not "feel" safe on the road at high speeds. feels like front end driver side has a major problem waiting to happen and dealer says it is fine. any bumps or potholes make it sound like the front driver wheel from the joint is going to come loose sometime.*ak

While driving the engine light was flashing , suddenly the vehicle lost power. dealer stated, spring broke over the third valve. consumer indicated that the vehicle was not any longer under warranty so she had to pay. *ak

Running boards have rutted out and if someone stepped on them it could fall out. *tt

The vehicle crashed into a tree at 40 mph, and none of the air bags deployed. *jb

At 31,059 miles, the vehicle hesitated at acceleration and loss power, especially at second gear. at 42,000 the car was brought back to the dealership because of same problems that experienced at 31,059 miles. dealership replaced the d.p.f.e sensor. *tt

While driving the consumer attempted to apply the brakes but they grabbed then let go which caused the tires to skid. *nlm *ts *jb

While traveling 45-50 mph the driver seat collapsed backwards without any indication. dealer was contacted and repaired seat. two months later the seat collapsed again. *ak the pin on the driver's seat where the seat back attached to the pivot with the seat bottom had snapped twice which caused it to collapsed backwards 6-8 inches. *scc *jb

Nar 05/21/2003 *mr loud popping in front end,passenger side window defective, back doors breaking from in side handles. *cb

While driving the truck ran off the road and struck a telephone pole head on. neither frontal air bag deployed. *nlm

The driver side wheel made a noise.*jb

The steering wheel had to be tilted in order for the brake lights to work.*jb

2001 v8 explorer 36500 miles, my transmisson started slipping all over the place, luckily i got the extended warrenty. but there is no reason for such a young transmission to go bad

Suv shutters on a quick stop at a light, when tank has about 1/4 in it. then will eather shut off or clear out when stopped. also if you park on a slight incline with 1/4 tank of gas i can not get the car started. both of these cases never had the low fuel light on before the incident happened.

Brake problem, in 2002 i had my explorer in to phil long ford 3 times for pulling, vibration in steering wheel when stopping. they machined the rotors each time. i then took it back to ford because the brakes were still doing the same thing, once again they machined the rotors down to the lowest thickness, the brakes continued to make noise and the pedal is now sloppy. i was told that there is no tsb report on this problem, but yet i find on the internet. the bulltin # is 15910 and #15249. i have reported this to ford and was told that what ever the dealer had to say was the way it was, because they were a blue oval dealer. *jb

Brake problem, in 2002 i had my explorer in to phil long ford 3 times for pulling, vibration in steering wheel when stopping. they machined the rotors each time. i then took it back to ford because the brakes were still doing the same thing, once again they machined the rotors down to the lowest thickness. the brakes continued to make noise and the pedal is now sloppy. i was told that there is no tsb report on this problem, but yet i find on the internet. the bulltin # is 15910 and #15249. i have reported this to ford and was told that what ever the dealer had to say was the way it was, because they were a blue oval dealer. *jb *ts

While applying the brakes without prior warning the a braking light appear on the dasboard. the light will stay on intil the vehicle is turn off. please provide additional information dealer is aware of the problem. ts

While driving and without warning timing chain was making a lot of noise. dealer was notified and repaired the problem. vehicle still experienced problems. *ak

The number three body mount located in the cab of the vehicle has cracked throw the metal which causes the body to be disconnected from the frame of the vehicle. the manufacturer has a service bulletin 122-25 for this part,but the repair solution dose not fix the problem per consumer. please provide more details. ts

While driving at 45mph, the vehicle will make a vibration making hard to drive. dealer has inspected four times. please provide further information. as you mentioned you bought this vehicle on 10/26/2002 call 800/922-1594 state attorney general office for lemon law. ts

Headlights too bright (low beams specifaically)

Consumer notice when depressing the accelerator pedal to gain speed from a stop, vehicle stalls without any indication dealer has been contacted. please provide further information. mr

Consumer states while pulling into a parking space when depressing the brake pedal right front wheel locked up. dealer technician noticed brake caliper needed to be replaced. please provide further information. mr

Consumer called complaining about having problems with the air bag light on the panel. also stated that the air bag light will come on every now and then to the point that consumer dosen't know if the air bag work or not. dealer was contacted and stated that the air bag was fixed but the light still comes on. ts

Consumer called complaining about having problems with the heather and radio panel. also stated that while the vehicle she notice that the panel where the radio is was extremily hot to the point where she tought that it could initiate a fire. dealer was not contacted at the time of this call. ts

Consumer called complaining about having problems with water leaking. also stated that is more than just a leakage because everytime the consumer makes a left or right turn you can here a real loud sound of water moving on the roof. dealer was contacted and stated that to keep the windows open so the water can dry. ts

While driving at 60/65 mph vehicle will vibrate very badly,could cause loss of control. contacted dealership.*ak

Consumer states that the anti theft door would shut down when ever a foreign key is used to unlock the door. dealer notified. feel free to provide any further information.*jb

While driving on the highway the vehicle began decelerating/not responding to pedal application. the consumer exited the vehicle and noticed that the accelerator pedal was dangling buy a pin, a ford trouble shooter met the consumer and patched the pedal so the vehicle could be taken to the dealer. *jb *scc

The consumer stated, while traveling, the vehicle will wander into traffic. the vehicles tires, have been replace four times. dealer has been contacted. *nlm the consumer states that she must strong arm to maintain control on the bumpy roads. the consumer has experienced an unsusual case of wandering, clunking noise-bolt missing/4 visits of repair, tire wear/noise vibrations-6 occurences, and alignment/suspension issues-5 occurences, that will not repair. the consumer has had several to many of the same opinions and suggestions of/for repair, and has tried just about everything to remedy the problem(s) and keeps getting the same problems. all with no cooperation/consideration of ford. *scc

Vehicle was parked, and consumer noticed that right front tire tread had separated from vehicle. firestone, wilderness, p235/75r15. dealership was aware of problem.*ak

The headlights are dim and do not put out adequate lighting, the consumer feels there is not enough voltage from the headlight to the bulb, the consumer has replaced the bulbs twice with white higher watt bulbs but there was no difference it was worse, the third set of bulbs were the blue halogen bulbs but when they were installed they were dark blue and the consumer could see nothing. *mr *nlm

Rear seat lifts up when brakes are applied, causing passenger in seat to almost be thrown to front of vehicle.*ak

Rear bench seat is not stationery. took vehicle to dealer, and they stated this was normal. please provide any further information.*ak

Windshield glass has a twelve inch broken line in middle of the glass. dealership is aware of problem.*ak

While parking vehicle power steering failed. dealer determined that serpentine belt had broken.*ak

Front end vibrated violently and jumped when any bump was hit, causing vehicle to lose control. problem has existed for 20 months. vehicle was getting close to not being driveable due to vibration problem progressing. dealer and ford were notified. please provide more information.*ak

Vehicle idles to low and causes it to cut off. took to dealer 4 times, and they could not fix the problem. *ak passenger side seat would not lock, also consumer states vehicle is experiencing poor gas mileage.. *yh

Head-on collision at 45 mph, and neither airbag deployed. consumer suffered minor injuries, damage to vehicle unknown.*ak

While driving at highway speeds on straightaway owner feels a wiggle or problem keeping truck straight. truck is unstable. problem appears to be getting worse. please describe details. *ak

While at a stop vehicle was rearended at high speed and pushed into vehicle in front. neither airbag deployed, driver suffered minor injuries, damage to vehicle was $ 8000.00.*ak

Consumer states that while driving at over 50 mph the slightest bump on the road will cause the vehicle to sway. contacted dealer and the dealer is not willing to do anything.*jb

Steering wheel would vibrate under 5 mph, dealer and manufacturer were notified. feel free to provide any further information.*ak

An electrical short in wiring of radio had caused a fire under the dash while parked. dealer and manufacturer were notified. *ak *jg

While driving vehicle will stall, and instrument panel would illuminate. took vehicle to dealer, and dealer replaced instrument panel.*ak

Vehicle shakes violently when accelerating up to 60mph or more. vehicle has been in for same problem appproximately 4 times. at last incident dealer found that sway bar was broken. please provide moe information.*ak

On two separate occasions vehicle inadvertently jumped out of four wheel high to four wheel low and caused loss of control. this led to a rollover accident. vehicle at the dealer, consumer suffered injuries. *ak *yh

During a crash airbags did not deploy.*ak

Passenger's airbags separated from dashboard console during impact. dealership was aware of problem.*ak

While driving engine check light will flash intermittently. dealer has been notified. *ak consumer states that when the light illuminates, the vehicle begins to drive sluggish, rough, and sometimes makes a screeching noise. dealer has replaced the pcm, vapor management valve, canister purge solenoid, tensioner assembly, vacuum hose twice, dpfe, and the fuel tank. *slc

Front defogger is operable, but heat doesn't heat. *ak

Temperature indicator light flashed, afterwards engine stalled. dealer has replaced thermostat.*akthe service engine light illuminated, vehicle started to smoke while in motion at a speed of 65 mph. vehicle was taken to dealer where he was informed he had a blown head gasket. consumers insurance company did a test where it was determined out that a faulty thermostat was the cause. *jg

While sitting at an intersection another vehicle rearended consumer's vehicle, and driver's side seatbelt assembly fell apart from the wall inside of the vehicle.*ak the seat belt fell apart on collision because it was improperly installed at factory. *yh

While driving 60mph vehicle vibrates. vehicle pulls to the right severly. steering wheel is crooked, pulls to the left. dealer contacted. *ak also, consumer states that there is very bad smell from catalytic converter which ford says it is normal. *yd

Consumer stated during a rollover the seat belts did not work properly, and passenger was ejected from vehicle, vehicle was hit and rolled over, consumers wife was ejected resulting in a fatality. *jg *ak odi spoke to husband and he assumed his wife was wearing the seatbelt. wife was driving and during event was thrown out the passenger's side window. there was no witness to the wife wearing the belt.cw

Upon closing rear door without excessive force, the window on hatchback shattered. *ak there was one injury. *yd

When vehicle was involved in a frontal crash at a speed of approximately 70 mph seat back latch mechanism for second row of seats failed, allowing seat to move forward. dealership has not examined vehicle for this problem. please provide any additional information / documentation.*ak

While driving 45mph, hit a deer and airbags deployed, but did not inflate. vehicle had frontal impact. *ak consumers head hit the steering wheel in the accident. *yh

When shifting to drive while at a slight incline vehicle will roll back until applying brake. vehicle taken to dealer 5 times, cannot remedy problem. *ak

Vehicle skidded on ice, went down an embankment through a chainlink fence, and rolled 3 times. airbags did not deploy, no injuries. vehicle was totalled.*ak

Air conditioner was blowing out hot air though the vents, and there was a knocking noise coming from underneath vehicle.*ak

Air conditioning problem. *ak

Engine manifold cracked and was leaking coolant from underneath vehicle.*ak

#1 driving when tire blew out and #1 lost control and hit guard rail. the tire info on the iv is: firestone wilderness at 235 p 75r15 105 s mud + snow. (claim# 46-0320-408) *mw

Consumer is calling to report a defect on the running boards. consumer sustained a fractured hand from falling off of slippery running boards. dealer has yet to be contacted. please provide further details.*ak

While driving vehicle hesitates and seems not to get gas. then, completely shutsdown. cause unknown. dealer cannot identify the problem. please give any further details.*ak

The vehicle rolled over on its side on dry pavement on the fwy at the posted speed limit in good weather conditions. no other vehicle was involved, the car skided when i attempted to change lanes. i went into a skid and the car turned on its side.

I took my car to astoria ford late last year, because it was stalling and losing power. the charged me almost $1,000.00 and the problem persists. the o/d on off light will stop and start. when it comes on which just started today, the car in any gear while only go forward. in reverse and neutral, only forward. as a police officer this is very dangerous, and i cannot drive the vehicle. many have submitted complaints about this to ford, they call it a phantom problem. i hope this phantom problem does not occur in front of a day care. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. while driving approximately 30 mph, the contact crashed into a telephone pole and the air bags did not deploy. the vehicle was towed to a tow yard. the contact sustained injuries to the jaw and was transported to the hospital via ambulance. the police reported to the scene and a report was filed. the vehicle was destroyed. the approximate failure mileage 23,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer. while driving 65 mph, the overdrive light began blinking on and off. the contact had to stop the vehicle everytime the blinking occurred. the transmission switched from first to second gear each time the light illuminated. the current mileage was 96,491 and failure mileage was 96,427.

Cruise control will not shut off after use by switch nor by taping on brakes. when tapped on brakes to slow vehicle down engine starts to rev up. to slow vehicle down vehicle had to cut engine off/ shift into neutral, and drift to side of road. contacted dealer, and consumer was taking vehicle into dealership.*ak

When air conditioning is on vehicle stalls without prior warning . dealership is aware of problem.*ak

Vehicle was going 30-40mph in 4 wheel with a light coating of snow. 4 vehicles lost control and started spinning out of control in front of the consumers vehicle, the consumer pumped the brakes lightly while the vehicle was in four wheel drive when the tire on the drivers side (both) experienced tread separation, the vehicle leaned to the left going out of control and ended up going down an embankment flipping on its left and right side before stopping in an upright position, the tires were original on a 2001 ford explorer, approximate 32,000 miles. consumer is currently waiting for tire from ford. *akdotp255170r16 firestone wilderness at size 16.*nlm

Nhtsa recall # 01x001000, manufacturer's recall 01x001000. no size and date available while driving around 40 mph on wet pavement. vehicle hydroplaned due to tires. also stated tires recalled and have not be replaced yet.*ak

When driving at 40 mph consumer was involved in a frontal collision which demolished front end of vehicle. upon impact, neither air bag deployed. please give any further details.*ak

During normal operation of vehicle there is a noise coming from all four wheels. dealership has examined vehicle but could not determine cause of problem. please proide any additional information/attachments.*ak

While traveling and when depressing brake pedal heard grinding noise. consumer pulled wheel off, and noticed pads were worn out. dealer was contacted. please provide further information.*ak

Firestone, wilderness at tires mounted on ford, explorer ,2001. while traveling at 35-40 mph consumer hit a construction site and passenger rear tire fell off, then vehicle rolled over. contacted dealer, and dealer was not willing to do anything.*ak analyst is unsure ofcomponent, possible tire failure, possible lug, nut, and bolt failure, causing rollover, consumer was injured in accident. *slc

Vehicle idled up and down and up and down all the time like its was recycling. vehicle experienced some loss of power. in may of 2001, consumer took vehicle into dealer for a sulphur smell. dealer told consumer that vehicle was fine. on 31st of may, engine light came on, and would not go out. took back to dealer, and the dealer stated consumer needed a new engine. also, vehicle would not stay on raod when ground was wet. dealer replaced stabilizer. *ak

Driver will lose control of the vehicle when making a sharp turn or on wet pavements at various speeds. dealer has inspected vehicle, and has not been able to correct the problem.*ak

Vehicle was parked. consumer noticed back window had shattered.*ak *slc

While driving 60 mph vehicle severely pulls to the right or left. also, noticed that problem becomes more pronounced when vehicle is driven on wet pavement. dealer has identified probelm as sway bar mechaninsm failure. *ak ford dealer stated firestone tires were the problem, however tires were changed to goodyear and vehicle still felt the same, consumer has had two near accidents due to vehicle problem. *slc

Consumer was traveling at approximately 75 mph on cruise control. attempted to slow vehicle down by applying brakes. vehicle was very difficult to bring to a stop. when vehicle stopped, engine was still idling/running at the 75 mph level. consumer shut vehicle off. then, turned vehicle back on, and engine automatically started idling at a high speed. please provide any additional information/attachments. *passerby stated that idle cable became stuck, and released it to prevent engine from running at 75 mph level. *ak

Vehicle was running, left in park, and gear slipped/vehicle rolled down hill. resulting in $12000 damage. consumer was not in vehicle at the time. emergency brake not used. *ak the vehicle was unsafe due to unkown defects. the exact cause of the roll over incident was not determined. *yh

When applying brakes vehicle pulls to right, and a squealing noise occurs, cause unknown. please give any further details.*ak

When coming to a stop passenger's seat slides forward, cause unknown, also rear passenger seat belt does not release from retracting mechanism. please give any further details.*ak

While traveling at 45 mph vehicle started to pull to left without warning. consumer did not know why this happened. vehicle went off road, and flipped over. road conditions were good. *ak

Front left steering knuckle broke, axle separated from vehicle, vehicle went left and crashed. filed by richard rumplik.*ak

While driving at 10-15 mph and when attemtping to make a right hand turn, gradually depressed brake pedal and pedal traveled to floorboard, causing extended stopping distance, and resulting in an accident. also, emergency parking brake/ fuel pump and other parts were replaced before accident. consumer has contacted dealer. please *ak bad check valve caused delay in starting the vehcile. the emergency brake was hard to release due to leak of greasing. brakes made high pitch squeal because front brakes and pads were glazed over. head light failed due to bad connection at lmultifunction switch. *yh

Consumer was driving at 35-40 mph and going into a curve when a very strong vibration occurred in steering wheel and front end. consumer had to apply brakes in order to keep control of vehicle. this has occurred twice. *ak

Right front wheel rim cracked while traveling at approximately 65 mph. tire had blown. when wrecker came to change tire, driver discovered inside of wheel rim was broken off. consumer stated that nothing was hit that would cause rim to break.*ak *jb

Consumer was involved in a 35-40 mph frontal collision in which vehicle went under a tractor trailer, and driver's/passenger's air bags did not deploy. please give any further details. *ak

While traveling and when depressing brake pedal vehicle went into extended stopping distance, resulting in an accident. please provided further information. *ak

When driving brakes become real soft, and consumer has trouble slowing down or coming to a complete stop. contacted dealer ,and dealer said that there was really nothing they could do about problem, even though they were very aware of problem.*ak

When driving and when releasing accelerator pedal vehicle just quits.ford has bene contacted. *ak

Pe00 020; consumer was traveling about 70mph on highway and heard a poppying noise. she was able to pull over to shoulders and noticed rear right side of tire was completly flat. firestone, p255/70r16 109s , dot vncu1r0090. firestone willbe notified.*ak

While riding down highway part of rear left rim came off of automobile. consumer was traveling approximately 70 mph.*ak

Rear seat belts on bottom; when sitting down bottom portion comes up forward, quarter away. this vehicle has rwo doors. dealership is aware of it.*ak

When appyling brakes vehicle severely pulls to right. also, a grinding noise occurs, cause unknown. *ak in less than 15000 miles, brakes have been replaced 3 times, was told by dealer that this was due to a factory defect and brakes were applied incorrectly. tire experienced blowout, there was a large deformed air pocket on the white letter side, consumer did not give any tire information. *slc

When turning vehicle right or left there is a cracking noise, like something underneath is trying to come apart. consumer has contacted dealership.*ak

While driving down highway at about 50 mph and after hearing a noise, consumer then decreased speed to 40 mph due to problems with tires. this was original equipment. contacted dealer, dealer never seen it before. *ak

P25575r15, dot vdhl1rw050, rear passenger side of firestone wilderness ht tire exploded while at a stop, tire had only 9,000 miles. *slc

When driving steering wheel jerked and vehicle wandered off into another direction. dealership was aware of problem.*ak

Vehicle was sitting still and was hit on passenger's side. vehicle flipped over, driver was pinned in vehicle due to vehicle landing on driver's side. *ak

Steering wheel will not straighten up when letting go off steering, just like normal power steering. *ak

Total brake failure when starting up vehicle. vehicle was towed to dealer. was told by dealer there was residue in brake fluid. please provide further information. *ak

Airbags did not deploy in a collision at 5-10mph, resulting in minor injuries. ford has been notified. *ak

Entire brake system went out in december 2000. dealer replaced abs and other brake parts. brakes went out again on january 30, at dealer at this time. also, consumer had to have seals on headlights and trim of vehicle replaced. there was a popping sound from radio. *ak

Vehicle was at a stop sign and suddenly accelerated into another vehicle. brakes and both airbags deployed, and consumer hurt his head. *ak the accelerator and brake pedal were very close together that it was easy to depress both simultaneously causing the vehicle to accelerate instead of slowing down. *yh

Consumer was traveling about 80mph on highway and hit a bump. it was a solid hard hit and suspension didn't hold. dealership was aware of problem. *ak

While driving 75mph a loud boom noise was suddenly heard. vehicle was thumping and vibrating. steering was very shaky. managed to get off highway, and stopped vehicle to check. there wasn't any problem with tires blowing out. limped into road service. mechanic informed owner the c v joints attached to transmission transfer case had blown. front driveline was removed & replaced, but vibrations still appeared. contacted manufacturer, and informed vehicle was a lemon.*ak

2 tires blew out while driving, and caused truck to lose control, hitting curb. no serious injuries. *ak

Pe00 020; consumer was traveling about 25mph on a side street and heard a noise like a gun had been fired. then, noticed that his the front rear tire popped like a baloon. tires were firestone wilderness#at p23575 r16. tires tread separated.*ak

Consumer has a 2001, ford explorer with 800 miles on the tires. passenger's front tire started to separate at sidewall. dealer said it was covered. then reneged & said the consumer hit something. dealer ended up ordering a replacement tire. consumer wanted the old tire back which the dealer refused & a conference call was done with firestone to demand that the the dealer refund consumer for the full value of the tire. tire size p255/70r16. dot unknown.*ak

Left front tire fell out. consumer thought that tire had exploded. *ak the left front tire became loose due to the front upper ball joint bolt failure. *yh

Pe00 020 ; consumer discovered defect on tire when she had oem tires replaced at american tire company. she had a puncture on her thumb because there was steel ply sticking from the tire wall. firestone, wilderness #ht, p235/75r15 , dot#vdhlirw150. there were no injuries.*ak the firestone wilderness ht with less than 4000 miles was found by customer to have defects on the inside wall. *yh

Vehicle was parked. noticed the tire was flat in the right rear. there was a 3 inch slit near the tread. put spare on in its place. took tire to firestone retailer & was informed nothing can be done. owner brought a different tire as spare. prot to flat, had experienced flapping noise against vehicle. the problem is still happening & getting worse.*ak

Pe00 020; went to have tires inspected and noticed that left front tire was split. she went to goodyear, and had all firestone tires replaced. tires were firestone, wilderness#ht, p2357515 #dot vdhl1rw070. there were no injuries.*ak

Pe00 020; consumer was travelng about 65mph on highway and heard a banging noise, and vehicle jerked. she pulled over to side of the shoulders, and right rear tire had tread separation. firestone, wilderness#ht, p2357515. she replaced tires with firestone.*ak

Vehicle vibrated at speed between 45 and 75mph. also, tires were wearing poorly. size o p235 r/15, the same ones that were on recall .*ak all the tires were replaced before the recall, because the tires caused noise, vibrationa and alignment problems. *yh

Firestone wilderness/atx tires were four days old and right rear tire exploded while traveling at 60 mph. dealer has been contacted. *ak

Vehicle was involved in a head-on collsion with a chevrolet s10 1987 at 40-45 mph. upon impact, air bags did not deploy. manufacturer was not notified at this time. please feel free to provide any further details. *ak

Consumer had an accident. bumper was among other parts that had to be replaced. repair shop told consumer , that according to ford, new vehicles will be receiving the bumpers first. they had no idea when they could replaced it.*ak,

While trveling at 20 mph vehicle loss control and struck a phone pole. vehicle towed to dealer shop. dealer informed consumer that loss of control was due to failure of the tie rod and lower control arm. parts are available for inspection if needed. feel free to provide further details. *ak

No summary. dt

My daughter's 2001 explorer sport was traveling south on i-75 diped to the right returned to the road and traveled aprox 1/2 mile and then rolled left to right and tumbled end over end killing both passangers. the air bags never deployed, and there seems to be no apparrent reason my daughter lost control of the vehical and it rolled.*ak

Rollover. truck was traveling on freeway at posted speed of 65mph. 8am, clear day, no rain, no other vehicles involved, driver alert and otherwise not impaired. tires had been replaced per recall and had approximately 8k miles on them. hit a piece of debris (more solid then tire pieces) in road which may or may not have blown out right, rear tire (unclear if cause of accident or during rollover). truck then started to fishtail in the lane. applied brakes (which did not lock up - good performance), also no skid occurred. the accident location was a freeway underpass, left lane with a guardrail very close to shoulder and was paved to the rail edge. as i was fighting for control, the front, left bumper hit the rail. truck then rolled over twice and did an additional 180 deg turn. i very strongly feel that with the excellent road conditions, proper safety of the guard rail, relatively low amount of damage due to the impact itself, etc, that i should have been able to regain control of the truck and that the rollover was an excessive, dangerous reaction which should not have occurred. the cargo in the back bed was centered forward and combined with the items inside did not exceed 600 pounds + 125lb driver (well within specifications of truck). bed had a dealer installed, fiberglass topper. i will give the car credit for keeping me safe during the rollover. i substained scratches, bruises, a sprained wrist, and bump on the head but was held in place very securely by the safety belt and seat. gas tank also ruptured, spilling 19 gallons on roadway, but did not explode. photos are available. i understand after talking to dealer management that the sport trac models are not suppose to have the rollover history of the enclosed explorers but they obviously share the same stability problems.*ak

Straps fail to hold scooter securely, bolts holding rollers in place bend, screws holding platform toghether come loose,the lift fails to remain in the up position with the scooter secured to it after hitting mild bumps.

Vehicle is confined to driveway. consumer has replaced tires 4 times. mr

The seat is designed wit a head restraint that is too low and caused a persons head to snap back resulting in injury. we would like to know if this has happened to opher people.*ak

Just completed 20 mile interstate drive, pulled into parking lot and heard a thump,stepped out to see the problem and right front wheel was cocked at 45 degree angle while left was straight. vehicle towed to dealer and repaired. there was no indication of any problem beforehand.if assembly had failed 5 minutes earlier, could have resulted in serious accident or fatality. *ak

The explorer suddenly rolled over, injuring me severly. moments after the incedent the car burst into flames.*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Anytime you are stopped, (in drive, neutral or reverse), or stopped at a light, the engine skips. they call it a lean idol miss. a miss in any motor will eventually burn up the valves. it is not fixable. they will not even attempt to fix the problem. i have now taken the tags off and it sets in my driveway. i will not cause any further damage to this truck. i have talked with everyone, including the dealership, the ford feild service person, consumer affairs, ford customer service and also an executive from ford in michigan named mr. duncan. no one will budge. no one will help me and i don't have the money for an attorney. ford knows they have a flaw in the motor, but they excuse it by saying it doesn't hurt the motor. yes it does. mine is already blowing smoke. can someone please help us. the only other choice i have is to let the truck go back to the finance company. please help. this was my first brand new vehicle we paid 25,000.00 dollars for now it has turned into a nightmare.*ak

The dealership has been great. the original transmission was defective, the second transmission was defective and all of the fluid was pushed out the third transmission has been making squeaking sounds that cannot be located.*ak

Ford stated to me that i need to make an appointment to replace my tires but they refuse to pay for this.*ak (tiresize: 17)

Mfg installation or design defect--- upper radiator hose lays on the upper part of engine. it lays against the heater core inlet hose. the heater core inlet hose has a clamp that cuts into the upper radiator hose., normal engine vibrations are enough to cut through the hose. note: the hose has a nylon netting which is abraided. this results in a loss of engine coolant. the offending clamp is of poor design and placement. it is made from stamped sheet metal and has obvious sharp edges, hence cutting into the radiator hose. this could have been avoided at design with a different hose clamp or at assembly by turning the offending clamp aprox 90 degrees.*ak

Seat does not release to let back passengers out of truck. this problem is the second set of seat problems. i owned an explorer sport in 2000 and had the same problem with the seat. ford is aware of the problem and is not dealing with the issue. i have small children who ride in the rear of the truck and if some thing happens to me up front, they are trapped in the back of the truck and unable to get out. seems to be a seat mechanism problem which they refuse to address. this is actually a life/safety issue and i feel this needs to be addressed. please contact me at your earliest convenience.*ak

Low design placement of turn signal lever prevents use for left turn signal for individuals with long legs where there is insufficient room between the turn signal mechanism and the door to move out of the way.*ak

Rollover, l rear tire, ins. co states rim caused accident. *ak

My name is shelly franklin i am the owner of the vehicle mentioned my mother is the first name on the contract. this vehicle has been reported to have a steering and braking problem four times to the dealership where i purchased it and once to another. i have since had an accident in this vehicle due to the problems that this vehicle has. i have for months tried to solve this through the proper channels . this was not resolved and i have documentation to prove so. i have never asked the dealership for anything other than to fix it or replace the vehicle with another one equivalant to this one . they kept letting me leave the service dept thinking it was fixed only to find out that day or a couple of days later after driving it that it was never fixed. i had an accident that never needed to happen and i have been out money out of my own pocket because of this vehicle and it is still under warranty. i need this problem investigated and solved . you may be my last hope before i have to obtain a lawyer for this dealership and ford..thank you shelly franklin, 4004 sherman hollow , parrottsville, tn 37843 423-623-1060. *ak

Rotors have been turned 3 times. dealer has reported that high pitched squeal is common from factory. brake pads replaced twice, front calipers replaced last visit.*ak

My main concern is the inability to steer this vehicle. it wanders all over the road . if you happen to hit a bump ( like a lane reflector) it seems to be out of control momentarily. the vehicle has a distinct shimmy/shake. i have had the vehicle in the dealership at least 5 times(leaving it numerous days/weeks) they do not seem to be able to correct this. their last suggestion was to file the lemon law. it seems to me that ford should stand behind their product-but i guess only if forced to by some law. the reason i wanted to file this was to see if other persons were experiencing these same steering issues. i have never felt so unsafe driving a car before this one.*ak

I was in an accident where i rearended the in front of me the impact was so minor that there was no damage to either vehicle except that both of my air bags blew. i have an accident report and a estimate that clearly state no damage. on the web i found www.marketdrive.com/service/tsbs.asp that tells of 2001 explorer problems #01110 passive restraint: air bag impact sensor. i have asked a few dealers of the imformation and they have no clue on what this is. why did the bags blow at such a minor hit, will they go off if i bump a curb? i was by my self and happy that my wife was not in the other seat.*ak

From the date of purchase there has been a smell, both inside and outside the vehicle. a burning smell, at times the smell of rotten eggs. this smell causes me to be nauseaous. the dealer checked this on the computer, stated everyhing is okay. the computer results verify that the exhaust system is functioning within ford standards. *ak

Airbag light on may 10, 2000 with 6133 miles. air bag light on may 23, 2000. airbag light on june 14, 2000 with 9040 miles. airbag light on june 19, 2000 with 9395 miles. air bag light. had an accident which caused extensive damages to two vehicles and air bag light on again. three different dealerships tried to fix the problem. not one reported this information in to the ford system called oasis. i do not feel safe to drive this vehicle and i feel as if i am getting no where in resolving this issue otherthan e-mailing everyone and letting them know of this situation and how the dealerships avoid issues and hide the facts !*ak

Pinging noise when the engine is cold. when the engine gets warmer the noise starts to go away. computer # jxv2. *ak

Pinging noise at 2500-3000 rpms when the engine is cold. the noise goes away when the engine warms up.*ak

2001 ford explorer sport-trac almost flipped over twice for no apparent reason. i was able to somehow re-gain control. we are more than lucky to be alive right now... consumers need to know the truth. we did not!!!*ak

I am not the owner of this vehicle, nor the driver. my brother-in-law was a passenger in the ford explorer and was killed at the scene. there is a question of whether he was wearing a seat belt and if it failed during the rollover of the vehicle. there is also a question of firestone tire failure. both of the rear tires were missing the valve stems. we do not know if this occurred during the accident or if they blew out previously and that is what contributed to the accident. the driver was speeding, performed an unsafe lane change, then overcorrected, lost control, crossed the median strip into the opposite roadway, rolled over and hit another vehicle where another person was killed as a result of this collision. the driver was found "not guilty" in his manslaughter trial. so it seems this accident was attributed more to vehicle failure, even though there was driver error also.*ak

Vehicle rollover accident march 25, 2001 in toledo ohio. approximate speed 25 mph. explorer rolled over 6 times with me as the passenger being ejected during the 3rd roll. driver and rear seated passenger were help in the vehicle and received lacerations a broken finger and chest injuries. front passenger ( me ) was ejected from the vehicle and came to rest against the front drivers side tire. vehicle at rest on tires. received 4 broken ribs, 5 broken , dislocated transverse process and multiple stitches for cuts and abrasions in arms and head. rear drivers side tire was flat after the accident and was the only tire damaged. pictures of the accident are available along with any other information.*ak (tiresize: p255/70r16)

I have kept the tires in question in the event of any legal proceedings. i believe that my tires or some internal malfunction to the vehicle caused it to lose control and cause this accident. *ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Major side to side rocking at high-speed emergency avoidance maneuver. *ak

On several occasions while the back window was rolling up it would get 2 or 3 inches from the top and automatically go back down. after several attempts it would close. the dealer was notified and said they had to reprogram the memory. it has happened twice since then.

While driving on the freeway doing 65 mph passanger side rear tire fell off due to lug bolts breaking. vehicle almost rolled, but was brought under control before that hapened. spoke with dealership and they are not willing to help and said it was not under warranty. ford motor has also ben contacted and they are not willing to help either. (tiresize: 16 inch)

Second notification! the left rear spring on my 2001 explorer has failed again. the vehicle sits cockeyed because the left rear spring is lower than the right front. the truck steering is loose and the truck wanders at high speeds, 50-70 mph. the truck was taken to the local dealer who said they can't replace the spring until it is 1" out of tolerance. my questions are, is the leaf spring defective on ford explorers? why does the leaf spring fail? will the truck roll over if ther is a blow out at high speeds because the truck does not sit level? finally, i have been driving for 40 years and have never had a leaf spring to fail. help????

The left rear leaf spring dropped on my explorer. the left rear wheel well was 33" off the ground and the right front wheel well was 35" off the ground. the truck sat cockeyed. the truck steering was loose and the truck wandered at highway speeds, 50-70 mph. the dealer replaced the leaf spring on 05/03/2001.*ak

The rear seats in the explorer flip forward with my children in them when stopping fast. the seats do not lock down in any way. this is how they are built. tried to return the explorer 1 week after the lease ford told me it's a design flaw, can't be fixed.*ak

Driver's seat broke backwards on rear impact from a truck. *ak

Putting suv in park when the gear shift indicator broke and relocated to the 1st gear position. now stuck on 1st gear and there is no visual way of knowing what gear the suv is in. ford is covering the defect through warranty, but this is a real safety issue. repairs being performed at orr performance in atlanta, texas.*ak

The heater/coolant hose in the left side engine compartment is rubbing against the dipstick, wearing through the hose and potentially spraying very hot coolant under the hood.*ak

Have contacted ford country dealership for the recall/replacement of tires jun 6,jul 2,jul 13, jul 23 and on aug 16 & 17. in jun the service mgr larry said replacement tires would be in about 2wks. in aug he will not answer my calls or return my calls. i had orginally requested michelin tire as approved by the ford motor co. i feel like i'm just getting the run around. my wife and i are seniors and drive the hi-ways frequently, she is concerned about the firestone tires driving at the speed limit 75mph as well as at 109 degrees temp. and rightfully so. an accident at our age could well be fatal. the tire calls for inflated press. to 40lbs, ford co. says 30 in the front and 35 in the rear. when inflating at 30 in the front i notice the steering is hard (perhaps this vehicle is designed too top heavy and that is whay they have you lower the pressure in the front tires in turn making the steering hard to turn) anyhow i suspect the dealership is not replacing the recalls because their to busy replacing the tires on their car lot first, there in dangering other peoples lifes so that they can sell their vehicles. i have not had a blowout yet, nor do i look forward to having one at 75mph at 109 temp. i would appreciate your help in making ford co. and their dealership making good on their recall efforts. even though these tires are relatively new the temptures here in vegas and speed limits required can endanger my wife and family. will not answer or return my calls. in jun. *ak (tiresize: p25570r16)

This is not the only problem i have tried to return to be repaired on this vehicle. i have also been subjected to the most unethical behavior i've ever seen, from this dealership, in the purchase and repair procedures.no safety defect listed. *ak

Re brakes: they have replaced the brake shoes/pad twice ands rotors once. re tire/wheels they could not get them to balance out tried 4 times ( goodyear tried twice) total of 6 times. again a week and a half later, it pulls left when braking, and vibration is back again. i have spoke with wayne ( service mgr) and al mc donald ( general sales mgr). i have informed them of the nevada lemon law # nrs 597.630 he said to inforce that i would have to get a "lawyer". please note i only marked the first time of the problems i have full doc's of every visit on these items. please help! thank you, crystal del giudice. *ak (tiresize: p235/75r15)

Driver overcorrected veh rocked and flipped. no safety defect listed. *ak

Since i bought this explorer i had problems with the tires, i contacted the dealer but they told me that my tires are not part of the recall and they cant do nothing about it , i explain to them that my explorer its been shaking a lot, a lot of vibrations and thomps that i was scared because its been few times that i almost lose control of my vehicle in the highway and regular streets and its been a year now and they keep telling me the same thing and now even more because my vehicle have approximate 28000 miles and they are telling me that i need tires as soon as possible but because of my millage they can't do anything now. i explain and gave them information that i have been taking my vehicle several times since i bought it but they never wanted to do something about it and now with only a year old my vehicle is shaking more than ever and they since a year ago dont want to repalce my tires just because there is no recall for my tires. i have the millage that i have because i went to tennessee for one week for vacation but i only work 15 minutes from my home, i go shopping , and visit my family and they live only 30 minutes from me it's not possible that with the care that i gave my vehicle that my tires went bad in only some spots like they are telliing me now if i warethem out should be in a complete side not in spots this is not an off road vehicle so i dont drive it that way. please i need a respond as soon as i'm worry for my safety and the safety of other people driving. *ak (tiresize: p235/75r15)( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )

Ihave lost controll of this vehicle several times due to the steering and overall handling ,my tires are also playing a roll in this i beleave this problem is much more pronounced in rain or snow . i feel this vehicle is very unsafe for myself and my children! i've already had the vehicle into auburn motor sales for 6 days for complaints of lack&surge of power,bad sulfer smell at idle rolling idle(up&down), extremely poor gas mileage. the dealership was unable to diognose problem. as of today i've lost 21 days of use ,on a vehicle i've only had about4 and a half months know they say i need an engine that i'm still waiting on. i told the dealership i didn't feel this vehicle was safe and wanted it replaced .i got know where, when they found out i got lemon law paperwork they told me ford would not do anything about it pursue it through the state. i don't see how they can tell you that you are stuck when you purchased a new vehicle and it has compromised your safety time&time again! my salesman told me to look at the bright side i was still here to talk about it!!! i don't find this very amusing ,i wonder if ford knows how he feels in my opinion he was telling me i could of been dead!!! brenda. *ak (tiresize: 255/70/16)( dot number: tire size: 255/70/16 )

I am presenting two problems: first concerns the suv handling: the vehicle feels like it is going to tip over as we make sharp curves at posted speeds. i have made ford aware of this as a "rider" issue for another problem- the climate control system. it doesn't provide median temperatures. it provides only extremely cold or extremely hot service. i have an active complaint in to the ford and have tried on several occassions to have it repaired by the dealer to no avail. i have a lingering concern about feeling that the suv is going to tip over and the ultimate safety of the vehicle (although this has not occurred).*ak

Taillight mechanism caught on fire all by itself - truck had been parked for 4 hours. whatever the problem was it smoldered for a long time. the inside of the truck was sooo full of smoke.*ak

Braking system unresponsive at very low speeds, which believe is the result of the accident. now after only 3.5 months of having the vehicle, the braking system is very soft. brake pedal has to be pressed almost to end of range of limit before vehicle will start to slow down.*ak

The rear seats do not lock down, causing the top of seat to move forward when someone exits the back seat. when the seat comes forward it opens a pinch point that has pinched the hands of 3 that have ridden in the back. this is a safety hazard for all ages but especially young children!*ak

Complete failure of tail lights i.e. brake lights, turn signals, and running lights. *ak

The seats do not have a seperate head rest that is adjustable according to size. accordingly, a person of average height sitting in either the driver or passenger seat is to far from the top of the seat to get adequate protection in an accident. given today's safety standards, i expect more from a 2001 limited edition automobile. my husband was involved in a car accident and the majority of his injuries could have been mitigated if these seats were designed properly.*ak

Wife and i get sick every time we use vehicle, and hard to stay awake while driving. no safety defect. *ak

Deep scratches have appered on the inside of the front side windows. on the passanger side the scratches are so bad that it inpairs the view of the side mirror, it is so bad on sunny days that i can not rely on the use of that mirror. there are also deep scratches on the inside of the driver side window but they are on the rear of the window.*ak

Theycantgeta partyettofixtheproblem. no safety defect. *ak

World ford has done nothing but give me a run around and not fixing my truck right!!! i have nothing but agrevation with my truck and i dont feel that it's safe with driving my children in it! when advising the dealership of the trucks major complications they advise me to bring the vehicle back in 30-60 days to aviod the lemon law! no safety defect listed. *ak

I have experienced several "no starts" with my vehicle. i was informed by a firestone dealer when i had my tires replaced that he has witness similiar incidents with other ford explorer's. the firestone dealer stated that there is a problem in the fuel delivery or ignition system which causes the vehicle to flood itself at times when the ignition key is turned. i am very concerned if this is the case. the dealership where i purchased the vehicle has made three unsuccessful attempts to correct the problem. i am currently in arbitration. i know one other person who purchased a 2000 ford explorer from the same dealer and has had this same problem. the dealership is replacing his fuel pump as they have done in my vehicle; however, this did not correct my problem.

Blow out at 65mph no accident no tread separation (tiresize: p235/75r16)( dot number: tire size: p235/75r16 )

Rear window auto up does not have an obstruction stop safety feature. owners pet was nearly strangled after being caugt in the window while it was closing. there is a high possibility that a pet or small child could be killed in this window when it is closed.

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

When driving at highway speeds, and an emergency or panic stop is required due to traffic stopping, other bad drivers, deer, anything that may aply, you hit the brakes pretty hard to stop as fast as possible. the vehicle becomes uncontrolleable and veers either left or right despite drivers effort to stay straight. the dealer has duplicated problem in my truck and another brand new truck similar to mine off their lot. dealer said they cannot fix it. they believe it is a design flaw. the fisrt time it happened to me a couple of months ago, it moved left 2 lanes and put me next to a concrete barrier on the highway. my wife has complained of similar incidents about the vehicle feeling unstable and veering during rapid stops from different speeds. date of incident is dealer duplicating problem to trouble shoot. el cajon ford was the servicing dealer located in elcajon ca.*ak

Starter cranks for 10 seconds before starting. *ak

None

2 tire blowouts in less than 6 months is not normal... one while driving is unsafe..the 2nd while parked does not make sense. *ak (dot number: 8xhl ipy tiresize: 235/75r15)

Vehicle has a one inch lean on the left rear side. communicated, online with several other people who also noticed this unbalance in their explorers. safety concerned due to accident history of the ford explorer and the possibility that the vehicle is not too heavy on the left side. *ak

All the tires have dimples along the sidewall, its random and up to 8 on each tires, firestone says the tires is fine, thats the way all there tires are. plus its visiable when looking at the tires from an angle. they say its the way the belts are made, but the dimples or creveces are 2" apart then 4 " then 6"as an example. each tire has them randomly no uniform spacing to it. also the front tires havea strange wear pattern on them, according to indepentdent tires stores 9 to be exact, the belts are no holding therefore the tread wear is off at an angle and the inner part is dipping in.after having 4 ford dealerships and 9 tires stores tellingme there is a defect in the tire im scared to drive my new truck now. can anything be done to have my tires replaced? i went to 2 firestone tire stores they were no help. thank you........lisa campisi. *ak (dot number: vdh3333333 tiresize: p235/75/15)

With the cruise control on i drifted to the right and the passenger side wheels went onto the gravel shoulder. when i got the 2 wheels back on pavement the wheels that had been on the gravel seemed to go faster than the driver side wheels. the brakes didn't engage and the car shot across the highway while accelerating and the car flipped 3 or 4 times.

Clear, dry roadway, 50 mph, right rear tire blew out. vehicle performed very stably, i was able to stop and had tire changed. dealer replaced all 5 tires with goodyears at no charge at my request. tire looked like it had been sliced through from sidewall to sidewall. i took pictures, not developed. dealer has tires. (dot number: don't know tiresize: p235/70r16)

Very concerned as to why all firestone wilderness at tires have not been recalled, when it is clear they are experiencing failures of tires assembled in plants other than just the decator il. plant, while these tire have been recalled, and replaced in other countries, but not in the u.s. i do not feel safe driving this vechicle, and am constant fear for my families safety as we use this vehicle for trips, but have not been able to since this safety problem with firestone tires became known, yet other countries have taken action against firestone to replace tires, yet the u.s. continues to allow deaths, injuries to go on. please require firestone to expand their recall.*ak

My problem is that nothing has happened yet,i would like to know why no one has metion the fact that these tires are being sold an installed on new ford explorer sports 2001 models and that these tires have a tempiture rating of ( c ) the lowest rating,these tires will probley melt out here in arizona before the tread comes off.i have written 3 letters to ford an firestone and all they do is reply with some bulk generic letter,so i am sure no one really reads them so much for the full page adds that the ford motor company takes out to show the customer they cars about safty first.thank you for your time.allan sobrane.. (dot number: 8xuc tiresize: p255/70r16)

I was traveling southbound on hyw 99 on the afternoon of 9/24/2000 around 1:00pm. it was a clear sunny day. i was traveling at an approximate speed of 65 miles per hour in the right lane (slow lane). there were no objects on the freeway. as i was traveling on the freeway, i felt my car begin to fishtail and then all of a sudden my right rear tire came apart. fortanately, i was in the right lane and was near a shoulder so i was able to manuver and control my vehicle off the freeway to the shoulder. i was able to avoid an accident and there were no injuries. the firestone tire came completely apart. the chp took a report and pictures. my car is only three months old. it is a 2001 ford explorer sport. the tire should not have malfunctioned the way it did. the firestone tires are unsafe and i believe the recall should apply to all firestone tires not only the ones that were manufactured at the decatur plant. i was concerned about the firestone tires that were on my vehicle. i contacted the dealership where i purchased my vehicle and they would not return my call. when i did get a hold of someone i was told i was not part of the recall. i had my tires checked by big o tires. they checked the air pressure and it was fine. the dealership now is trying to tell me that road hazard caused my tire to blow out. there was nothing on the road that was a hazard and that would have cause my tire to come apart the way it did. then they told me that it was because of traveling long distance and having low air pressure in my tire. if traveling 15 miles is long distance then i would hate to see what would happen to the tires if i actually did travel more than 15 miles. i had the air pressure checked in my tires at big o tires and the air pressure was fine. it concerns me that i have a new vehicle and the tire comes apart so soon and it just happens to be a firestone wilderness at. ford and the dealership i purchased the vehicle at are very uncooperative. *ak

The tires wobbled on our drive home from the dealer. after the recall, we took the car to the ford dealer, who exchanged the front tires, which they said were "outof round". the wobble continued and these tires were not included in the recall, so i had the tires replaced at my cost because we needed to go on a highway trip and we didn ot trust the tires. i would like for you to explore including the 16 inch tires in your recall--the ford dealer in bentonville, ar said they thought they would be recalled--seems like a lack of confidence from someone who knows more than i. thanks( dot number: tire size: p225/70r16 )

When stopping, the passenger seat track releases the lock and the seat "slings" forward with or without anyone in it. it has sent my step-daughter into the dash as the seat slide foward. the seat belt did not stop it since the entire seat was moving. this seems to be a daily occurrence. *ak

While traveling on i 275 i experienced a flat tire. as soon as i felt my explorer started to lose control i pulled over and found the right rear tire had gone flat. i installed the spare tire and the following day had the flat fixed upon reinflation i found that the sidewall had a buldge running from the rim to the tread of the tire. i took the tire to a firestone dealer and he informed me that the damage was my fault. that i must have hit something to cause the sidewall belts to break. i called firestone customer hotline and the told me to take it to a second dealer. the second dealer told me the same thing. i also ask them what there warranty covered and they said manufacturing defects i ask what a manufaturing defect was and he could not tell me. if you look at there warrenty you will find that they do not cover anything . it is written so that anything that goes wrong is the users fault. i belive that if you have a flat you should be able to get off the road and change it and not have to buy a new tire as a result of it. *ak( dot number: tire size: p255/70r16 )

Although i have not had tire failure, how can anyone feel safe when riding on a tire which is idential to tires which were recalled except for the 16 inch size. this vehicle was sold by a ford dealer, knowing that the tires could be recalled do to safety considerations. i believe ford should replace all of the wilderness tires as a safety precaution.( dot number: tire size: p255/70r16 )

No summary( dot number: tire size: p255 70 16 )

Look like tread separation about 5 inches long on one of my wilderness ht tires. the tires came with my new explorer sport 2001. the car currently has 9400 miles on it. i went to a firestone dealer who inspected the tire and confirmed the defect. he recommended i change the tires for safety, but it will have to be out of my pocket since wilderness ht is not part of the recall. he confirmed the tires were manufactured in the decatur plant, and the size is the same as those in the recall. but since the model is different, firestone will not replace it. i am very concerned with this problem since i have to drive 100 miles each day roundtrip to work. i don't feel i should have to pay to replace defective tires if the products are at fault, but i don't want to put my life at risk when the firestone dealer has already inspected and confirmed that the tire exhibit sign of tread separation. i don't think this separation is due to the wear and tear since my car is new and the tires only have about 9400 miles on them. i have contact firestone directly and they are still telling me that my model of wilderness are not under recall, and any defect would not be firestone's responsibility.( dot number: vdhl tire size: p235/75r15 )

The left front 16 inch fs wilderness at was defective from purchase. no-one will listen. firestone claims ford did not balance the front tires, will only whine about ford. tried to sell me a $109 warranty on the tires. ford is worse, will only state i must deal with firestone. i've now talked to a firestone owned store, firestone, the dealer and ford. no help. since the 16 inch tire is not in the recall, i'm sol. the 16's are just as bad as the 15's. i'm 99% certain none of these tires are adaquate to light truck usage. i just went to tn, saw popped 16 inch wilderness at 16's all the way out and back. *ak( dot number: tire size: p255 r7016 )

Tire side wall blew out at highway speed at night. tire had proper inflation and was not punctured. pressurs were checked by dealer at 3000 mi.the remaining 4 tires have the same dot # and show bubbling at the side wall. the steel wheel was damaged along outter edge due to the tire failure.( dot number: vdhlirw130 tire size: p235/75r15 )

When going down a steep grade neither "drive 1" or "drive 2" engaged & did not slow the vehicle. neither low gears worked when the vehicle was in motion or when started from a complete stop. the gas guage will start showing 1/4 tank of gas when there is at least 3/4 full tank. this is accompanied by a burning smell coming from the front of the vehicle. when the vehicle is stopped & restarted the gas guage often returns to the proper level of gas in the tank.

Bought 2001 explorer sport 3/14/2000, on 4/18/2000 was driving at crest of sunshine skyway bridge over tampa bay when right rear tire "blew". it had separated on the side and was shredded. tried to have dealer replace, told it wasn't under warranty. replaced, got warranties on all 4 tires. firestone dealer now says isn't part of recall. currently in md: 3817 crow rock rd, myersville, md 21773 , (301) 293-9503. plan to drive back to florida end of sept. will have to replace tires, with or without dealer recall, don't trust them after near-death experience! think they're making a mistake not recalling all wilderness at tires. mine blew after 1 month (new), and wasn't included in the recall. (had sent info in your "comments" section of this site a week ago, not sure if you got it. thanks!( dot number: 8xhl tire size: p235/75r15 )

I can't believe im seeing this in the news! they should have told us! i thought it was a unique incident so i just replaced the tire myself. i did mention it to a service rep at my dealer and he said it was my problem (before i knew about this irregular failures). i would like the tires replaced. i do not feel safe with the tires now. that day was a normal morning in miami and i was driving down the street when i was approaching the same bridge i do daily to get to work when suddenly i here a something hitting the back of the car. continuously. it acted as a loud bang. not like a flat. so i stopped and there it was, a blown tire. how upsetting!!! well i hope someone does something about this!*ak( dot number: )

The belts on this tire separated with very low mileage and had to be replaced with the spare. had it come completely apart it could have caused a very serious accident.*ak( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )

Truck was purchased new with 13 total miles. windshield wipers are not working fuses are fine and the interior dome light is not working fuses are fine. while shifting from drive to reverse the truck begins to stall also while shifting from reverse to drive the truck begins to stall. *ak

The vehicle stalled and was repaired six times by the dealer. the problem was getting worse and the consumer was concerned about safety and wants the manufacturer to replace or repurchase the vehicle. *yh

Customer states, the cover for door lock and window switches on the driver side and front door is loose and will not stay snapped in place, also the door hinges were replaced.*scc *yh

Consumer stated that the vehicle rolls forward when put in park. *yh

Consumer stated that the brakes make a noise while backing up. *yh

The vehicle makes humming noise when turning right. *yh

Vehicle is experiencing spurious radio emissions in excessive of 10 meters form the vehicle. the radio frequency interference causes near total disruption to radio frequency equipment operated within 10 meters of the vehicle. the trouble has been isolated to the fuel pump. testing indicates the fuel pump is the source of the problem. consumer has been asvised by ford that there is a service bulletin to correct this defect but ford refuses to assist. *jg

Consumers daughter was driving the vehicle when some one cut in front of her. taking evasive actions to avoid a crash the vehicle rolled over twice. the vehicle was purchased with firestone tires on them. as a precaution, consumer had all 4 tires replaced. the roll over was not caused by tire delamination. consumer states because of the rollover risks involved with the firestone tires on this particular suv is the reason consumer replaced the firestone tires as a preventive measure. despite the precaution the vehicle rolled over. consumer would like nhtsa to reconsider its decision not to initiate a saftey investigation of the ford explorer. *jg

Vehicle hesitates upon acceleration and has also stalled on 5 occasions, the dealer has repaired/replaced various componets on the vehicle, however consumer still experiences the same problems.*jb

Consumer stated there is a creak sound when going over bumps, the dealer traced the problem as the lower dash bracket which was loose.*jb

While driving, there is a nosie coming from the front of the vehicle when turning right, the dealer lubricated the suspension.*jb

Consumer stated the vehicle idles rough, the dealer informed consumer that vehicle possibly has a bad injection.*jb

Consumer stated there is water leaking around the driver and passenger front doors when they are opened.*jb

Consumer stated the center console is cracking.*jb

The vehicles rear end shifts side to side over washboard bumps. the consumer received a letter from manufacturer offering to replace all five tires and request that his local ford dealer, order the tires.(firestone wilderness at tires p255/70r16 s)*yh

Consumer states she was involved in an accident traveling at 30 mph on dry pavement, consumer states she was unable to come to a quick stop and complete stop, consumer experienced some injuries during collision, consumer is questioning abs which does feel spongy or the fact that she was driving with the wilderness tires that are also questionable right now.*jb

While driving and trying to avoid hitting a vehicle that cut her off the driver lost control of the vehicle and it rolled over twice, the driver sustained relatively minor injuries, glass shards in her left elbows, the vehicle was a total loss, the consumer believes this is a design flaw of the vehicle.

Consumer states a strange noise is made when pressing on the accelerator, dealer stated the problem was the front axle and that there were scraps of metal breaking off the axle, consumer is requesting a new vehicle and states that the scraps of metal could be damaging other parts of the vehicle. *slc

Consumer received recall 00t-005 and is having a difficult time finding replacement tires. *slc

Vibration felt through steering wheel, power steering unit and front end suspension experiencing vibration and noise. *cj

Engine cranks and takes a while to start, extended crank, dealer has replaced the fuel pump. *cj

Truck seems to shudder or shake when put in reverse or from neutral to drive. *cj

Air conditioning unit/compressor replaced.

Firestone wilderness tires were replaced due to being included in recall, consumer is having difficulty being reimbursed by the manufacturer. *slc

A rollover crash by traveling at 35 mph on a gravel road. dealer / manufacturer were notified, waiting on manufacturer's response. *ak seat belt failed. *yh

On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi¿s analysis showed, it is possible for a spark plug to detach from the engine cylinder threads in the subject vehicles.however, odi¿s analysis of 474 complaints describing such incidents found only a very few alleged any safety-related consequences.none of these showed any evidence of a serious safety consequence.given the large population and relatively long exposure time of the subject vehicles, the complaint analysis indicates that the risk to motor vehicle safety from the alleged defect is very low.in view of the foregoing, it is unlikely that nhtsa would issue an order for the notification and remedy of the alleged defect at the conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition.therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize nhtsa¿s limited resources to best accomplish the agency¿s safety mission, the petition is denied.

On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi¿s analysis showed, it is possible for a spark plug to detach from the engine cylinder threads in the subject vehicles.however, odi¿s analysis of 474 complaints describing such incidents found only a very few alleged any safety-related consequences.none of these showed any evidence of a serious safety consequence.given the large population and relatively long exposure time of the subject vehicles, the complaint analysis indicates that the risk to motor vehicle safety from the alleged defect is very low.in view of the foregoing, it is unlikely that nhtsa would issue an order for the notification and remedy of the alleged defect at the conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition.therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize nhtsa¿s limited resources to best accomplish the agency¿s safety mission, the petition is denied.

On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi¿s analysis showed, it is possible for a spark plug to detach from the engine cylinder threads in the subject vehicles.however, odi¿s analysis of 474 complaints describing such incidents found only a very few alleged any safety-related consequences.none of these showed any evidence of a serious safety consequence.given the large population and relatively long exposure time of the subject vehicles, the complaint analysis indicates that the risk to motor vehicle safety from the alleged defect is very low.in view of the foregoing, it is unlikely that nhtsa would issue an order for the notification and remedy of the alleged defect at the conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition.therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize nhtsa¿s limited resources to best accomplish the agency¿s safety mission, the petition is denied.

By letter dated august 4, 2003, ford notified the agency that it is conducting a voluntary safety recall (nhtsa recall no. 03v281) involving certain model year (my) 1998-2001 ford explorer / mercury mountaineer 4-door, my 1998-2000 ford explorer 2-door and my 2001-2002 ford explorer sport and sport trac vehicles equipped with high back seats.complaints allege that the driver's seat back reclined without warning.a bolt between the upper seat recliner attachment and the seat back frame may fracture.ford will replace the bolt that attaches the seat recliner mechanism to the seat back frame on the driver side seat.based on ford's safety recall action, this investigation is closed.