1996 Ford Explorer

THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH OPERATING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND TURN SIGNALS FAILS, RESULTING IN TURN SIGNAL STAYING IN THE ON POSITION AND RESULTS IN WIRE SHORTAGE INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN, CAUSING ELECTRICAL SMOKE TO COME OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. HAD I NOT MANUALLY PUSHED THE SWITCH OFF, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN FIRE WITHIN SECONDS. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED TWICE IN THE SAME VEHICLE. THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED THE FIRST TIME, IN 2006. THAT SWITCH ALSO FAILED, BUT I WAS TOLD THE PART WAS ONLY UNDER WARRANTY FOR 12/12, SO I CANNOT HAVE IT REPLACED FOR FREE. SINCE IT IS FAULTY, (NOT CAUSED BY THE DRIVER) AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD THAT COULD LEAD TO INJURY OR DEATH, I BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO RAISE AWARENESS AND GET THIS HANDLED IMMEDIATELY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND TURNED ON THE HEATER. HE WALKED TO HIS MAILBOX AND RETURNED TO FIND SMOKE COMING FROM THE CENTER CONSOLE OF THE VEHICLE. ALL OF A SUDDEN, FLAMES APPEARED FROM THE CONSOLE. HE RETRIEVED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO DOUSE THE FIRE. THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD AND UNDERNEATH CAUGHT FIRE AND HE BELIEVED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE DASHBOARD MAY HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. HE DID NOT CONTACT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR THE MANUFACTURER TO REPORT THE FIRE, BUT HE DID CONTACT HIS INSURANCE COMPANY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 143,000. UPDATED 07/29/08 *BF UPDATED 07/29/08. *JB

DT: CONTACT STATED IN 02-05 THE CAR STARTED SMOKING WHILE DRIVING. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND THERE WAS A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR WAS DESTROYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. THE CONSUMER REPORTED OF HAVING NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FIRE. HE WAS NOT SURE IF IT WAS ELECTRICAL OR CAUSED BY THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL. *AK *NM

1996 EDDIE BAUER, FORD EXPLORER..THE VEHICLE HAS OPERATED FINE FOR THE PAST YEAR, BUT IN JUNE THE WIPERS, WINDOWS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND SOME INTERIOR SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN, THEN COME BACK ON, THEN LOCK UP AGAIN. AFTER TALKING TO MY DEALER, THEY TELL ME IT LIKELY THE GEM GOING OUT. THEY INFORMED ME THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN MADE ON 1999 MODELS, BUT THAT IT DIDN'T COVER 1996'S. I'VE SPOKEN TO A NUMBER OF OTHER 1996 OWNERS AND HAVE VISITED A NUMBER OF EXPLORER SITES ONLINE AND EVIDENTLY THIS ISN'T AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. THE NHTSA RECALL FOR THE 1999'S IS IDENTICAL TO THE PROBLEMS I'M HAVING...IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THE GEM IS AN EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT PART AND MY MECHANIC SAYS IT SHOULDN'T HAVE WENT OUT IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE VEHICLE IS MECHANICALLY PERFECT AND IS KEPT IMMACULATE, BUT THIS PROBLEM IS MAKING ME SERIOUSLY QUESTION PURCHASING A NEW VEHICLE GIVEN ALL THE ELECTRONIC GARBAGE THAT IS PLACED ON THEM NOWADAYS. FORD DOESN'T SEEM TO RESPOND TO THIS COMPLAINT, JUST TELLING ME THAT IT ISN'T A RECALLED ITEM AND THEREFORE ISN'T THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. *NM

96 FORD EXPLORER: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TWO WEEKS AGO, ONE WEEK LATER, BATTERY STALLED AND REQUIRED A JUMP, THE POWER LEVELS READ NORMAL. I CHECKED THE POWER DISTRIBUTION BOX AND THE FUSES DID NOT MATCH OWNER'S MANUAL. TWO PARTS SHOPS ADVISED THIS COULD TRIGGER FIRE, OR A DEVICE TO MALFUNCTION. PER FORD OWNER'S MANUAL, AIRBAG & ATBS IMPACTED. I REPLACED THE FUSES TO MATCH THE OWNER'S MANUAL. TODAY, I TOOK THE CAR TO A PRIVATE SHOP, THAT WORKED ON THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM EARLIER. THE OWNER PULLED AN ALL DATA SCHEMA, WHICH IS QUITE DIFFERENT. HOW DO I KNOW WHICH ELECTRICAL SCHEMA IS CORRECT - THE OWNER'S MANUAL, THE OTHER SHOPS REFERRED TO, OR ALL DATA? IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE, 60A VS 30A FUSES, DIFFERENT BLANK RELAYS, ETC. IF THE FORD MANUAL IS CORRECT, AND I FOLLOW THE ALL DATA SCHEMA, IT COULD TRIGGER FIRE OR MALFUNCTION. VICE VERSA, WOULD BE BAD ALSO. EITHER WAY, CONSUMERS SHOULD BE ALERTED? EITHER TO INCORRECT ELECTRICS IN THE FORD MANUAL, OR TO AN INCORRECT ALL DATA SCHEMA USED BY MECHANICS? (I HAVE ASKED FORD, ALSO, FOR A REPLY.) ALSO - THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN 6 MONTHS I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, BUT NO OTHER SYMPTOMS. THE FIRST TIME, THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE CAM SENSOR, AND IT EVENTUALLY WENT OFF. HE STATED THIS WARNING LIGHT WAS INSIGNIFICANT, AND REFERRED ONLY TO EMISSIONS STANDARDS. (NO VISIBLE EMISSIONS). I NOTE THAT - PER THE OWNERS MANUAL AGAIN - THIS WARNING LIGHT CAN ALSO BE TRIGGERED BY A MONITORING, GPS, OR ALARM DEVICE BEING INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. IF I CAN FIND NO OTHER CAUSE, HOW WOULD I CHECK FOR THIS, AND DO YOU HAVE OTHER RECORDS OF THIS BEING THE CAUSE? THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ALSO AN ISSUE, LAST SPRING. IN APRIL 02, THE FORD DEALER IN ORLANDO REPLACED THE IDLE AIR CONTROL, AND THE VALVE ASSEMBLY-THRO. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ALSO AN ISSUE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE; DEALER REPLACED SENSOR ASSEMBLY-EGR, THERMOSTAT ASSEMBLY. IS THERE AN ASSOCIATED RECALL, OR DOES THIS FIT OTHER PATTERN? THANKS! *JB