1996 Ford Explorer

I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND HEARD A BIG BANG, LIKE SOMEONE THREW SOMETHING AND HIT THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK. I TOOK IT INTO FORD AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG BECAUSE THE BOLT BROKE HOLDING THE ARM TO CONTROL THE FRONT END. IT WAS JUST HANGING ON BY A THREAD WAITING TO POP OUT AND ME TO LOSE CONTROL AND BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WORSE, KILLED. THEY FOUND THIS OUT A WEEK LATER WHEN I RETURNED TO HAVE THE OTHER WORK COMPLETED. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON (THE SECOND TIME WITHIN 16,000 MILES) AND MY WINDOW WASHER WAS BROKE. WHEN THEY WENT TO CHECK THE FRONT END AGAIN THEY PUT IT UP ON THE RACK AND THAT IS WHEN THE BOLT FELL OUT. I WAS TOLD I WAS LUCKY TO BE THERE. IF IT WENT WHEN I WAS DRIVING I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. WHAT REALLY UPSETS ME IS, THEY TOLD ME THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT IN, THAT I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT DID IT CONSTANTLY. I AM STILL COUNTING MY BLESSINGS TO THIS DAY. NO ONE COULD EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT CAUSED THIS PROBLEM OR WHY IT HAPPENED. I WAS TOLD BY FORD MOTOR CO. THAT THIS ISN'T A RECALL ITEM AND FINANCIALLY THEY COULDN'T HELP BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. WARRANTY OR NOT, THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED!! TO ME THIS IS SHODDY WORKMANSHIP ON FORD'S PART. THE PRICE YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE VEHICLES IS OUTRAGEOUS AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE DEATH TRAPS. I'M CONSTANTLY PUTTING MONEY INTO IT (BESIDES MY MONTHLY CAR PAYMENTS) TO KEEP IT ON THE ROAD. I AM VERY DISSATISFIED WITH THIS VEHICLE AND WILL NEVER BUY A FORD PRODUCT AGAIN! I JUST WANT BUYERS TO BEWARE!!

MY WIFE COMMENTED THAT SHE HAD DIFFICULTY STEERING HER FORD EXPLORER ON 4/8/00. I DROVE THE VEHICLE AND AGREED THAT IT SEEMED TO "SWAY" FROM SIDE TO SIDE. EXAMINING THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED A PART WAS MISSING FROM THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL/AXLE ASSEMBLY. I LATER FOUND THE PART IN MY DRIVEWAY. IT WAS A "SWAY LINK ASSEMBLY" ACCORDING TO THE DEALER. I HAD DEALER REPLACE LF AS WELL AS RF AS I FEEL THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE. IT SIMPLY SNAPPED IN HALF. THINGS LIKE THIS SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR, NOT BREAK AFTER 5 YEARS.*AK

EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR DUE TO INABILITY TO ALIGN FRONT AND REAR ENDS OF VEHICLE TO TOE, CANTOR, AND CURB. FORD SAYS ITS A DESIGN FLAW AND ALL FUTURE MODELS, INCLUDING THE YEAR 2000 MODEL OF THE EXPLORER AND EXPEDITION ARE USING THE SAME DESIGN. OUR VEHICLE LEAPED OFF OF THE HIGHWAY, NEARLY CAUSING US TO GO AIRBORN AND LEAVE THE INTERSTATE. THIS WOULD HAVE MOST DEFINITELY CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY IF NOT MULTIPLE FATALITIES. FORD IS NOT CONCERNED WITH THIS DEFECT, YET, MILLIONS OF FOLKS BUY THESE SUV'S EACH YEAR. PLEASE HELP AFFECT THE CHANGE. THANK YOU. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255/70R15 )

I NOTICED BOUNCING OF THE VEHICLE WHEN TRAVELING OVER DIPS IN THE ROAD. I WOULD IMAGINE THIS PROBLEM IS VERY WIDE SPREAD BUT IS NOT NOTICEABLE TO MANY PEOPLE BECAUSE THE OF THE "FIRMNESS" OF THE OTHER PARTS OF THE SUSPENSION. SUCH AS THE TORSION BARS. I HAD FRONT SHOCKS REPLACED AFTER PRESSURING THE DITSCHMAN FORD(FLEMINGTON, NJ) DEALERSHIP PRETTY HARD. I NOTICED THE DIFFERENCE IMMEDIATELY. THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO REAPPEAR AGAIN AFTER ONLY 4,000 ADDITIONAL MILES.THE SAME PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE TRUE OF THE REAR SHOCKS ALSO. THIS PROBLEM RESULTS IN BOUNCING AND DIVING OF THE NOSE OF THE VEHICLE DURING HARD BRAKING. I WOULD IMAGINE IN EMERGENCY(SEVERE)HANDLING THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PERFORM AS EXPECTED. I AM NOW CONSIDERING AN AFTERMARKET SET OF SHOCKS.

THE FRONT TIRES HAVE"CUPPED" WITHIN 2000 MILES OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER AND TO GOODYEAR OVER THIS ISSUE. I HAVE NOTICED THAT BRAKING TAKES LONGER TO ACCOMPLISH BECAUSE OF THE UNEVEN WEAR PATTERN THAT HAS DEVELOPED. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE 2 TIRES AT 46,000 MLES(AS COMPARED WITH 70,000 MILES ON A 1992 EXPLORER THAT I OWNED THAT WAS EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE TIRES). GOODYEAR HAS TOLD ME THAT I HAVE TO ROTATE MY TIRES EVERY3,000 MILES TO PREVENT THIS WEAR PATTERN. I BELIEVE THIS IS EXCESSIVE MAINTENANCE AND COST TO THE CONSUMER. GOODYEAR HAS ALSO TOLD ME THAT THESE TIRES WERE NOT ENGINEERED FOR THIS VEHICLE, BUT FORD EQUPIPED THESE VEHICLES WITH THESE TIRES AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT IN 1996. I'VE NOTICED THAT SINCE1997, FORD HAS GONE BACK TO FIRESTONE TIRES FOR EXPLORERS. I HAVE CALLED THE FORD CONSUMER HOT LINE. I SPOKE WITH THE PERSON ANSWERING THE CALLS AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD I WOULD HEAR FROM A FORD REP, BUT AFTER A YEAR I HAVE HEARD NOTHING. GOODYEAR HAS LOOKED AT ALL MECHANICAL COMPONENTS, INCLUDING SUSPENSION BUSHING AND ALIGNMENT THAT COULD BE CAUSING THIS PROBLEM AND HAS FOUND NOTHING WRONG. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM MAY BE INHERENT TO FORD PUTTING TIRES ON THIS AUTMOBILE THAT ARE NOT MATCHED TO THE VEHICAL SUSPENSION. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )