NHTSA Complaint #10025900 — 1997 FORD EXPLORER

I HAVE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF POWER IN THE ENGINE IN MY 1997, FORD\EXPLORER(PURCHASED USED, IN JUNE OF 1999) CAUSING ME TO LOSE MY BRAKES WHILE DRIVING, I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO SEVERAL MECHANICS (FOR DIAGNOSIS) AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM, THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT, AND THAT THERE IS SOMETHING DEFECTIVE IN THE TIMING SYSTEM, AND I SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS, AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD, THAT THE TIMING CHAIN AND TIMING CASETTE HAD WENT AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT PERTAINING TO THIS PROBLEM AND THAT OWNERS HAD BEEN NOTIFIED, HOWEVER I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE IN THIS VEHICLE, THE DEALER ALSO TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD COST ME $4500.00 FOR A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE-REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THE CAR WAS BEYOND THE MILAGE OF THE SERVICE BULLETEN. AFTER PAYING $28,000.00 FOR A VEHICLE, AS A CONSUMER I WOULD NOT EXPECT TO BE SUBJECT TO REPETITIVE SAFETY CONCERNS FOR SELF, FAMILY AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS OF THE DEFECTIVE PRODUCT (1997 EXPLORER), AND THEN TOLD THAT I MUST PAY THE AMOUNT IT WOULD COST FORA DOWN PAYMENT ($4500.00) ON A NEW VEHICLE, JUST TO KEEP MY INVESTMENT SAFELY ON THE ROAD. EVERYTIME I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER I HAVE BEEN ROBBED OF MY FINANCES AND DIGNITY. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO KEEP PAYING FOR REPAIRS OF THIS CAR, WHEN FORD KNOWS THEY HAVE MANUFACTURED A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD TO TAKE THIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR EXPENSIVE REPAIRS FOR DEFECTS THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT AND REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR.MERICAN AUTO MANUFACTURERS WANT TO KNOW WHY THE AMERICAN CITIZEN HAS STOPPED BUYING AMERICAN CARS? WELL THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE. WE WANT TO GET WHAT WE ARE PAYING FOR ($28,000.00 WORTH)!! AND FORD AUTO MANUFACTURER, IS NOT GIVING US WHAT WE ARE PAYING FOR... INSTEAD THEY ARE TAKING US TO THE CLEANERS FINANCIALLY.. *AK