NHTSA Complaint #10078581 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

BOUGHT CAR IN JANUARY 2003, WAS A DEALER VEHICLE. WE HAD 54,000 MILES ON IT WHEN I WAS DRIVING IT HOME FROM WORK AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THE SAME TIME THE EXPLORER STARTED ALMOST BUCKING. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS SHAKING SO BAD THAT I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AS BEST AS I COULD. I CALLED AAA AND AS THEY HAD ME TURN THE VEHICLE AROUND SO IT COULD BE PUT ON THE TRUCK THE ENGINE STOPPED ALL TOGETHER, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. AFTER BRINGING IT TO MY MECHANIC I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED UP. I CALLED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED BECAUSE MY WARRANTY WAS FOR 36,000. I HAVE HAD THE OIL CHANGED ALWAYS ON TIME AND ALSO HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR ITS FULL MAITENCE CHECK JUST MONTHS BEFORE. COME TO FIND OUT, THE VALVE SPRING IN THE MOTOR BROKE AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SEIZE. I HAD TO ORDER A NEW ENGINE FROM FORD AND BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND LABOR IT COST ME CLOSE TO $3,900. WHEN I CALLED THE FORD COMPANY, BECAUSE I GOT NOWHERES WITH MY LOCAL FORD DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR ME. IF A RECALL WAS TO EVER COME ABOUT THEN I SHOULD SAVE MY RECEIPTS. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE ENGINE TO PROVE WHAT HAD HAPPENED IF I EVER NEED THEM. THE WAY I LOOK AT IT, I HAVE MORE MILES, BECAUSE OF MY JOB, THAN OTHERS DO ON A 2002. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL OTHERS HAVE THIS HAPPEN. MY LOCAL FORD COMPANY SAYS ITS A FLUKE. NICE REASON HAH? TO ME A $3,900. FLUKE IS NOTHING TO LAUGH ABOUT!*AK