NHTSA Complaint #10086963 — 1994 FORD EXPLORER

ON 14 APRIL 2003 I PAID FOR SERVICE ON AN "INTERMITTENT START" PROBLEM; CHECKED THE BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM, THE ALTERNATOR, AND TESTED THE BATTERY.PAID FOR LABOR $76.50 AND $79.95 FOR BATTERY ASSY. HERE IT IS 2004 AND THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED BUT HAS GOTTEN WORSE. PURCHASED TWO NEW ALARM/ENTRY DEVICES (FOBS) ON 29 JUN 04 BECAUSE WE WERE TOLD BY ONE OF THE MECHANICS THAT THE NEW DEVICES SHOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THIS BILL CAME TO $211.10. ALREADY PAID $70.65 ON OR ABOUT APRIL 28, 2004 FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND TOLD THE REPAIR PART NEEDED COST $210. I WAS UPSET AND ONLY PAID FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC. I'M GLAD WE DIDNT PAY FOR THAT PART, BECAUSE EACH SUCCESSIVE TIME, THE SOLUTION TO THE "PROBLEM" HAS BEEN DIFFERENT AND COST ADDITIONAL MONEY. NOTHING THE MECHANICS HAVE DONE HAS RESOLVED THE PROBLEM; ONLY MADE THINGS WORSE AND THE COST HAVE TOTALED $814.67 FOR THIS PROBLEM SO FAR. THE MECHANIC SAID THE VEHICLE NOT STARTING BACK UP AFTER IT HAS BEEN TURNED OFF IS TIED IN TO THE ALARM SYSTEM. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE ANTI THEFT CONTROL MODULE ON 26 JULY 2004, $368.82. NOW THE WIRING IS NOT PERFORMING, AS IT SHOULD!!! VEHICLE IS NOT STARTING AGAIN, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WON'T GO OUT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AFTER IT WAS "FIXED", BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO COMES ON; SEEMS TO HAVE A WIRING/ELECTRICAL PROBLEM NOW. MR. LEE HIGGS, RED TEAM SERVICE MANAGER, HAD THE FUSE TO THE INTERIOR LIGHTS TAKEN OUT SO THE LIGHTS WONT DRAIN THE BATTERY, AT LEAST UNTIL THEY CAN GET IT BACK IN TO BE FIXED "AGAIN". THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THE PROBLEMS ARE INCREASING INSTEAD OF DECREASING. WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR AN OPENING IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO PUT THE VEHICLE BACK IN THE SHOP TO GET THIS RESOLVED AGAIN! *AK