NHTSA Complaint #10120814 — 2000 FORD EXPLORER

LEFT FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BRACKET WELD BROKE FREE AND CAUSED ME TO LEAN FORWARD UNEXPETEDLY WHILE MAKING A TURN. I HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT SOMETHING FEELING LOOSE DURING THE RECALL OF THE SEAT LEANBACK FASTENER(RECAL #03S04 A99).THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG BUT THEY COULD REPLACE THE ENTIRE SEAT TRACK AT MY EXPENSE. THIS WAS ON 10-9-03. I BELIEVE THE WELD HAD BROKEN FREE AT THE TIMES WHEN THE SEAT LEANBACK FASTENERS BROKE BUT DIDN'T COMPLETELY SLIP OFF THE BRACKET. OVER TIME AND USE THE BRACKET LOOSENED UP ENOUGH TO POP OFF THE SEAT BRACKET DRIVE ROD. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SUNSET FORD AND THE SERVICE TECH AND SERVICE MGR DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. THEY JUST SAID IT'S TOO OLD AND HAS 83,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I FIND IT SAD THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT THE PROBLEM OR WHAT MIGHT HAVE LED UP TO OR CAUSED IT. THE AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOP I TOOK IT TO FOR REPAIRS SAID FORD EXPLORERS AND EXPEDITIONS ALL HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE, BUT I THOUGHT SOMEONE SHOULD MAKE OTHERS AWARE OF THIS IF IT IS. THE AUTO BODY SHOP SPOT-WELDED THE BRACKET BACK IN PLACE FOR $74.10. I ALSO CALLED FORD'S !-800 # BUT THEY ALSO DENIED MY COMPLAINT BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE.