NHTSA Complaint #10129816 — 2003 FORD EXPLORER

BECAUSE THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON DURING LONG DRIVES AND REMAINS ON UNTIL WE STOP THE VEHICLE, OUR EXPLORER HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP ON 3 TIMES IN 3 STATES. WE''VE BEEN TOLD THAT WE SHOULDN''T WORRY IF THE LIGHT GOES OFF AFTER STOPPING. A ''GRINDING'' NOISE CHECKED IN COLORADO FOR 3 DAYS LAST YEAR WASN''T A PROBLEM UNTIL OUR REAR DIFFERENTIAL SUDDENLY WENT "OUT," IN OHIO. IN ILLINOIS, THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON FOR THE FIRST TIME. WE WENT TO THE CLOSEST FORD DEALERSHIP, AND SINCE IT DIDN''T REMAIN LIT, WE WERE TOLD TO GET IT REPAIRED IN IOWA, SINCE IT WASN'T "MAJOR." THE ABS REAR SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT EXPLORERS WITH DIFFERENTIAL REPLACEMENT WERE HAVING SENSOR PROBLEMS. WHEN THE DIFFERENTIAL WAS REPLACED IN OHIO, THE SERVICE REP MENTIONED A "KIT" TO REPLACE THE DIFFERENTIAL. BOTH GARAGES SEEMED CONVERSANT WITH THE ABS SENSOR AND DIFFERENTIAL PROBLEMS. THE SUV HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AT FORD DEALERSHIPS TO ENSURE SYSTEMS SERVICED BY MECHANICS AND TECHNICIANS WELL VERSED IN FORD PRODUCTS. THE ABS SENSOR LIGHT PROBLEM RECURRED IN MAY AFTER A 200 MILE ROAD TRIP, GOING OFF AFTER WE STOPPED. MY BRAKES FAILED WHEN I TRIED TO STOP WHILE TRAVELING BETWEEN 5-10 MPH,ABOUT 550+ MILES INTO AN EXTENDED ROAD TRIP. NO CITATION WAS ISSUED AS THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTY SAID THERE WERE NO SKID MARKS ON THE PAVEMENT TO INDICATE THAT I HAD "JAMMED" ON THE BRAKES. I HAD PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND HAD NO BRAKES WHEN I HIT THE BACK OF A PENSKE MOVING TRUCK. THE ABS BRAKES AND "AUXILIARY" BRAKES FAILED ON THE VEHICLE, WITH OVER $11,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, EVEN AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, WHICH SEEMS TO BE A PATTERN OF PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS. THE AIR BAG DIDN''T DEPLOY. I REPORTED THIS TO FORD'S CUSTOMER CARE CENTER ON 7/18/2005, GOT A REFERENCE NUMBER, AND WAS TOLD I WOULD HEAR FROM THE CONSUMER ADVISORY GROUP WITHIN 3 BUSINESS DAYS, HAVEN''T HEARD FROM THEM, YET.