NHTSA Complaint #10180887 — 1996 FORD EXPLORER

FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE DURING WET/RAINING WEATHER. THE CONDITION IS INTERMITTENT, IE MOST WET CONDITIONS CAUSE THIS 'LOCK-UP' CONDITION. TURNING IGNITION OFF-AND-ON AGAIN IN ATTEMPT TO RESET FUNCTION DOES NOT WORK. IN ADDITION THE INTERIOR LIGHTS, REAR WIPER, ALL POWER WINDOWS, AND 4-WHEEL DRIVE FUNCTIONS FAIL. THE DEALERSHIP ENDED UP REPLACING THE, YOU GUESSED IT, GEM MODULE - THE SAME ONE CITED IN THE RECALL FOR OTHER YEAR VEHICLES. THERE IS A RECALL (NUMBER 00V072000) FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON THE SAME VEHICLE MAKE AND MODEL BUT FOR YEARS 1999 AND 2000. THIS IS A 1996 FORD EXPLORER 4X4 AND HAS EXHIBITED THIS PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, ONLY RECENTLY WAS THE DEALERSHIP ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE GEM MODULE WAS THE APPARENT CULPRIT. *NM