NHTSA Complaint #10219630 — 1997 FORD EXPLORER

MY 1997 FORD EXPLORER DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAM SHAFT CHAIN WAS BROKEN OR LET GO. I WAS ADVISED BY FORD THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT DIDN'T NOTIFY EVERYONE WHO OWNED THEM BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PARTS TO REPAIR OR REPLACE AND THEY ONLY TOLD THE FORD DEALERSHIPS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND NOT THE PUBLIC. AND THEY ALSO PURGED ALL THE "OLD RECORDS" AS THEY CALL THEM AND CANNOT TELL IF THEY NOTIFIED THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD BY HACKETTSTOWN FORD WHEN I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE THAT IT WAS ONE OF THE SALES MANAGERS WIFES CAR AND IT IS IN MINT CONDITION AND WELL MAINTAINED. WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE., I WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT THERE ARE OVER 5 MILLION FORD EXPLORERES AND MERCURY SUV STILL ON THE ROAD. THERE IS NO WAY A CONSUMER CAN TELL IF THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN YOUOR VEHICLE JUST DIES, AND I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN IN ACCIDENTS OR EVEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM OR ARE STILL DRIVING THESE VEHICLES AND WONT KNOW UNTIL IT HAPPENS. IT COST ME $14,999 WHEN I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND IT COST ME OVER $6,000. FOR A NEW ENGINE. WHO IS WATCHING OUT FOR US? IF I WAS TOLD TO HAVE MY VEHICLE CHECKED I WOULD HAVE IT ONLY COST ABOUT $100.00 TO PULL THEY ENGINE DOWN TO THE CAM SHAFT CHAIN AND CHECK FOR THE PROBLEM. I HAD MY VEHICLE LOOKED AT BY FOUR MECHANICS WHO KNEW RIGHT AWAY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. PLEASE HELP ME AND THE PUBLIC WITH THIS PROBLEM, I AM DISABLED AND HAD TO BORROW THE MONEY FOR THE ENGINE AND WILL HAVE TO PAY THE MONEY BACK FOR THE NEXT 4 YEARS. I COULDN'T BUY A NEW VEHICLE BECAUSE MY VEHICLE FITS ME PERIFECT BECAUSE OF HAVING 35 SURGERIES FROM A AUTO ACCIDENT IN 1974.IF I SEE ANOTHER EXPLORER I STAY FAR AWAY FROM IT. . THE FUNNY THING IS WHEN YOU CALL FORD IN DETROIT THEY ASK YOU HOW MANY FORDS YOU HAVE PURCHASED IN YOUR LIFETIME AND WOULD YOU EVER BUY ANOTHER ONE. *TR