NHTSA Complaint #10262603 — 2006 FORD EXPLORER

WHILE DRIVING THE ABS / CHECK ENGINE / RSC WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. THE TRUCK WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN FOR A COUPLE OF MILES, BUT THEN IT STARTED MAKING A NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE TRUCK WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO A SAFE LOCATION AND WAS LEFT ON THE SIDE OF A ROAD IN A HIGH TRAFFIC AREA AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER FOUND OUT THE REAR RIGHT TOOTHED RING KNOWN AS AN "EXCITER RING" WAS LOOSE ON THE AXLE. THEY REPORTED THE WHOLE AXLE PART NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF HOW IT'S MADE AT A COST OF $630 INSTALLED. THEY INDICATED THEY HAD NO REQUIREMENT TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM AND I BELIEVE THIS IS A MAJOR DEFECT WITH UNFORESEEN SAFETY PROBLEMS THAT IS BEING UNDER REPORTED. MY TRUCK ONLY HAD 50K MILES AND I HAVE RESEARCHED MANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS REPORTING THE PROBLEM ON CAR AND TRUCK FORUMS. I HAVE INDICATED ON THE FORUMS TO REPORT THIS DEFECT TO YOUR WEB SITE AND INCLUDED THE LINKS. THE FORUMS ARE INDICATING FORD KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM AND MY DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPEN ONCE IN A WHILE. WE HAVE A LONG TRIP SCHEDULED SOON AND I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH ANOTHER TOOTHED SENSOR RING FALLING OFF. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE LETTING MY WIFE AND KIDS DRIVE IN THIS VEHICLE KNOWING THAT THERE ARE THREE OTHER AXLES WITH POTENTIALLY THE SAME PROBLEM. THE COMPANY THAT MADE THIS PART SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR A DEFECTIVE PART THAT COULD CAUSE DIRECT OR INDIRECT DEATH AND/OR INJURIES. *TR