NHTSA Complaint #10281121 — 2003 FORD EXPLORER

PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM CARMAX ON 9-19-07 IT HAS BEEN TOWED IN AT LEAST 5 TIMES AND HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE FOR THE SAME ISSUES OVER AND OVER AGAIN TRANSMISSION, RADIO/NAV SYSTEM ,SPARK PLUGS BREAKING OFF AND GOING INTO ENGINE , BACK FIRING WHEN STARTING VEHICLE ,STARTER / IGNITION SWITCH,FRONT NOISE AND LOSS OF POWER .ON 11/28/07 IT WAS TOWED IN 2 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED IT. THEY STATED ON THE INVOICE BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKES SEVERELY RUSTED, CARMAX HAS SAID THEY PERFORMED TWO INSPECTION ON THIS VEHICLE 1 IN VA. AND 1 IN MD. HOW DID THEY MISS BRAKES ( ON MONDAY, MARCH10TH 2009 HEADING SOUTH BOUND I95. THE SUV ( 2003 FORD EXPLORER) STARTED TO SHAKING VIOLENTLY. AT THIS POINT, I HAD STARTED SLOWING DOWN FROM 65 MPH TO 55 MPH TO GET OFF OF 95. MOMENTS LATER THE TIRE FLEW OFF OF THE FORD EXPLORER, BEFORE I EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO GET OFF. FORTUNATELY, I KEPT CONTROL OF THE SUV AND WAS ABLE TO GET OVER COMING INCHS OF HITTING THE GUARD RAIL AND OTHER CARS AROUND ME. . THE TIRE WENT OF THE ROAD UP THE HILL AND BACK DOWN ONTO 95. THE TIRE WENT ABOUT 2/10 OF A MILE DOWN THE ROAD. FORTUNATELY, THE TIRE DID NOT HIT ANYONE ELSE AND NO ONE HIT THE TIRE. I CAME SLAMMING TO A SCREECHING HALT HARD ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR ,JAMMING MY LEFT ARM. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO CARMAX IN WHITE MARSH, MD. THEY HAVE STATED TO ME, VIA VOICE MAIL , THAT THIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. THIS WAS DUE TO FAULTY WHEEL STUDS AND WE SHOULD FOLLOW UP WITH FORD . MY WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER ANY OF THE DAMAGE THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO SUV. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON FORD EXPLORES I HAVE FOUND THAT THEY HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH FAULTY WHEEL STUD SINCE 1998. YET, I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY RECALLS. WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT MY FAMILY WAS NOT IN THE CAR . I FEEL THAT FORD EXPLORERS NEED TO BEEN INVESTIGATE AS WELL AS RECALLED. THEY ARE VERY UNSAFE AND IT LOOKS LIKE FORD IS COVERING THESE ISSUES UP. *TR