NHTSA Complaint #10339332 — 2000 FORD EXPLORER

PURCHASED USED 2000 FORD EXPLORER IN 2007. LIFT GATE IN REAR HAS BEEN USED ON A REGULAR BASIS SINCE PURCHASE AND THIS PAST WEEKEND WHEN OPENING THERE WAS A LOUD BANG WITH THE LIFT GATE COMING DOWN ONTO MY BACK. THANKFULLY IT WASN'T MY WIFE OR CHILD THAT HAD OPENED IT AS THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS STRUT HAD BROKE AS IT WAS HANGING THERE BUT AFTER CLOSER INSPECTION THE LIFT GATE BALL MOUNT HAD SNAPPED OFF. THERE IS SURFACE RUST ON THE OUTER PART OF THE BALL MOUNT AND CLIP THAT KEEPS THE STRUT ON THE MOUNT BUT THE BALL MOUNT WHERE IT SNAPPED IS CLEAN. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS FAILURE IS REAR LIFT GATE WILL NOT CLOSE PROPERLY AND BECAUSE IT CAN'T CLOSE THE INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON AND GET VERY HOT. I REMOVED THE FRONT LIGHT BUT COULDN'T GET THE TOP OFF OF THE REAR INTERIOR LIGHT SO I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE WITH MANY EXPLORERS. PROBLEM IS NO PART CAN BE PURCHASED AS THIS MOUNT IS WELDED ONTO THE BODY AT THE FACTORY. TWO SOLUTIONS ARE THAT FORD FIXES IT AT A COST TO THE CONSUMER OR THE CONSUMER JURY RIGS IT WITH DRILLING OUT HOLES IN THE STRUT AND FASHIONING A MEANS OF ATTACHMENT USING BOLTS AND SCREWS THAT CAN AND DO LOOSEN UP AND NEED TO BE TIGHTENED FREQUENTLY. A SEARCH ALSO SHOWS THAT FORD HAS HAD PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH LIFT GATE PARTS AND FAILURES ON OTHER YEARS OF EXPLORERS. *TR