NHTSA Complaint #10363703 — 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC

I PURCHASED A 2001 FORD SPORT TRAC NEW ON JULY 21, 2001. IT NOW HAS ALMOST 78,000 MILES ON IT. A FEW MONTHS AGO I STARTED NOTICING ALOT ROUGHER RIDE THAN USUAL. AS IT SEEMED TO GET WORSE AND WORSE, I DECIDED TO PUT IT ON A LIFT AND HAVE A LOOK. WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT ALL OF THE CAB BODY MOUNTING BUSHINGS HAVE JUST DETERIORATED. THEY ARE STILL THERE, BUT WILL ACTUALLY CRUMBLE IN YOUR HANDS. AS I KNEW THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, I DECIDED TO LOOK ON THE INTERNET TO SEE IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE ANSWER IS YES. IT LOOKS LIKE QUIET A NUMBER OF PEOPLE. I CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP TO ASK IF FORD HAD A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. I EXPLAINED HOW THE BUSHINGS WOULD JUST CRUMBLE IN YOUR HANDS, AND THAT IT WAS ONLY THE CAB BODY BUSHINGS. THE BED BUSHINGS ARE ALMOST LIKE NEW, NOT HARDLY SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF WEAR. I WAS INFORMED THAT I NEEDED TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO THEM TO LOOK AT IT, BUT WAS GIVEN THE PHONE NUMBER OF FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE TO CALL THEM AND EXPLAIN THE SITUATION. I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXPLAINED IT TO THEM. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. I DID THAT, AND WAS INFORMED AT THAT TIME THAT ALL I COULD DO WAS CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE BACK AND SEE IF THEY WOULD HELP ME OUT, SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I CALLED THEM AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY , AND THAT I SHOULD HAVE THE WORK DONE ON IT BY THE FORD DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I WOULD GET A 12 MONTH/ 12000 MILE WARRANTY ON THE WORK. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER FOR PRICES ON THE BUSHINGS, I WAS ABOUT FLOORED TO HEAR THAT THEY WOULD COST ABOUT $478.36 PER SIDE, SO THAT IS TIMES 2 SIDES. THEN, THAT DOES NOT EVEN INCLUDE THE NEW BOLTS TAX, OR LABOR. THIS COULD BE A REALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF THE VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. BUT I EXPLAINED THAT TO FORD'S CUSTOMER SERVICE PEOPLE ALSO, AS THEY COULD SEEM TO CARE LESS. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS NO WAY SHOULD THE BUSHINGS BE DETERIORATED LIKE THIS . *TR