NHTSA Complaint #10383019 — 2004 FORD EXPLORER SPORT

WAS DRIVING 2004 FORD EXPLORER ON HIGHWAY, AND HAD SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. BROUGHT TO FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE MECHANIC ON HEARING THE ENGINE START UP, KNEW THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE TIMING CHAINS AS HE HAS SEEN THAT PROBLEM BEFORE. SERVICE DEALER GAVE THREE OPTIONS, ONE WAS FOR AROUND $3000 THEY WOULD REPLACE TIMING CHAINS, GUIDES, AND TENSIONER, BUT WITH NO GUARANTEE AS THE TIMING CHAIN PROBLEM COULD HAVE CAUSED OTHER DAMAGE. THE OTHER TWO OPTIONS WERE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THIS 2004 FORD EXPLORER WE HAD BOUGHT BRAND NEW, AND ONLY HAD SOMEWHERE AROUND 65K MILES. IF YOU WERE TO GOGGLE SOME KEY WORDS LIKE ( FORD 2004 V6 TIMING CHAIN GUIDE TENSIONER) YOU WILL FIND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM CAUSED BY A BAD DESIGN WITH THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WHICH LOOSES PRESSURE AND ALLOW THE TIMING CHAIN S TO JUMP TEETH. MY WIFE CALLED FORD HEADQUARTERS TODAY, AND THEY TREATED IT LIKE THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE EVER HEARD OF THAT, ALTHOUGH THEY ASSURED HER THAT THEY NO LONGER MAKE THAT STYLE OF ENGINE. FORD KNOWS VERY WELL ABOUT THIS BAD TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER DESIGN, AND BASICALLY WHEN THAT HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY WE COULD HAVE EASILY GOT INTO A BAD ACCIDENT. THIS STYLE OF ENGINE SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED AT FORD'S EXPENSE, I AM DISAPPOINTED AS WE TREATED THIS EXPLORER WITH TLC, AND NOW WE ARE TOLD THE ENGINE IS JUNK. *TR