NHTSA Complaint #10510913 — 2004 FORD EXPLORER

WHILE WAS DRIVING ON I-95 I GAVE THE CAR A BOOST OF SPEED TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE. I NOTICED MY BACK WINDOW BECOME "DIRTY" (COVERED IN COOLANT) AND WHILE THE CAR SEEMED OKAY I MOVED TO THE RIGHT LANE. THERE WAS NO SHOULDER TO PULL OFF DUE TO CONSTRUCTION. WITHOUT A SHOULDER I HAD TO KEEP GOING ANOTHER COUPLE MILES; AFTER A COUPLE MILES I STARTED LOOSING SPEED GRADUALLY. WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE - I WAS FORTUNATE TO MAKE IT TO AN EXIT WHERE UPON IMMEDIATELY THE CAR DIED AS I SLOWED AND WHITE SMOKE STARTED BILLOWING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE PROBLEM WAS THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING FAILED CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE COOLANT. SINCE I WAS UNABLE TO PULL OVER IT RESULTED A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. DUE TO DESIGN OF THE ENGINE THIS REPAIR IS PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE. I HAVE SEEN THIS THERMOSTAT COMPLAINT NUMEROUS TIMES AND IT IS TIME THAT FORD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PLASTIC PARTS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO THE ENGINE. THIS PART SHOULD BE ALUMINUM ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC. PLEASE CONSIDER RECALL TO REPLACE PLASTIC THERMOSTAT HOUSING WITH METAL: FORD MUST USE METAL PARTS BECAUSE PLASTIC WARPS IN THE HEAT. THE AFFECTED PARTS ARE THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING AND IT'S CONNECTION TO THE ENGINE. I HAVE GOOD MAINTENANCE, OIL CHANGED REGULARLY, FLUIDS CHECKED AND MAINTAINED REGULARLY. I ALSO DRIVE VERY CONSERVATIVELY AND AM EASY ON MY DRIVING. FORD MUST FIX THIS! BETWEEN THIS ISSUE AND A BOLT IN MY STEERING COLUMN FALLING OUT (CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING) MY CONFIDENCE IN FORD IS DIMINISHED. *TR