NHTSA Complaint #10587856 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

OVER THE PAST YEAR I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING SEVERE RUST ISSUES ON VARIOUS COMPONENTS INCLUDING LOWER BODY WORK, SPECIFICALLY UNDER THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS IN ADDITION TO EMERGENCY BRAKE COMPONENTS. WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THE ISSUE I TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION TO REPAIR THE DAMAGED BODY WORK AREAS BY USING ANTI-RUST TREATMENTS AND APPLYING NEW PAINT AS RECOMMENDED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC. THE ISSUE THOUGH IS STILL ONGOING TO THE POINT WHERE DOOR SEALS ARE NO LONGER WATER TIGHT AND SMALL PIECES OF BODY WORK ARE FLAKING AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF WIND RESISTANCE AND BUMPS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. I HAVE ALSO NEEDED TO REPLACE RUSTED EMERGENCY BRAKE COMPONENTS WHICH I WAS ADVISED WERE NO LONGER FUNCTIONAL OR SAFE. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH IT APPEARS THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF FORD/MERCURY/LINCOLN VEHICLES (PRIMARILY BETWEEN 2002 AND 2004) ARE EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AND THAT SUPPOSEDLY FORD IS AWARE OF A KNOWN PAINT DEFECT THAT IS THE ROOT CAUSE, HOWEVER NO RELATED RECALLS OR FURTHER INFORMATION HAS SURFACED. (EXAMPLE TESTIMONIALS HERE: HTTP://WWW.LEMONLAW.COM/WORDPRESS/MORE-PROBLEMS-FOR-FORD-PAINT-DEFECTS-IN-2000-2005-MODELS/ ) MY VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED AND WELL MAINTAINED AND I WOULD NOT EXPECT TO BE SEEING AN ISSUE AS SIGNIFICANT AS THIS GIVEN THE VEHICLE'S AGE AND MILEAGE. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AS I AM NOT CONFIDENT IN THE OVERALL SAFETY OF MY VEHICLE. *TR