NHTSA Complaint #10596257 — 2001 FORD EXPLORER

FORD EXPLORERS MANUFACTURED IN 2001 WERE EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE ENGINEERED BODY TO FRAME BUSHINGS WHICH HAVE COMPLETELY DETERIORATE AND JUST AS EASILY CRUMBLED IN YOUR HAND, NOW, BUT BEGIN DETERIORATING ONLY A FEW SHORT YEARS FROM WHEN NEW. FORD STOPPED USING THIS STYLE MANUFACTURED MOUNT BUSHINGS AFTER THESE FEW MANUFACTURING YEARS BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY WERE DEFECTIVE. I'VE SPOKEN TO MANY EXPLORER OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM , AND THOSE I ASK TO LOOK UNDER THEIR VEHICLES, WHICH ARE NOT A VISIBLE DEFECT UNLESS UNDER THE CAR AND HANDS-ON INSPECTION, ALSO FOUND THIS PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE IS IN LIKE-NEW CONDITION OTHERWISE AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN GARAGED IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. THESE BODY TO MOUNT BUSHINGS, WHEN DETERIORATED CAUSE SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEMS TO EXPLORER DRIVERS AND ALL OTHERS DRIVING IN OTHER VEHICLES, DUE TO UNEXPECTED SWAYING AND OR BOUNCING POSSIBLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO ANYONE DRIVING NEAR THE EXPLORERS. I BELIEVE, AND AM SURE, THAT THE MATERIAL MIX OF THE RUBBER/SILICONE BUSHINGS WAS COMPROMISED DURING MANUFACTURING AND THESE VEHICLES SHOULD IMMEDIATELY RECALLED TO REPLACE THESE BUSHINGS WHICH SHOULD LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE. CARS 40 PLUS YEARS OLD HAVE BODY TO FRAME BUSHINGS STILL IN GOOD CONDITION. FOR THESE BUSHINGS TO START DETERIORATING AFTER ONLY A FEW YEARS AND BEING COMPLETELY USELESS AT THIS AGE AND CONDITION OF VEHICLE IS UNHEARD OF. NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE SURE ALL EXPLORER SPORT OWNERS IN THE 2001 PLUS OR MINUS VICINITY BE NOTIFIED BY FORD OF THIS DEFECT. PLEASE LOOK UNDER ANY EXPLORER SPORT MADE IN 2001 , AND YOU CAN CONFIRM MY FINDINGS. ALSO, HAVE A PRIVATE ENGINEER TEST THE BUSHING RUBBER/SILICONE MATERIALS USED IN THIS YEAR RANGE, AND I ASSURE YOU THEY WILL BACK MY CLAIM. *TR