NHTSA Complaint #702911 — 1995 FORD EXPLORER

CLUTCH HYDRAULIC SLAVE CYLINDER FAILED 3 TIMES, BUT VEHICLE NOT DRIVEN OFF ROAD OR HARSHLY. MOST MILEAGE HAS BEEN HIGH SPEED USE OVER INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS FROM HERE TO FLORIDA OR NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA, WITHOUT EXCESSIVE SHIFTING. FIRST FAILURE, 12/31/97, I WAS TOLD SLAVE CYLINDER FAILED WHEN CLUTCH PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR AFTER A REPORTED PROLONGED PERIOD OF SQUEALING. THE SQUEALING OCCURRED AS CLUTCH PEDAL WAS BEING DEPRESSED. DEALER REPAIRED IT, SHARING THE COST, SINCE IT WAS ONLY AFTER 2/12 YEARS OLD. SECOND FAILURE, 03/04/98 AFTER SQUEALING NOISE AGAIN DEVELOPED. CLUTCH ASSEMBLY REBUILT. SUBSEQUENTLY, AT EACH SERVICE VISIT, I REPORTED THE RETURN OF THE SQUEALING THAT PRECEDED OTHER HYDRAULIC FAILURE. 01/21/99 SLAVE CYL. FAILED AGAIN. I LEARNED FROM THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT HE HAD A NHTSA TECH. SERVICE BULLETIN, BC2301970501, IN HIS POSSESSION SINCE NOV. OF 1997, PRECEEDING THE FIRST CLUTCH FAILURE. THIS TSB ADVISED REPLACING THE SLAVE CYLINDER LIP SEAL WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ONE. THE DEALER DID NOT DO THIS THE TWO TIMES HE REPLACED THE SLAVE CYLINDER, NOW IT'S FAILED AGAIN, AND LEAKS. WHO KNOWS IF IT WILL FAIL AGAIN WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ASSISTANCE. *AK