NHTSA Complaint #704311 — 1999 FORD EXPLORER

I HAD CALLED EARLIER TODAY TO SUBMIT A COMPLAINT BUT I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE QUICKER. I AM WRITING TO YOU IN REGUARDS TO THE FORD EXPLORER SPORT 2 DOOR SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE HAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM. FORD HAS REPLACED THE STANDARD 4 STEEL LEAF SPRINGS WITH 1 CARBON FIBER LEAF SPRING AND USED 4 SPACERS TO RAISE UP THE VEHICLE SO IT WON'T BE NOTICABLE. UNFORTUNATLY THIS SYSTEM WILL NOT WITHSTAND ANY WEIGHT. THE MAXIMUM TONGUE WEIGHT IS 540 POUNDS. FORD STATES AND FALSELY ADVERTISES THAT THIS VEHICLE WILL TOW 4,880 POUNDS. IF ONE WERE TO ATTEMPT TO TOW THIS AMOUNT OF WEIGHT THE REAR END WOULD ALMOST BE TOUCHING THE GROUND. THIS VEHICLES DESIGN IS INADEQUATE FOR A 4X4 SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE AND TECHNICALLY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED UNSAFE. WHEN ONE TRANSPORTS 4 PERSONS AND GEAR THE VEHICLE SAGS TO TREMENDOUSLY AT NIGHT THAT THE HEADLIGHTS BLIND ONCOMMING TRAFFIC. ALSO, WITH THAT AMOUNT OF WEIGHT THE VEHICLE BECOMES UNSTEADY AND IS HARD TO CONTROL. ONE LEAF SPRING SUPPORTING THE ENTIRE REAR END OF THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH SUPPORT WHICH IN PART WILL CAUSE THE SHOCKS TO WORK JUST THAT MUCH HARDER AND WEAR OUT MUCH FASTER. I WENT TO A DISPUTE BOARD ON THE 2ND OF MARCH TO PLEAD MY CASE. I MADE SURE TO CALL THEM AHEAD OF TIME TO LET THEM KNOW THAT I WAS BRINGING DOWN THE VEHICLE SO THEY COULD SEE JUST EXACTLY WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT I HAD BROUGHT THE VEHICLE THEY STATED THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SEE IT. WITHOUT ACTUALLY VIEWING THE VEHICLE THEY COULDEN'T HAVE POSSIBLY MADE A VALID DECISION (IN WHICH THEY TURNED DOWN MY CASE) AND I BELIEVE THEY WEREN'T THERE FOR THE CONSUMER, BUT THE MANUFATURER. FORD HAS AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I CAN'T SEEM TO GET ANYONE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS INADEQUATE AND TECHNICALLY UNSAFE. AT NIGHT AND WITH A MINIMUL AMOUNT OF WEIGHT THIS VEHICLE SAGE SO MUCH THAT IT BLINDS ONCOMMING TRAFFIC. CUTTING CORNERS ON A $22,000 + VEHICLE OBSERD!!!!