NHTSA Complaint #712918 — 1994 FORD EXPLORER

THE CYLINDERS/DAMPERS THAT ARE USED TO HELP RAISE AND HOLD THE LIFT GATE HAVE RIPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE BODY ON THREE SEPERATE OCCASIONS. AFTER THE THIRD FAILURE THE ENTIRE LIFT GATE WAS REPLACED UNDER FACTORY PROGRAM 95-M-87. BECAUSE THE FAILURE OCCURRED DURING THE 37TH OR 38TH MONTH AFTER PURCHASE AND BECAUSE THE DEALER HAD REPAIRED THE FAILURE TWICE BEFORE UNDER WARRANTY, THEY DECIDED TO HONOR THE FACTORY WARRANTY AND REPLACE THE ENTIRE LIFT GATE. SOMETIME THIS SUMMER, 1999, I NOTICED THE LIFT GATE WAS MAKING NOISE WHEN OPENED AND CLOSED. I BELIEVED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY RUST IN THE HINGE. IN AUGUST I NOTICED THAT THE LIFT GATE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND WASN'T OPENING AND CLOSING PROPERLY. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT THE WARRANTY NO APPLIED. THIS WAS BECAUSE THE LIFT GATE HAD FAILED MORE THAN 12 MONTHS AFTER INSTALLATION/REPLACEMENT. THEY CLAIM THAT A PIN THAT ATTACHES THE LIFT GATE TO THE HINGE HAS PULLED OUT OF THE BRACKET IN THE LIFT GATE. A VEHICLE WITH 46,050 MILES THAT HAS HAD THE LIFT GATE FAIL FOUR TIMES NOW SEEMS TO HAVE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DESIGN FLAW. A REVIEW OF THE NHTSA DATABASE INDICATES THAT LIFT GATE FAILURES IS FAIRLY COMMON OCCURANCE WITH FORD EXPLORERS ALTHOUGH THEY SEEM TO FOCUS ON THE CYLINDER/DAMPER PULLING OUT OF THE BODY. I THOUGHT I HAD REPORTED THIS TO NHTSA OVER THREE WEEKS AGO BUT A REVIEW OF THE DATABASE TODAY SHOWED THAT THERE WAS NO RECORD IN THE SYSTEM.