NHTSA Complaint #713918 — 1996 FORD EXPLORER

TRAVELLING AT 45MPH IN CENTER LANE OF 6 LANE HIGHWAY WITH LITTLE TRAFFIC IN A MODERATE RAIN STORM. ROAD WAS STRAIGHT. DID NOT TURN STEERING WHEEL. DID NOT APPLY BRAKES. VEHICLE STARTED FOR NO APPARENT REASON TO SPIN BY ITSELF TO THE RIGHT. AT THIS MOMENT, BRAKES WERE APPLIED HARD AND STEADY. VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND AND CONTINUED TO SPIN TURNING BACKWARDS REGARDLESS OF FRANTIC TURNING OF STEERING WHEEL INTO TURN INTO THE SKID. VEHICLE CONTINUED TO TRAVEL BACKWARDS AND SLIGHTLY TOWARDS THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. VEHICLE SLOWED SOMEWHAT, BUT CONTINUED TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE REMAINING LANES OF THE HIGHWAY AND SHOULDER HITTING THE GUARDRAIL WITH THE LEFT REAR CORNER FIRST, THEN BOUNCING UNTIL THE RIGHT FRONT HIT THE GUARDRAIL AND FINALLY STOPPED. VEHICLE WAS NOW FACING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF TRAFFIC. ABS DASH LIGHT WAS BURNING INDICATING A FAILURE. THE IMPACT KNOCKED MOST OF THE AIR OUT OF THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WHICH CONTINUED TO HOLD AIR PERFECTLY ONCE REINFLATED. MY PASSENGER WAS SLIGHTLY HURT ON THE SCALP AND CHEEK. SEATBELTS WERE BEING WORN. THIS FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE OCCURRED WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM THE DRIVER. THE REPAIRS WILL REACH ABOUT $8000.00. I HAVE REQUESTED TO THE REPAIR SHOP TO PROVIDE ME AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THE ABS LIGHT IS STAYING ON AND IF IT COULD HAVE GONE ON CAUSING THE START OF THE VEHICLE ROTATION. THIS IS THE 3RD EXPLORER I HAVE OWNED AND HAVE CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE DRIVING THESE TYPE SUV'S IN ALL KINDS OF WEATHER. SOMETHING HAD TO CAUSE THIS ACCIDENT OTHER THAN DRIVER ERROR.