NHTSA Complaint #720437 — 1997 FORD EXPLORER

1-21-00 TOOK CAR INTO MAGIC FORD IN SANTA CLARITA, CA. FOR WARRANTY WORK, REPLACE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I WAS INFORMED BY TIM HEMING THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS WERE BAD. ABOUT $1500.00 TO FIX. I ASKED IF IT WAS A WARRANTY ITEM. HE SAID NO, BUT I CAN CALL THE FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE GUIDE TO SEE IF I CAN GET FINACIAL HELP. I DID AND THEY SAID NO. 1-27-00 I HAD MY OWN SERVICE TECH. PICK UP CAR AND START THE REPAIRS. 2-1-00 MY SERVICE TECH., KEN WAGNER LIC.#0706-121676 INFORMED ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS WERE BROKEN AND SUCKED UP IN THE ENGINE AND DESSTROYED THE ENGINE. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS HAVE BEEN UPGRADED FROM SOME KIND OF PLASTIC MATERIAL TO METAL. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE DEALER HE ORDERED THE PARTS FROM HAS ORDERED 104 OF THEM. THE DEALER IS ANTELOPE VALLEY FORD LANCASTER, CA. THE COST TO BUY AND INSTALL THE NEW ENGINE WAS $4000.00 I HAD TO PAY TO KEN WAGNER. I THINK THAT DO TO THE FACT THAT THE PARTS HAVE BEEN UPGRADED AND SO MANY ARE BEING ORDERED THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR MY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE. *AK