NHTSA Complaint #727746 — 1995 FORD EXPLORER

FLUID WHICH WAS LATER CONFIRMED TO BE OIL FROM OVERFLOW TANK SPILLED OUT ON BRAKES ON PASSENGER SIDE. I HAD TO DRIVE 2 HOURS BACK TO NORTH CAROLINA BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP IN GALAX, VA CLOSED AT NOON ON SATURDAYS. IF I WAS BY MYSELF IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT STORY BUT I HAD MY CHILD WITH ME. TOWN AND COUNTRY FORD CONFIRMED THE SITUATION AND STATED THAT FORD HAD SENT OUT A MEMO SAYING IF THE VEHICLE WAS IN WARRANTEE THE COULD PUT THE COVER ON TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM BUT DUE TO MY MILEAGE I HAD TO PAY $375.OO NOT INCLUDING PARTS TO HAVE THIS TAKING CARE OF. MY QUESTION IS IF THEY PUT THIS DEVICE ON AND KNEW THIS COULD HAPPEN WHY NOT WARN THE CONSUMER INSTEAD OF FINDING OUT THIS WAY AND WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY FOR A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD WHICH WAS NOT OF MY MAKING. I CALLED THE 800 NUMBER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS; GOT A CLAIMS NUMBER AND THAT WAS IT. THE SECOND TIME THEY SAID CALL TOWN AND COUNTRY FORD WHICH THE REGIONAL REP STILL HASN'T RESPONDED. NEXT, I SENT THEM A E-MAIL STATING THE PROBLEM AND STILL NO RESPONSE. ON THE TIRES, WHICH I HAD TO REPLACE MYSELF, EXCEPT FOR THE SPARE WHICH IS A FIRESTONE, SINCE THE WARRANTY WAS NOT HONORED STATING THAT SINCE THEY WERE ONLY THEY WERE ONLY THE STATESIDE RECEIVING DEALERSHIP THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE. THE TIRES BLEW OUT LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE. I AM VERY DISPLEASED WITH FORD. ACCORDING TO THE DISTANCE OF TRAVEL I HAVE RESORTED TO RENTING SO I WOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH MY CHILD IN THE VEHICLE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I CAN REPLACE A VEHICLE BUT NOT A LIFE. HOWEVER, I REFUSE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING WHICH WAS ALREADY THERE TO BEGIN WITH. THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER. *AK