NHTSA Complaint #736033 — 1994 FORD EXPLORER

MAJOR PROBLEM REGARDING IGNITION SYSTEM: FIRST PROBLEM BEGAN ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS, UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AFTER LETTING IT SIT FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 OR 10 MINUTES. REPEATED ATTEMPTS IN SUCCESSION FAIL TO START THE ENGINE BUT HAVE FOUND THAT IF I GIVE IT A COUPLE OF MINUTES BEFORE TRYING TO CRANK IT UP AGAIN IT WILL USUALLY START. SEEMS TO HAPPEN ONLY AFTER SHORT TRIPS, LESS THAN 10-15 MILES. REPLACED THE FUEL CIRCUIT RELAY 2 MONTHS AGO, HAD ONLY ONE REOCCURRENCE A WEEK LATER. NOW FOR THE PAST 2 MONTHS THERE IS A MUCH WORSE AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY USUALLY WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 55-70 MPH. NO SPUTTERS, NO BACKFIRES, NO INDICATIONS THAT THE ENGINE HAS SHUT OFF OTHER THAN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DIMS AND THE GAUGES STOP READING. THE ENGINE WON'T RESTART UNTIL AFTER A FEW MINUTES HAVE PASSED BEFORE TRYING TO CRANK IT AGAIN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH. DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, NO ERROR CODES ARE REPORTING. FUEL PUMP: FUEL GAUGE NOT WORKING FOR SEVERAL YEARS, HOLE IN FLOAT PER DEALERSHIP, SO ENTIRE FUEL PUMP REPLACED AT MY COST. FUEL GAUGE APPEARED TO BE WORKING CORRECTLY; HOWEVER, ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS ONCE THE TANK GOT DOWN TO 1/4 FULL THE GAUGE WOULD START OFF AT 1/4 BUT THEN AFTER DRIVING FOR 5 OR 10 MINS. THE GAUGE WOULD GO ALL THE WAY TO FULL. AFTER A FEW MONTHS OF WORKING SPORADICALLY, IT IS NOW CONSISTENTLY GOING TO FULL EVERYTIME THE TANK GETS DOWN TO 1/4. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE FUEL SENDING UNIT AS DEFECTIVE BUT WILL NOT COVER UNDER THE WARRANTY BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT HAS ONLY BEEN 6 MOS. , IT IS APPROX. 2000 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY LIMIT OF 12,000 MILES/12 MONTHS. I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE SAME $340.00 PARTS & LABOR AS 6 MONTHS AGO. I FEEL THIS IS UNFAIR SO DECLINED THE WORK, NOW BEING CHARGED $67.00 DIAGNOSTIC FEE! CRUISE CONTROL: THE CRUISE CONTROL WON'T ENGAGE ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS, DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO DUPLICATE.