NHTSA Complaint #740312 — 1993 FORD EXPLORER

THE PROBLEM FIRST DISPLAYED ITSELF AT 8000 MILES, I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT IN. ON 7/14/93 THEY DID A FRONT END ALIGNMENT. WHEN I PICKED IT UP I QUESTIONED THE UNUSUAL TIRE WEAR ON THE FRONT, THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, ABOUT THIS. THIS CONDITION PERSISTED AND I AGAIN CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT IN ON 10/19/193. THEY PERFORMED ANOTHER FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND ROTATED THE TIRES DUE TO THE EXTERME WEAR. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED I AGAIN CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED TO BRING IT IN ON 2/11/94 AT WHICH TIME ANOTHER REALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED AND A PART REPLACED. THE PROBLEM ONLY BECAME WORSE I AGAIN CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS STALLED REPEATEDLY. IN DESPERATION I CONTACTED THE FORD REP IN ATLANTA (MATT DARNELL) AND REQUESTED HIS ASSISTANCE. AGAIN I WAS STALLED ALMOST IGNORED, THE PROBLEM BECAME SO BAD WHILE WAITING FOR MR. DARNELL THAT I WAS FORCED TO TAKE IT TO FIRESTONE WHO PERFORMED ANOTHER FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND REBALANCED THE TIRES. THE TIRES WERE WORN SO BADLY BY THIS TIME , THE DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE. THERE WERE OTHER REPAIRS MADE TO THIS VEHICLE BY CLAXTON LAWRENCE FORD WHO AT ONE POINT REFUSED TO REPAIR IT BECAUSE WE DID NOT PURCHASE IT THERE. AT THIS POINT WE HAD TO CONTACT FORD DIRECTLY AND THREATEN LEGAL ACTION IN ORDER TO EFFECT REPAIRS. AT THIS TIME THE EXPLORER WAS NEW ON THE MARKET AND INFORMATION THAT IS NOW WIDELY AVAILABLE WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO US OR OTHERS. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY KNOWINGLY KNEW THEY HAD PROBLEMS AND NOW THAT I REFLECT BACK ON IT MR. DARNELL ALLUDED TO ME IN ONE CONVERSATION TO THAT EFFECT, BUT AT THE TIME I DID NOT PUT IT TOGETHER. I TOO WAS INVOLVED IN A ROLL OVER WITH MY EXPLORER AND IT WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED ALONG WITH MY LIFE AND CAREER. HAD FORD BEEN MORE FORTHCOMING WITH INFORMATION THAT THEY HAD THINGS MAY HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT FOR MYSELF AND MANY OTHERS. I HAVE CONTACTED AN ATTORNEY WHO TOLD ME TO MUCH TIME HAD PASSED FOR ME TO TAKE MY CASE TO COURT. *AK