NHTSA Complaint #743858 — 1992 FORD EXPLORER

I BELIEVE THAT A VERY SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW EXIST IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM ON THE FORD EXPLORER. THE LIGHT ON MY ABS BRAKES WOULD COME ON ONCE IN A WHILE THEN GO OUT. I THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD NOT EVEN NOTICE. IT HAPPENED TO ME TWICE THAT I AM AWARE OF, THE FIRST TIME I WAS BRAKING MODERATELY HARD FOR A RED LIGHT MY VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY SPUN HARD TO THE LEFT I WAS ABLE TO CORRECT IT AND REGAIN CONTROL I WAS DRIVING AT 40 MPH. THE SECOND TIME IT OCCURRED I WAS DRIVING AT 50 MPH UNDER THE EXACT SAME CONDITIONS BUT THIS TIME I SPUN OUT AND HIT A CURB DAMAGING MY LEFT REAR RIM AND BREAKING THE SUPPORT CABLE FOR MY SPARE TIRE. THIS TIME I TRACED THE PROBLEM TO THE SWITCH ON THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR. ON A VEHICLE THAT SPINS OUT SO EASY I DONT THINK THAT IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO DISABLE THE ABS BRAKES WITH A LOW FLUID SENSOR. I HAD PLENTY OF FLUID IN MY RESERVOIR THE SWITCH JUST FAILED, IF THE FAULTY SWITCH HAD BEEN SET UP TO JUST INDICATE LOW FLUID THE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS THAT HAPPENED WOULD NOT OCCURRE. THIS IS A COPY OF THE LETTER I SENT TO FORD. I THINK THAT A LOT OF THE ROLL OVER ACCIDENTS ARE CAUSED BY THIS PROBLEM.*AK