NHTSA Complaint #760090 — 1996 FORD EXPLORER

WHILE TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS (5 MPH - 75 MPH), THE ENGINE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING FOR APPROXIMATELY 5-10 SECONDS AND THEN EITHER RESUMES OPERATION ON ITS OWN, OR MUST BE RESTARTED WHILE COASTING IN NEUTRAL. SOMETIMES THE ENGINE WILL RESTART EASILY, BUT SOMETIMES IT TURNS OVER SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE RESTARTING. OBVIOUSLY THIS HAS CREATED SOME EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS FOR MYSELF AND MY FAMILY. LOSING POWER ASSISTED FUNCTIONS (STEERING, BRAKING) AT HIGH SPEEDS HAS LEFT ME WITH LITTLE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM INVESTIGATED TWICE AT A FORD DEALERSHIP BUT THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM. THEY ALSO INSTALLED A FLIGHT RECORDER ON THE VEHICLE TO MONITOR THE ERROR CODES WHEN THE PROBLEM HAPPENED BUT WERE UNABLE TO FND ANYTHING CONCLUSIVE. AFTER READING THE MANY REPORTS OF STALLING ON THIS WEBSITE I FIND IT HARD TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS ISSUE COULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A DEFECT AND A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I WOULD TRULY LIKE TO RECEIVE ANY ASSISTANCE OR GUIDANCE ON HOW TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER. IT IS UNFAIR THAT FORD SELLS THE EXPLORER WITH OBVIOUS SAFTELY ISSUES BUT IS UNABLE TO FIX THEM.*AK