1996 FORD EXPLORER Suspensionfront Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A STRANGE NOISE. HE NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SWAY BAR FAILED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V402000 (SUSPENSION); THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 105,000.

DRIVER SIDE FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE/SPLIT, APPROXIMATELY AT ITS HALF LENGTH POSITION, WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY DURING THE SUMMER. FIX WAS TO DONATE VEHICLE. *TR

IN FEB 04 THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR THE SWAY BAR REPLACEMENT. SINCE THAT TIME, IT HAS BEEN RIDING WORSE AND MAKING RATTLING NOISES WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. TALKED TO DEALERSHIP THAT FIXED IT THE FIRST TIME AND THEY SAID IT MOST LIKELY IS NOT THE SAME THING AND WILL CHARGE $35-$68 FEE TO INSPECT THE FRONT END. THE DID NOT DO A DIAGNOSIS THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN ACCORDING TO THEIR REP WALT. THEREFORE MY QUESTION IS, HAS THERE BEEN ANY OTHER FRONT END PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT HAS A PENDING RECALL ON IT? *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH 10:30P.M., WITHOUT CAUSE VEHICLE SLID ACROSS HIGHWAY TO THE LEFT, ROLLED AND FLIPPED, AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE - VEHICLE LANDED ON ITS SIDE WITH ROOF IN TO THE STEERING WHEEL: ALL WINDOWS BROKEN AND WINDSHIELD SHATTERED. ROOF ACTUALLY CAVED IN ON TEENAGE DRIVER -FATALITY FROM MULTIPLE BRAIN INJURIES.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD HUMMING SOUND WHICH COMES FROM FRONT END OF VEHICLE. ALSO, TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. CONSUMER CONSTANTLY HAS TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE SPEED SENSOR AND THE O2 SENSOR WERE REPLACED. JG

OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS MY EXPLORER SEEMS TO HAVE LOST IT'S HANDLING ABILITY. THE VEHICLE HAS EXCESSIVE SWAY AND TOO MUCH PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE STOPPED USING THE VEHICLE UNTIL I CAN GET TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION.

VEHICLE WOULD START VIBRATING AT 40 MPH OR LESS. TOOK VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANICTO CHECK. MECHANIC INDICATED ONE BOLT WAS MISSING, AND OTHERS WERE HALFWAY OUT OF SUSPENSION. *AK

NOISE COMING FROM FRONT SUSPENSION(CREEKING & POPING),VEHICLE STEERING IS ERATIC, TENDS TO OVERSTEER. LOCAL FORD DEALER PERFORMED SWAY BAR RECALL ON 02/12/01. WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFO. ON THIS PROBLEM. CAN I GET HELP FROM FORD? WHAT. *AK

NOISE COMING FROM FRONT SUSPENSION(CREEKING & POPING),VEHICLE STEERING IS ERATIC, TENDS TO OVERSTEER. LOCAL FORD DEALER PERFORMED SWAY BAR RECALL ON 02/12/01. WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFO. ON THIS PROBLEM. CAN I GET HELP FROM FORD? WHAT. *AK

THE CONSUMER BEGAN TO HEAR NOISE IN THE FRONT END IF THE VEHICLE AT 9K MILES, THE CONSUMER HAD THE FRONT END CHECKED AND THE TIRES ROTATED, AT 22K MILES THE NOISE DEVELOPED AGAIN AND ONE TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FOR ANOTHER 10K MILES WHEN THE NOISE STARTED AGAIN AND UPON INSPECTED IT WAS NOTED THAT THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TIRES (FIRESTONE P 235 AT). NLM

ON DEC. 13, 2000, MY 22 YEAR OLD SON TOTALLED THIS VEHICLE AFTER HITTING A PATCH OF "BLACK ICE" WHILE TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH. THE VEHICLE ROLLED ACCORDING TO AN EYEWITNESS 4 TIMES AND LANDED ON ITS ROOF. MY SON WAS, THANK GOD, WEARING HIS SEATBELT! HE WAS ABLE TO RELEASE HIS SEATBELT AND CRAWLED THROUGH THE DRIVER'S WINDOW WHICH HAD BEEN BROKEN OUT. HE ESCAPED WITHOUT ANY INJURIES! MY CONCERN IS SO MUCH EMPHASIS HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE ROLLOVER POSSIBILITIES WHEN A TIRE BLOWS, WHY NOT THE POSSIBILITY OF FLIPPING WHEN HITTING ICE? IS ANYTHING BEING INVESTIGATED TO CORRECT THE TOP HEAVINESS OF THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY THE 2-DOOR MODELS. MORE EMPHASIS NEEDS TO BE PLACED ON THE NECESSITY OF WEARING SEATBELTS TO SURVIVE A ROLLOVER.. *AK

I NEVER CONTACTED FORD TO MAKE A COMPLAINT BECAUSE I THOUGHT MY SUSPENSION WAS FALLING APART DUE TO TOWING AND BAD ROADS IN MY AREA.. THEN I GET A RECALL FOR END LINKS... BUT THEY REFUSE TO PAY FOR ADDITION DAMAGED RELATED TO THE SWAY BAR LINKS. I'M NOT LOOKING FOR PAYMENT BUT I THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BY SOMEONE. I HAVE ALMOST ROOLED THE VEHICLE MANY TIMES BECAUSE OF THE END LINKS BREAKING AND I AM A VERY UNHAPPY CONSUMER. THE PARTS WERE REPLACED TWICE AND THE BALL JOINT ONCE, THE BALL JOINT FAILED WHEN THE END LINK FAILED THE SECOND TIME. I MIGHT ADD I WAS A FORD LOVER AT ONE TIME, AND I OWN MANY CLASSIC FORDS, BUT I WILL NEVER BUY A NEW FORD AGAIN, NOR WILL ANY OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS. I JUST FEEL THAT THE CONSER GETS RIPPED OFF BY BIG...

IN JUNE OF 1996, 1 NEW TIRE BLEW OUT, AND I WAS LUCKY TO GET A REPLACEMENT AND GOODYEAR REINBURSED ME FOR THE COST OF A NEW TIRE. EVENTUALLY, MY TIRES STARTED WEARING ODDLY, AND AFTER GETTING A WHOLE NEW SET, MY SWAY BAR LINK BROKE. I HAD THE SWAY BAR REPLACED, BUT MY NEW TIRES ARE ALSO WEARING VERY ODDLY. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL FRONT END ALIGNMENTS, TIRE BALANCE AND FREQUENT ROTATIONS. NO ONE IS SURE WHY MY TIRES ARE WEARING AS THEY ARE, ON THE INSIDE ONLY. THE TREAD IS VERY THIN, AND I THINK I WILL NEED A THIRD SET OF TIRES ON THIS TRUCK. I WONDER IF THE SWAY BAR IS PART OF THE PROBLEM. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING BIG AND EXPENSIVE WENT OUT ON THIS CAR AS SOON AS IT HIT JUST OVER 100K MILES. OF COURSE MY TRANSIMISSION, AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROBLEMS WERE NOT...

IN JUNE OF 1996, 1 NEW TIRE BLEW OUT, AND I WAS LUCKY TO GET A REPLACEMENT AND GOODYEAR REINBURSED ME FOR THE COST OF A NEW TIRE. EVENTUALLY, MY TIRES STARTED WEARING ODDLY, AND AFTER GETTING A WHOLE NEW SET, MY SWAY BAR LINK BROKE. I HAD THE SWAY BAR REPLACED, BUT MY NEW TIRES ARE ALSO WEARING VERY ODDLY. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL FRONT END ALIGNMENTS, TIRE BALANCE AND FREQUENT ROTATIONS. NO ONE IS SURE WHY MY TIRES ARE WEARING AS THEY ARE, ON THE INSIDE ONLY. THE TREAD IS VERY THIN, AND I THINK I WILL NEED A THIRD SET OF TIRES ON THIS TRUCK. I WONDER IF THE SWAY BAR IS PART OF THE PROBLEM. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING BIG AND EXPENSIVE WENT OUT ON THIS CAR AS SOON AS IT HIT JUST OVER 100K MILES. OF COURSE MY TRANSIMISSION, AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROBLEMS WERE NOT...

I PURCHASED MY 96 FORD EXPLORER IN NOV. 95 AND HAVE HAD A VEHICLE SHUDDER PROBLEM THAT BECOMES A SAFETY PROBLEM WHEN TIRES ARE INFLATED BEYOND THE RECOMMENDED TIRE PRESSURE OF 26PSI. FORD HAVE NOW RECOMMENDED TIRE PRESSURES OF 30PSI, WHICH I CANNOT DO WITHOUT RISKING A VEHICLE LOSS OF CONTROL SITUATION. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, IT ABSOLUTELY SCARED THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF ME, TO PUT IT POLITELY! I HAD JUST PICKED UP THE TRUCK FROM THE MISSION VALLEY FORD AFTER SOME BRAKE WORK. I TOOK THE TRUCK UP TO FREEWAY SPEED AND WHILE TRAVELING OVER SOME ROUGH FREEWAY SURFACE THE TRUCK ALMOST WENT OUT OF CONTROL. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER WHERE FAILURE ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED. THE ONLY ISSUE THE SERVICE ENGINEER IDENTIFIED AS ABNORMAL WAS THEY HAD SET THE TIRE PRESSURE TO 30PSI(ALL TIRES). RESETTING THE TIRES BACK TO 26PSI ELIMINATED THE PROBLEM.THIS PROBLEM RESURFACED TWICE...

PE-00-020; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES WERE WRANGLERS.. TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH FOUR OTHER SETS OF TIRES EVERY 15 THOUSAND MILES DUE TO THE CUPPING ON THE FRONTAL TIRES, AROUND THE OUTTER EDGE, WHICH WAS CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR AND VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. VEHICLE HAVE BEEN ALIGNED. EXCESSIVE WEAR CONTROL TO OCCUR ..*AK *JB

TIRE DELAMINATED WHILE DRIVING ON A MULTI-LANE HIGHWAY IN MODERATE TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLOWED AND MY WIFE REACTED BY FURTHER SLOWING THE VEHICLE TO PREVENT FURTHER VEHICLE JARRING/SWAYING. SHE WAS ABLE TO FIGHT THE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, AND CROSS SEVERAL LANES OF TRAFFIC TO STOP THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER. THE TIRE FLAP TORE THE WHEEL WELL AND SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING OVER$2000 DAMAGE. THIS FAILURE PUT THE LIVES OF MY WIFE, TWO YOUNG CHILDREN, TWO OTHER PASSENGERS, AND OTHER DRIVERS IN GRAVE DANGER. I AM OFFENDED THAT FIRESTONE AND FORD HAVE NOT ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY AND PUT CONTAINMENT PLANS INTO ACTION. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRANCE OF A TIRE ISSUE ON THIS VEHICLE (WITH THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX TIRES). WHEN THE FIRST OCCURRED, WE NOTICED A THUMPING SOUND AND UPON INSPECTION FOUND THAT THE TREAD WAS MISSING (DOWN TO HE STEEL BELT) IN ONE LOCALIZED...

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY ABOUT 70MPH AND THEN SHE FELT VIBRATION, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN TREAD CAME OFF OF THE TIRES AND DAMAGED VEHICLE. ALSO, TAIL LIGHT WAS BROKEN, AS WELL AS FENDER WELL AND THE BUMPER. THE ORIGINAL ATW TIRES WERE ON THIS VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD THEM REPLACED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH COULD FEEL VEHICLE PULLING TO THE RIGHT. ALSO TIRES WERE WORN OUT ON THE OUTSIDE. *AK

I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND HEARD A BIG BANG, LIKE SOMEONE THREW SOMETHING AND HIT THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK. I TOOK IT INTO FORD AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG BECAUSE THE BOLT BROKE HOLDING THE ARM TO CONTROL THE FRONT END. IT WAS JUST HANGING ON BY A THREAD WAITING TO POP OUT AND ME TO LOSE CONTROL AND BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WORSE, KILLED. THEY FOUND THIS OUT A WEEK LATER WHEN I RETURNED TO HAVE THE OTHER WORK COMPLETED. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON (THE SECOND TIME WITHIN 16,000 MILES) AND MY WINDOW WASHER WAS BROKE. WHEN THEY WENT TO CHECK THE FRONT END AGAIN THEY PUT IT UP ON THE RACK AND THAT IS WHEN THE BOLT FELL OUT. I WAS TOLD I WAS LUCKY TO BE THERE. IF IT WENT WHEN I WAS DRIVING I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. WHAT REALLY UPSETS ME...

EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR DUE TO INABILITY TO ALIGN FRONT AND REAR ENDS OF VEHICLE TO TOE, CANTOR, AND CURB. FORD SAYS ITS A DESIGN FLAW AND ALL FUTURE MODELS, INCLUDING THE YEAR 2000 MODEL OF THE EXPLORER AND EXPEDITION ARE USING THE SAME DESIGN. OUR VEHICLE LEAPED OFF OF THE HIGHWAY, NEARLY CAUSING US TO GO AIRBORN AND LEAVE THE INTERSTATE. THIS WOULD HAVE MOST DEFINITELY CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY IF NOT MULTIPLE FATALITIES. FORD IS NOT CONCERNED WITH THIS DEFECT, YET, MILLIONS OF FOLKS BUY THESE SUV'S EACH YEAR. PLEASE HELP AFFECT THE CHANGE. THANK YOU. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255/70R15 )

I NOTICED BOUNCING OF THE VEHICLE WHEN TRAVELING OVER DIPS IN THE ROAD. I WOULD IMAGINE THIS PROBLEM IS VERY WIDE SPREAD BUT IS NOT NOTICEABLE TO MANY PEOPLE BECAUSE THE OF THE "FIRMNESS" OF THE OTHER PARTS OF THE SUSPENSION. SUCH AS THE TORSION BARS. I HAD FRONT SHOCKS REPLACED AFTER PRESSURING THE DITSCHMAN FORD(FLEMINGTON, NJ) DEALERSHIP PRETTY HARD. I NOTICED THE DIFFERENCE IMMEDIATELY. THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO REAPPEAR AGAIN AFTER ONLY 4,000 ADDITIONAL MILES.THE SAME PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE TRUE OF THE REAR SHOCKS ALSO. THIS PROBLEM RESULTS IN BOUNCING AND DIVING OF THE NOSE OF THE VEHICLE DURING HARD BRAKING. I WOULD IMAGINE IN EMERGENCY(SEVERE)HANDLING THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PERFORM AS EXPECTED. I AM NOW CONSIDERING AN AFTERMARKET SET OF SHOCKS.

THE FRONT TIRES HAVE"CUPPED" WITHIN 2000 MILES OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER AND TO GOODYEAR OVER THIS ISSUE. I HAVE NOTICED THAT BRAKING TAKES LONGER TO ACCOMPLISH BECAUSE OF THE UNEVEN WEAR PATTERN THAT HAS DEVELOPED. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE 2 TIRES AT 46,000 MLES(AS COMPARED WITH 70,000 MILES ON A 1992 EXPLORER THAT I OWNED THAT WAS EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE TIRES). GOODYEAR HAS TOLD ME THAT I HAVE TO ROTATE MY TIRES EVERY3,000 MILES TO PREVENT THIS WEAR PATTERN. I BELIEVE THIS IS EXCESSIVE MAINTENANCE AND COST TO THE CONSUMER. GOODYEAR HAS ALSO TOLD ME THAT THESE TIRES WERE NOT ENGINEERED FOR THIS VEHICLE, BUT FORD EQUPIPED THESE VEHICLES WITH THESE TIRES AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT IN 1996. I'VE NOTICED THAT SINCE1997, FORD HAS GONE BACK TO FIRESTONE TIRES FOR EXPLORERS. I HAVE CALLED THE FORD CONSUMER HOT LINE. I SPOKE WITH THE PERSON ANSWERING...

VEHICLE OUT OF ALIGNMENT REPLACEMENT OF FAULTY FRONT WHEEL BEARING DID NOT RECTIFY REQUIRED INSTALLATION OF CASTER/CAMBER KIT TO ALLIGN PROPERLY DUE TO DESIGN OF SUSPENSION SYSTEM.

STEERING ALIGNMENT OFF.

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT DIRECTION OF VEHICLE. IT ROTATED CONTER-CLOCKWISE AND WENT INTO A SLIDE. VEHICLE ROLLED OVER 4 TIMESS. IN ADDITION, DURING ITS FIRST ROTATION, DOOR LATCH FAILED, DOOR OPENED AND DRIVER PARTIALLY EJECTED. DRIVER DIED FROM FATAL INJURIES AND PASSSENGER WA S INJURED. DRIVER WAS NOT INFORMED BY FORD OF RECALL REGARDING DOOR LATCHES AND LOCKS (96V-070). *AK

FRONT END MISALIGNMENT, CAUSING VEHICLE VIBRATION AND PREMATURE WEAR OF THE TIRES. *AK

MISALIGNMENT CAUSED PREMATURE TIRE WEAR.

THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE VIBRATES AND HAS BEEN MAKING NOISES, AFTER REPAIRS THEY ARE STILL PRESENT.

FRONT END IS MISALIGNED AND THE MUD WAS FOUND IN THE TRANSMISSION.

VEHICLES FRONT END HAS SEVERE VIBRATION, MAKING VIT ERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE FRONT WHEELS ARE WEARING UNEVENLY AND BOTH STEEL RADIALS ARE COMING OUT.VEHICLES IS RIDING ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE.THE KITS ARE NON-ADJUSTABLE. *AK

VEHICLE WANDERS LEFT TO RIGHT, AND WHEN OWNER TOOK VEHICLE DEALER HE WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS SET TO THE PROPER SPECS. HE ALSO HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER. *AK

VEHICLE MISALIGNED.

REARENDED/FISHTAILED, RESULTING IN VEHICLE ROLLING OVER AT 25 MPH. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

THE VEHICLE SHAKES WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 10-15 MPH, W/REASON CLEARLY NOT IDENTIFIED BY FORD TRUCK ROLLED FLIPPED ON DRIVERS SIDE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 10-15 MPH, W/REASON CLEARLY NOT IDENTIFIED BY FORD TRUCK ROLLED FLIPPED ON DRIVERS SIDE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK