1997 FORD EXPLORER Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

1997 FORD EXPLORER FAULTY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER STARTED MAKING A NOISE. CONSUMER BELIEVES FORD SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM AT NO COST. *KB

1997 FORD EXPLORER 4.0 SOHC, MY ENGINE IS MAKING A TERRIBLE RATTLE SOUND WHILE RUNNING, I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MANY THAT ITS THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS, AND THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT IS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO HELP OWNERS TO GET THIS REPAIRED. *TR

FORD 4.0L SOHC TIMING CHAIN ISSUE. CURRENTLY MY TIMING CHAINS ARE STILL IN ONE PIECE. THE PLASTIC TENSIONERS BREAK, LEADING TO CHAIN SLACK, AND EVENTUALLY, BREAKAGE. THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING DONE TO CORRECT IT AS OF YET, THE ONLY WAY TO REPAIR THEM IS TO BUY $500-$600 WORTH OF PARTS AND TOOLS, REMOVE THE ENGINE FROM THE CAR AND REPAIR AND REPLACE THE TIMING CHAINS AND GUIDES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED SMOKE AND THEN NOTICED SMOKE RISING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HE PULLED OVER APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES LATER AND DISCOVERED FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE WAS A SMALL EXPLOSION ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. AS OF NOVEMBER 1, 2007, THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V336000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE CONTACT FELT THAT A LEAK IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUSED THE FIRE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 130,000.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE IDLED ROUGHLY. WHILE SITTING AT A STOP SIGN THE VEHICLE IDLED ERRATICALLY. WHILE TRAVELING AROUND CURVES OR DOWN HILLS, AT ANY SPEED, THE ENGINE FELT AS IF IT WAS GOING TO STALL. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE HAS NEVER COMPLETELY STALLED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SEEN BY THE SERVICE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM COULD NEVER BE DUPLICATED. UPDATED 06/07/2006. *AK *TS

ENGINE CRANK BROKE OFF AT PULLEY. NO PREVIOUS WARNING, IT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS. 110 MILES ON ENGINE AT TIME OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. DEALERSHIP LAUGHED AT REQUEST FOR REPAIRS, "WARRANTY EXPIRED". I PAID FOR NEW "REBUILT ENGINE" COST= $3000.00. *NM

1997 FORD EXPLORER, 5.0 L ENGINE, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE CAR'S ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY RACES TO THE POINT THAT ITS BRAKES WILL NOT HOLD IT BACK. THIS SOMETIMES HAPPENS WHEN BACKING FROM A COLD START AND SOMETIMES WHEN BRAKING FOR A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE IS TO SHIFT INTO PARK AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE. THE EFFECT IS LIKE BEING SLAMMED INTO BY A LARGE VEHICLE. IT ALMOST KILLED MY PREGNANT DAUGHTER AND ME EARLIER THIS MONTH WHEN IT HAPPENED AS I WAS BRAKING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT. IT FELT LIKE WE HAD BEEN HIT FROM THE REAR, BUT IT WAS THE ENGINE PULLING ITS OLD TRICK AGAIN. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM. ONE YEAR AGO HE SAID THAT IT WAS THE PCV VALVE AND HE REPLACED THE VALVE. THE CAR THEN BEHAVED FOR ABOUT ONE YEAR....

FORD EXPLORER 1997, CONSUMER PAID FOR REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE PRIOR TO FORD RECALL. *BF THE CONSUMER WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS NOT PURCHASED FROM FORD. *NM

REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE DUE TO DEFECTIVE PARTS; THROTTLE BODY PLATE AND CAM CHAIN GUIDE ON MOTORS. *BF THE ENGINE THROTTLE PLATE STUCK WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS WARMING THE VEHICLE ON A COLD DAY. RECALL #00V422000. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE DEFECTIVE ENGINE. THE STARTER DID NOT KICK IN PER INVOICE. *SC

FIRST EVIDENCE OF NOISE REPORTED TO DEALER ON 7/22/98. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. NOISE BECAME UNBEARABLE AND ENGINE BEGAN LOSSING POWER. TOOK IT TO DEALER ON1/2/01 AND FOUND OUT THE FRONT CAM TENSIONER DISINTEGRATED CAUSING SEVERE METALIC NOISES FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. BANKSTON FORD SUPPOSIDLY DID THE WELL KNOWN RECALL. MY PAPERWORK SHOWS THEY REPLACED THE TENSIONER CASSETTE AND CHANGED THE OIL. I OBTAINED THEIR OWN PROCEEDURES FOR THIS ISSUE BECAUSE MANY ENGINES HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACE DUE TO THE PIECES OF THE BROKEN TENSIONER CLOGGING OIL PASSAGES AND DESTROYING THE ENGINES. THE INSTRUCTIONS THEY SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED INCLUDED INSPECTING THE HEADS FOR CLOGGED PASSAGES AND OTHER THINGS. I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE ENGINE THEN, BUT THEY MADE ME TAKE IT. AS SOON AS I LEFT DEALER, THE NOISE WAS BACK. CALLED THEM AND THEY SAID TO GIVE IT A WEEK AND SEE IF IT...

I HAVE HAD MY1997 FORD EXPLORER FOR TWO YEARS, THE SAME PROBLEM KEEPS RECURRING. IT BECOMES SULIGISH ON THE ON SET, THAN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. 12 TIMES NOW I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE SPARK PLUGS, 3 TIMES I HAVE DONE FUEL ENJECTION CLEANS, 2 TIMES I HAVE CHANGED THE O2 SENSOR. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER OWNERS THAT SPEAK OF THE SAME PROBLEMS.*AK

TYPE "E" MOTOR FAILURE AT ONLY 90,000 MILES RESULTING IN REPLACEMENT MOTOR. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED TO DECREASE IN SPEED WITHOUT WARNING. ENGINE HAD BLOWN.*AK

I HAVE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF POWER IN THE ENGINE IN MY 1997, FORD\EXPLORER(PURCHASED USED, IN JUNE OF 1999) CAUSING ME TO LOSE MY BRAKES WHILE DRIVING, I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO SEVERAL MECHANICS (FOR DIAGNOSIS) AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM, THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT, AND THAT THERE IS SOMETHING DEFECTIVE IN THE TIMING SYSTEM, AND I SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS, AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD, THAT THE TIMING CHAIN AND TIMING CASETTE HAD WENT AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT PERTAINING TO THIS PROBLEM AND THAT OWNERS HAD BEEN NOTIFIED, HOWEVER I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE IN THIS VEHICLE, THE DEALER ALSO TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD COST ME $4500.00 FOR A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE-REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THE CAR WAS BEYOND THE MILAGE OF THE SERVICE BULLETEN. AFTER...

IDLE NOT RETURNING AFTER CRUISE CONTROL WAS DISENGAGED AND BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. CRUISE CONTROL KEPT ACCELERATING. MY THREE CHILDREN WERE IN THE CAR, WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BY PUTTING IT IN NEUTRAL, AT THAT POINT THE BRAKES WORKED. PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. WHEN TRYING TO START CAR AGAIN, ENGINE REVVED TO THE POINT WHERE IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BLOW UP. *NLM

HEAD GASKET - LEAKING ANTI FREEZE

BACKED OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND PROCEEDED DOWN STREET AT ABOUT 10 MPH. ENGINE MADE A "THUNK" NOISE AND WENT INTO A "NO START" CONDITION. MY '97 EXPLORER WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A SNAPPED CRANKSHAFT. AT 103K MILES THE DEALER DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS WAS ANY SORT OF MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND EMPHATICALLY STATED THAT THEY'D NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. THEY REFUSED CUSTOMER REQUEST THAT THEY REVIEW NHTSA WEBISTE FOR HISTORY OF PRIOR REPORTS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS ONLY DESIGNED TO LAST 100K MILES BUT THAT MIGHT BE EXTENDED WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGES. THIS CUSTOMER ASKED IF ENGINE REPLACEMENT AT 100K MILES WAS AN EXPECTED EVENT AND THE DEALER REPEATED THAT IT COULD BE. FORD'S NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS NO HELP. THE ZONE MANAGER WOULD NOT MEET TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEM. CUSTOMER PAID $4,800 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. CUSTOMER KEPT THE...

BROKEN CRANKSHAFT ON A 97 FORD EXPLORER.CRANK BROKE WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 55 MPH. ALL DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND ENGINE QUIT.FORD DEALER CONFIRMED CRANK WAS BROKEN AND NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED AT A COST OF $4400.00.

THE CONSUMER STATED, WHILE DRIVING, THE CRANKSHAFT SHEARED OFF. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO.*SCC

WHEN STARTING UP THE CAR, A LOUD NOISE CAME FROM ENGINE. MY PERSONAL MECHANIC ADVISED IT WAS A TIMING CHAIN. FORD TOWED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS ADDITIONAL WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THIS PART. IT WAS A FAILED TIMING CHAIN GUIDE. THEY ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING IT FOR FORD TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. ENTIRE ENGINE MAY NEED REPLACED.*AK

WHILE IN MOTION, THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. THE CAUSE OF THE VEHICLE FAILURE WAS THE CRANKSHAFT. THE CRANKSHAFT HAD A CRACK HALF WAY THROUGH WHICH HAS BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE DUE TO WEATHERING ON THE AREA. *JG

TIMING CHAIN WAS MAKING A RATTLE NOISE AND WE HAD IT CHECKED OUT AND THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD A SAFETY RECALL .*AK

THERE IS A CONSTANT RATTLING NOISE WHEN DRIVING. DEALER DETERMINED IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN IN MY 1997 FORD EXPLORER. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR ENGINE JUST DIED AND I LOST STEERING POWER AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO THE DEALER THEY EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND TOLD ME THAT THE CRANKSHAFT HAD BROKEN AND THAT IT WAS UNREPAIRABLE, AND THAT MY ONLY OPTION WAS TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACE. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING IF I HAD BEEN TRAVLING AT A HIGH RATED SPEED I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED FROM THAT PIECE BREAKING OFF.*AK

WHILE DRIVING CRANKSHAFT SHEARED OFF. VEHICLE THEN COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED AS OF YET. *AK *TT

CRANCKSHAF/PULLEY DISCONNECTED FROM ENGINE. *AK

DRIVERS DOOR LOCK NOT WORKING PROPERLY, GASKET CYLINDER FRONT COVER, TORQUE CONVERTER SHUDDER, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, RT BANK EXHAUST MANIFOLD; THESE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN CORRECTED, BUT NEW ONES MOUNT EVERY WEEK. NOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING, BEING CHECKED TOMORROW. *AK

WHILE BACKING OUT OF OUR YARD , THE ENGINE JUST STOPPED WORKING. HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SERVICE. WAS TOLD THAT THE CRANKSHAFT WAS SHEARED OFF . FORD MOTOR CO. WILL NOT ADMIT ANY EQUIPMENT FAULT, LEAVING ME WITH A $4200.00 PRICE TAG TO GET IT FIXED.. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT CRANKSHAFTS DO NOT JUST SHEAR OR BREAK OFF BY OTHER MECHANICS THAT I HAVE TALKED TO. LOOKING AT YOUR SITE HAS SHOWN ME THAT THIS IS NOT JUST AN ISOLATED CASE AND IT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BY FORD. I AM THANKFUL THAT THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURY.THANK YOU.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTSDOWN WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

CYLINDER HEADS OR HEAD GASGETS FAILED CAUSING COOLANT LEAK INTO CYLINDERS AND OUT EXHAUST. SUSPECT FAULTY HEATER VALVE LEAKED COOLANT CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND DAMAGE HEADS OR GASGETS.

THE CRANKSHAFT FELL OUT WHILE DRIVING, AS THE CRANKSHAFT FELL OUT IT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOCKUP RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE NOT STEERING OR BRAKING VERY WELL. NLM

CAM TENSIONER BROKE. METAL PIECE FROM TENSIONER RAN THROUGH ENGINE AND DAMAGED IT. THERE WAS A RECALL ON VEHICLE'S MAKE/MODEL; BUT, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED BECAUSE IT EXCEEDED 100000 MILE WARRANTY. CONSUMER BOUGHT VEHICLE AND DIDN'T KNOW RECALL.*AK

FORD DEFINITELY HAS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM. IS THE NHTSA GONNA DEAL WITH IT OR, ARE WE GOING TO WAIT TILL WE HAVE ANOTHER WILDERNESS TIRE ISSUE. MY EXPLORER HAS CONSISTENTLY SHOWN SEVERE SKIP/MISS FOR THE PAST 2-MONTHS. AT FIRST INDICATION....I SCHEDULED IT IN TO MY LOCAL DEALER (ROCHESTER AUTO COLLECTION - A DIVISION OF FORD), WHO DETERMINED THAT IT NEEDED NEW IGNITION WIRES. (MIND YOU, THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 42,000 ORIGINAL MILES, AS I BOUGHT IT NEW). THREE HUNDRED BUCKS LATER, I NOTICE THE VEHICLE PERFORMING NO BETTER ON THE DAY I PICKED IT UP. SO....WE SCHEDULE A SECOND VISIT. DURING THAT VISIT, THEY "DINK AROUND" WITH THE THROTTLE. AGAIN, THE DAY I PICKED IT UP, I NOTICED IT WAS NO BETTER. SO....IN WE GO FOR A THIRD VISIT. DURING THAT VISIT I AM ADVISED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER HAS BROKEN OFF AND THAT THEY WILL NEED TO PULL...

WHEN VEHICLE IS SITTING OR MOVING THERE IS A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS AT REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE NEEDED A CAM CHAIN GUIDE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK DEALER REPLACED THE TIMING CHANIN, ALSO THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE.*JB

AN UNKNOWN CAUSE LEAD TO THE HEAD GASKET CRACKING AND THE CYCLINDERS BLOWING-OUT ON THE VEHICLE, WHICH NOW REQUIRES A NEW ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH 46M MILES AND THE RETURN OF A LEASE ORIGNATED WITH THE DELAERSHIP THAT SOLD THE SAME VEHICLE TO US. THIS WAS FORD CERTIFIED LEASE VEHICLE WE WERE TOLD, WHICH MEANS IT SUPPOSEDLY WNET THROUGH THE HIGHEST INSPECTION UPON IT BEING TURNED IN FROM THE LEASE. THE VEHICLE BROKE-DOWN ON 8/12/01 ON BUSY INTERSTATE 84 AT THE JUCTION OF THE MERGE OF INTERSTATE 91 AND 84, STRANDING MY WIFE ( WHO WS DRIVING) BETWEEN TWO HEAVILY USED HIGHWAYS. BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND FORD HAVE REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INHERENT DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THE VEHICLE. ACORDIG TO THE DEALERSHIP A THEIR FORD REPRESENTATIVE, TARYN, STATED FORD REFUSES TO PAY FANY PART OF THE REPAIR BECUSE THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT USED AND WE...

EVER OWNER I KNOW WHO OWNS A FORD EXPLORER HAS A FAILURE ON THIS VALVE. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED BY FORD.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND VEHICLE STALLED. ALSO, OPENED HOOD TO CHECK, AND FOUND A HOLE IN ENGINE BLOCK, SIZE OF A SILVER DOLLAR. CONSUMER HAD GOTTEN NOTICES FOR CAMSHAFT GUIDE AND RETENTIONER, BUT WAS NOT HONORED BECAUSE VEHICLE HAD GONE OVER THE MILEAGE. CONTACTED DEALER, COULD FIND NOTHING, BUT DID SEE METAL SHAVINGS.*AK

FORD IS AWARE OF A RECURRING PROBLEM, THE PARTICULAR PROBLEM BEING A WORN OR BROKEN CAM CHAIN GUIDE WHICH CREATES A NOISY SYMPTOM WHICH MY VEHICLE HAS, THEN FORD SHOULD BE WILLING, IF NOT LIABLE, TO FIX IT.

VEHICLE HAD SHUTDOWN WHILE DRIVING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT CAMSHAFT HAD FAILED. PART WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL, AND WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

30 MPH, CAMSHAFT BREAKS. DEALER SAYS NEW ENGINE REQUIRED, $4500 EST. FORD CONTACTED AND OFFERS $2000 ASSISTANCE. THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL AND FORD SHOULD BE FORCED TO PAY FOR ALL DAMAGES B/C THE FORCEFUL STOP CAUSED BY ENGINE FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY TO PASSENGERS OR OTHER VEHICLE DUE TO SKIDDING. THIS IS NOT NORMAL WEAR ON A VEHICLE, IS OBVIOSLY A FORD DEFECT.

CONSUMER WAS STARTING TO ACCELERATE ALMOST REACHING SPEED OF 25-30MPH WHEN ENGINE SHUT OFF DUE TO CRANKSHAFT THAT FELL OFF. NO PRIOR WARNING . DEALER HAS TO REPLACE MOTOR, BUT CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED, ENGINE SEIZED AND CAR STOPPED ABRUPTLY, CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED AND WAS ADVISED BY MECHANIC THAT CRANKSHAFT BROKE AND A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED. (CHECK ODI # 740940) *JB

TIMING CHAIN BELT BROKE WHILE TRAVLING AT 35 MPH WITH NO PRIOR WARNINGS . HAS NOT CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED. THEN, STOPPED AND FOUND THAT CRANKSHAFT WAS OUT OF ENGINE. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED, AND ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED AT DEALER.*AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING LESS THAN 30 MPH AND STALLED. ALL LIGHTS CAME ON. TOWED TO DEALER WHO FOUND CRANKSHAFT HAD BROKEN. CRANK PULLEY HAD BROKEN OFF ENGINE. NO PRIOR WARNING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ALL LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD CAME ON, HUMMING SOUND, HAD VEHICLE TOWED. CRANKSHAFT HAD BROKEN.*AK

CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT THE CHAIN TENSIONER BROKE AND THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACED, CONSUMER HAD USED ENGINE PUT IN VEHICLE, CONSUMER RECEIVED A LETTER (O00M12) EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON THE CAMSHAFT CHAIN TENSIONER (00M12) AND LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS, IF ANY REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED BECAUSE OF A FAULTY CAMSHAFT CHAIN PRIOR TO DECEMBER OF 2000, FORD WOULD GIVE A FULL REIMBURSEMENT, THE USED ENGINE THAT WAS INSTALLED HAS THE SAME DEFECT AND CONSUMER IS REQUESTING A NEW ENGINE BE INSTALLED PLUS REFUND OF THE USED ENGINE, FORD STATED THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE ENGINE, ONLY GIVE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE USED ENGINE. *SLC

WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED IN LIGHT TRAFFIC, THE CRANKSHAFT ON MY 1997 FORD EXPLORER BROKE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP QUITE ABRUPTLY. THE MOTOR MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $4500. THIS IS A PART FAILURE THAT PLACES INDIVIDUALS AT CONSIDERABLE RISK. HAD THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AT HIGH SPEED IN RELATIVELY HEAVY TRAFFIC, E.G. FREEWAY TRAFFIC AT 55 MPH OR HIGHER, THERE WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN SERIOUS INJURIES AND PROBABLY FATALITIES. TO DATE, FORD MOTOR COMPANY STEADFASTLY REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM AND, FURTHER, REFUSES TO PARTICIPATE IN PAYING FOR ANY PORTION OF THE NECESSARY REPAIRS OR ASSOCIATED COSTS SUCH AS TOWING BILLS AND CAR RENTALS WHILE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS ARE BEING MADE. *AK ALSO SEE 560357.

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A TRAFFIC SIGNAL, THE ENGINE SIEZED AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP. UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE, I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION WHERE INSPECTION BY A MECHANIC REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT HAD BROKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO CONLON-COLLINS FORD IN CRYSTAL LAKE, IL WHERE THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT WAS BROKEN AND THE ENGINE MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $4,500. I REPORTED THE MATTER TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY'S CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER. THEY INDICATED THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED PREVIOUSLY AND NO RECALL NOTICES OR SERVICE BULLETINS HAVE BEEN ISSUED WITH REGARD TO THIS PROBLEM. FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS BEEN RELUCTANT TO DISCUSS BEARING ANY PART OF THE COST FOR REPAIRS OR INCIDENTAL EXPENSES SUCH AS TOWING OR RENTAL OF A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE WHILE REPAIRS ARE UNDER WAY. A CRANKSHAFT SHOULD NEVER BREAK AND ONE...

WHILE DRIVING THE TENSIONER FAILED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING OR INDICATION OF TROUBLE, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM