2000 Ford Explorer Other Problems

The vehicle owner is reporting a recall issue with their 2000 Ford Explorer and is following instructions related to it. No crash or fire has occurred.

I PURCHASED THE FORD EXPLORER XLT IN OCTOBER 2000 AND WITHIN THREE YEARS THE TRANSMISSION WENT OF SERVICE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO FORD COMPANY TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE REPAIRED UNDER THE WARRANTY AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT OVER 36,000 MILES AND THREE (3) YEARS HAS ELAPSED. I THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AMACO CO. TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WITH MY PERSONAL EXPENSES AT $2,000.00. THEY PROVIDED AT ONE (1) YEAR 12, 000 MILES WARRANTY. WITHIN TWO YEARS THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AGAIN AND I HAD TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER TRANSMISSION COMPANY BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE A WARRANTY ANYMORE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A AUTO SHOP TO SERVICE THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN AND WAS GIVEN AFTER THE REPAIR AN ONE (1) YEAR WARRANTY AT 12,000 MILES. THREE YEARS LATER THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AGAIN IN 2014 AND NOW I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIR FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. NOW AGAIN THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND GIVEN A ONE (1) YEAR WARRANTY AT 12, 000 MILES. NOW WE ARE IN 2015, THE TRANSMISSION IS REQUIRING REPAIR FOR THE FOURTH TIME. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A LEMON FROM THE BEGINNING FIRST WITH THE FIRESTONE TIRES AND NOW WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE, IT IS AT 293,500 MILES. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD COMPANY SEVERAL TIMES TO NO RESOLUTION. FORD COMPANY HAS INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THEY INDICATED THAT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY AND SAFETY MUST DEEM THE VEHICLE TO BE A LEMON, HAVE SUFFICENT CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS AND MOVE FORWARD TO HAVE A NATIONAL RECALL. BASED ON INTERNET FINDINGS THE YEAR 2000 TO 2004 OF FORD EXPLORE'S HAS HAD MANY ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION. FORD COMPANY HAS REFUSED TO PERFORM A "GOODWILL" GESTURE ON REPAIRING THIS LEMON. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT NOW I HAVE REPLACED AND REPAIRED THIS TRANSMISSION THREE (3) TIMES WITHIN THE SPAN OF 8 YEARS.......UPDATED 12/10/15 *BF *CN

CUSTOMER STATES THAT FORD UNPLUGGED THE CRUISE CONTROL AND DID NOT FIX IT. SHE STATED THAT THEY WILL NOT HAVE THE PART UNTIL DECEMBER. *KB *TR

DEALER LETTER STATING TO TAKE TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO HAVE RECALL FIXED. LETTER WAS SENT IN AUGUST AND EACH TIME I'VE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED, WHICH HAS BEEN AT LEAST THREE TIMES, THERE WERE NO PARTS AVAILABLE. IT'S NOW OCTOBER 4, 2007 AND I CALLED TO CHECK ON THE STATUS OF PARTS AND THE DEALERSHIP SAYS MID NOVEMBER TO EARLY DECEMBER. MY QUESTION IS THIS, IF MY CAR CATCHES ON FIRE BECAUSE THEY NEVER GET PARTS, WILL FORD REPLACE MY VEHICLE AT THEIR COST? *JB

ON JULY 25 MY 2000 FORD 4WD EXPLORER XLT CAUGHT ON FIRE (PER FINDING OF BEXAR COUNTY FIRE INSPECTOR) SITTING IN MY GARAGE AND DESTROYED THE VEHICLE, GARAGE, ALL ITS CONTENTS AND ALL THE SURROUNDING TREES AND LANDSCAPING. THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN 5 MILES ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE FIRE STARTED. THERE WAS NO FORD RECALL ON THE EXPLORER AND THERE STILL ISN'T. *NM

2000 FORD CONTOUR SPORT SE. DASHBOARD HAS WARPED TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS INTERFERING WITH THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING PROCESS. THE WARPING CAUSES PART OF THE DASHBOARD TO PRESS UP AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD TRAPPING WARM AIR UNDERNEATH AND NOT ALLOWING WARM AIR TO REACH THE WINDSHIELD DRIVER VIEWING AREA. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 76,000 MILES. PROBLEM BEGAN AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES. *JB

WHEN I ARRIVED BACK TO MY VEHICLE, EVERYTHING FROM THE ENGINE TO THE DASHBOARD WAS COMPLETLY BURNT. WHAT A SURPRISE WHEN YOU COME BACK FROM DINNER. I SPOE TO THE WITNESS WHO MADE THE 911 CALL. SHE STATED THAT SHE HEARD A POPPING NOISE, BUT IGNORED IT UNTIL SHE GOT TO HER DOOR AND HEARD THE NOISE AGAIN. SHE STATED THAT WHEN SHE TURNED AND LOOKED, SHE SAW SPARKS COMING FROM THE FRONT GRILL, SO SHE WENT INSIDE TO CALL THE POLICE. THE WITNESS STATED THAT AS SHE WAS ON THE PHONE WITH THE POLICE, SHE LOOKED OUT OF THE WINDOW, TO DISCOVER THERE WERE FLAMES TO THE 3RD FLOOR OF THE APARTMENT BUILDING. MY TRUCK HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN IN HOURS, AND THE LAST TIME THAT IT WAS DRIVEN, IT WAS TO THE STORE ON THE CORNER. THERE WAS NO ENGINE NOISE,CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ON IN THE DASH, OR ANY SIGNS THAT MY TRUCK WOULD GO UP IN FLAMES.

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2000 FORD EXPLORER TO WORK WHEN SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. IT COST $212.57 TO GET REPAIRED AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP (VICTORY FORD). DEALERSHIP CALLED IT A "MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH".

THE BALL JOINTS ON MY VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT I THINK OTHER OWNERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS. FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF SIMILAR FORD VEHICLE ALSO NEEDED TO REPLACE THEIR BALL JOINTS, SOME AS EARLY AS 40,000 MILES. SOME MECHANICS IN THE AREA SAY THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE IN FORD TRUCKS AND SUVS, BUT THAT MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW TO HAVE THEM CHECKED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE SPARE TIRE THAT WAS MOUNTED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE FELL OFF INTO THE ROAD AND VEHICLE RAN OVER IT. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

LEAKAGE AROUND THE BACK WINDOW. PH

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON FREQUENTLY. FORD SAYS IS NORMAL AND OVER 100 THINGS COULD CAUSE IT. SERVICE PEOPLE SAY LOOSE GAS CAP OR FILL WHILE RUNNING COULD CAUSE. CHARGED $86 TO RUN TEST TO DETERMINE NOTHING IS WRONG.GAS CAP MIGHT HAVE BEEN LEFT LOOSE AFTER FILL...FORD HAS A SIGNIFICANT, FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH ENGINE LIGHT AND SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO TAKE CARE OF THESE NUISANCE INSTANCES WITHOUT CHARGE TO CUSTOMERS...ESPECIALLY WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

BOUGHT CAR NEW 1/2000. 5/2000 NOTICED SIDEWALLS TURNING BROWN AND VERY BAD HANDLING ON ROAD BUMPS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER NOTICED THAT ON DIRT ROADS (NORMAL COUNTRY ROAD DRIVING, NOT OFF-ROAD) CAR TENDED TO SLIDE OUT ON CORNERS, AND JERK TO SIDE IF BUMP NOT SYMMETRICAL. BROUGHT TO FORD'S ATTENTION, TOLD THEM I THOUGHT THE SUSPENSION WAS INCOMPETENT. WHEN THE RECALL WAS ANNOUNCED, BOUGHT MICHELIN TIRES. THEY HAVE NOT TURNED BROWN, AND THE SAFETY/HANDLING WAS IMMENSELY IMPROVED. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE FIRESTONE TIRES, WHICH I STILL HAVE, AND THE EXPLORER SUSPENSION. (DOT NUMBER: VDCU 1PX TIRESIZE: 255/70R16)

NO SUMMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

YOU ARE GIVING THE PUBLIC A FALSE SENCE OF PROTECTION, THEY THINK AFTER THE TIRES ARE REPLACED ON THE FORD EXPLORES THEY WILL BE TOTAL SAFE. YOU SHOULD BE RELEASING INFORMATION ON FORD EXPLORERS THAT ROLLOVER WITHOUT THE TIRE FAILURE. YOU KNOW THAT DAM VEHICLE DID NOT MEET THE ROLLOVER TEST AND IT WILL CONTINUE KILLING PEOPLE, NOT ONLY PEOPLE DRIVING THE VEHICLE BUT PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT HAPPENS TO BE NEAR ONE WHEN IT ROLLOVER. GET THOSE DAM VEHICLES OFF THE HIGHWAYS OF THE USA. DO WHAT YOU ARE PAID TO DO. GET OFF YOUR BUTS AND GET THIS MESSAGE OUT TO THE PUBLIC!

GET THIS MESSAGE OUT TO THE PUBLIC! LIGHT TRUCKS CRASHING INTO CARS ACCOUNTS FOR THE MAJORITY OF FATALITIES IN VEHICLE-TO-VEHICLE COLLISIONS 2,000 PEOPLE WOULD STILL BE ALIVE IF THEIR VEHICLES HAD BEEN HIT BY A HEAVY CAR INSTEAD OF AN SUV 80 PERCENT OF CAR AND SUV OWNERS STRONGLY THAT AUTOMAKERS SHOULD MAKE SAFETY CHANGES TO SUVS THAT WOULD MAKE THE ROADS SAFER FOR CAR OCCUPANTS ARE SUV'S SAFE? OVERALL SAFETY ON AMERICA'S ROADS HAS INCREASED OVER THE LAST DECADE. HOWEVER, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES (SUVS) THREATEN TO REVERSE THE TREND. THERE IS INCREASING EVIDENCE THAT SUVS ARE NOT AS SAFE AS THEY APPEAR. RECENT STUDIES SHOW THAT SUVS POSE A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS OF OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT SAFETY PROBLEMS THREATEN PASSENGERS AND DRIVERS OF SUVS THEMSELVES. MOST DRIVERS WANT TO FEEL SAFE ON THE ROAD, BUT CHOOSING AN SUV FOR SAFETY MAY BE MAKING THE SITUATION WORSE. PARTLY, IT'S AN ISSUE OF ESCALATION. LIKE AN ARMS RACE, AS MORE DRIVERS CHOOSE HEAVIER CARS, THOSE WHO CHOOSE LIGHTER CARS ARE IN MORE DANGER. THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY STUDYING THE SAFETY OF SUVS, DESCRIBES TWO CHARACTERISTICS OF SUVS AND OTHER LIGHT TRUCKS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO INCREASE FATALITIES: ROLLOVER PROPENSITY AND CRASH COMPATIBILITY.(1) ROLLOVER AND UNSAFE FEATURES THE PROPENSITY OF SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES TO ROLL OVER IS MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES ARE MORE THAN THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO ROLL OVER IN CRASH THAN NORMAL PASSENGER CARS. THE HIGHER ROLL-OVER PROPENSITY MAY ALSO LEAD TO HIGHER FATALITIES. SUVS ARE HEAVIER AND RIDE HIGHER THAN REGULAR CARS. THE HIGH RIDE CONTRIBUTES TO A PROPENSITY OF SUVS TO ROLL OVER IN ACCIDENTS. ACCORDING TO NHTSA, SUVS ROLLOVER IN 37 PERCENT OF FATAL CRASHES, COMPARED TO A 15 PERCENT ROLLOVER RATE FOR PASSENGER CARS. ROLLOVER CRASHES ACCOUNTED FOR 53 PERCENT OF ALL SUV OCCUPANT DEATHS IN SINGLE VEHICLE CRASHES IN 1996.

I HAVE BROUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR 5/6 TIMES, AND IT STILL ISN'T RIGHT!