INITIAL COMPLAINT WAS GAS MILEAGE. 12 MPG IN TOWN AND 12 MPG ON THE HIGHWAY. DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM. MILEAGE CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE, DOWN TO 7 IN TOWN AND 12 ON HIGHWAY. THIS IS A V6 2 WHEEL DRIVE AUTO. THEN THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK, THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND I TOOK THE CAR IN AGAIN AND COMPLAINED AB…
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INITIAL COMPLAINT WAS GAS MILEAGE. 12 MPG IN TOWN AND 12 MPG ON THE HIGHWAY. DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM. MILEAGE CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE, DOWN TO 7 IN TOWN AND 12 ON HIGHWAY. THIS IS A V6 2 WHEEL DRIVE AUTO. THEN THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK, THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND I TOOK THE CAR IN AGAIN AND COMPLAINED ABOUT THE GAS MILEAGE AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. DEALER CALLED AND SAID I HAD 2 BAD SENSORS ON THE CAR AND COULD GET IT THE NEXT DAY. CUSTOMER SERVICE CALLED 2 DAYS LATER AND TOLD MY WIFE THAT THEY HAD " FRIED" THE CPU IN THE CAR. IT'S BEEN ALMOST 10 DAYS IN THE SHOP AND NO REPAIRS. DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE TO HAVE A NEW COMPUTER MADE FOR THE CAR AND THAT ALL CPU ARE " SPECIAL" , NOT SOMETHING THEY CAN GET EVERYDAY. THIS UNIT CONTROLS EVERYTHING ON THIS CAR, IF IT WAS "FRIED" WHAT DID IT DO TO THE SENSORS ON THE CAR? *TR
NHTSA ODI #10200794
4,400 miles · Jun 18, 2007
Power TrainFire
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO GO IN REVERSE ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. WHEN THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY WENT IN REVERSE, THE RPM'S BEGAN TO REV. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED LOW BRAKE PRESSURE. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO W…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO GO IN REVERSE ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. WHEN THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY WENT IN REVERSE, THE RPM'S BEGAN TO REV. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED LOW BRAKE PRESSURE. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS. THE CONTACT SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, OPENED THE HOOD, AND NOTICED SMOKE RISING. THE VEHICLE REMAINED PARKED FOR AN HOUR AND WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE RPM'S BEGAN TO REV UP AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE PURCHASE DATE AND A VALID VIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 4,400.
NHTSA ODI #10193564
1,110 miles · Oct 30, 2006
Power TrainVisibility
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED UPON INITIAL ACCELERATION, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTED ROUGHLY INTO SECOND GEAR. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN EITHER THE SECOND ROW PASSENGER WINDOW WAS OPEN WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A LOUD WIND VIBRATION THAT CIRCULATED THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. IT WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DUPLICATED THE…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED UPON INITIAL ACCELERATION, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTED ROUGHLY INTO SECOND GEAR. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN EITHER THE SECOND ROW PASSENGER WINDOW WAS OPEN WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A LOUD WIND VIBRATION THAT CIRCULATED THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. IT WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DUPLICATED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CAUSE. ALSO, THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT WAS THE WAY THE WINDOWS WERE DESIGNED, AND IF THE PROBLEM PERSISTED, IT WAS INSTRUCTED NOT TO OPEN THE WINDOWS WHILE DRIVING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE TWO BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY TO THE FRAME MAY HAVE BEEN OVER-TIGHTENED. THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN ONE OR BOTH OF THE BOLTS FRACTURING, CAUSING THE STEERING GEAR TO BECOME LOOSE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE "CLUNKING" NOISE WHEN STEERING AS WELL AS DECREASED STEERING EFFECTIVENESS POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY MOUNTING BOLTS AND NUTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
PE08060 · Tire Valve Cracking
Opened Oct 14, 2008 · Closed Apr 9, 2009
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Tires:valve
ON OCTOBER 14, 2008, ODI OPENED PE08-060 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF CRACKED AND LEAKING SNAP-IN TIRE VALVES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY.THE VALVES WERE SUPPLIED TO FORD BY TOPSEAL AUTO-PARTS, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SHANGHAI BAOLONG AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION IN CHINA.VALVES MADE BY TOPSEAL FOR AFTERMARKET SALE WERE THE SUBJECT OF TWO RECENT SAFETY RECALLS BY TECH INTERNATIONAL (08T-018) AND DILL AIR CONTROLS (08T-028), THE LATTER OF WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED BY ODI IN PE08-036 AND EA08-022.THE DEFECT CONDITIONS ADDRESSED BY THE AFTERMARKET TIRE VALVE RECALLS BOTH INVOLVED INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE SUPPLY OF ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS TO TOPSEAL FOR A PERIOD FROM JULY TO MID-NOVEMBER 2006.THE AFTERMARKET VALVES WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A BLEND OF EPDM AND NATURAL RUBBER, USING A RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF EPDM (EPDM PROVIDES INHERENT RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING).HENCE, THE NEED FOR ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS AND THE PROBLEMS WITH CRACKING WHEN THOSE CHEMICALS WERE MISSING OR OUT OF SPECIFICATION IN SOME LOTS OF VALVES.BOTH RECALL CAMPAIGNS INVOLVED INSPECTION PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY AND REPLACE VALVES WITH VISIBLE SURFACE CRACKING.ALTHOUGH THE TOPSEAL VALVES SUPPLIED TO FORD ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE ANTI-OZONANT SUPPLY ISSUES IN MID TO LATE-2006, FORD INDICATED THAT ITS VALVES WERE MADE AT A DIFFERENT TOPSEAL PRODUCTION LINE AND WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF EPDM RUBBER TO MEET MORE STRINGENT SPECIFICATIONS FROM FORD.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA PROVIDED BY FORD SHOWED THAT PROBLEMS WITH CRACKED TIRE VALVES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER FOR MY 2007 VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007.FORD RESPONDED BY IMPLEMENTING CHANGES IN ITS MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SNAP-IN RUBBER TIRE VALVES AND ALSO INCREASING THE QUALITY AND ACCEPTANCE STANDARDS FOR VALVES IMPORTED FOR USE IN ITS VEHICLES.WHILE THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM RATES ARE ELEVATED FOR SUBJECT VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007, THE RATES OF LEAKING VALVES ARE WELL BELOW ONE PERCENT OF PRODUCTION FOR EACH OF THE PEAK MONTHS FOR ALL OF THE AFFECTED MODELS.A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS (TPMS) WHICH WARN THE DRIVER WHEN ANY TIRE PRESSURES DROPS BELOW 25 PERCENT OF RECOMMENDED INFLATION PRESSURE. AS OUTLINED IN A LETTER TO ODI DATED APRIL 6, 2009, FORD HAS AGREED TO SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS OF CERTAIN MY 2007 AND 2008 FORD, LINCOLN AND MERCURY VEHICLES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRACKING CONCERN. LETTERS WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES BUILT FROM NOVEMBER 2006 THROUGH MAY 2007.OWNERS CAN OPT FOR A FREE DEALER INSPECTION.VALVES EXHIBITING SURFACE CRACKS OR AIR LEAKAGE RELATED TO OZONE ATTACK WILL BE REPLACED BY FORD UNDER ITS NORMAL WARRANTY TERMS.FORD EXPECTS TO SEND THE LETTER BY APPROXIMATELY MID-MAY 2009. BASED ON THE USE OF TPMS IN THE MAJORITY OF SUBJECT VEHICLES AND THE RELATIVELY LOW RATES OF REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING VALVES AND RESULTANT TIRE DAMAGE, ODI BELIEVES THAT THE ACTIONS FORD HAS AGREED TO TAKE WILL PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND EXPEDITIOUS RESOLUTION FOR VEHICLES THAT WERE BUILT DURING THE PERIOD WHEN VALVES WITH INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING WERE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN USED IN VEHICLE PRODUCTION.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO
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