2007 Ford Explorer

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE TO THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

ON APRIL 25, 2011 AT A APPROXIMATELY 10 AM, MY WIFE AND I WERE TRAVELING IN OUR 2007 EXPLORER GOING SOUTHBOUND ON RT 5 PASSING STOCKTON CA. I WAS DRIVING; MY WIFE WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THIS 3 LANE HIGHWAY IN MODERATE 75 MPH TRAFFIC AND ABOUT MILE NORTH OF EXIT #473 WHEN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS WARNING (SUCH AS THE WAY A VEHICLE HANDLES WHEN A TIRE IS GOING FLAT OR A WHEEL IS COMING LOOSE), THERE WAS A LOUD BANG ACCOMPANIED BY HIGH VIBRATION AND A LOUD RUMBLING NOISE LIKE A TIRE BLOWOUT. THE NOISE AND VIBRATION LASTED A SECOND OR SO, THEN STOPPED FOR A SECOND OR SO, THEN RESUMED AGAIN FOR ANOTHER SECOND OR SO AFTER WHICH THE VIBRATION STOPPED AND THE LOUD RUMBLING NOISE WAS REPLACED BY A LOUD STEADY SCRAPING/GRINDING NOISE. I GOT ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY IN ABOUT 15 SECONDS. DURING THIS I HAD NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTY IN STEERING OR CONTROLLING THE EXPLORER. THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL HAD COME OFF. ALL 5 LUG BOLTS WERE FRACTURED THROUGH AND ALL BUT THEIR SHORT PORTIONS THAT ARE THREADED INTO THE HUB, WERE MISSING. A LONG SKID MARK FROM THE #2 LANE OVER TO THE SHOULDER WAS DONE BY THE REAR WHEEL'S STABILIZER FRAME AND ASSOCIATED LINKAGES HAVING BEEN SCRAPED OVER THE PAVEMENT. THE LAST TIME THE LUG BOLTS AND LUG NUTS ON THIS WHEEL WERE REMOVED AND REINSTALLED WAS OVER 8,000 MILES AGO WHEN THE BRAKES WERE INSPECTED. THE TORQUES ON THE LUG NUTS ON THE REMAINING 3 WHEELS WERE NOW MEASURED AND FOUND TO BE PER EXPLORER SHOP MANUAL SPECIFICATIONS. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE LUG BOLTS IN OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAVE SIMILAR LUG BOLTS FROM THE SAME BATCH AS IN MINE. I HAVE THE HUB WITH THE PORTIONS OF THE FRACTURED LUG BOLTS STILL THREADED INTO IT, AND IT IS AVAILABLE FOR EXAMINATION BY NHTSA IF THAT WILL HELP IN DETERMINING IF A MORE WIDESPREAD LUG BOLT SAFETY ISSUE EXISTS. *TR

4/15/2011 2:00 P.M. TRIED KEY IN IGNITION DIDN'T WANT TO GO IN IGNITION AT FIRST, THEN IT WENT IN BUT WOULD NOT TURN. CANNOT GET THE KEY TO TURN IN THE IGNITION. WIGGLED THE STEERING WHEEL, THEN IT "LOCKED". TRIED TO MOVE THE SHIFTING GEAR FROM PARK, CANNOT MOVE IT. VEHICLE WAS IN FOR REPAIR/REPLACEMENT OF SHIFTING GEAR ON/AROUND 3/17/2011. AT THAT TIME WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MY "EXTENDED WARRANTY" THAT WAS PURCHASED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. CALLED LOCAL DEALER WHO AGREE TO CALL ROADSIDE SERVICE FOR ME SINCE I NEEDED TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR A RIDE (AND A RIDE FOR 3 OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE RIDING WITH ME). LOCAL DEALER TOOK MY CELL PHONE NUMBER AND LET ME KNOW I WOULD GET A CALL BACK. THIS WAS ON 4/15/2011 APPROXIMATELY 2 P.M. HAD TO LEAVE FOR APPOINTMENT, DIDN'T RETURN UNTIL AROUND 9:00 P.M. NO CALL FROM ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE HAD BEEN RECEIVED. HAD CELL PHONE SERVICE THE ENTIRE TIME. CALLED THEM MYSELF AROUND 9:30 P.M. THEY HAD NO RECORD OF THE CALL FROM EARLIER IN THE DAY WHICH REFERENCED MY CELL PHONE NUMBER. IF THE TOW HAD BEEN ARRANGED EARLIER, IT COULD HAVE BEEN AT THE DEALER BEFORE THEY CLOSED ON FRIDAY. IF I HAD KNOWN THIS WOULDN'T HAPPEN (THE TOW), I WOULD HAVE CALLED MY OWN TOWING COMPANY TO DO IT. HORRIBLE SERVICE! :) SO WE WERE SUPPOSED TO LEAVE FOR VACATION ON MONDAY, BUT NOT SURE WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW WITH ONLY A SMALL VEHICLE TO USE FOR 4 PEOPLE AND 4 SUITCASES! NOT SURE IT WILL BE FEASIBLE. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE SAYS THE VEHICLE WILL BE DELIVERED TO DEALER TOMORROW. WAITING TO HEAR WHAT THE DEALER HAS TO SAY, BUT BASED ON PAST EXPERIENCE AM NOT VERY OPTIMISTIC. I FEEL THIS PROBLEM DIRECTLY RELATES TO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR SHIFTER (WHICH I DON'T THINK NEEDED TO HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE). ALSO JUST RECENTLY NOTICED THAT THE CONSOLE AROUND THE RADIO AND THE HEAT DUCT WAS LOOSE.

CAR WAS PARKED AND UPON RETURNING TO VECHICLE ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE. BRAKE WAS ENGAGED, BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ON HAD DIFFICULTY SHIFTING, COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE. AFTER ABOUT 3 ATTEMPTS, IT WORKED. CALLED DEALER ON THE FOLLOWING MONDAY SINCE THIS WAS A SAT. NITE. SCHEDULED DIAGNOSTICS FOR 3/17/11. KEPT HAVING THIS ISSUE INTERMITTENTLY (MORE OFTEN THEN NOT) UNTIL DROP OFF. VEHICLE AROUND 8:00 A.M. WAS NOTIFIED AROUND 2 P.M. THAT ALL DIAGNOSTICS POINT TO THE SHIFTING LEVER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THIS REPAIR ($435) WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT WAS PURCHASED AT THE TIME OF SALE. I WAS BASICALLY TOLD IT WAS "BUMPER TO BUMPER" COVERAGE. LEFT THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALER AS I WAS LEAVING FOR A BUS. TRIP ON 3/19/11. CALLED FORD CUSTOMER CARE (CALLED AT LEAST THREE TIMES BETWEEN THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND TUESDAY). FINALLY REACHED THE REP THAT MY ISSUE HAD BEEN ESCALATED TO ON 3/22/11. TOLD HIM THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR A "GOODWILL" REPAIR ON BEHALF OF FORD MOTOR CO. I FELT THAT THIS ISSUE SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, OTHERWISE, WHY WOULD PEOPLE BUY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY IF THEY COULDN'T COUNT ON IT COVERING ANYTHING? FINAL RESOLUTION WAS THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP TO MAKE THE REPAIR, I WOULD PAY THE $50 DEDUCTIBLE THAT I WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY HAD THE WARRANTY COVERED THE SERVICE. I WAS BASICALLY TOLD "DON'T EXPECT THAT THE NEXT TIME SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS THAT YOU CAN CALL FORD AND THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF IT." THE BOTTOM LINE IS I AM SATISFIED THAT IT IS BEING REPAIRED FOR THE $50 DEDUCT. HOWEVER, I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT I NEEDED TO "JUMP THROUGH HOOPS" TO GET THIS ACCOMPLISHED. I BELIEVE THAT THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD HAVE WORKED WITH FORD ON MY BEHALF TO GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF. ABOUT 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS THERE WERE FRONT END AND WHEEL ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE.

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING WHEN SHE TRIED DRIVING. SHE WAS ABLE TO COAST ACROSS 2 LANES WITH HAZARDS ON AND PARK THE CAR. A LOCAL SHOP SAYS THE TRANSMISSION IS FRENCH AND IS KNOWN TO HAVE ISSUES OF FAILURE. TOTAL REPAIR WILL BE $2900 WITH AN AMERICAN MADE TRANSMISSION WITH A 100K MILE WARRANTY. *TR

WE HAVE A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. THE RADIATOR STARTED LEAKING AT JUST OVER 36,000 MILES. UPON RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, WE FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE FORD EXPLORER AND FORD WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND FIX THE RADIATORS, SINCE THERE IS A FLAW ISSUE WITH THEM. FORD NEEDS TO BE MADE TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE RADIATORS AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM SO IT DOES NOT CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ACCURATELY SHIFTING GEARS AND THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE BACKWARDS WHILE IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH CONCLUDED THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPROGRAM THE TRANS MEMORY TO UPDATE CALIBRATION FOR CONVERTER LOCKUP. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 29,000. UPDATED 11/28/11

I WAS SHOVELING THE DRIVEWAY AND WANTED TO SHOVEL UNDER MY VEHICLE SO I STARTED IT TO PULL IT INTO THE GARAGE. THE ICE WAS THICK ON THE WINDSHIELD SO I PUT THE DEFROST ON AND LET IT RUN TO WARM UP. I SHOVELED THE DRIVEWAY A BIT MORE THEN AFTER ABOUT 90 SECONDS DECIDED I WOULD JUST SCRAPE THE ICE SO I COULD GET IT IN THE GARAGE. I OPENED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR TO GRAB MY ICE SCRAPER AND SAW BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR UNDER THE DASHBOARD. I GRABBED THE CAR KEYS AND RAN TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I OPENED THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND SAW LIQUID FLAMES DRIPPING TO THE FLOOR BUT NOT CATCHING IT ON FIRE YET. I CALLED 911 IMMEDIATELY AT 8:56AM AND RAN ACROSS THE STREET TO MY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE. AT 9:06AM THE VEHICLE (FIRST VIDEO) IS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASE 10/12/2010 WITH JUST OVER 52,000 MILES. THE FIRE OCCURRED ON 1/10/2011 WITH JUST UNDER 55,000 MILES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE ROAD PERFORMANCE WAS EXTREMELY POOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FOUR TIRES AT THE MANUFACTURES EXPENSE. RECENTLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES EXHIBITED PREMATURE WEAR AND STATED THAT THE TIRES WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AFTER ONLY RIDING ON THEM FOR EIGHTEEN MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10,000. THE CONSUMER HAS PURCHASED THREE SETS OF TIRES. UPDATED 04/29/11