1999 Ford Explorer

ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, ODI RECEIVED A PETITION REQUESTING THAT THE AGENCY INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE SPARK PLUG EJECTION IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1997 THROUGH 2004 FORD VEHICLES WITH TRITON V-8 AND V-10 ENGINES.ODI RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 474 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WHERE THE COMPLAINANT, OR THE DEALER REPAIRING THE VEHICLE, REPORTED THAT A SPARK PLUG DETACHED FROM THE CYLINDER AND/OR EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE.AS OF DECEMBER 8, 2005, ODI IS NOT AWARE OF ANY ALLEGATIONS WHERE THE ALLEGED DEFECT RESULTED IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, A CRASH, AN INJURY, OR A FATALITY IN ANY OF THE 10,319,810 SUBJECT VEHICLES.IN ADDITION, ODI IS AWARE OF ONLY TWO INCIDENTS WHERE THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT RESTART.INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ODI CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND OBTAINED FROM 72 TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WITH COMPLAINANTS SHOWED THE FOLLOWING:(1) 99% OF THE COMPLAINTS WERE ON MY 1997 TO 2002 SUBJECT VEHICLES.(2) MOST THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED HEARING A LOUD POP WHILE DRIVING OR UPON STARTING UP THE VEHICLE FOLLOWED BY A LOUD, REPETITIVE CLICKING OR POPPING SOUND.(3) MANY OF THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED THAT THE POPPING SOUND WAS ACCOMPANIED BY SOME LOSS OF VEHICLE POWER; HOWEVER, IN 99% OF THE INCIDENTS REPORTED, THE VEHICLE DID NOT STALL.IN THE VERY FEW INCIDENTS WHERE THE VEHICLE DID STALL, MOST VEHICLES COULD BE RESTARTED.(4) ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLAINANTS CITED THAT THEY SMELLED GAS OR A SLIGHT BURNING SMELL WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED.(5) IN ALL BUT A VERY FEW INCIDENTS, VEHICLE DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO THE ENGINE.IN ONE INCIDENT, THE COMPLAINT REPORTED THAT THE FUEL RAIL WAS DAMAGED AND REPLACED AFTER ONE OF THE SPARK PLUGS EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE; HOWEVER, THE COMPLAINANT REPORTED THAT THE DAMAGE DID NOT RESULT IN ANY TYPE OF FUEL LEAK OR FIRE.IN ANOTHER INCIDENT, THE ONLY INCIDENT WHERE A FIRE WAS ALLEGED, THE COMPLAINANT REPORTED THAT NO FLUID LEAK WAS OBSERVED, BUT THAT A FIRE RESULTED AFTER THE SPARK PLUG HAD EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE AND HE HAD RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND DRIVEN TO ANOTHER LOCATION.NONE OF THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED ANY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE HOOD.(6) ONLY TWO COMPLAINANTS REPORTED THAT THEY OBSERVED WHAT APPEARED TO BE SOME DROPS OF FUEL COMING FROM THE CYLINDER WHERE THE SPARK PLUG HAD FAILED OR ON THE SPARK PLUG ITSELF; HOWEVER, EACH OF THESE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO SMOKE OR FLAMES AS A RESULT OF HIS INCIDENT.AS THE PETITIONER NOTED, AND ODI?S ANALYSIS SHOWED, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A SPARK PLUG TO DETACH FROM THE ENGINE CYLINDER THREADS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.HOWEVER, ODI?S ANALYSIS OF 474 COMPLAINTS DESCRIBING SUCH INCIDENTS FOUND ONLY A VERY FEW ALLEGED ANY SAFETY-RELATED CONSEQUENCES.NONE OF THESE SHOWED ANY EVIDENCE OF A SERIOUS SAFETY CONSEQUENCE.GIVEN THE LARGE POPULATION AND RELATIVELY LONG EXPOSURE TIME OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, THE COMPLAINT ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT THE RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY FROM THE ALLEGED DEFECT IS VERY LOW.IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THEREFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA?S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY?S SAFETY MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.

BY LETTER DATED AUGUST 4, 2003, FORD NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT IS CONDUCTING A VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA RECALL NO. 03V281) INVOLVING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998-2001 FORD EXPLORER / MERCURY MOUNTAINEER 4-DOOR, MY 1998-2000 FORD EXPLORER 2-DOOR AND MY 2001-2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT AND SPORT TRAC VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HIGH BACK SEATS.COMPLAINTS ALLEGE THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK RECLINED WITHOUT WARNING.A BOLT BETWEEN THE UPPER SEAT RECLINER ATTACHMENT AND THE SEAT BACK FRAME MAY FRACTURE.FORD WILL REPLACE THE BOLT THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM TO THE SEAT BACK FRAME ON THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT.BASED ON FORD'S SAFETY RECALL ACTION, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

ODI OPENED PE00-044INVESTIGATION ON NOVEMBER 3, 2000, BASED ON A REPORT REGARDING THE DEATH OF THE OCCUPANT OF THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT IN A 2000 MODEL YEAR FORD EXPLORER XLS INVOLVED IN A ROLL-OVER CRASH.IT IS ALLEGED THAT THE WEBBING OF THE BUCKLE PORTION OF THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY FAILED DURING THE CRASH.THE OCCUPANT WAS PARTIALLY EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE, THEREBY SUSTAINING FATAL INJURIES.THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN OPENED FOR FURTHER STUDY.

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Gas pedal bracket fell off the firewall of the vehicle.jamming up under the brake pedal almost caused and accident. I got the vehicle stopped by using the Emergency brake did a temporary repair to get my vehicle to a shop to see about having repair done. After the vehicle was at the shop and repair was done the garage had informed me of the pour weld condition from the the gas pedal bracket was installed. Said repair was in deed done by the shop with all new weld being done and adjusted. After looking online for gas pedal problems for these vehicles Ford needs to have a nationwide recall to repair or replace these before someone gets serious injury or even death from a accident

NHTSA ID

11553341

Incident

Nov 2, 2023

Was driving under 20mph on my way home about 5 minutes away no warning no sounds nothing warned us that our tire was going to fall off the drivers side while driving with other vehicles on the road behind us and in passing us all 5 studs that hold the lugnuts on so tire stays on but all 5 studs broke and tire just fell off thank god no one got hurt. Just caused a anxiety attack I was scared that bad and that's bad enough. Plus had to have it towed costing $60.00 less than 5 mins. Away to get it home now it's sitting on a Jack with scotches and now I have to hope I can get help with getting my son to elementary school. My only car not now.

NHTSA ID

11462156

Incident

Apr 25, 2022

The transmission stopped going in reverse for no apparent reason. All other gears work fine. There’s no lagging when driving and no other signs. I went to put it in reverse to back out of my driveway and when I pushed the gas it just reved the engine up and floated backwards causing me to apply the brakes quickly so I wouldn’t hit my house. There was smoke coming up from the transmission fluid container.The smoke continues to this day and there’s the proper amount/ plenty of transmission fluid in the transmission container.

NHTSA ID

11458793

Incident

Mar 21, 2022

THEY FIX THE CABLE FOR SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH AND IS SAID THEY SHOULD CHECK ABS MODULE AND FIX AS NECESSARY THEY NEVER DID JUST SWITCH CABLE THAT'S ALL

NHTSA ID

11386554

Incident

Nov 21, 2020

I NEED TO KNOW WHAT CAUSES THE ELECTRIC TO GO HAYWIRE. THE OVERHEAD LAMP CLICKS ON AND OFF THE DRIVER DOOR LOCK DOESN'T WORK COMPLETELY. THE DRIVER WINDOW DOES NOT WORK CORRECTLY. SOME OF MY GAUGES WILL DECIDE NOT TO WORK SOMETIMES AND THEN OTHER TIMES WE'LL BE FINE. MY RADIO CLOCK DOES NOT WORK. ALL HAPPENS THE SAME WHETHER I'M DRIVING OR NOT WHETHER I'M PARKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING OR NOT. I CAN'T FIGURE OUT ANYTHING IT'S CAUSING THIS

NHTSA ID

11385724

Incident

Oct 24, 2020

Mileage

210,000 mi

ACCELERATION ( GAS STUCK OPEN AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO NOT TO BE CONTROLLED AND THE CAR JUMPED THE CURB AND HIT A CAR IN OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY). 1999 FORD EXPLORER SPORT

NHTSA ID

11280507

Incident

Oct 16, 2019

Mileage

130,000 mi

MY VIN WAS GOOD YESTERDAY, IT IS NOT IN YOUR OR FORD'S, COMPUTER TODAY...PROBABLY BECAUSE RECALLS FOR EXTREMELY DANGEROUS VEHICLES, SUCH AS THIS ONE, ARE VOLUNTARY AND TO BE ENFORCED BY THE CONSUMER AT THE CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. YESTERDAY, THE FORD RECALL NOTICE ON MY VIN SHOWED THAT MY VEHICLE WAS TO BE REPAIRED BY MY FORD DEALER ONLY IF FORD INTENDED TO CONTINUE TO MANUFACTURE PARTS AS WELL AS PROVIDE THE PARTS AND SERVICE ...IF FORD WAS NOT WILLING TO PROVIDE THEM THEY HAD TH OPTION OF PURCHASING THE AUTOMOBILE BACK. YESTERDAY, I POINTED OUT THAT FORD NEVER PROVIDED THE CORRECT PART, THEY INSTEAD RECALLED FOR THE WRONG PART.(THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPORTED TO EXPLODE AND BURN WHILE SAFELY PARKED IN THE GARAGE OR DRIVEWAY) THE PART WHICH IS ACTUALLY DEFECTIVE IS THE DESIGN OF THE ENTIRE SERIES OF VEHICLES WHICH FORD NO LONGER PROVIDES PARTS FOR ONLY WAIVERS OF LIABILITY. WHAT IS ACTUALLY WRONG WITH THE DESIGN IS THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM IS CONSTANTLY MAINTAINED UNDER PRESSURE BY THE FUEL PUMP, REGARDLESS IF THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING OR NOT. (MY CRIPPLED VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH NO FUEL IN IT'S TANK AND THE BATTERY TERMINAL DISCONNECTED.) I BELIEVE THIS INVOLVES ALL FORD VEHICLES OF THIS CHASSIS THAT WERE SUPPOSEDLY REDESIGNED, AT US GOVERNMENT EXPENSE, FOR E10 FUEL AND WERE NOT DESIGNED BY A FACTORY TEAM FOR PROFESSIONAL ALCOHOL FUEL RACING. DANGEROUS CONDITION: ALL AND ANY SERIES OF VEHICLES OF THIS DESIGN WILL EVENTUALLY SPRING A LEAK, REGARDLESS OF WHO IS AT FAULT AND WITH NO WAY OF STEMMING FUEL FLOW IT WILL PUMP THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF THE FUEL TANK UNDER THE DRIVERS/PASSENGERS SEAT. THIS DESIGN CONDITION IS SO DANGEROUS THAT SUCH DESIGNS ARE CONSIDERED DANGEROUS IN ALCOHOL FUEL RACING; WITH NO WAY OF STEMMING THE FUEL SYSTEM POWER AND/OR THE FUEL FLOW THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED ON ANY RACE TRACK OR GARAGE TO WHICH I AM AWARE.

NHTSA ID

11231523

Incident

Jul 13, 2019

Mileage

1 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE HOOD OPENED AND CRACKED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND TIED THE HOOD DOWN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT, WHILE DRIVING, THE SPEED CONTROL WOULD ENGAGE OR NOT ENGAGE WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11210309

Incident

May 20, 2019

Mileage

100,000 mi

FORD: CERTAIN 1999-2001 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN NEW YORK AND CERTAIN 2001 VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF MAINE, CERTIFIED FOR SALE IN CALIFORNIA-FEDERAL EMISSION WARRANTY REFUND. *PE

FRONT AXLE LEAKS FLUID FROM VENT TUBE - VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4X4 OR AWD. *TT

WARNING INDICATORS-PARKING AID-REVERSE SENSING SYSTEM (RSS) AND FORWARD SENSING SYSTEM (FSS)-FALSE ACTIVATION OF WARNING TONE-SERVICE TIPS. *MJ UPDATE. *TT

GENERAL (PCM) POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT

REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR. *TT

REVISED PROCEDURE FOR ADJUSTING ALIGNMENT ON ALL SUSPENSIONS - NEW RIGHT HAND UPPER CONTROL ARM DESIGN FOR TORSION BAR FRONT SUSPENSIONS. *TT