Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
STRUCTURE - BODY
0217109/02/200210008575Paint-premature clearcoat cracking-service tips. *mj08/05/2004
0014307/10/2000618530Subject regarding vibration, shake, resonance noise at speeds above 72 km/h (45mph). *jb04/16/2001
1228912/01/1998615536Some vehicles may exhibit a water leak concern from the moonroof. *tt01/18/2001
537312/01/1998615448Some vehicles may exhibit a water leak concern from the moonroof. *tt01/16/2001
1285206/01/19996092013Use kleenex brand juniors or li'l travelers to refill tissues for certain vehicles with the high series center console facial tissue compartment. *tt11/17/2000
669807/01/1999610741Experiencing rattle / flutter noise from front while driving. *tt05/11/2000
9922811/01/19996089689Experiencing water leak into the vehicle through the moonroof opening. *tt03/03/2000
642906/01/1999606842Information on refilling tissues for the center console facial tissue compartment. *tt09/03/1999
STRUCTURE - BODY - BUMPERS
9920310/04/19996089643Information on replacing the front bumper bracket. *tt02/10/2000
STRUCTURE - BODY - DOOR
99-8-1505/03/1999606419Subject regarding door trim panel replacement - service tip. *tt01/05/2001
724710/01/19996090830Some vehicles may exhibit a fuse #18 open / power door locks cycling uncommanded. *tt03/30/2000
9924211/15/19996090184Information on replacing and / or repairing malfunctioning (door, ignition and decklid) locks. *tt03/09/2000
99686812/06/1999608800Information on vehicles exhibiting a no 2-step unlock or a false diagnostic trouble code b1834 (door unlock disarm output - cir) stored in memory. *tt12/06/1999
STRUCTURE - BODY - DOOR - HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
1419806/01/2000613895Some vehicles may exhibit a squeak noise from the front lower door hinge(s) when opening or closing the doors. *tt09/20/2000
1343511/01/1999610876Experiencing a popping, snapping or ticking noise from the right a-pillar / upper door hinge area whle driving. *tt05/16/2000
741811/01/1999610808Some vehicles may exhibit a popping, snapping or ticking noise from the right a pillar / upper door hinge area while driving. *tt05/15/2000
714210/01/19996090760Some vehicles may exhibit a pop / creak noise from the right a pillar / upper door hinge area while driving. *tt03/29/2000
1326309/01/19996090692Some vehicles may exhibit a pop / creak noise from the right a pillar / upper door hinge area while driving. *tt03/23/2000

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
STRUCTURE
09/07/2010160000
 Tl-the contact owns a 1999 ford explorer. while driving approximately 60 mph the accelerator pedal assembly detached from the vehicle. he pulled over and parked the vehicle. while parked he was able to maneuver the accelerator pedal assembly into a position where he would still be able to drive. the vehicle was then taken to an independent repair shop where it was repaired. the failure and current mileages were 160,000. sm.
05/20/2010189000
 Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear hatch window exploded unexpectedly. the contact was under the impression that someone had broken the window and contacted the police. the police advised they were unable to determine what caused the breakage. the failure and current mileages were 189,000.
07/20/20051000001
 1999 ford explorer grab bar over the front passenger's seat fell off although there was no pressure applied to it. *mr for seven weeks prior to the failure to consumer had been instructed to use the grab bar to get in and out of the vehicle because of an ankle injury. the consumer said that at no time during those seven weeks did the bar feel loose or unstable. *nm
12/09/2003135000101/01/2000
 Consumer states if the arm rest is tipped upward to get into the storage area, hot /cold drinks will spill into the rear passenger area. *ak *mr
07/15/2000107/15/2000
 The vehicle is setting high off the ground causing wind to get under vehicle, which can cause the driver to lose control of vehicle and a crash can occur. *yd
09/12/2001103/07/2000
 The plastic trim around the head liner was loose.*jb
11/06/200111/25/1998
 Rear tire struck the toyota's front bumper and rolled the explorer over. the side airbags did not deployed. the force in the rollover crash should have activated the side airbags.
07/15/2000107/15/2000
 The vehicle is setting high off the ground causing wind to get under beather and cause driver to lose control of vehicle and crash can occur. *yd
09/12/2001103/07/2000
 The plastic trim around the head liner was loose.*jb
STRUCTURE - BODY
10/02/200150000110/23/1999
 Dt: vehicle's metal sport running boards rusted in two years. the owner felt that this was a safety issue. the owner needed the running boards to help her get in and out of the vehicle. she contacted the dealership and a body shop. the consumer has not been in contact with the manufacturer. consumer checked on having fiberglass running boards placed on her vehicle. the metal running boards were original equipment on the vehicle when purchased. the consumer wants ford to reimburse her for the new fiberglass running boards. *ak *jb
08/10/20031
 While passenger was getting inside of vehicle by pulling on the upper handle grip the handle snapped, causing the passenger to fall to the ground.*ak
03/01/2002
 Vehicle has major vibration throughout body when it is idling. rpms fluctuate up and down between 1600 and 2300. dealer added an extra bracket to exhaust system to help stop vibration. vehicle would only rev hard when it was first started up. vehicle was not included in recall 00v395000/ manufacturer's recall 00546, but it was upgraded accordingly to help correct the problem before it got worse.*ak
12/01/1999102/12/1999
 Console had to be fixed *yh
STRUCTURE - BODY - BUMPERS
03/24/20031
 The bumper collapsed when it was hit. *jb
03/01/1999
 Front bumper is made with flimsy plastic. *slc
107/01/1999
 Rear front wind guard broke. yh
 Rear bumpers on this series is so high above grade that they are ineffective. a simple bumper tap from a normal sedan as in parallel parking, is sufficient to do thousands of dollars damage simply because of the raised bumper. my comment: requiring bumper standards like 5 mph is irrelevant if bumpers do not match. the ford ex... series bumper height is a prime example of non-standard, unnecesarily burdensome, design change. *ak
STRUCTURE - BODY - DOOR
08/16/2002
 While trying to accelerate doors automatically locked, and then vehicle shut off. it was hard to get vehicle back started. dealer notified.*ak
10/01/19991
 Consumer states that the unit rattles when in motion, dealer replaced replaced the rivet in the door regulator. *slc
108/20/1999
 The back doors do not open from the inside. *mjs
08/16/20002
 Defective striker plate which was used to hold the door in event of a crash, spun around, causing door not to close properly. in event of a crash door may fly open. manufacturer said that striker plate was suppose to stay in place when the door was shut. *ak
05/25/199905/01/1999
 Soon after purchase paint problem revealed multiple bubbles through out the exterior of the car. suv was then taken to dealer/body shop were other problems were created to the cosmetics of the car. it took about a year to attempt to correct problems that were created. the suv's doors were taken off which then created a wind noise to the drivers side that can't be corrected. the doors were replaced misaligned and when complaints were made with higher management their response was that i was to picky with their work. i am very disatsified with how they handle this veh. defect. *ak
03/01/19990
 When turning on the ignition, warning lights are supposed to come on and go off. however, airbag warning light stays on. consumer feels this is unsafe, and there may be a problem with the air bag system. also, automatic doors locks do not lock when vehicle is put into drive, but after the vehicle has traveled 2-3 miles down the road. *ak *ml
03/02/1999602/25/1999
 Brake lights do not stay on when brakes are applied. lights come on, but go back out while brakes are still being applied. dealer has seen vehicle, and said that it is normal. *ak brake switch has been replaced 6 times and power booster has been replaced with no remedies, brake pedal makes a popping noise when released. message center, miles per gallon, is inaccurate and has been replaced, however consumer states it still does not work. rear suspension squeaks and groans over bumps, consumer states there is too much roll stiffness built into suspension, alignment checked and toe set due to vehicle wandering. water leaks inside door frames. automatic transmission is reluctant to downshift unless the accelerator is pressed flat to the floor. inside rear view mirrow mounted too low. consumer states squeaks and rattles show up all the time in the interior of the vehicle, rattles in dash, drivers door area, and b pillar. cd changer jammed twice. limited emblem replaced twice. speedometer reads too fast. *slc
09/15/19993
 Door bezel will not stay on, panel peeling. *mjs
07/02/19992
 Door handle inside replaced, latch would not unlock. *mjs
04/12/1999104/06/1999
 Driver's side door would not open, due to failure of the power door latch assembly.
08/28/1999
 While driving 55 mph a fire started in the driver's side door panel. driver was able to pull to the shoulder safely and put out the fire. please provide any further information. *ak
202/01/1999
 The vehicle is design for the doors to lock automatically when in motion but on two occasion two passenger had they're arms pinched by the lock. nlm
04/12/1999101/10/1999
 Rear door handle sticks.
STRUCTURE - BODY - DOOR - HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
07/14/200611000010
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford explorer. the contact stated that the driver side door mechanism would lock, but would fail to open from the inside or outside. in addition, the plastic clip hanging down would slip out of position. the contact repaired the failure multiple times. the vehicle has not been taken to the dealer. ford stated that there were no recalls for this failure. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 135,000 and failure mileage was 110,000.
STRUCTURE - BODY - HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
01/15/2002105/01/1999
 Liftgate loose, is about to fall off. dealer has been notified. ph. *ak
07/09/2001108/01/1999
 Closing of rear hatch difficult. problem has occurred since first purchased but has become increasingly difficult to close. hatch requires several hard slamming attempts to close. at times the hatch becomes ajar, only after closing the drivers side door(interior air pressure forces hatch ajar). dealer has evaluated problem as a bent frame at right hinge and a non-warranted item. annette mccall, the local ford factory service representative, has looked over the rear hatch and agrees with the dealers' assessment. they tend to think the defect was caused by backing into something with the hatch open or the hatch been forced upward. i disagree, i believe that this is a cumulative problem which is a result of an improperly install rear hatch.*ak
106/01/1999
 Hatch back is hard to open. yh
06/06/1999104/06/1999
 Rear hatch assembly would not close properly.
STRUCTURE - BODY - HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE - HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
11/20/200125000104/01/1999
 The rear lift gate door is falling off of the hinges.*jb
STRUCTURE - BODY - HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE - SUPPORT DEVICE
08/01/200362186109/06/2002
 I purchased a 1999 ford explorer vin #1fmzu34e4xzc05499 from a washington state ford dealership in september 2002. the vehicle had 54,000 miles on it at the time, i have put 7,000 miles on it. the rear liftgate began to make a clunking/popping noise recently, and became difficult to close. i took it to our local ford dealer, port angeles ford lincoln mercury, and they tell me that the sheet metal where the hinges are mounted is tearing away from the structure and that it is not a covered item (i did purchase the ford warranty plan), and that i will need to go to a body shop and have new steel plates welded in place at my expense. i do not believe that this is my responsibility, the steel that was used was obviously not strong enough to support using this liftgate, and i strongly believe that ford is liable for this. can you help me to confirm this? i am unable to use the liftgate at this time as the ford dealer says the liftgate could fall off, possibly injuring someone. this vehicle has not been in any accidents.*ak
STRUCTURE - BODY - HOOD
02/01/2007190000304/09/1999
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford explorer. while driving 50 mph the vehicle stalled. there was a recall for the fuel system. however, the dealer stated that this vehicle was not included due to the vin. also, the hood on the vehicle will not open. the failure has not been diagnosed. the driver's door will not open with the key. the failure and current mileage was 190,000. *ak
01/01/19011
 1999 explorer hood does not remain open due to sudden gas lift support failure. *ts the hood came crashing down on the consumer's head resulting in a gash and swelling on her forhead. *nm
106/01/1999
 Hood is hard to open. yh
STRUCTURE - BODY - HOOD - HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
10/16/200875000106/01/1999
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford explorer. the contact stated that the front hood of the vehicle would not remain open in a fixated position. if the hood collapses onto a person, he or she could be seriously injured or killed. upon further inspection, the contact noticed that the cause of the failure was the front hood lift cylinder. she has not had the vehicle inspected. the failure mileage was 75,000 and current mileage was 82,000. updated 4/23/09 *cn updated 04/28/09.*jb
01/01/200730000603/01/1999
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rod that is used to keep the hood lifted is too small. the rod does not keep the hood propped up and causes it to close. the hood has never fallen on him, but he has had many close calls. the vehicle has not been to the dealer, but they stated that the failure was the contact's responsibility. the current mileage was 35,000 and failure mileage was 30,000.
01/01/19011
 1999 explorer hood does not stay open when lifted. *ts the gas lift supports failed and caused the hood to come crashing down on the consumer's head. the hood caused a gash and swelling on the consumer's forehead. *nm
06/01/2004510001
 The factory hood shocks are too small and cannot hold the weight of the hood. this resulted in the hood slamming shut without warning. *ak the hood would stay up for five minutes. *sc *jb
02/20/2002312/01/2001
 The pressurized lift rods which hold the hood up failed several times, but the first time the hood fell and pinned my fingers under the closed hood. i feel the cooler air temperature (45 degrees) contributed to the failure. it hasn't occured during the warmer times of the year.*ak
STRUCTURE - BODY - TAILGATE
10/15/2000
 Consumer went to open driver's side liftgate, and it has torn through the metal. then, on the passenger's side it began to do the same thing. dealership was aware of problem.*ak
STRUCTURE - BODY - TAILGATE - HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
08/15/20021
 Consumer had lifted tailgate. while consumer was standing underneath tailgate it fell down, hitting consumer on the head. both hydraulic hinges were leaking oil. vehicle had not been inspected by dealer.*ak
STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS
10/14/200850000
 Tl. the contact owns a 1998 ford explorer. the contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic for maintenance and the mechanic notice excessive rust underneath the vehicle. the contact stated the vehicle is very unsafe to drive and could cause a crash. the contact has not called the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 50,000. jo
07/09/2001108/01/1999
 Closing of rear hatch difficult. problem has occurred since first purchased but has become increasingly difficult to close. hatch requires several hard slamming attempts to close. at times the hatch becomes ajar, only after closing the drivers side door(interior air pressure forces hatch ajar). dealer has evaluated problem as a bent frame at right hinge and a non-warranted item. annette mccall, the local ford factory service representative, has looked over the rear hatch and agrees with the dealers' assessment. they tend to think the defect was caused by backing into something with the hatch open or the hatch been forced upward. i disagree, i believe that this is a cumulative problem which is a result of an improperly install rear hatch.*ak
06/15/1999
 Water is coming from the chassis. water leaks into the interior of the car which could cause an electrical short. *ak
STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS - UNDERBODY SHIELDS
04/12/1999101/10/1999
 Molding under rear light cracked. nlm