This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Sudden unintentional acceleration: On three different occasions, from years 1998-2015. The first incident occurred in town, 1998. I had to apply the emergency brake to disengage the surging accelerator. I had the vehicle towed to the dealer, who could find nothing wrong. Perhaps a floor mat problem, they said. I replaced the mats with an after market pair- SUV compatible and mud resistant with many, grippers on the underside. Within a year, I quit driving the vehicle and my husband took the Explorer as his daily driver. He never experienced the problem, I had had. I sold my car after retirement and on occasion now drive the 1996 Ford Explorer again. I have had two more incidents of sua within 2014-2015 - both on the interstate, both with the replacement mats. At the beginning of both trips, I ensured that the mat looked a safe distance from the pedals. But-both times, that the unintentional acceleration happened, I reached down and grabbed the mat behind my feet and pulled it away from the accelerator pedal. This disengaged the runaway speed. I believe the problem is not only the manufacturing structure of the mats, but the size/shape of the Ford pedal. The pedal size is a problem for short stature drivers. I am 5'1" and I must pull the seat far enough forward to reach the pedal, but try to stay a safe distance away from the steering wheel airbag. This leaves me stretching my foot/toes to reach the pedal and applying pressure in an area that causes the floor mat to get stuck under the accel. Pedal. I did remove the mat, completely!, now! all three incidents were unexpected and panic attacks to my core. I am immensely fortunate to not have killed someone or myself. It really concerns me that someone else would own my Ford Explorer, and not know of this hidden danger. My vehicle has only about 84,000 miles on it.
Driver-side front seat belt will not stay connected. Door locks broken (will not lock), and lock key works in the door locks sporadically. In addition, driver-side exterior door handle recently (1/15/2114) will not open door.
Design of console causes rearview mirror placement to be too low. This creates a blind spot for driver when trying to merge right. Vehicle was taken to dealership. Dealership seems to recognize that this is a design flaw. Ford has agreed to look into this matter. Please provide any furhter information.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Tucson, AZ, USA