1997 Ford Expedition Suspension

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, AS SOON AS I GO FASTER THAN 55MPH THE VEHICLE DOWN BY THE WHEELS, STARTS SHAKING. I CAN FEEL IT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. I SUSPECT IT'S THE BALL JOINTS BUT NOT SURE. IT ALSO WOBBLES WHEN TURNING GOING AS SLOW AS 25 MPH.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH, AN ABNORMAL SOUND WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 96V252000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220,000.

WHEN I HAD THE TIRES REPLACED ONE LUG ON EACH FRONT WHEEL BROKE OFF. WE ORDERED REPLACEMENTS AND THE NEXT DAY WHEN THE TIRES WERE REMOVED TO REPLACE THE BROKEN ONES SEVERAL OTHERS BROKE. I HAD ALL THE TIRE LUGS REPLACED AND AM DRIVING THE CAR. THERE HAVE BEEN SIMILAR PROBLEMS REPORTED WITH ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY LOST WHEELS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEANING TO ONE SIDE. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND INSPECTED IT AND NOTICED THAT THE TORSION BAR WAS BROKEN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A DEALER/MECHANIC NOR WAS IT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

FIRST COMPLAIN: REAR END DIFFERENTIAL PROBLEM - FORD SAFETY RECALL NO. 96S60 EXPLAINS THAT 1997 FORD EXPEDITIONS REAR AXLE TRACK BAR CAN SEPERATE FROM THE FRAME DUE TO MISSING WELDS OR A WELD PATTERN THAT IS NOT FULLY COMPATIBLE WITH THE DESIGN LEVEL OF THE BRACKET. THIS RECALL STATES THAT FORD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR OF THIS DEFECT FROM 12/1996 FORWARD, REGARDLESS OF THE AGE, MILEAGE, OR OWNERSHIP. THIS DID HAPPEN TO MY VEHICLE AND I DID CONTACT FORD, AND THEY WILL NOT REPAIR THIS. *TR

THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION, AND FOUND THAT THE FRONT SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. THE CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PARTS WERE ON BACK ORDER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *AK THE TRUCK WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. FORD RECALLED THE TAURUS AND THE SABLE FOR THEIR FRONT COIL SPRINGS. *SC *JB

TORSON BAR BROKE IN HALF AND FELL OFF AFTER GOING OVER A MODERATE SPEED BUMP AT 5-8MPH. METAL WAS SHEARED IN HALF. VEHICLE LEANED SEVERELY TO THE RIGHT. COULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC - 8 OCCUPANTS WERE IN THE VEHICLE.

THE TRUCK ABRUPTLY PULLED TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH. ALSO, WHEN THIS OCCURRED THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE FROM THE FRONT WHEEL. IT SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING WAS LOOSE. THE TRUCK PULLED TO THE RIGHT WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT RESULTED IN THE TRUCK HITTING A CURB AND DAMAGING THE TIRE AND RIM. THE MECHANIC INDICATED THIS COULD OF BEEN CAUSED BY A FAILURE IN THE SWAY BAR. *JB

MY 1997 FORD EXPEDITION XLT REAR AIR SUSPENSION AT TIMES WILL "LOWER" TO AN EXTREMELY SHALLOW HEIGHT. THIS IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR OVERNIGHT; ALTHOUGH IT DOES NOT ALWAYS HAPPEN. IN FACT, IT HAS BEEN KNOWN TO OCCUR AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING FOR AS LITTLE AS AN HOUR AND A HALF. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT APPEAR TO LOWER AT ALL, EVEN AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT. THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT SEEM TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. ANOTHER MECHANIC BELIEVES THAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH EITHER THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER SYSTEM, WHICH APPEARS TO BE SIGNALING THE VALVES ON THE AIR BAGS TO RELEASE AIR BUT NOT SIGNALING THE VALVES TO CLOSE AT THE PROPER POINT. HE FURTHER SUGGESTED (EITHER ALTERNATIVELY OR PERHAPS ADDITIONALLY) THAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT LIE WITH THE AIR COMPRESSOR WHICH IS NOT PROPERLY REGULATING THE RELEASE OF AIR FROM THESE VALVES. HE DISCOUNTED ANY SUSPICION THAT THIS WAS ANY TYPE OF A LEAK IN EITHER THE AIR BAGS OR AIR LINES, SINCE NO LEAK HAD BEEN DETECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND SINCE THE VEHICLE DID NOT REGULARLY LOWER AFTER EXTENDED PERIODS OF IDLE TIME. *LA

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE. WAS HARD TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE FRONT STABILIZER BAR HAD SNAPPED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THE FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*JB

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING A KNOCKING NOISE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THERE WAS VIBRATIONS COMING THOUGH THE STEERING COLUMN. *AK

REPLACED FRONT SWAY BAR AND STABILIZER. FRONT END SQUEALS WHEN HOLDING STEERING WHEEL. *AK

THE FRONT SUSPENSION WORE AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE HARD TO CONTROL. DEALER NOTIFIED. *NLM

TORSION BAR

DEFECTIVE STABILIZER BAR, IT COULD BREAK. *AK

PE 01 022/FRONT STABILIZER LINK: WHILE GETTING AN ALIGNMENT, TECHNICIAN INFORMED CONSUMER THAT RIGHT FRONT STABILIZER BAR WAS BROKEN. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE FOR ANALYSIS. *AK *SLC

PULLING THROUGH A PARKING LOT I FELT A BUMP. AFTER PASSING OVER THE "BUMP" I LOOKED BACK TO SEE MY SPARE TIRE SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT. THE END OF THE CABLE THAT HOLDS THE BRACKET FOR THE TIRE TO BE HELD IN PLACE WAS FRAYED. THE PEICE WHICH HOLDS THE BRACKET WAS GONE. AFTER CALLING MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP I WAS ADVISED THIS WOULD COST ME $200.00 TO REPLACE THE CABLE. A FIVE YEAR OLD CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE A CABLE FRAY UNDER IT. IF I HAD BEEN GOING 70 MPH THIS WOULD HAVE CAUSED A HORRIFIC ACCIDENT. DT

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE REAR AXLE TRAC BAR BRACKET SEPARATED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR

WHILE DRIVING FRONT STABILIZER BAR AND BOLTS FELL OFF. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. MECHANIC REPLACED STABILIZER BAR LINK.*AK

DURING A VEHICLE STATE INSPECTION CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT LOWER BALL JOINT HAD WORN OUT.*AK

BOTH BOLTS ON SWAY BAR SUPPORT BRACKET WERE STRIPPED. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

FOUND STABILIZER BAR LINK MISSING ON RIGHT FRONT. UNKNOWN AS TO WHEN OR HOW IT FAILED EXCEPT THAT FRONT STARTED PULLING TO THE RIGHT CONTINUOUSLY SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.*AK

NHTSA RECALL 96V252000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 96S60/REAR AXLE: VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE WHEN DRIVING 70 MPH. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THAT RECALL DUE TO VIN. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS FOR THE FRONT STABILIZER BAR LINK, CONSUMER FEELS PROBLEM IS WITH THE DESIGN OF THE FRONT STABILIZER BAR LINKS ON HIS VEHICLE, MANUFACTUERER DECLINED REQUEST. *TT