1992 Ford Explorer Suspension

I JUST WANT TO FILE A COMPLAINT IN REGARDS TO THE 4WD ON THE 1992 FORD EXPLORER. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT WILL NOT DISENGAGE FROM 4WD TO 2WD. I FEEL THAT BECAUSE OF THIS IS THE REASON FOR ALL THE NOISE I HEAR COMING FROM THE FRONT END. I HAVE NOT REPLACED IT BECAUSE IT WILL COST ME BETWEEN $300-$800 DEPENDING ON WHAT I PUT ON IT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT I NEED TO GET THIS REPLACED? I HAVE TWO SMSLL CHILDREN THAT ARE IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME MOST OF THE TIME AND DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO GO WRONG WITH THIS THAT WILL CAUSE ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. *NM

DURING HARD BRAKING IN VEHICLE CHASSIS FEELS LIKE IT IS STOPPING, BUT CAB OF VEHICLE FEELS LIKE IT CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD EXCESSIVELY. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE AND REPLACED "RADIUS CONTROL ARM BUSHING" BECAUSE THIS COMPONENT WAS DETERMINED TO BE BAD. HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK CONSUMER STATES WHILE BRAKING, VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND VERY WELL, IN REVERSE AND WHILE TURNING, VEHICLE WILL THUMP AND POP UNDER PASSENGER SIDE. *SLC

GREAT VEHICLE IF I DIDN'T HAVE TO KEEP REPLACING THESE FRONT SUSPENSION PARTS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THEN LOST TEMPORARY CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL, VEHICLE HIT THE BRIDGE AND FROM THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, THEN SLIDE SIDEWAYS, CONSUMER SAYS IT WAS NOT A FAULTY TIRE. *SLC

EXTREME VIBRATION OCCURS WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. PROBLEM BECOMES MORE PRONOUNCED WHEN SPEED IS 65 MPH OR WHEN TREAD IS BEGINNING TO SEPARATE FROM THE TIRES. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

MY 16-YEAR-OLD SON, FROM THE HIGHWAY PATROL'S INVESTIGATION, WAS EITHER DISTRACTED OR FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL AND GENTLY EDGED OFF THE ROAD; HE DIDN'T SWERVE. TIRE TRACKS SHOW THAT AS HE CAME BACK ONTO THE ROAD, HE LOST CONTROL, THE CAR FLIPPED, AND HE WAS THROWN FROM THE VEHICLE AND DIED AS A RESULT OF SEVERE HEAD INJURIES. HE WAS NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT. WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT SUV'S TEND TO FLIP WHEN CONTROL IS LOST. I SAW THE REPORT ON STUDYING LATER MODELS FOR FRONT STABILIZER BAR LINKS AND THOUGHT YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK FURTHER BACK TO 1992.

WHEN THIS BUSHING FAILS IT AFFECTS THE STEERING AND CONTROL OF THE EXPLORER AND MIGHT BE A CAUSE OF THE FIRESTONE TIRE FAILERS (WARE AND HEATING OF TIRES). I HAVE BEEN CHECKING OTHER EXPLORERS AND HAVE FOUND THAT ALMOST HALF OF THE EXPLORERS I HAVE SEEN SHOW VISABLE SIGNS OF THIS BUSHING BEING EXCESSIVELY WORN. THE RIGHT SIDE BUSHING IS NEXT TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND SUBJECT TO EXCESSIVE HEAT.

COMING BACK FROM A TRIP ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65MPH VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE. COULD FEEL IT IN THE STEERING. HEARD A LOUD BANG AS IF VEHICLE HAD BEEN REARENDED. TIRE STAYED INFLATED. DIDN'T CONTACT DEALER OR MANUFACTURER. PURCHASED ANOTHER TIRE. *AK

RADIUS ARM BUSHING TOTALLY CRUMBLED ,FELL APART, CAUSING A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND BRAKES. *AK

SEVERE VIBRATION PROBLEM BETWEEN 55 AND 65 MPH. I HAVE OWNED TWO 1992 EXPLORERS AND BOTH HAVE THIS PROBLEM. DEALER AND TIRE MANUFACTURERS DENY KNOWLEDGE OF ANY SUCH PROBLEM. I SEE THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS IN YOUR DATA BASE THAT IDENTIFY THE SAME PROBLEM. LOCAL FORD DEALER HAS SAID THERE IS NO SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER, I SEE YOUR DATA BASE LISTS SB033695 AS A LIKELY BULLETIN THAT ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. HOW CAN I GET A COPY OF THE BULLETIN IF FORD DENIES IT EXISTS? THIS VIBRATION PROBLEM SHOWED UP AT JUST OVER 65,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND I HAVE DONE SEVERAL WHEEL BALANCING EFFORTS, BEARING AND ROTOR REPLACEMENTS TO CORRECT. ADDITIONALLY, I SUSPECT THE VIBRATION PROBLEM COULD BE RELATED TO SERVICE BULLETIN SB037583 WHICH DESCRIBES "VEHICLE OPERATION THAT GENERATES HIGH EXHAUST MAY CAUSE THE RADIUS ARM INSULATOR TO DETERIORATE--I HAVE OBSERVED SUCH DETERIORATION ON MY VEHICLE AND MAY BE THE SOURCE OF REDUCED STIFFNESS OR DAMPING THAT CONTRIBUTES TO WHEEL CRITICAL SPEED VIBRATION RESPONSE. PLEASE PROVIDE INFORMATION ON HOW TO GET A COPY OF THIS SERVICE BULLETIN TOO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSE.

HAS LATERAL VIBRATION IN VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. THE DEALER CANNOT LOCATE THE VIBRATION PROBLEM. CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE IS NO PROBLEM. *AK

THE FRONT RADIUS ARM BUSHINGS HAVE FAILED TWICE, I-BEAM BUSHING FAILED ONCE. THRUST BEARINGS ALSO FAILED, RELATED TO A-ARM BUSHINGS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 5 OR 10 MPH THE LEAF SPRING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOP SIGN GOING ABOUT 20MPH, SUDDENLY VEHICLE SLAMMED INTO CURB. RIGHT SIDE TIRES EXPLODED/RIMS/FRONT SUSPENSION/RIGHT SIDE FENDER TORE UP. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. SVC MANAGER NOTICED SUSPENSION STABLIZER BAR PIN WAS CUT.BEFORE ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WOULD ALSO VIBRATE. *AK

AFTER ABOUT 50.000 MILES THE FRONT END SUSPENSION WORE OUT CAUSING THE ALIGNMENT TO BE OUT OF PLACE. DEALER ALIGNED VEHICLE, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

DP98001 HEAVY LATERAL VIBRATION; WHILE DRIVING DRIVER FEELS A VIBRATION IN THE VEHICLE. THE VIBRATION IS FELT MORE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN UNDER 50 MPH. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

BUSHING IN FRONT SUSPENSION ARMS.

OWNER STATES THAT HER FRONT BUSHING RADIUS ARM IS DEFFECTIVE, SHE NOTES THAT DEALERS CORRECTED PROBLEM ONCE BUT IT RETURNED, OWNER IS CONCERNED FOR HER SAFETY. *AK

VIBRATION AT SPEED OF 55MPH AND ABOVE.

WHEN DRIVING AT 55 MPH THE WHOLE VEHICLE SHAKES. OWNER TOOK VEHICLE TO GOODYEAR AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS AN ALIGNMENT PROBEM, BUT CANNOT BE FIXED BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE FRAME IS MADE. *AK THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE PROPERLY ALIGNED AND VIBRATES AFTER 50 MPH. *YH

AT APPROXIMATELY 55 TO 65 MPH EXPERIENCES EXECESSIVE VIBRATION. PLEASE DESCIBE DETAILS. *AK

4-WHEEL DRIVE NOT WORKING, FRONT HUBS FAILED.

RADIUS ARM BUSHINGS REPLACED.

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE ABOVE (55) MPH THERE IS EXTREME VIBRATION COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE. VEHCLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK

REAR STABILIZER BAR FAILED. *DSH