1997 Ford Explorer Suspension

THE SWAY BAR BROKE, WHICH CAUSED A NOISE.*JB

NHTSA#00-V-402-000 SWAY BAR LINK CAN FRACTURE. THE VEHICLE HANDLING COULD BE AFFECTED INCREASING THE RISKS OF A CRASH. CONSUMER STATES WHILE WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 65MPH, THE SWAY BAR LINK BOLTS WERE BROKEN, FORCING THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. MR FORD STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WASN'T COVERED, IN REFERENCE TO THE RECALL, DUE TO THE VEHICLE YEAR. THE LINK BOLTS ON THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT SIDES WERE REPLACED. THE PASSENGER SIDE BOLTS WERE IN BAD SHAPE. SCC

TIRES WERE CUPPING AT 29,000 MILES IN SEPT. 01. DEALER REPLACED BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS. NEW TIRES WERE INSTALLED AND VEHICLE ALIGNED. CUPPING HAS RETURNED 12 MO AND 8,000 MILES LATER. FORD REFUSES TO ADDRESS PROBLEM WITHOUT ME HAVING TO PAY A NON-REFUNDABLE "DIAGNOSTIC" CHARGE. TS

BALL JOINTS AGAIN ON 3/15/02. *AK

SQUEAKING NOISE WOULD COME FROM FRONT SUSPENSION SYSTEM WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE BEEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND THE PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE BEEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 10MPH HEARD GRINDING NOISE, SAID IT SOUNDES IS IF IT WASCOMING FROM UNDER VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 20MPH HEARD GRINDING NOISE, SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS COMING FROM BOTTOM OF VEHICLE. *AK

FRONT SWAY BAR BROKE, COULD PUNCTURE TIRE. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION*AK

ALLDATA.COM AND OTHER SITES SHOW A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE YEAR/MODEL FOR THE FRONT SWAY BAR. HOWEVER, UPON NUMEROUS REQUESTS TO THE SERVICE DEPT. AT SAID DEALER, THEY SAY IT DOESN'T AFFECT OUR PARTICULAR VEHICLE. BUT, OUR VEHICLE'S SWAY BAR HAS BEEN MAKING A POPPING/SQUEEKING NOISE ALMOST SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. WE WANT FORD TO COVER THE REPLACEMENT, BEFORE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OCCURS. *AK

THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND THE CONSUMER NOTICED A MAJOR SHIMMY WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE RESULTING IN FRONT TIRES MAKING NOISE. THE CAUSE WAS DISCOVERED TO BE A MISSING PART CALLED A CAMBER KIT. THE CONSUMER WANTS A REFUND FROM THE MANUFACTURER OF THE VEHICLE FOR FIXING THIS PROBLEM. *YH

CALL RED HICKEY FOR IMPORTANT CAUSE FINDING OF TIRE WEAR IN SUSPENSION 828 253 4311 HE HAS INVESTIGATED IT ON MANY EXPLORERS. AS SOON AS YOU ROTATE YOUR TIRES THE TROUBLE STARTS. THE WEAR ON OUR VEHICLE AT BOTH FRONT IS NOT THE AIR PREASURE. HICKEY SAYS IT IS A FORD DESIGN FLAW KNOWN AND IGNORED FOR YEARS AND OVERLOOKED BY MOST SHOPS. HE IS IN THE ALLIGNMENT BUSINESS THE LAST 40 YEARS AND KNOWN AS AN EXPERT IN THE AREA FOR PROBLEMS OTHERS CAN'T FIX.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HLIPY TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO TRI-LAKE FORD TO HAVE RECALL 00V402000 REPAIRS PERFORMED. BUT, DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM REPAIRS BECAUSE CONSUMER DID NOT BUY VEHICLE FROM THAT DEALER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY MPH AND WHEN MAKING A TURN COULD HEAR A CLICKING NOISE. CONSUMER SAID IT IS JUST LIKE RECALL 00 V 402 000 SWAY BAR. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH OR LESS I HIT A SLIGHT BUMP AND HEARD A VERY LOAD BANG. THE FRONT LEFT DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY DROPPED, THE VEHICLE SWERVED INTO THE OPPOSING LANE AND TEND TO ROLL. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND I QUICKLY STOPPED. THE FORD DEALER REPLACED THE TORSION BAR AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS FAILURE. HOWEVER THEY REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR COST. THE REPAIR COST ME $171.67. DUE TO THEIR REFUSAL TO COVER A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE AND OTHER MEDIA COVERAGE OF EXPLORER PROBLEMS, I SOLD THE VEHICLE THIS WEEK. *AK

CONSUMER WENT TO DEALER BECAUSE WHEN MAKING TURNS VEHICLE FELT SHAKY, LIKE IT WOULD ROLL OVER. CONSUMER HAD TO MAKE TURNS AT CRAWLING SPEED. DEALER FOUND SWAY BAR MISSING FROM VEHICLE. THERE IS A RECALL ON SWAY BAR, BUT THIS VEHICLE NOT AFFECTED. *AK RECALL NUMBER IS 00V402, CONSUMER STATES SWAY BAR BLEW OUT FROM VEHICLE CAUSING A HUGE BANG AND VEHICLE TO SWAY TO THE RIGHT ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT VEHICLE IS MAKING A HUMMING. WHEN MAKING A TURN FEELS LIKE VEHICLE IS GOING TO TURN OVER. WHEN TAKING OFF CONSUMER CAN FEEL A HARD BANG ON DRIVERS SIDE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DRIVER CHANGED LANES, AND STREERING WHEEL WENT TO THE RIGHT, RESULTING IN A COLLISION/ MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE LEANS TO THE LEFT FRONT. LEFT FRONT OF VEHICKLE IS LOWER THAN THE RIGHT SIDE. MAKES TURNING TO THE RIGHT TRICKY.*AK

VEHICLE LEANS TO THE LEFT, VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, ADJUSTMENT TO TORSION BAR MADE, DID NOT APPEAR TO CORRECT PROBLEM, VEHICLE TAKEN BACK TO DEALERSHIP, OWNER WAS TOLD BAR OR UNDERLYING SPRINGS NEED TO BE REPLACED. CJ

FRONT BALL JOINTS ARE WEARING EXCESSIVELY DUE TO A LACK OF LUBRICANT. NEW BALL JOINTS DO NOT REQUIRE LUBRICATION. MECHANIC REFUSES TO REPLACE OLD BALL JOINTS WITH NEWER BALL JOINTS.*AK

WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN STEERING WHEEL WOULD PULL AND POP. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE FOR SWAY BAR;HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN.*AK THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED AFTER 21/2 YEARS. *YH

THE PROBLEM PERSIST AND DE DEALERS NEVER FIXES THE PROBLEM IN MY VEHICLE WHAT I'VE TO DO TO RESOLVE THAT DELICATE PRBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING COULD HEAR POPPING NOISE COMING FROM BOTTOM OF VEHICLE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH SUSPENSION.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK