17 problems related to front suspension have been reported for the 1996 Ford Explorer. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
Over the past several weeks my Explorer seems to have lost it's handling ability. The vehicle has excessive sway and too much play in the steering wheel. I have stopped using the vehicle until I can get to the dealer for inspection.
Vehicle would start vibrating at 40 mph or less. Took vehicle to an independent mechanicto check. Mechanic indicated one bolt was missing, and others were halfway out of suspension.
While driving about 55 mph could feel vehicle pulling to the right. Also tires were worn out on the outside.
I was driving along and heard a big bang, like someone threw something and hit the side of the truck. I took it into Ford and they couldn't find anything wrong because the bolt broke holding the arm to control the front end. It was just hanging on by a thread waiting to pop out and me to lose control and be seriously injured or worse, killed. They found this out a week later when I returned to have the other work completed. My check engine light came on (the second time within 16,000 miles) and my window washer was broke. When they went to check the front end again they put it up on the rack and that is when the bolt fell out. I was told I was lucky to be there. If it went when I was driving I could have been killed. What really upsets me is, they told me the first time I took it in, that I would have to wait until it did it constantly. I am still counting my blessings to this day. No one could explain to me what caused this problem or why it happened. I was told by Ford motor CO. That this isn't a recall item and financially they couldn't help because it was out of warranty. Warranty or not, this should have never happened!! to me this is shoddy workmanship on Ford's part. The price you have to pay for these vehicles is outrageous and they shouldn't be death traps. I'm constantly putting money into it (besides my monthly car payments) to keep it on the road. I am very dissatisfied with this vehicle and will never buy a Ford product again! I just want buyers to beware!!.
I purchased my 96 Ford Explorer in Nov. 95 and have had a vehicle shudder problem that becomes a safety problem when tires are inflated beyond the recommended tire pressure of 26psi. Ford have now recommended tire pressures of 30psi, which I cannot do without risking a vehicle loss of control situation. The first time this happened, it absolutely scared the living daylights out of me, to put it politely! I had just picked up the truck from the mission valley Ford after some brake work. I took the truck up to freeway speed and while traveling over some rough freeway surface the truck almost went out of control. I returned to the dealer where failure analysis was performed. The only issue the service engineer identified as abnormal was they had set the tire pressure to 30psi(all tires). Resetting the tires back to 26psi eliminated the problem. This problem resurfaced twice more since and resetting the tires to 26psi corrected the lack of control problem. The shudder I normally feel appeared to extend into the steering wheel and it became very difficult for me to control the truck when I traveled over a rough patch in the surface of a freeway. Emergency braking brought the truck back under control. I no longer allow my wife to drive the Explorer. Im familiar with steering wheel shudder as a result of poor wheeling balancing, but this is different. The whole vehicle shudders, not the steering wheel, at cruising speeds of 60 mph and above, and is particularly obvious on long journeys. This was identified to the Ford service dept. , who suggested that the tracking and/or the tires may be at fault. Tracking has been checked and new tires purchased, but neither corrected the problem. The shudder problem has been verified by the service dept of the dealer where I purchased my Explorer. See attached service records dated 6/12/97 and 12/1/98 for this problem.
Front end misalignment, causing vehicle vibration and premature wear of the tires.
Excessive tire wear due to inability to align front and rear ends of vehicle to toe, cantor, and curb. Ford says its a design flaw and all future models, including the year 2000 model of the Explorer and expedition are using the same design. Our vehicle leaped off of the highway, nearly causing us to go airborn and leave the interstate. This would have most definitely caused serious injury if not multiple fatalities. Ford is not concerned with this defect, yet, millions of folks buy these SUV's each year. Please help affect the change. Thank you. ( dot number: tire size: p255/70r15 ).
The consumer began to hear noise in the front end if the vehicle at 9k miles, the consumer had the front end checked and the tires rotated, at 22k miles the noise developed again and one tire blewout while driving, the vehicle was driven for another 10k miles when the noise started again and upon inspected it was noted that the tread was separating, the consumer is requesting reimbursement for the tires (firestone p 235 at). Nlm.
Misalignment caused premature tire wear.
While driving 10-15 mph, w/reason clearly not identified by Ford truck rolled flipped on drivers side. Please describe details.
The front tires have"cupped" within 2000 miles of purchasing the vehicle. I have been to the dealer and to goodyear over this issue. I have noticed that braking takes longer to accomplish because of the uneven wear pattern that has developed. I've had to replace 2 tires at 46,000 mles(as compared with 70,000 miles on a 1992 Explorer that I owned that was equipped with firestone tires). Goodyear has told me that I have to rotate my tires every3,000 miles to prevent this wear pattern. I believe this is excessive maintenance and cost to the consumer. Goodyear has also told me that these tires were not engineered for this vehicle, but Ford equpiped these vehicles with these tires as standard equipment in 1996. I've noticed that since1997, Ford has gone back to firestone tires for Explorers. I have called the Ford consumer hot line. I spoke with the person answering the calls and explained the problem. I was told I would hear from a Ford rep, but after a year I have heard nothing. Goodyear has looked at all mechanical components, including suspension bushing and alignment that could be causing this problem and has found nothing wrong. I believe this problem may be inherent to Ford putting tires on this autmobile that are not matched to the vehical suspension. ( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 ).
Rearended/fishtailed, resulting in vehicle rolling over at 25 mph. Please describe details.
The vehicle shakes while driving. Please describe.
Pe-00-020; original equipment tires were wranglers. . Tires have been replaced with four other sets of tires every 15 thousand miles due to the cupping on the frontal tires, around the outter edge, which was causing excessive wear and vibration when driving at any speed. Vehicle have been aligned. Excessive wear control to occur . .
The front end of the vehicle vibrates and has been making noises, after repairs they are still present.
Vehicles front end has severe vibration, making vit ery difficult to control. The front wheels are wearing unevenly and both steel radials are coming out. Vehicles is riding on the inside of the tire. The kits are non-adjustable.
Vehicle wanders left to right, and when owner took vehicle dealer he was told that it was set to the proper specs. He also had taken vehicle to an independent dealer.