Consumer Complaint Detail

FORD / EXPLORER / 1996

Recalls
0 Injured
Investigations
0 Death
Complaints
No Fire
Components - Details
NHTSA Complaint Number: 003258905 Incident Date: Sep, 30 2003
Consumer's City: Consumer's State: MA
Vehicle Transmission Type: AUTO Manufacturers Name: Ford Motor Company
Model Name: EXPLORER Model Year: 1996
Vehicle Involved in a Crash: No Component's Description: Engine and engine cooling
Vehicle Involved in a Fire: No Persons Injured: 0
Vehicle's VIN#: 1FMDU34X0TZ Date added to File: May, 25 2021
Date Complaint Received: Feb, 10 2004 Complaint Type: IVOQ
Incident Reported To Police: No Purchase Date: Mar, 09 2001
Was Original Owner: No Anti-lock Brakes: Yes
Number of Cylinders: 6 Date of Manufacturer: -
Was Vehicle Towed: - Description of the Complaints: I have researched and found numerous complaints about blown or leaking head gaskets on the 1996 ford explorer, and that is my complaint is.i have a 1996 ford explorer xlt with 66,000 miles is gararged year round and is maintained regularly and is only driven by my wife localy back and forth to work approximatly 10-20 miles a day i feel that there is no way i should have both head gaskets leaking coolant with realitivly low mileage for the year.there is definatly a problem here and feel that this needs to be investigated further by ford, i was also speaking with a gentleman at a local auto parts store (where i work part time ) and he is having the same problem with his 1998 ford explorer xlt, both engies involved are the 4.0 v6. i hope ford will do what is nesesary to rectify this problem not only for myself but for others that will ultimatly hit them quite hard in the pocketbook for work done at a sevice center.i do not want to drive the vehicle untill i find out what can be done by ford but have to in order to get my wife back and forth to work, i do not know if anything can be done to seal the problem without taking the heads off and replacing the gaskets.i have checked into what the cost would be and have been told anywhere from $1,200-$1,500 dollars,a bill i cannot afford.it is a shame because we love the vehicle and have had a number of ford products but are seriously considering trading it in on another brand of vehicle.*ak