1999 Ford Explorer structure problems

“WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN DOORS FROM OUTSIDE IT IS VERY DIFFICULT. THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IN AN ACCIDENT IF ATTEMPTING TO GET SOMEONE OUT. ALSO THE LATCH FOR THE HOOD HAS THE SAME PROBLEM”

“DOORS WILL NOT OPEN HAVE TO CLIMB OUT OF CAR WINDOW ON GROWING PROBLEM FIRST PASSENGER SIDE KNOW DRIVER SIDE A LOT OF EMBARRASSING MOMENTS TRYING TO GET OUT OF CAR AT WORK. *TR”

“I WAS AT WORK ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, 5/16 AND RECEIVED A VOICEMAIL AT 3:50PM FROM THE FIRE MARSHALL STATING MY 1999 FORD EXPLORER XLT BURNED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND WAS TOTALED. I HAD NOT DRIVEN THE EXPLORER SINCE APPROXIMATELY 7PM THE NIGHT BEFORE AND HAD TAKEN MY OTHER CAR TO WORK. THE EXPLORER WAS JUST SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY, OUTSIDE THE GARAGE AND STARTED BURNING. A NEIGHBOR 2 HOUSES OVER SMELLED THE SMOKE AND SAW THE FLAMES AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE MARSHALL STATED HE HAD SEEN THIS TYPE OF FIRE BEFORE DUE TO THE FORD CRUISE CONTROL RECALL PROBLEMS, BASED ON THE BURN PATTERN. I WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND BOUGHT IT ABOUT 8 YEARS AGO AND HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY KIND OF RECALL NOTICE. I AM EXTREMELY UPSET THAT THIS KIND OF THING COULD HAPPEN AND DID HAPPEN - THE MORE I READ ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE IT'S HAPPENED TO THE MORE UPSET I GET, I'VE HAD NIGHTMARES SINCE FRIDAY SINCE MY HOUSE WOULD HAVE BURNED IF I HAD PARKED IT 1 FOOT CLOSER TO THE GARAGE -- WHICH I USUALLY DO, I HAD PLANNED TO GIVE IT TO MY STEPSON ON SATURDAY WHO WAS COMING TO VISIT FROM NY AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS FIRST CAR -- MY FIANCE' IS STRESSED OUT AND UPSET BEYOND WORDS I CAN…”

“FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE:FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO WORK CONSISTENTLY. WIPERS COME ON EVEN THOUGH IT IS SET TO THE OFF POSITION. SOMETIMES WIPERS DO NOT COME ON WHEN THEY ARE TURNED TO THE ON POSITION. IN ORDER FOR WIPERS TO WORK CONSISTENTLY THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE MANUALLY ENGAGE WITH HAND AND HAND HAS TO BE KEPT ON THE WIPER CONTROL SWITCH SWITCHING IT ON AND OFF TO MOVE THE WIPER BLADES. WIPERS WOULD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. WIPERS WOULD ACT ERRATICALLY AND FAIL TO OPERATE PROPERLY 90% OF THE TIME. WIPERS SOMETIMES WOULD COME ON AFTER VEHICLE HAS WARMED UP. WIPERS CAN COME ON ANYTIME WHILE DRIVING. FAULTY HOOD/WEAK HYDRAULIC ARMS: THE HOOD CANNOT SAFELY STAY UP BECAUSE THE HYDRAULIC ARM SUPPORTS ARE TOO WEAK TO HOLD THE WEIGHT OF THE HOOD. THE HOOD SUPPORT DOES NOT LOCK INTO PLACE SO THAT THE HOOD WOULD STAY UP SAFELY. NO SAFETY BAR WAS INSTALLED ON THIS VEHICLE TO SAFELY HOLD UP/PROP UP THE HOOD IN CASE OF HYDRAULIC ARM/SUPPORT FAILURE. IF THE VEHICLE GETS BUMPED WHILE THE HOOD IS UP THE HOOD WOULD FALL AND CLOSE SHUT. BECAUSE THE HOOD WILL NOT STAY UP IT REQUIRES TWO PEOPLE WHEN CHECKING UNDER THE HOOD. ONE PERSON TO HOLD THE HOOD…”

“I HAVE A 1999 FOR EXPLORER SPORT (2 DOOR) AND IN FEBRUARY OF 2011 THE DOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE LOCKED AND AS NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE OPEN SINCE THEN. I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY ABOUT IT, THINKING THAT IT WOULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN IF IN A WRECK AND A PASSENGER COULD OPEN THE PASSENGER DOOR. WAS TOLD NOT A SAFETY CONCERN AND TO GET IT FIX I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW A COMPANY CAN THINK THAT A DOOR ON A VEHICLE NOT OPENING IS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN. *TR”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000. UPDATED 01/13/11*LJ UPDATED 04/01/11”