2004 Ford Explorer Sport recalls and problems

IN RESPONSE TO AN INFORMATION REQUEST (IR) LETTER SENT BY THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI), FORD STATED CONSUMER REPORTS OF HIGHER THAN EXPECTED EFFORTS WHEN SHIFTING INTO AND OUT OF PARK COULD BE A RESULT OF A GROOVE BEING WORN INTO THE SWING ARM RAMP OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THE SWING ARM IS A COMPONENT BOLTED TO THE STEERING COLUMN THAT ASSISTS IN SHIFTING THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION GEARS.AN ENGINEERING EVALUATION CONDUCTED BY FORD OF RETURNED STEERING COLUMNS FOUND THE GROOVE COULD BE CREATED OVER TIME IF CONSUMER SHIFT MORE QUICKLY FROM THE DRIVE OR REVERSE TO PARK THAN THE BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK (BSI) SOLENOID PIN RETRACTS AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED. IN NOVEMBER OF 2004, FORD RELEASED A REDESIGNED BSI SOLENOID WITH A SHORTER PIN RETRACTING TIME AS A SERVICEABLE COMPONENT. FORD HAS NOTED THE SHORTER RETRACTION TIME SIGNIFICANTLY LESSENS THE LIKELIHOOD OF BSI SOLENOID PIN TO SWING ARM CONTACT EVEN WITH RAPID CONSUMER SHIFTS.FORD ALSO ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, TSB 04-22-12, TO INSTRUCT SERVICE TECHNICIANS ON THE PROPER DIAGNOSIS AND VEHICLE REPAIR. REVIEWING COMPLAINTS TO ODI AND DATA SUBMITTED BY FORD, ODI HAS IDENTIFIED 200 ALLEGED INCIDENTS OF UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT AFTER CONSUMERS BELIEVE THEY HAVE SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, RESULTING IN 85 ALLEGED CRASHES AND 32 ALLEGED INJURIES.IN ADDITION TO THE REPORTS OF ALLEGED INCIDENTS OF UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT, ODI HAS ALSO IDENTIFIED 883 REPORTS OF CONSUMERS ALLEGING DIFFICULTY OR THE INABI…

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED ON JUNE 23, 2008, BASED ON 34 COMPLAINTS INVOLVING EIGHT INJURIES IN WHICH THE REAR LIFTGATE GLASS HATCH ON MODEL YEAR 2004 FORD EXPLORERS OR MERCURY MOUNTAINEERS BROKE OFF AND FELL, USUALLY WHILE INDIVIDUALS WERE OPERATING THE GLASS HATCH OR LOADING OR UNLOADING ITEMS FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE.FORD CONDUCTED RECALL 04V-442 IN 2004 TO ADDRESS SIMILAR PROBLEMS ON MODEL YEAR 2002 AND CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2003 FORD EXPLORERS AND MERCURY MOUNTAINEERS.THE INFORMATION FORD PROVIDED IN RESPONSE TO ODI'S INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER INDICATED THAT FAILURES WITH 2004 VEHICLES WERE PRIMARILY LIFTGATE GLASS HATCH HINGE FAILURES RELATED TO CORROSION AT THE HINGE PIN, WHEREAS THE FAILURES THAT PROMPTED THE RECALL WITH THE EARLIER MODELS WERE PRIMARILY RELATED TO PROBLEMS WITH THE GLASS HATCH'S STRUTS OR FRACTURE OF A PRIOR HINGE DESIGN AT THE BOSS/BOLT CONNECTION AT THE GLASS.ODI'S REVIEW OF FORD'S WARRANTY, COMPLAINT, AND INJURY DATA FOR THE 2004 VEHICLES INDICATES THAT THESE RATES ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THOSE FOR THE RECALLED POPULATION.A POTENTIAL DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION AS NECESSARY.THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.