Ok for starters I am sorry because this is gonna be quite a long post. I am looking for some insite on my problems that we have been having with our 2000 Explorer EB V8, we bought it used for $19,998.00 with 24491 miles on it in December of 2002. We luckily bought an extended warranty. It ran good but we notice that it would kick while shifting, but we thought it was normal so we never payed any attention to it. The first time we brought it into get serviced was October of 2003 at 39073 miles, the problem was smoke coming from the streering colum and the rear wiber was not working and would not wipe the whole glass. Cost $272.18 deductable $54.25. From there it continued to run well until January of 2004 at 42418 miles, we notice that you would have to rev up high to get it to shift anywhere. We brought it in and the tech. said that I basically needed a new tranny, but warranty said to overhaul it, so they did. Cost $1433.62 deductable $54.28. After that it went in again in May of 2004 for the check engin light being on, Bad EGR valve. Cost $165.02 deductable $54.25. Next time was in September of 2004 at 53064, We had a gringing, popping, and shuttering while turning, side mirrors would not work, rear windows would not roll down, the A/C would not cool, and the radio would continue to eject after a cd was removed. So I got new steerting pump, New A/C system and some new relays. Total cost $2355.21 (and 7 says later) deductable $54.25 After that I had to bring it in again in October of 2004 at 54070 miles because my A/C blower was making a noise, A/C was cycling, popping still in steering, A/C was leaking some parts later fixed. Cost $669.45 deductable $54.80. 5 days later I brought it back My A/C was going haywire blowing cold when wanted hot and defrost when wanted vent, still popping, and my ABS light came on. Well replaced my EATC unit and new speed sensor fixed the most of it. Cost $811.46 dedcuctable $54.29 Brought it back 8 days later My steering was still popping, so they replaced a ton of stuff, new rack and pinion setup, new body mounts, new tie rods, bled brakes, alligned about 3 times, and changed a lot of other stuff that I have no knowlege of because they didnt give me a ticket and it took 13 days. They also informed me that my car was wrecked before I bought it. I estimate that they spent more than $3000.00 with parts and labor. Now My seering is popping again, radio is acting up, shuttering while turning and a rattling while idleing. I am now at 57100 miles, but I am really getting worried because my warranty runs out at 60491. I am baffled at to what I should do, I am not financially able to get a new car in the next 6 months at least. Do I have any hopes of ford taking the car back? Or any chance it could be considered a Lemon? Please any insite would be helpful!!!!!
Thank you for reading my long post and any help you can give!!

 

It almost sounds like the vehicle was in a flood. Flood cars do crazy electrical things, have trans problems and brake problems. Did you buy it from a dealer? When I trade in to Ford, they always want to know if it was in an accident, flood etc. If they knew about prior damage they should have told you. Get a phone book and look for a lawyer with a free first visit. Ask about your rights. Also see if you can extend your warranty if you are going to keep it. Good luck to you.

 

Wrecked, eh. Doubt Ford takes that one back.

If you bought it at a Ford dealership and they had prior knowledge of it being wrecked, and didn't tell you, I'd ask for a full refund. But I'm sure this is going to come down to "buyer beware". At the very least they should let you trade it in on a similar vehicle.

 

Yes I did buy it from a dealer, a Ford Dealer to be exact. And I asked all of the normal questions wreck, flood, Ect. And the response I got was no wreck no flood. The service managers said that he could find no record of it being wrecked but he coudld tell it by looking at my body mounts, they were bent. Shouldn't they have seen this while they inspected the vehicle before it was sold on there lot? And exactly what are the body mounts?


And one of the saddest parts of the whole thing is I have paied only about $7500.00 on the truck but the repair bills top out at almost $9000.00. That Is Pitiful.

 

Check your VIN with Carfax. From the sounds of your problems this car has been in a flood if not it is certainly a lemon. If the Ford dealer won't help you then call Ford direct and think about getting an attorney.

Mason

 

Lawyer up, I'd think most juries will be pretty sympathetic to this kind of nonsense if the dealer knew or should have known it was wrecked.

 

Carfax doesnt show crap, i've run it on 2 of my cars, which have accidents in the past 5 years both with police reports and insurance covered(wsnt my fault) and none of the accident show up on carfax. and im not just talking the regular online carfax, im talking about report the dealer gets, they get a report almost 9 pages long, and it doesnt list any of them. i bought my ex sport 2001 from a dealer used and carfax showed nothing, and they said there was no damage or pror accident, a week after i got it i could tell it had been in a accident because u can see where they tried bonding everything and making it look stock, they did a great job but i still see it, the hood is also chipping(on the top and i can tell its been repainted, also the label inside the door has been painted over the color of the car, u can tell they repainted parts of it by the accident. so i have NO faith in carfax. or dealers, im going private party from now on, and looking it up and down myself

 

I would go to the dealer and ask where it was from and who the last owenr of the vehicle was. I would then contact that person and ask them some questions. If it was an auction vehicle that they bought then get the information from carfax to where it was titled at and call the state police , patrol office from that state and ask them if they can run the information for you and see if there has been any type of accident reports or anything of that nature. If that does not work ask your insurance agent to see if they can run the VIN and see if there has ever been a claim on that particular vehicle. The insurance company may be able to help you more with that I am not sure. But it is an idea. If you can find out the County that it was in previously you may also check with the Clerk of the Court there and see what access to public information you can recieve. If it is Kansas let me know I may be able to help out there more.

 

Thanks mpiggy, but unforutinatly I am in Louisiana, but I do apprichate youre offer for help. But I do think that I will see if I can get some info on the previous owners. I always wondered why somebody would trade in a beautiful vehicle like this with only 20,000 miles, well I guess I have halfway found my answer. I plan on bringing in the truck on Wednesday to get some more work done on it before the warranty runs out, I will see if i can get a copy of the CarFax from him or mabye I can get the dealership to run one for me, afterall it is the least that they could do. Thanks for the help so far everyone, Also does anybody know how I could contact Ford themselfs I would like to write them a letter similar to my first post just to see what comments that they have or poss. soultions. (who knows I have heard of miricals happening with them)

 

Whatever you do get rid of the vehicle.

 

Well I do plan to get rid of the vehicle, but I feel that for should have some liability in the matter, I mean over $9000.00 in repairs, no 4 year old vehicle should ever cost that much money. (Am I rite in my thinking??) Does any body know how to contact Ford?

 

Ford's going to kick this one right back at the dealer. Two key points 1) second (or third) owner and 2) possibly wrecked. You need to run a carfax (the data base dealers use is the same as the online source) then find out what the procedure is with your states attoney general's office to file a complaint against the dealership you bought it at. They should be able to guide you in what documentation you'll need to move forward.

 

Wow...

Here's some advice (hope it helps) I have been through the ringer with my local dealership regarding my old explorer so here's what I was told from an attorney (a.k.a. my dad)

This is what I had to do...

1. Only talk to the general manager of the dealership... then after you have exhausted the GM and are getting nowhere, then talk to the controller. Do NOT talk to your salesman/woman... This will only get you nowhere and will be a HUGE waste of your time (not to mention also making your blood pressure rise to unhealthy levels).

2. Call Ford directly (and document EVERYTHING about the conversations you have with them... Date, time, name of CSR, what was said and outcome) If it is legal in your state to do so, record the conversations. (It is NOT legal in PA ) I got to a point that the dealer told me that I never called Ford (and their was no records of my calls in the computer... Good thing I had proof... It really helped.

3. Definately contact an attorney. My situation fell under consumer protection fraud or something like that and that was worth triple damages being awarded.

Just to see if you have a lemon, call this firm (they get results!!!) 1 (800) LEMON-LAW or www.lemonlaw.com. (I know they are in PA but a free call will never hurt) If you have any trouble getting free advice, let me know... I am friends with a woman that works there and she knows her "lemons" haha.

Hope this helps you out!

 

Well, I would not exactly put that on carfax itself.

You do notice that carfax IS dependent on stealers, insepctors, etc, report their findings to them.

I had an old Isuzu truck I was looking at (a 92 model) back in 99 come back with odo fraud. Maybe the odo went bad and got replaced...but that's what came up. The Isuzu I did buy never came up with inspection results while I owned it....the previous owners had a few listed.

Carfax is no different than a previous owner, really. If they don't tell you something, well, what can you do? Buyer beware, I guess.

 

-UPDATE-

Ok, we got the Explorer back from the Dealership on Wednesday, after 14 days, and the Service Manager said he had just drove it and the popping was fixed, ok well we make it back to town and while baking out of a parking spot at Walmart the engine starts shuttering while you turn the steering wheel, something that was "Fixed", so we went ahead and went to my aunts house and we we turn into her drive way what do you know it pops, not only once but twice!!!! So we called the service manager as soon as we walked into her house and he said bring it back in on Monday. We looked at our ticket we got and it said inspected balljoints, and it was only the pre-invoice, and the prices all said internal, they arent even filing on my extended warranty any more. They also arent giving me the complete invoices any more, so something is up. I have called Ford twice and both times they said that thay would be in touch, but still no call. What else should I be doing, my extended warranty is getting fewer and fewer!!!!!