10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 4 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 6 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 19,210 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
The contact owns a 1998 Ford Explorer. While driving 40 mph, the driver's seat reclined towards the rear seat. The dealer stated that the VIN was included in NHTSA campaign id number 03V281000 (seats:front assembly:recliner). The dealer refuses to make the repair until the contact pays $400 to have another mechanism of the seat recliner repaired. The Ford manufacturer stated that they knew nothing about technical issues and that the dealer would make the final decision. The seat has not been repaired. The vehicle does not have cruise control. The failure mileage was 150,000 and current mileage was 176,000.
- St Louis Park , MN, USA
The contact purchased a used vehicle on a warranty. She discovered the rear seat belt buckle assemblies were broken. Also, the front seats did not recline properly. She took the vehicle to a dealer. No repairs have been made at this time.
- Chicago, IL, USA
I own a 1998 Ford Explorer XL 4 door model with 29744 original miles on it. The vehicle is in excellent condition and has never been involved in any kind of accident. The vehicle has been well maintained and was taken to the dealer for 3 different safety recalls, throttle cable, hood latch and drivers seat in the early part of my ownership. On September 21 2005 while driving the vehicle home from work the drivers seat fell backwards about 4-5 inches making me momentarily lose control of the vehicle and nearly caused and accident. Upon inspection of the seat when I got home it was apparent that the seat frame just in front of the hinge mechanism had broken and bent upward allowing the entire mechanism and the back of the seat to move rearward. The vehicle is now unusable due to this extreme safety defect. On September 22 2005 the vehicle was taken to South bay Ford at 5100 w rosecrans ave. Hawthorne ca. 90250 and presented to the service adviser aaron estrada and asked if this was a result of the safety recall of the drivers seat. I was informed that this was not part of that recall and that Ford was not responsible for this potentially deadly seat defect and other than selling me a new seat there was nothing they would do. I feel that this is a very dangerous safety defect that Ford should be responsible for repairing. South bay Ford said they wanted a minimum of $87 to even initiate a repair ticket to look at the defective seat. I now own a Ford vehicle that looks to be in perfect condition but is in fact, the vehicle can not be driven or sold. I could never recommend this vehicle to anyone in good conscience knowing it could kill their family!.
- Redondo Beach, CA, USA
NHTSA recall 03V281000; Ford issued a high back seat recall. This vehicle was not included in the recall, but the seat reclined back, almost touching the second row cushion. Driver had to manually push the seat forward.
- South Holland, IL, USA
Defective bolt that attaches the seat recliner mechanism to driver seat frame kept the seat from reclining. Campaign id number : 03V281000 the consumer received a recall letter which stated that drivers may experience looseness or noise in the seat and in extreme cases it could potentially cause one to lose contact with the steering wheel or foot pedals resulting in a crash. The dealer indicated that the consumer would have to pay $110. To have a component within the seat repaired so they could easily repair the recalled part. The consumer stated that she should not be made to pay for service that a recall was issued for..
- Kansas City, MO, USA
Today, I was going to adjust my drivers seat and the lever that allows you to adjust the seat snapped off. I didn't use force or anything. Now my seat is unable to be adjusted.
- Avon, MA, USA
While pulling up the seat lever driver 's seat would not move on its own. Consumer drove vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the seat and lever needed to be replaced.
- Corning, CA, USA
Drivers seat bolt broke, causing the seat to recline backwards. This occurred without any warning while vehicle was being driven. Dealership replaced the bolt, but not the seat.
- Niagara Falls, NY, USA
Prior to receiving latch recall, the consumer experienced the defect and was told only the bolt would be replaced, not the latch.
- Bradley Beach, NJ, USA
I was involved in an accident while driving a 1998 Ford Explorer. Due to black ice there was a loss of vehicle control. This resulted in a rear end collision with the concrete barrier at the side of the road. The drivers seat back collapsed, and the seat for aft adjusting mechanism failed. The seat back reclining mechanism had been fixed for the recent recall.
- Santa Clara, CA, USA
Dealership refuse to repair car parts that are important and have serious safty issues. Drivers car seat back collapse, accelerator pedal support bracket ell off the floor boad...needs to be welded back on.
- Norfolk, VA, USA
While driving 45 mph seat reclined without warning. Dealer stated the reclining bolt cracked. No impact reported.
- Gaffney, SC, USA
Seat recliner mechanism failed on 1998 Ford Explorer. The consumer received recall notice 03V-281000, related to the seat recliner mechanism bolt, after the vehicle's seat recliner mechanism fractured. The consumer wanted to know if his vehicle's failure was covered by the safety recall. The consumer took the vehicle to the nearest Ford dealer to have the seat inspected by a technician. The consumer was informed that the recall only cover the replacement of the bolts, therefore the failure of the recliner handle would not be covered.
- Oklahoma City, OK, USA
Consumer unable to take vehicle to have recall repair performed because consumer has been deployed to iraq. Consumer inquired as whether or not the repair would be free of charge when he returns home from iraq. The recall is on the reclining bolt that connects to the back of the seat.
- Apo, AE, USA
Driver's seat reclining lever broke. Had been bent for sometime. Will cost almost $200 to replace. Told by dealer that several people had been in with the same problem.
- Goldsboro, NC, USA
Consumer stated driver's side seat broke. When consumer received recall notice, he took vehicle to the dealer for repairs, and was told that since bolt did not break the recall did not apply to this vehicle. Consumer indicated that drivers' seat frame cracked, and he took it to the mechanic, and was told that this was a problem for the dealer. Also, consumer insisted that what the recall stated was exactly what happened to his vehicle.
- Las Vegas, NV, USA
The consumer was contacted regarding recall 03281000 related to the seat back frame. The vehicle seat never exhibited any symptoms of the recall prior to the vehicle being taken to the dealer. After the recall was performed the consumer noticed instability in the driver's seat. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The dealer indicated that the repairs they performed did not cause the instability and that it may be the wearing of the truck that caused it. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that it sounded like the recall remedy failed and that they would send a complaint for. The consumer has not received the form. The warranty on the vehicle expired. Dealer stated nothing could be done.
- Orlando, FL, USA
Vehicle was taken to the dealer for recall# 03V281000 repairs concerning high back seat failure. After the repairs were done, driver's seat back broke and fell all the way back. Dealer was refusing to do anymore repairs to the vehicle.
- Houston, TX, USA
Dealership was not honoring the recall that has been extended to this year/ make and model vehicle. Vehicle had a broken seat. Dealership repaired the top bolt only. However, the bottom bolt needed repairs. However, the seat was still defective.
- Houston, TX, USA
- Albuquerque, NM, USA