1996 Ford Explorer Latches & Locks Problems

1996 FORD EXPLORER. VEHICLE KEYS ONLY WORK INFREQUENTLY. NEW KEYS FROM FORD DEALER CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. FOR SAFETY, ANY INDIVIDUAL NEEDS TO KNOW THAT THEIR VEHICLE KEY WILL OPERATE RELIABLY. IF YOU FEEL THREATENED OR ARE BEING FOLLOWED AND NEEDED THE SECURITY OF ENTERING AND LOCKING YOUR VEHICLE BUT WERE UNABLE THIS COULD RESULT IN A PERSONAL SAFETY RISK INCLUDING DEATH. I HAVE FOUND THAT THE ISSUE AS DESCRIBED ABOVE IS A COMMON COMPLAINT FROM OTHER OWNERS AND FORD HAS REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE OR CORRECT IT. HAVING TO LEAVE A VEHICLE UNLOCKED SIMPLY TO ALLOW ENTRY IS UNACCEPTABLE. I MIGHT AS WELL PLACE A SIGN ON MY VEHICLE SAYING STEAL ME. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR 3 YEARS WITHOUT A SOLUTION. NEW KEYS MAY WORK FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN SIMPLY STOP WORKING. THEY MAY EVEN WORK LATER, IT IS NOT A KEY PROBLEM BUT A VEHICLE DESIGN ISSUE. NONE OF THE KEYS OPERATE THE REAR HATCH, NONE OF THE KEYS OPERATE THE PASSENGER DOOR ANY LONGER EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO MECHANICAL ISSUE WITH EITHER. THE DRIVERS DOOR WORKS APPROXIMATELY 50% OF THE TIME. THESE ARE NOT "CHIP KEYS", THERE IS NO SECURITY ISSUE IN THAT REGARD. THESE ARE SIMPLY STANDARD DEALER CUT KEYS. THERE IS NO DISTINGUISHABLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KEYS AND ALL HAVE WORKED AT TIMES. AGAIN, THE ISSUE IS THE VEHICLE DESIGN. *TR

THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK PROPERLY, TRAPPING THE DRIVER AND CHILD IN THE VEHICLE. PRESSING THE 'UNLOCK' BUTTON DOES NOTHING. SO FAR, THE FORD DEALER WANTS AROUND $400 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND SAYS IT IS NOT A RECALL ITEM. *JB

1996 FORD EXPLORER ,OPENED LIFTGATE AND SUPPORT SHOCK POPPED OFF OF BRACKET THE BALL ON BRACKET BROKE OFF,NOW TALKED TO LOCAL DEALER SERVICE MANGER TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL,BUT HE SAID THERE WASNT,BUT HE SEEN OTHER EXPLORERS DO THE SAME THING,NOW LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS OPENING THE GATE,NOT WHEN I WAS UNDER THE GATE,WHICH MADE ME THINK THAT THIS COULD A VERY POTENTAL INJURIE,OR EVEN A LIFE THREATING HAZZARD IF IT WAS A SMALL PERSON LIKE A CHILD,IF THIS GATE LETS LOOSE WHEN SOMEONE IS UNDER IT.THIS GATE IS VERY HEAVY AND SLAMS VERY HARD WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF BOTH SHOCKS.*AK

REAR PASSENGER DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE CHILD SAFETY LOCKS WHICH MAY BE THE CAUSE OF DEFECT. *AK

BOTHE REAR DOORS DO NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE...SOMETIMES LEFT REAR DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE DUE TO CHILD SAFETY LATCH NOT WORKING PROPERLY.

DEFECT WITH FAULTY INTERIOR DOOR LATCH/RELEASE MECHANISM PREVENTS DOORS FROM BEING OPENED BY PASSENGERS.*MR *CB

THE DEVICE CAUSED MY 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO LOSE A PORTION OF HER RIGHT POINTER FINGER AND WE FEEL THIS COULD BE PREVENTED IF THAT PART WAS COVERED UP (AT THE VERY LEAST) IN THE MODELS IT EXISTS IN. IT CAN HAPPEN WHEN THE REAR DOOR IS BEING OPENED AND THE FRONT DOOR IS ALREADY OPEN. MY DAUGHTER WAS STANDING IN THE DOORWAY OF THE FRONT DOOR AND APPARENTLY TOUCHED THIS ROLLER MECHINISM AS MY HUSBAND WAS OPENING THE REAR DOOR, IT BASCIALLY SUCKED HER FINGER IN AND CUT IT OFF (DUE TO THE PRESSURE - THE ROLLER USES THE CAR BODY TO HOLD THE DOOR OPEN). WE HAVE CHECKED AND SOME VEHICLES HAVE THIS AND OTHER DO NOT AND SOME HAVE IT COVERED UP! IT WOULD ONLY BE APPLICABLE IN 4 DOOR VEHICLES. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, AS I KNOW IT IS SOMEWHAT CONFUSING. BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO PREVENT ANYONE ELSE FROM GOING THROUGH WHAT WE DID - MY DAUGHTER (2 YEARS OLD) HAD TO HAVE EMERGENCY SURGERY TO REMOVE MORE OF THE BONE/FINGER AND REPAIR THE TIP THE BEST IT COULD BE. SHE STILL HAS DISCOMFORT AT TIMES AND IT HAS BEEN 2 1/2 MONTHS SINCE THE ACCIDENT. WE HAVE CHECKED IT OUT AND SHE COULD HAVE FIT HER WHOLE HAND IN THERE WHICH WOULD OF BEEN EVEN MORE TRAGIC! I HOPE YOU WILL HELP US GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THIS DANGEROUS PART IN MANY CARS. *AK

CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO UNLOCK TAILGATE BECAUSE RIGHT SIDE LATCH WILL STICK. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

10/2000 - THE LEFT REAR DOOR LATCH FROM THE INSIDE WOULD NOT WORK. ANYONE WHO ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY. THE REPAIR COST ME APPROX. $175.00. MARCH, 2001 - THE RIGHT REAR DOOR LATCH HAS NOW BROKEN. AGAIN, ANYONE TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE WILL BE UNSUCCESSFUL. THIS IS A BIG CONCERN SINCE I HAVE CHILDREN WHO SIT IN THE BACK AND IF THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE FROM THE RIGHT REAR DOOR. I WILL BE GETTING THIS DOOR FIXED NEXT WEEK BY THE SAME DEALERSHIP. I FEEL THAT THESE SAFETY DEFECTS PUT ANY PERSON SITTING IN THE BACK IN GRAVE DANGER IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY. THESE FAILURES SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. PLEASE ADVISE HOW I CAN BE REIMBURSED FOR THESE REPAIRS. THANK YOU.

BOTH REAR DOORS WON'T OPEN. THEY WILL ONLY OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS UNSAFE BECAUSE IN AN ACCIDENT REAR PASSENGERS WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET OUT.*AK

ON THE SAME DAY BOTH MY REAR DOOR LATCHES BROKE.YOU CAN'T OPEN EITHER FROM THE INSIDE.THIS IS NOT DUE TO CHILD SAFETY LOCKS. IT IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE MY PASSENGERS COULDN'T GET OUT IN CASE OF FIRE OR ACCIDENT. *AK

BOTH REAR DOOR CHILD SAFETY LOCKS DO NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE. YH

BOTH REAR INTERIOR DOOR LATCHES FAIL TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE. FIRST THE RIGHT REAR DOOR FAILED TO OPEN FROM THE INSIDE, THEN THE LEFT REAR ALSO FAILED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT "TRAPS" THE REAR PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE. THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN THE REAR DOORS IS FROM THE OUTSIDE. I CALLED A LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT INDICATED THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE COST OF REPAIR.

REAR LIFTGATE BROKE. OCCUPANT CANNNOT OPEN DOOR FROM THE INSIDE OR FROM OUTSIDE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

LOCKING MECHANISM BROKE OFF INSIDE DOOR, MAKIN G IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR OCCUPANTS TO GET OUT IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY WITH BOTH DOORS. *AK

THE REAR RIGHT DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

BOTH REAR DOORS HAVE MALFUNCTIONED AT VAROIUS TIMES, CAUSING THEM TO NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND THE DEALER WILL FIX BUT ONLY IF I PAY. *AK

WHENEVER CHILD SAFETYLOCK IS ACTIVATED, THE HANDLE FROM INSIDE WITH A LITTLE PRESSURE, CAN CAUSE THE DOOR TO BE INOPERATIVE FROM THE INSIDE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

THE TWO DOORS IN REAR WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE. SEEMS THE CHILD LOCKS ARE ON, WHEN THE CHILD LOCKS ARE IN THE CORRECT POSITION, THE VEHICLE WILL STILL NOT OPEN. DEALER CONTACTED, AND IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER STATES THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

HOOD LATCH MALFUNCTIONED.

HOOD LATCH FAILED, CAUSING HOOD TO POP OFF.

DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE. OPENS FROM OUTSIDE. LATCH DISENGAGES ITSELF SO DOOR FAILS TO OPEN FROM INSIDE. TOOK TO DEALER. WAS REPAIRED. PROBLEM HAS REAPPEARED. *AK

THE REAR DOOR ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. MECHANIC STATED THAT PROLBEM COULD BE RELATED TO THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK. THE PROLBEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

DOOR LOCKS FAILED.

DOOR LATCH ON DRIVERS SIDE FAILED.

DOOR LOCK FAILED.

THE HOOD FLEW UP WHILE DRIVING.

CONSUMER HAS NOT RECEIVED HER DOOR LATCH PARTS UNDER RECALL 96V070000. *AK

RECALL WORK NOT COMPLETED ON THE DOOR LOCKS DUE TO LACK OF PARTS.

THE DEALERSHIP HASN'T HAD THE PARTS SINCE MAY.*AK RECALL 96S38. *SLC

ORDER RECALL PART FROM DEALER. STILL HAS NOT CAME IN, HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR MORE THAN A MONTH. RECALL 96V007000. *AK