1996 Ford Explorer Seats Problems

DRIVERS SEATBACK FAILURE. THE DRIVERS SEAT IN OUR 1996 FORD EXPLORER COLLAPSED. THE UPPER PORTION OF OUR SEAT SUDDENLY FLEW BACKWARDS ONLY STOPPING WHEN IT STRUCK THE REAR SEAT. LUCKILY THIS FAILURE OCCURRED IN OUR DRIVEWAY. MY WIFE WAS HURLED BACKWARDS HER FEET FLYING UPWARDS AND STRIKING THE UNDERSIDE OF THE DASHBOARD. HER HANDS CAME OFF THE STEERING WHEEL AND SHE WAS LEFT PRONE STARING AT THE CEILING OF THE VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD BE A GREAT CONCERN TO NHTSA SINCE ANY DRIVER EXPERIENCING SUCH A FAILURE WHILE DRIVING WOULD BE IN GRAVE DANGER. AFTER REMOVING THE SEAT AND RESEARCHING ISSUES WITH EXPLORER SEATS I FOUND THE 1998 EXPLORER RECALL THAT EXACTLY DESCRIBED OUR SEAT FAILURE. THE SAME EXACT BOLT IN THE 1998 RECALL WAS THE CAUSE OF OUR SEAT COLLAPSE. I HAVE SAID BOLT ( BROKEN IN TWO PIECES)AND WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE NHTSA EXAMINING IT TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO BAD BOLTS OR IF THE SEAT DESIGN CAUSED THE BOLT TO FAIL. I HAVE SINCE REPLACED THE BOLT WITH A NEW BOLT AND STEEL SPACER (I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE REMEDY CALLED FOR IN THE 1998 RECALL) IF I HAD NOT REMOVED THE SEAT THE WHOLE PROCESS WOULD HAVE TAKEN UNDER 20 MINUTES AND THE PARTS CAN BE HAD FOR UNDER $2 . PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG BUT DOESN'T YOUR WEB SEAT SAY THAT IF A SAFETY RELATED REPAIR IS NECESSARY THE MANUFACTURER WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR SAID REPAIR. THIS REPAIR CLEARLY FALLS INTO THAT CATEGORY. I WOULD HOPE NHTSA SHARES MY CONCERN AND DOES A THROUGH INVESTIGATION. THANK YOU, GREG CAMPBELL *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF THE VEHICLE, THE SEAT SPONTANEOUSLY COLLAPSED BACKWARDS. THE CONTACT CALLED A DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE EITHER THE RECLINER BOLTS OR THE SEAT ASSEMBLY AT HIS EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE RECLINER BOLTS, BUT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED BECAUSE IT WAS MANUFACTURED AT A DIFFERENT PLANT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED BECAUSE IT WAS A RECALL FOR THE SAME MODEL. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

DT: THE DRIVER'S SEATS BROKE FROM THE METAL PART BY WHERE ONE ADJUSTS SEAT FORWARD AND BACKWARD. WAS SITTING IN THE SEAT AND THE BOLT THAT HOLDS SEAT IN PLACE BROKE. A MECHANIC THAT INSTALLS THE SEATS IN THE FORD EXPLORER COME LOOKED AT IT AND SAID IT SHOULD HAVE NEVER OF HAPPENED. WAS INJECTED INTO THE BACK SEAT, AND THEN GOT OUT. THEN HUSBAND GOT IN AND MOVED VEHICLE , INJECTED HIM FORWARD . ALSO, IT BLEW ALL THE ELECTRICAL FUSES , BOUGHT NEW FUSES AND NOW IT WORKS.*AK

MY FAMILY DROVE TO A STORE (6/21/04) AND LEFT OUR 1996 FORD EXPLORER IN THE PARKING LOT FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR. WHEN WE RETURNED THE FRONT OF THE CAB WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE. WE STARTED TRYING TO FIND WHAT SMELLED SO BAD, AND WHAT WAS SMOKING. MY HUSBAND REALIZED THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT. HE WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE SEAT UP (ELECTRONIC) AND AFTER BURNING HIS FINGER HE WAS ABLE TO UNPLUG THE SIX WAY SEAT ADJUSTMENT MOTOR. WHEN WE CALLED FORD THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING, BUT DID SAY THEY WOULD CHARGE US $72 TO DIAGNOSE WHAT WAS WRONG. IT IS EVIDENT THE ELECTRONIC MOTOR HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND HAS A HOLE BURNED THROUGH THE SIDE OF IT. IF WE HAD NOT RETURNED TO OUR SUV WE WOULD NOW HAVE ASHES, AS THE ELECTRIC POWER IS A CONSTANT FEED. I CONTACTED FORD, IN MICHIGAN, WITH THIS MATTER. I WAS TOLD ON 6/24/04 THAT I WOULD NEED TO PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC IN ORDER FOR FORD TO EVEN LOOK INTO THE MATTER. THEY STATED I COULD CALL MY INSURANCE AND GO THAT ROUTE. I EXPLAINED I WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OTHERS AND THEY SAID IT WAS UP TO ME WHAT I DID. THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING UNLESS I PAID FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC. I STATED THAT IT WAS NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY BUT FORD'S AND SHE RESPONDED YES. IN FRUSTRATION I HUNG UP AND BEGAN THIS COMPLAINT. IF SOMEONE WERE TO LEAVE HIS OR HER CHILD IN THE CAR AND THIS HAPPENS THE CHILD WILL BE SEVERELY INJURED. IF I HAD BEEN ALONE WHEN THIS HAPPENED I WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN TO UNPLUG THE SEAT MOTOR. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. MY HUSBAND STATED THAT THE HEAT WAS SO INTENSE HE WAS SURPRISED THE SEAT HAD NOT CAUGHT ON FIRE. HE HAS SINCE TAKEN THE MOTOR OUT AND WILL REPLACE IT WHEN THE PART COMES IN. WE STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL MOTOR. PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED.*AK

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE. DEALER FIXED IT AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE OF $593.00. ON FEBRUARY 19, 2004, THE SEAT BROKE AGAIN. A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED ON SIMILAR MAKES AND MODELS. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *JB

WENT TO DRIVE CAR AND THE DRIVER SEAT FLEW BACK AS A RESULT OF A BROKEN BOLT. *LA

A BOLT THAT HOLDS THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK UPRIGHT BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO FULLY RECLINE BACKWARDS IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS SEAT BOLT HAS FAILED. THE ORIGINAL FAILURE WAS IN JULY, 1999 (NHTSA REPORT #708738). *LA

RECALL 03V281000. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BOLT BROKE . *AK THE SEAT LAID ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK SEAT WITH THE BOLT BROKE. *PH *JB

I HAVE A 1996 FORD EXPLORER THAT JUST HAD IT'S FRONT SEAT ASSEMBLY FAIL AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $300. I NOTICE THAT FORD HAS ISSUED A RECALL NOTICE BUT IT WAS NOT FOR 1996 BUT 1998 - 01 YEAR EXPLORERS. I SPOKE TO THE DEALER THAT MADE THE REPAIR AND THEM STATED THAT THERE IS NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 1996 AND 1998 VERSIONS OF THIS VEHICLE. THEY POINTED ME BACK TO FORD. I BELIEVE THAT FORD IS LIMITING THIS RECALL TO SAVE MONEY. THEY SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED THE 1996 MODEL AS WELL AS OTHER YEAR MODELS AS EVIDENT BY THE PROBLEM MY VEHICLE JUST EXPERIENCED. THE RECALL NOTICE IS BELOW FOR REFERENCE. THANK YOU. . MAKE : FORD MODEL : EXPLORER YEAR : 1998 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 03V281000 RECALL DATE : AUG 04, 2003 COMPONENT: SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED : 1552880 *JB

SEATBACK IN MY 1996 FORD EXPLORER ([XXX]) BROKE WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. CAUSE IS A FRACTURED BOLT IN THE RECLINING SEATBACK LATCH.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHILE REMOVING CHILD FROM CAR SEAT ON SECOND ROW OF VEHICLE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT RECLINES BACK ON TOP OF CONSUMER'S LEG . DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. HOWEVER, HAS NO REMEDY FOR SEAT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING SEATBACK FELL BACKWARDS, AND CONSUMER RAN OFF THE ROAD BEFORE STOPPING. HAS CONTACTED DEALER ,AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK *YH

LEFT FRONT SEAT ROCKS IN FULL ELEVATED POSITION, DEALER SAID IT WAS NORMAL PLAY IN THE POWER SEAT TRACK. NLM

BOLTS HOLDING BACK OF FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT HAVE SHEARED OFF. THIS CAUSED SEAT TO RECLINE BACKWARDS. DRIVER'S VIEW WOULD BE OBSTRUCTED WHEN EITHER ACCELERATING OR BRAKING. *AK

SEAT BACK FAILURE DRIVERS BUCKET SEAT, BOLT FRACTURED, SEAT BACK FELL TO RECLINE, LOSS OF CONTROL POSSIBLE IF AT DRIVING SPEED

SEAT BACK FAILURE DRIVERS BUCKET SEAT, BOLT FRACTURED, SEAT BACK FELL TO RECLINE, LOSS OF CONTROL POSSIBLE IF AT DRIVING SPEED

A BOLT THAT HOLDS THE DRIVER'S SEAT UPRIGHT SNAPPED, SEATBACK COLLAPSED. *AK

THE BACK SUPPORT PART OF THE SEAT COLLAPSED WHILE DRIVING DUE TO A CRACK IN THE ADJUSTMENT LEVER. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *ML

WHEN THE SEATBACK RECLINE MECHANISM BROKE, I FELL BACKWARDS AND NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I AM ONLY REPORTING THIS NOW BECAUSE OF A COMMENT MADE BY A SERVICE WRITER AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD IT FIXED. HE TOLD ME THEY HAD SEEN OTHER FAILURES LIKE THIS AND IN FACT HAD ANOTHER CUSTOMER COMING IN THE FOLLWING WEEK TO HAVE THE RECLINE MECHANISM REPLACED. *AK

BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SEATS COLLAPSED BACKWARDS DURING A REAREND COLLISION. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES.

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT DOES NOT MOVE.

POWER SEAT CONTROLS FAILED.

DRIVER SEAT LUMBAR SWITCH FAILED.

SEAT FRAME FAILED.

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEA RBOTTOMS HAVE MISSING SPRING/LUMBAR PUMPS LOCATED IN WRONG PLACE UNDER SEATS/INSUFFICIENT PADDING UNDER SEATS, COMBINATION RESULTS IN DISCONFORT. *AK