1999 Ford Explorer Latches & Locks Problems

While driving 75 mph, your hood suddenly opened and cracked your windshield. You had to pull over and tie the hood down, with no warning lights beforehand. Additionally, your cruise control engages or fails to engage unexpectedly while driving without any warning. The mechanic was unable to diagnose or repair either problem.

THE PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK, YOU HEAR THE CLICKING AS THE OTHER DOORS UNLOCK, BUT IT WILL NOT UNLOCK. AS WITH THE OTHER COMPLAINTS I HAVE SEEN REGARDING THIS ISSUE, I TOO AM CONCERNED IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT AND THE PERSON IN THE PASSENGER SIDE IS UNABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. *TR

FRONT PASSENGER DOOR CANNOT OPEN, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR HANDLES DO NOT RELEASE LATCH. PASSENGER IS TRAPPED IN VEHICLE. THE POWER (SOLENOID) AND MANUAL (KEY) LOCKING MECHANISM ACTIVATES/WORKS, BUT DOES NOT ALLOW DOOR TO BE OPENED. *TR

1999 FORD EXPLORER - THE DOORS LOCK BECOME STUCK - NEITHER OPENING WITH THE KEY MANUALLY, KEY CODE, OR REMOTE FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE. THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AND THE DOOR IN THE BACK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE JUST STOPPED WORKING THE DOOR IN THE REAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OPENS FROM THE OUTSIDE; THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR DOES NOT OPEN AT ALL. IN ATTEMPT TO FREE MYSELF FROM THE CAR I BROKE THE INTERNAL DOOR HANDLE. THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT AND IT IS UNSAFE AND EXPENSIVE FOR THE OWNERS TO FIX. PLEASE REFERENCE THIS WEBSITE TO SEE THE NUMEROUS OTHER FORD CONSUMERS THAT ARE EFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM JUST ON THIS ONE FORUM THERE ARE MORE FORUMS THAN THIS FOR ALMOST ALL THE FORD MODELS: HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/FORD/EXPLORER/1998/ACCESSORIES-INTERIOR/DRIVERS_DOOR_WONT_UNLOCK.SHTML. *TR

1999 FORD EXPLORER DRIVERS DOOR LOCK/LATCH WILL NOT OPEN. BROKEN SPRING FOUND INSIDE DOOR, NOT FIXED, EXPENSIVE TO FIX. DEATHTRAP FOR TRAPPED DRIVERS IN ACCIDENT, VERY INCONVENIENT FEELING TRAPPED INSIDE DUE TO FAULTY DOOR LATCH/LOCK. NOT SAFE, ESPECIALLY WITH ALREADY RECALL OF INSTANT FIRE AT ANYTIME DUE TO RECALL OF CRUISE CONTROL. *TR

THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK HAS STOPPED WORKING. THE DOOR WILL NOT LOCK AT ALL AT THIS POINT. I HOPE TO GOD THAT NO ONE STEALS MY CAR! ONE OCCASION IT DECIDED TO WORK AND IF I DIDN'T HAVE KEYLESS ENTRY, MY KIDS WOULD HAVE BEEN LOCKED IN THE CAR WITH THE CAR RUNNING. I HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED TO HAVE IT FIX. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM, ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT I AM HAVING. *TR

I HAVE A FORD EXPLORER SPORT 1999, THE DOOR LOCKS WON'T UNLOCK WITH THE KEYS (BOTH SIDE DOORS, THE HATCH WORKS FINE) OR THE KEYPAD, WHEN THEY LOCK AFTER STARTING, THE DRIVERS DOOR WON'T UNLOCK WITH THE HANDLE OR THE UNLOCK BUTTON. IT DOES HOWEVER IF YOU HIT THE UNLOCK BUTTON, PUSHING THE UNLOCK BUTTON SEVERAL TIMES WHILE PULLING UP ON THE LOCK - WHICH IS HARD TO GET A HOLD OF, OR THE HANDLE (FOR NOW) I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IF I HAPPENED TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT, THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN IF NEEDED. *TR

I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY 1999 FORD EXPLORER DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. IT WORKED FINE UP UNTIL A FEW MONTHS AGO. IT STOPPED UNLOCKING WITH THE REMOTE THEN IT EVENTUALLY STOPPED UNLOCKING WITH THE KEY. I HAVE TO NOW REACH THROUGH MY PASSENGER DOOR TO OPEN MY DRIVERS DOOR. I AM AFRAID OF GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET RESCUED IS FOR SOMEONE TO OPEN MY DRIVERS DOOR TO GET ME OUT. IF IT IS LOCKED, AND IT NORMALLY IS BECAUSE IT LOCKS AUTOMATICALLY WHEN START TO DRIVE, NO ONE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET ME OUT. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN. I HAVE LOOKED IT UP ONLINE AND HAVE FOUND THAT QUITE A FEW PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. TO MAKE THINGS WORSE MY BACK DOOR HAS DONE THE SAME THING EXCEPT I CAN NOT GET IT TO OPEN AT ALL. I HAVE TWO VERY YOUNG KIDS AND I WOULD HATE FOR THEM TO GET TRAPPED INSIDE. I CAN'T OPEN IT FROM THE INSIDE BECAUSE THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK IS ON. ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE I AM HAVING IS BEING SCARED THAT I WILL BE ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE WHEN UNLOCKING THE DRIVERS SIDE AND MAYBE HAVING SOMEONE ELSE GET INTO THE CAR BEFORE I CAN GET IN AND LEAVE. I HAVE PURCHASED THE PART TO GET IT FIXED BUT I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THE DEALERSHIP TO FIX IT FOR ME. IT HAS YET TO GET FIXED BUT I DO PLAN ON GETTING IT DONE SOON. PLEASE HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER DOORS WILL NOT OPEN. WHEN THE FAILURE BEGAN, SHE WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE OR FROM THE OUTSIDE BY ROLLING DOWN THE WINDOW. THE DEALER HAS NOT DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS PRESENT. THE CONTACT WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THE MANUFACTURER ON NHTSA CAMPAIGN NOTICE NUMBER 03V280000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES) SHE RECEIVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

HOOD WOULD NOT OPEN. AFTER 2 HOURS OF WORKING ON THE LATCH THROUGH THE GRILLE, I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE HOOD. AFTER BUYING A REPLACEMENT FROM MY LOCAL FORD DEALER,$68.00, AND REPLACING THE CORRODED LATCH, THE NEW ONE WORKED FINE. FOR NOW. *AK

THE PASSENGER DOOR LOCK STOPPED POPPING UP ON THE FIRST PRESS OF THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE DOOR. THIS BEGAN ALMOST 2 YEARS AGO. IT REQUIRED MULTIPLE PRESSES ON THE UNLOCK BUTTON TO GET THE DOOR TO UNLOCK. THE PROBLEM HAS NOW OCCURRED ON THE DRIVER' S SIDE DOOR. ONLY THIS TIME IT REQUIRED MANY MORE DEPRESSES TO UNLOCK. I HAVE TO PHYSICALLY PULL THE HANDLE AND PULL UP ON THE DOOR LOCK KNOB TO FORCE IT TO OPEN IF IT WILL OPEN. MY FEAR NOW IS IF I AM IN AN ACCIDENT OR THE TRUCK CATCHES ON FIRE I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO UNLOCK EITHER DOOR. *AK

1) 1999 FORD EXPLORER 2 DOOR (MINE) AND 2000 FORD EXPLORER 4 DOOR (MY BROTHER'S). BOTH VEHICLES ARE OPERATED AS NORMAL DAILY DRIVER VEHICLES. THERE WAS NO KNOWN EVENT LEADING TO THE FAILURE IN EITHER VEHICLE (NOT OPERATED UNDER HARSH CONDITIONS/GRAVEL ROADS, ETC.). 2) BOTH VEHICLES WITHIN A FEW MONTH PERIOD BEGAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE DOOR LATCH MECHANISM -- PASSENGER DOOR ON MY EXPLORER, AND BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE DOORS ON MY BROTHERS. WHEN LOCKED, THE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE POWER LOCK CYLINDER WAS ACTUATING, BUT NOT DISENGAGING THE LOCK. THE DOOR COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED WITH THE KEY FROM THE OUTSIDE NOR THE FOB/KEY CHAIN. ALSO, THE REAL CONCERN - THE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE BY PULLING THE DOOR HANDLE (WHICH NORMALLY WOULD UNLOCK AND OPEN THE DOOR). IN EACH OF THE THREE DOORS, A SMALL RETRACTING SPRING INSIDE THE DOOR LATCH WAS BROKEN. HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR SOME OTHER SITUATION REQUIRING AN EMERGENCY EXIT FROM THE VEHICLE, THE OCCUPANT SITTING BY THE AFFECTED DOOR POSSIBLY COULD NOT EXIT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT MOVING TO ANOTHER DOOR OF THE VEHICLE. 3) I REPAIRED THESE LATCHES MYSELF, USING SPRINGS PURCHASED FROM A LOCAL HARDWARE STORE, AS THE LATCHES ARE NOT AVAILABLE AFTERMARKET IN STORES SUCH AS AUTO ZONE OR NAPA (FORD DEALER MAY HAVE THEM BUT HAVE NOT CHECKED). THE SMALL SPRING APPEARS TO KEEP THE LOCK MECHANISM PULLED OFF UNLESS THE LOCK IS ENGAGED, WITHOUT THE SPRING, THE LOCK WOULD NOT DISENGAGE UNDER NORMAL OPERATION. THE ONLY WAY THE DOOR WOULD UNLOCK WAS TO PUSH THE UNLOCK BUTTON NUMEROUS TIMES (SOMETIMES 30 + TIMES) AND IT WOULD EVENTUALLY UNLOCK. REMOVAL OF THE DOOR PANEL AND LATCH ASSEMBLY WAS REQUIRED TO FIX THE BROKEN SPRING. WE DO HAVE AT LEAST ONE OF THE BROKEN SPRINGS (ABOUT 1 1/2 INCHES LONG). *NM

SINCE THE PURCHASE OF MY 1999 FORD EXPLORER IN 2003, MY DRIVER'S DOOR HAS ALWAYS GIVEN ME TROUBLE WHEN USING THE KEY TO UNLOCK IT. RECENTLY, THE LOCK STOPPED WORKING WITH THE REMOTE AND I WAS FORCED TO OPEN THE FRONT DOOR BY REACHING FROM THE BACK DOOR. AFTER USING THAT METHOD FOR A WHILE, MY INTERIOR HANDLE IS NOW PERMANENTLY BROKEN AND THE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM EITHER SIDE. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND AN INCONVENIENCE. *NM

THE FRONT SIDE PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK OR OPEN AT ALL. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS BEGINNING TO EXHIBIT THE SAME PROBLEMS. *NM

THE DOOR LOCKS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE(BOTH FRONT AND REAR) WILL FOR A PERIOD OF DAYS NOT UNLOCK WITH THE POWER LOCK OR THE KEY ON THE FRONT DOOR. THIS LEAVES THE PERSON SITTING ON THAT SIDE HAVING TO CRAWL TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE TO GET OUT. THEN AFTER A PERIOD OF DAYS SEEMS THAT IT WILL START WORKING AGAIN FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THERE IS A SPRING IN EACH OF THE LATCHING MECHANISMS THAT WAS FOUND TO HAVE BROKEN.

AFTER HAVING PARKED MY CAR I COULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR FOR MY CHILD TO GET OUT--NEITHER FROM THE INSIDE NOR THE OUTSIDE AND PULL MECHANISM DISAPPEARED IN BETWEEN CAR DOOR. *JB

TWO WEEKS AGO I WENT TO GET OUT OF MY SUV AND THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. I FINALLY GOT IT TO WORK AFTER PULLING ON THE HANDLE AND PUSHING LOCK/UNLOCK ABOUT 20 TIMES. THIS HAPPENS DAILY. *JB

THE REAR TAIL GATE WILL NOT OPEN, WHEN THE DOORS ARE LOCKED THE GLASS IS STILL UNLOCKED. THE REAR WIPER WILL NOT WORK EITHER. WHEN THE GLASS IS OPEN THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT DOESN'T COME ON. SINCE I CAN'T TELL WEATHER IT IS LATCHED SECURELY OR NOT, I AM AFRAID THAT IF EVER IN AN ACCIDENT IT MAY OPEN ON ITS OWN. THE DEALERS WANT A LARGE PAYMENT JUST TO SEE WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT AND THEN MORE TO FIX IT. FORD HASN'T GIVEN ME ANY GUESS AS TO WHAT THE ISSUE IS OR WHAT CAUSED IT. IT JUST HAPPENED ONE DAY I WENT TO OPEN THE GATE AND IT WILL NOT OPEN. *NM

THE FACTORY PRESSURIZED CYLINDERS THAT HOLD THE HOOD OPEN HAVE FAILED. I HAVE NARROWLY AVERTED INJURY WHEN THE HOOD CAME FALLING DOWN. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A POSSIBLE DESIGN DEFECT. I PLAN TO REPLACE THEM, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT THE MANUFACTURER'S REPLACEMENT COULD BE SIMILARLY UNSAFE.*AK

WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE (BELOW 32 DEGREES F)THE ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT OPEN WITH THE REMOTE MECHANISM. ALSO, AFTER UNLOCKING THE DOORS THEY WILL NOT STAY LOCKED AFTER CLOSING. WHEN THE CONSUMER LEANS ON THE DOORS AFTER CLOSING THEM , THEY WILL OPEN. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED THREE TIMES. *AK *NM

THE CONSUMER COULD NOT UNLOCK THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOORS, FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY INDICATED THAT THIS WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. *AK *SC *JB

THE DOOR FAILED TO LOCK PROPERLY IF NOT MANUALLY PUSHED DOWN AND LOCKED. THE HATCHBACK DOOR WOULD POP OPEN IF NOT MANUALLY LOCKED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE FRONT DOORS DO NOT UNLOCK FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *NLM

CONSUMER WENT TO GET AN OIL CHANGE AND HOOD WOULD NOT OPEN. VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW LATCH FOR THE HOOD.CONSUMER HAS MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEALER. *AK

PRIOR TO RECALL THE HOOD LATCH FAILED (99V-164). YH

RECEIVED A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NOTICE# 99S-18 FOR HOOD LATCH SECONDARY; CALLED FOR A APPOINTMENT / REPORTED FOR APPOINTMENT, WAITED TWO HOURS, AND WAS INFORMED THAT NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE, AND THEY WOULD CONTACT THEM WHEN PARTS WERE MADE AVAILABLE; NO WORDS WERE RECEIVED AT THIS TIME. ASKING NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER OR PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR RECALL REPAIRS (99V164) FOR A WHOLE DAY WHICH WAS NOT DONE DUE TO SCHEDULING DIFFERENCES. *YC

CONSUMER IS HAVING DIFFICULTY RECEIVING RECALL REPAIRS (99S09 99V-062) NOT COMPLETED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS, (99S18 99V-164) DUE TO SCHEDULING PROBLEMS WITH THE DEALERSHIP. MJS