I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON A CITY ROAD DOING 30MPH WHEN THE CAR MADE A HORRIBLE EXPLODING SOUND. AFTER THAT POINT THE CAR WAS MAKING NUMEROUS GRINDING NOISES AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I STOPPED AND HAD THE CAR TOWED. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS ELECTRONIC AND WANTED $1800 TO FIX IT, BUT WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT IT WOULD FIX THE CAR. I GOT A SECOND OPINION AND THEY SHOWED ME THE INSIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION WHICH WAS IN SHRAPNEL SIZED PIECES. THE DAMAGE WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT ELECTRONIC. THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY BY TIME BUT ONLY HAS 33K MILES ON IT. I AM 70+ YEARS OLD AND HAVE NEVER DRIVEN THE VEHICLE IN ANY WAY THAT COULD CAUSE THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL DEALERS AND TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND NO ONE WILL HELP ME. THE REPAIR IS OVER $6000 AND I HAVE NO GUARANTEES THAT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. THERE IS AN OBVIOUS MASSIVE MECHANICAL DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS TRANSMISSION YET FORD DOES NOT SEEM TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM EVEN AFTER SATURN HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS ON A SIMILAR TRANSMISSION. *TR
2005
TIRES
CONTINENTAL TIRES (215/60/17), CHUNKS OF THE TIRE ARE COMING OFF. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER ABOUT ISSUE, DID NOT SEEM TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ISSUE (JOSE). FORD ALSO WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THEY TOO DID NOT SEEM CONCERNED, HOWEVER BOTH PARTIES ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TIRES. A COMMON QUESTION OF BOTH WAS, DO I DRIVE ON GRAVEL ROADS. I TOLD THEM I DID NOT, HOWEVER FORD DEALER SAID THAT THERE WAS SHELL AND SMALL GRAVEL ON UNDERSIDE OF CAR. THERE HAVE BEEN ROADS REPLACE IN THE AREA THAT I HAVE DRIVEN ON. BOTTOM LINE. I NOW HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE TIRE SAFETY ON MY CAR AND BOTH FORD AND CONTINENTAL WILL REPLACE THEM FOR A COST, BUT BOTH REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE A TIRE "ISSUE" AT THIS TIME. WILL SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE. I AT ONE TIME OWNED A FORD EXPLORER AND WENT THOUGH THOSE "ISSUES". HAVE THERE BEEN ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TIRES ON THE FORD 500 OR CONTINENTAL TIRES? COULD SOMEONE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE AND ASSIST ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. *JB