$2 billion lawsuit against Ford Re: Explorer

[htrdlncn]

I know this is an old thread but as far as statistics they can be made to say anything.
Considering that something on the order of 4 to 5 MILLION Explorers have been sold
any statistic can look bad if twisted to serve someones needs.
If only 1% of Explorers roll over thats 40-50,000 rollovers.
Yet they can use that number to scare people, "Oh my god,theres been 50,000 rollovers,
it must be a bad design!" Considering 50% of drivers are complete morons in my opinion
that would make the Explorer one hell of a safe vehicle.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

When I was "little" (like 11-12), I remember seeing all this on tv.

Now that I own one, you'd have to be a jackass to roll it over just because of a tire blowout. It's got to be people overcorrecting and driving way to fast anyways.

Look at all the people on this site who have been in accidents in Explorers, most of them walked way fine. Others had to have some surgeries and what not, but for the most part these are very safe vehicles IF USED PROPERLY. My Grandma always says "well taking an Explorer offroad is dangerous"... It can be if done improperly, but if the vehicle is setup for it, and the driver is careful and knows what he/she is doing it can be perfectly safe and fun.

 

[96eb96]

Take a look at the crash ratings and real world death rates in a late 90s cavalier, sunfire, neon or even a civic. They barely get one star in a collision with another small car and have some of the highest death and injury numbers. The crash videos look like they crashed a sardine can. I'm surprised no lawyers sued carmakers for small unsafe cars.

 

[loaderopp]

I have seen some smashed up X's at the junk yards but have never seen one with a crushed roof. from a roll over
Seen lots of other makes and model's that had rolled over.

 

[Flounder]

Had the left rear tire go at about 65 on my old 1996. Heard it go, took my foot off the gas, coasted to a slow speed, and pulled over. No rollover.

As with anything, if you can't drive it, don't buy it.

 

[storlied]

The main issue here is instability at high speed emergency maneuvers, correct?

I just watched a speeding 2nd gen running from idk how many cops... (this was on tv btw) and they were smashing him from all over.. (kinda confused me, they looked like a buncha idiots) well, one officer finally comes up and executes the pit maneuver ... the explorer spun around a couple times as expected, even went off the road sideways into a dirt/grass area... and then skidded back onto the road to a complete stop, where they got all crazy and attacked the driver... very unprofessionally.. seriously.. I think they were a bunch of drunk high school football players dressed in police uniform... anyways... point being.. that truck went though some hell.. and didn't even come close to flipping... very stable platform IMO.... I know someone who has a 1st gen even, and he drives it around like a complete idiot... and it still stays on the ground quite well.

In fact, I had a flat tire... rear left... and I didn't notice it until I was on the road going to work.. I noticed a sound.. I even swerved and accelerated a little bit to figure it out.... vehicle was very stable.

 

[96eb96]

The main issue here is instability at high speed emergency maneuvers, correct?

I just watched a speeding 2nd gen running from idk how many cops... (this was on tv btw) and they were smashing him from all over.. (kinda confused me, they looked like a buncha idiots) well, one officer finally comes up and executes the pit maneuver ... the explorer spun around a couple times as expected, even went off the road sideways into a dirt/grass area... and then skidded back onto the road to a complete stop, where they got all crazy and attacked the driver... very unprofessionally.. seriously.. I think they were a bunch of drunk high school football players dressed in police uniform... anyways... point being.. that truck went though some hell.. and didn't even come close to flipping... very stable platform IMO.... I know someone who has a 1st gen even, and he drives it around like a complete idiot... and it still stays on the ground quite well.

In fact, I had a flat tire... rear left... and I didn't notice it until I was on the road going to work.. I noticed a sound.. I even swerved and accelerated a little bit to figure it out.... vehicle was very stable.

There is also another interesting statistical fact. It is definately on the IIHS website where they tabulate all cars for death and injuries. It is for all 95-99 vehicles on the road. There are 4 main variations of explorer, 2wd 2dr, 2wd 4dr, 4wd 4dr, 4wd 2dr.

The rollover fatality rate for the 4wd 4dr is a bit above some sedans, I remember the grand am being higher, I'm not kidding. Lets say 60ish numerically with 10 being best.

The 2wd 4dr is around 100. 4wd 2 dr is around 180.

But the 2wd sport comes out at around 250. The only thing worse was the blazer sport 2wd, at 300.

(these are statistics for rollover, overall that sport is statistically safer than a cavalier or neon).

The 2wd sport (statistically anyway) seems like an unstable vehicle. It does have a small wheelbase and less weight on the bottom. It also has weaker springs. Do you agree with these statistics?

You could definately get this report on the IIHS website.

 

[storlied]

I'm sure the statistics could point to certain weaknesses of that specific model... but I mean come on.. statistics are only that.. statistics... Plenty of our members have 2wd sports... yes.. some of them have been in roll overs.... but ... idk.. It's all in how you drive.. That's my conclusion.

 

[924dr4x4]

another thing..look back a few years,i think in 2001-2002 they did a "roll over test" with suv's on the news,all same year suv's..a chevy blazer,ford explorer,mitsubishi montero,and i think a toyota 4 runner,they did the slalom test on it through the cones and had the bars incase they did roll,they wouldn't roll all the way,they did the slalom test at 50+mph with the explorer,no signs of rolling,blazer was like 45mph before it would roll,and the mitsubishi was 34mph...the explorer handled the best out of all of them through the whole test they did,sharp turns and all,the explorer is defanitly a safe truck,but most people that had a small car and upgraded to a suv such as an explorer aint use to the weight and the way they drive and handle,ive never came close to flippin my explorer,my blazer,or my full size blazer with a 8" lift and 35x15.0x15's,ill have to see if i can find the link for the "roll over test"

 

[924dr4x4]

SUV TIPS UP SEVERELY IN OUR EMERGENCY AVOIDANCE-MANEUVER TEST

We had high expectations when we started track testing the redesigned 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Limited. Since buying a new model in August 2000, we'd put almost 7,000 miles on the vehicle and our evaluations had been mostly positive. In a brief description in our annual auto issue (April 2001), prior to track testing, we said, "Routine handling is sound if unexceptional, and the ride is compliant and well controlled." As part of a group of seven sport-utility vehicles we were testing for the September 2001 issue of Consumer Reports, it could have been one of the higher rated models.

Then something unexpected happened. In May, in one of our regular track tests for SUVs, minivans, and pickups--a short-course double-lane-change emergency-avoidance maneuver--the Montero Limited, in 8 out of 9 runs at or faster than 36.7 mph, tipped up on two wheels during a sharp right turn. In one run at 37.7 mph, it tipped up so far that the safety outriggers contacted the ground (see video below). Without the outriggers, we believe, the Montero would likely have rolled over. (We attach outriggers to all SUVs and four-wheel-drive pickups for this test to protect our drivers.)That day we ran the six other similar-sized SUVs through the same short-course test. None exhibited tip-ups or other unusual behaviors, even at speeds exceeding 38 mph. The SUVs were the Dodge Durango, Ford Explorer, GMC Envoy, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Nissan Pathfinder, and Toyota 4Runner.Our avoidance maneuvers are designed to simulate real-world emergencies in which a driver steers sharply left into an adjacent lane--to avoid hitting an obstacle or person in the road--then quickly back to the right to avoid oncoming traffic, and left again into the original lane
--
Sliding or skidding sideways at their handling limit is what happened with each of the other six SUVs tested on the same day as the Montero Limited. It is highly unusual for a vehicle in our tests to tip up on two wheels. Tipping up severely, we believe, demonstrates unsafe performance.Of the 118 vehicles we have tested on the short course in the past 13 years, only the Suzuki Samurai, in 1988; the Isuzu Trooper and its twin, the Acura SLX, in 1996; and now the Montero Limited tipped up so severely as to be judged Not Acceptable.