What 2,429 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Explorer

APRIL 23, 2019 FORD EXPLORER SPORT ECOBOOST ENGINE TIMING COVER OIL LEAK AT 56823 MILES. FORD SERVICE ADVISOR STATED THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE ECOBOOST ENGINE.

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WIFE WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND STARTED TO HEAR GRINDING NOISE WHEN TURNING. SHE THOUGHT IT WAS OUT OF POWER STEERING FLUID. SHE DID RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THERE IS NOT POWER STEERING THAT IT IS ELECTRONIC CONTROL. FORD KNOWING THERE IS ISSUES WITH EARLIER YEARS THAT THEY HAD RECALLS ON 2011-2013 MODEL YEARS. BEFORE IT COMPLETELY WENT OUT. DROVE IT TO OUR MECHANIC TO REPAIR.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS DRIVING IN REVERSE, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. SHE HAD TO USE EXCESSIVE STRENGTH TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO COLUMBIA FORD OF TENNESSEE (115 S JAMES CAMPBELL BLVD, COLUMBIA, TN 38401, (931) 388-2463) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A NEW RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED, BUT PLANNED TO BE REPAIRED IN A FEW DAYS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

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THE STEERING FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO AND I BROUGHT TO DEALER. THEY SAID IT WAS NOT THE STEERING BUT THE BATTERY PUTTING OUT THE WRONG VOLTAGE AND CAUSED THE SENSOR TO COME ON. TODAY I ACTUALLY LOST STEERING ON THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30 MILES ON A LOCAL STREET. THE STREET CURVED AND I COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL. THE STEERING FAULT LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR SAID THAT THE TERRAIN ASSIST AND HILL ASSIST WAS DISABLED (WAS NOT USING). I WAS ABLE TO PUT MY HAZARDS ON, AND STRUGGLE WITH THE STEERING TO PULL OVER. I ONLY HAVE 42000 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR, INCLUDING REPLACING THE APIM. I HAVE A 16 YEAR OLD, THAT JUST STARTED DRIVING WITH ME IN THIS CAR, AND I DO NOT THINK IT IS SAFE. I TRULY BELIEVE THERE IS SOME WIRING PROBLEM OR ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT FORD IS IGNORING. I SEE MANY PEOPLE POSTING THIS SAME DANGEROUS STEERING FAULT ISSUE, AND IT NOT GETTING FIXED.

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THIS WILL BE THE SECOND TIME IN A COUPLE OF YEARS THAT MY STEERING ON MY CAR HAS JUST QUIT WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. I WAS, LUCKILY, SITTING IN A PARKING LOT, PARKED. WHEN I PUT MY CAR IN DRIVE AND TURNED MY WHEEL MY STEERING ABILITY WAS SUDDENLY WAS GONE AND I HAD THE "HILL ASSIST DISABLED" LIGHT TO COME ON, "ADVANCE TRAC CONTROL LIGHT" FLASHED, AND THE STEERING LOSS LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD NO CAPABILITY TO TURN MY WHEEL WITHOUT PUTTING ENORMOUS EFFORT. IT'S AS IF ALL MY POWER STEERING DIED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FLASHED ON AND OFF. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REARVIEW CAMERA WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DUBLIN HYUNDAI (LOCATED AT 6015 SCARLETT CT, DUBLIN, CA 94568, (925) 803-7700), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

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I TOOK IT TO FORD FOR A RECALL ON A SUSPENSION ISSUE AND THEY FOUND THAT THE STEERING RACK NEEDED REPLACED AS WELL AS IT WAS MAKING A CLUNKING NOISE. I DO RECALL A CLUNKING NOISE WAS MADE SPORADICALLY WHEN TURNING INTO PARKING SPACES PRIOR TO TAKING IT TO FORD. I FIND IT ODD THAT A VEHICLE THAT IS 3 YEARS OLD IS HAVING SUCH AN ISSUE.

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THE EXPLORER HAD 39,000 MILES ON IT AND THE RACK AND PINION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS CAR HAD A 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, ASKED FOR AN EXTENSION OF THE WARRANTY AND FOR THEM TO COVER SOME OR PART OF THIS REPAIR, BECAUSE IT IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL FOR THESE PARTS TO FAIL AT SUCH A LOW MILAGE. THEY SAID THEY HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY OUTSIDE OF THE 36,000 WARRENTY. BUT AFTER I GET IT FIXED I CAN BUY AND EXTENDED WARRENTY THROUGH THEM. THIS REPAIR WILL COST ME 2,400 DOLLARS .

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2016 FORD EXPLORER WINDSHIELD PILLAR TRIM FALLING OFF. IVE READ NUMEROUS POST ABOUT OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. FLYING OFF THE VEHICLE WHILE GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. DANGER OF HITTING THE CAR BEHIND OR CAUSING THEM TO SWERVE AND WRECK. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS ALMOST $1000 TO FIX THIS, THATS OUTRAGEOUS AND FORD SHOULD BE PAYING FOR THESE REPAIRS.

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STEERING FAULT ALARM 3 TIMES OVER 2 WEEKS, DEALER SERVICE SEES ERROR CODE C200D, COULD NOT SAY WHATS WRONG, ADVISED TO REPLACE STEERING RACK. STEERING FAULT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TWICE AND ONCE BACKING IN DRIVEWAY. MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS ONLINE, FORD SHOULD BE DOING A RECALL TO FIX. 67886 MILES ON MY VEHICLE. COST TO REPLACE STEERING RACK AROUND $2000.00.

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I STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT, I HEARD A STRANGE SOUND, AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. I PRESS THE GAS GAS TO CROSS INTERSECTION AND CAR WOULD ONLY GO 3 MILES AN HOUR, I MANAGED TO TURN INTO SIDE STREET, AND TURNED CAR OFF. WHEN I RESTARTED CAR AND I WAS ABLE TO ACCELERATE AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE TO MY DESTINATION, WHEN I STOPPED AT ANOTHER RED LIGHT IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND THEN ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I THEN TURNED OFF CAR AND RESTATED TO FIND ALL WARNING LIGHTS OFF. I THEN DROVE TO AUTO NATION FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY DIAGNOSED WITH A THROTTLE PROBLEM. WHEN CHECKING THE INTERNET I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM, IT COULD HAVE BEE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE THIS HAPPENED ST AN INTERSECTION.

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I BROUGHT MY 2016 FORD EXPLORER SPORT INTO LHM DRAPER ON APRIL 29TH WITH SOME SERVICE CONCERNS. THE MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM WAS A CLUNKING/KNOCKING/BUCKLING NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. AFTER LEAVING THE CAR FOR 12 DAYS I DISCOVERED THEY DID NOT FIX ANYTHING. FOR THE NEXT 9 DAYS AS I DROVE THE CAR I NOTICED THAT THE CLUNKING NOISE WAS STILL VERY MUCH PRESENT AND HAPPENING EVERY SINGLE DAY. THERE WASN'T A SINGLE DAY THAT I DIDN'T HEAR THIS NOISE. I TOOK THE CAR BACK IN ON MAY 24TH AGAIN FOR A CLUNKING/KNOCKING NOISE IN FRONT END WHEN THE WHEEL IS TURNED. ALSO A WHINING/WINDING NOISE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. I PICKED THE CAR UP ON JUNE 4TH ONLY TO DISCOVER IT STILL WASN'T FIXED. I HAVE SENT SEVERAL MESSAGES TO THE DEALER WITH NO RESPONSE. THE CAR MAKES THIS NOISE DAILY. TO MY DISMAY, I DID SOME GOOGLE SEARCHES ON THE INTERNET YESTERDAY FOR POTENTIAL CAUSES OF THIS KNOCKING NOISE AND DISCOVERED THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH FORD EXPLORERS!!! THERE ARE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS!!! I ALSO UNDERSTAND FORD RECALLED EARLIER MODEL YEAR EXPLORERS WITH POWER STEERING PROBLEMS WITH THIS SAME KNOCKING NOISE. I AM CONCERNED THAT I AM NOW OUTSIDE OF MY WARRANTY PERIOD. I KNOW ALL TOO WELL ABOUT THAT. WE HAVE A 2006 FORD F350 WITH ONLY 55,000 MILES SITTING ON THE SIDE OF OUR HOUSE THAT HASN'T BEEN DRIVABLE FOR YEARS. ABOUT A YEAR AFTER WE BOUGHT THE TRUCK, WE BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH OVERHEATING AND ONE DAY IT STARTED BLOWING WHITE SMOKE. WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WERE TOLD THAT THIS PARTICULAR TRUCK HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE EGR COOLER. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, BUT SOMETIME AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED IT BEGAN EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AND FORD WASHED THEIR HANDS OF IT. WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT WILL COST OVER $10K TO GET IT FIXED. SO THERE IT SITS! THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD WITH 33,000 MILES.

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WIRING/BATTERY PROBLEM. POSITIVE POST ON BATTERY CORRODED ALONG WITH WIRING GOING TO POST. REPLACED POSITIVE WIRING AND ACCESSORIES WIRING ALONG WITH A NEW BATTERY. POSITIVE POST STARTED TO CORRODE AGAIN NOW THE BATTERY DIES RANDOMLY AND NEEDS JUMP START

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I WAS DRIVING BACK TO WORK FROM MY BREAK WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO PARK MY CAR THE POWER STEERING GOT LOCKED SUDDENLY. THANKS TO GOD I WAS NOT IN FULL MOTION OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE BEEN MESSED UP EVERY WAYS. THIS CAR IS JUST DRIVING ME CRAZY EVERYDAY I NOTICE SOME KIND A STUPID NOISE. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NOT TOO LONG AGO. THE DEALER KNOWINGLY GAVE ME FAULTY CAR RIGHT NEXT DAY I TOOK IT BACK TO FIX THE CARBONMONOAXIDE PROBLEM AND NOW THE STEERING LOCKED ON ME.

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HAD THE RACK AND PINION STEERING FAIL AT 30,000 MILES ,WHEN I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL EVEN SLIGHTLY IT SOUNDED LIKE METAL WAS GRINDING.

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PROBLEM FIRST APPEARED ON JUNE 3, 2016 WITH ABOUT 10,000 MILES. I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 95 PAST PHILADELPHIA AIRPORT ABOUT 9:30 AM AT ABOUT 60 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN FROM A COLD START FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. IT WAS RAINING MODERATELY. THE BACKUP CAMERA SUDDENLY APPEARED ON THE SCREEN IN THE CENTER CONSOLE AND THE TRANSMISSION SHUDDERED SLIGHTLY. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD DRIVE INDICATOR, WHICH NORMALLY IS LIT RED WHEN IN DRIVE, WAS WHITE, AS WERE ALL THE OTHER INDICATORS (R, N, ETC). I JIGGLED THE SHIFTER WITHOUT PRESSING THE SHIFTER BUTTON BUT THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION APPEARED TO BE STILL IN DRIVE SINCE THE CAR STILL HAD POWER AND WAS NOT SLOWING DOWN. IT LASTED FOR ABOUT 15 SECONDS AND THEN THE DISPLAY RETURNED TO NORMAL AND THE D INDICATOR RETURNED TO ITS NORMAL RED MODE. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER THE PROBLEM RETURNED AND STAYED FOR 10 TO 15 SECONDS AND THEN AGAIN REVERTED BACK TO NORMAL. THIS BEHAVIOR REPEATED ONE OR TWO MORE TIMES IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MINUTES. AFTER THIS SERIES OF EVENTS THE CAR SEEMED TO BE NORMAL FOR THE REST OF MY 1.5 HOUR TRIP AND HAS BEEN FINE UNTIL AUG 13, 2016 WHEN THE SAME BEHAVIOR HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM IF IT GETS WORSE IF FOR NOTHING ELSE THAN IT IS CERTAINLY A DISTRACTION AND MAY RESULT IN TRANSMISSION DAMAGE AND LOSS OF CONTROL. I DID TALK TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MY FORD DEALER (SHERIDAN FORD, RT 2 KIRKWOOD HIGHWAY, WILMINGTON DE) ON JULY 21, 2016 WHEN I WAS GETTING AN OIL CHANGE AND I DESCRIBED THE FIRST INCIDENT. HE DID NOT SEEM VERY CONCERNED. HE SAID THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THAT HAPPENING BUT DID NOT HAVE ME WRITE ANYTHING DOWN. I TOLD HIM THAT IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN, I WOULD CONTACT FORD AND THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED 12 MORE TIMES. I HAVE TOLD THE DEALER ABOUT IT EVERY TIME. I HAVE FURTHER TEXT DOCUMENTATION.

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VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING POPPING NOISES WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT ALSO HAPPENS WHILE BRAKING THE POPPING IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO FEEL IN THE STEERING WHEEL AS WELL AS IN THE FLOOR BOARDS ON BOTH FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER. THE STEERING WHEEL HAS EXHIBITED EXTREME VIBRATION ENOUGH TO MAKE THE OUTSIDE DRIVER REVIEW MIRROR SHAKE. THE STEERING WHEEL HAS ALSO BEEN STUCK IN THE LEFT TURNING POSITION TWICE WHILE TRYING TO STRAIGHTEN WHEELS BACK OUT.

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BROUGHT TRUCK IN FOR DIAGNOSIS, PROBLEM WITH POWER STEERING. WE WERE TOLD THE STEERING COLUMN OR RACK IS FAILING AS WELL AS THE GEARBOX. THE TRUCK IS ONLY TWO AND HALF YEARS OLD SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING IT ONLY HAS UNDER 108K MILES ON IT. THE REPAIR WOULD COST NEARLY $2,200. UNACCEPTABLE! I ALREADY HAVE A REBUILT TRANSMISSION.

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WHEN SITTING IN PARK AND PLACING MY FOOT ON THE BREAK TO PLACE THE CAR IN REVERSE, IT DOES NOT WANT TO GO INTO GEAR AND THERE IS A DELAY. THEN THE CAR JOLTS AGGRESSIVELY INTO REVERSE. THE LONGER I SIT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BREAK BEFORE ENGAGING OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE, THE LONGER THE DELAY INTO GEAR AND THE STRONGER THE JOLT.

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1. RIGHT REAR PASSENGER HEATED SEAT SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. THE LIGHT TURNS ON BRIEFLY BUT SHUTS OFF. I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE BUT NOT ON THIS SITE. 2. FRONT CAMERAS BECAME FOGGED THIS WINTER AND ARE USELESS NOW SHOWING A CLOUDY SCREEN. 3. EVERY TIME I PUT THE VEHICLE IN GEAR I GET A MESSAGE STATING PARK AID FAULT CHECK PARK AID #1 AND #3 ARE KNOWN PROBLEMS AND HAVE HAPPENED TO MULTIPLE OWNERS OF 2016 FORD EXPLORERS.

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STEERING FAULT WARNING CAME ON THREE TIMES. THE THIRD TIME, STEERING ALSO FROZE UP AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON; I TURNED OFF THE MOTOR AND THEN BACK ON AND THE STEERING WORKED AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY DID AN SOFTWARE UPDATE. THE NEXT DAY, THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THE MECHANIC READ THE CODE FOR THE WARNING AND IT IS C200D-49.

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THE STEERING HAS BECOME VERY DIFFICULT AND A NOISE OF A 'GRATING' SOUND IS OCCURRING. THIS MORNING I HAD TROUBLE KEEPING IT STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 50K MILES - OWNED IT FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS

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MY WIFE IS THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THE FORD EXPLORER WE PURCHASED IN 2016 - AND HAS BEEN NOTICING ISSUES WITH HER HEALTH. DIGGING INTO IT WE HAVE COME TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE THE CARBON MONOXIDE ISSUE WITHIN THE FORD EXPLORER. I PURCHASED A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR AND PLACED IT IN THE VEHICLE. ON SATURDAY, JUNE 1ST, 2019 WE DROVE ONE HOUR AWAY FROM OUR HOUSE - AND THE CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR WENT OFF MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE TRIP TO AN FROM. THE ONE DANGEROUS LEVEL WE WERE EXPERIENCING WAS 90PPM, WE INSTANTLY OPENED ALL THE WINDOWS. THE READING COINCIDED WITH US BOTH EXPERIENCING HEADACHES BEFORE THE DETECTOR WENT OFF. THE IRONY IS THAT BASED ON HE CONCERNS I HAVE READ ABOUT WITH THE FORD EXPLORER WE WERE DRIVING TO A DEALERSHIP TO LOOK AT ANOTHER CAR BECAUSE OF THE CARBON MONOXIDE ISSUES.

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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY GOING APPROX 50 MPH WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND AUTOMATICALLY PULLED ME TOWARDS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAD TO FORCEFULLY PULL OFF OF THE ROAD. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE EPAS IS BAD. FROM DOING RESEARCH I HAVE LEARNED THIS IS ACTUALLY A COMMON ISSUE. IT WAS TERRIFYING FOR ME, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE MY 2 YO AND 3 MONTH OLD CHILDREN WERE IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THERE IS ONLY 61K MILES ON THIS VEHICLE THAT WE HAVE ONLY HAD FOR 7 MONTHS. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE THERE ARE FATALITIES- IF THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ALREADY!!!

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THE LOCATION OF THE CONTROLS FOR THE THIRD ROW SEATS IS A PROBLEM. WHEN THE SEATS ARE DOWN, THE BUTTONS FACE THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR AND CAN BE BUMPED BY CARGO. ONCE THE SEATS START TO MOVE, THERE IS NO WAY TO STOP THEM. THIRD, THE LAST TIME WE PUT THE THIRD ROW DOWN, THEY WOULD NOT RETURN TO THE SEAT POSITION WHEN WE PUSHED THE BUTTON. I LOOKED THROUGH THE CAR GUIDE FOR A MANUAL OVERRIDE, BUT THE STRAP THAT IS ON SOME CAR SEATS, IS NOT ON THE 3RD ROW SEATS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN PARK, AND THE ENGINE OFF, WHEN THIS HAPPENED, AND WHEN WE TRIED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. BOSCH FORD IN TEMECULA HAD NO SUGGESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE, OR ANY PRICE RANGES FOR POSSIBLE REPAIRS.

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