Ford Excursion :: Speedometer Was Not Working And Truck Wandered A Lot

I just bought this Excursion, well actually traded my motorcycle for it.

When I test drove it the air bag light was on and there was no radio or 3rd row seat in it. The owner told me that he had removed the 3rd row seat (and seat belts) along with the DVD system with headrest monitors at the request of a buyer that wanted the truck without that stuff. He then told me that the air bag light came on when he removed the DVD system. The truck was also missing the wiper arms.

I explained that I was interested in the truck but ONLY if the above problems were fixed.

The next day he calls me to tell me that everything has been taken care of and we could make the trade whenever I was ready.

So I rode my bike to him. The 3rd row seat had been installed and the wipers were fixed. He had installed a different radio and told me it would have taken him all day to get the DVD back in but he would give me the system and I could install it. I figured ok, I don't mind doing that and I can make sure it is done right. The air bag light was off, so I made the deal.

Driving home I noticed the speedometer was not working and that the truck wandered a lot. I noticed the wander on the test drive but didn't think it was as bad as it now was. About a mile from my house I could smell hot brakes. Before I smelled the brakes I called the guy and told him about the issues and that I would take a quick look in the morning in the daylight. He assured me that he would take care of any problems that I found.

The next day I pulled the gauge cluster to see if there was a loose wire... there wasn't. But I did find that the air bag light wasn't on anymore because the bulb was removed. At this point I was very upset and called him and text his wife and got no answer. Since I couldn't really drive the truck with the dash pulled apart, I put it back together and decided to look at the rear brake where the smell was coming from. Around this time I noticed that the 3rd row seatbelts were not installed. Also that the truck is riding on C load range tires with a bit of dry rot.

I went to pull the rear wheel and the lug nuts were those spline ones where you need a key. Of course the key wasn't in the truck. I was however able to get a 3/4" socket on them to get the lugs loose. I found the brake problem to be a caliper mounting pin was rusted in place not allowing full retraction of the pads from the rotor. I figured this one wasn't his fault as I didn't notice it the day before. So I ordered new caliper mounts and hardware from Rock Auto. It was going to take a couple of days to get the parts so I drove my car to work the work next day.

After work I stopped by his shop. He gave me the key for the wheels and explained to me that he paid a guy $200 to fix the air bag light and that he was going to go over and demand his money back. He also told me that the seat belts were tucked in behind the interior panels and they could be just pulled out and bolted up. I gave the guy the benefit of the doubt and went home.

After my brake parts came in I installed them without issue even though I had to work in the rain to do it. I wanted this truck on the road and my car is having some issues that need me to park it and work on it some. I have been driving the truck for a couple days and haven't been feeling very well.

Today I decided to pull the interior panels and install the seat belts. Well on the driver's side the retracting part was there but no belt coming out of it and the bracket that goes to the other end of the belt and bolts in the floor was broken and part still bolted to the floor. The passenger side was a little better, all of it was in the panel like he said, however the part where it bolts to the floor was rusted and wouldn't unbolt from the floor so it appears that the anchor was just ripped up out of the floor.

Needless to say I am not real happy right now. However I have titled and registered the truck and he has the signed title to my bike and I do not know if he has titled it yet.