1998 Ford Explorer complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE STEERING WANDERED AND SWERVED. AT THIS TIME THE CAUSE IS UNDETERMINED. *AK

MULIFUNCTION SWITCH ON 1998 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BOWER 2WD SMOKING AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. MFS BEGAN SMOKING AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, POTENTIALLY CAUSING A FIRE HAZARD. NO FIRES REPORTED AFTER NUMEROUS VEHICLE STARTS, HOWEVER, SMOKE BECOMING MORE PREVELANT AFTER EACH VEHICLE START. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEABLE. MFS WAS REPLACED. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL#03V281000 CONCERNING FRONT SEAT ASSEMBLY RECLINER. PASSENGER'S SEAT RECLINER LEVER BROKE. PASSENGER'S SEAT HAD TO BE SUPPORTED BY TWO TENNIS RACKETS IN ORDER FOR THE SEAT BACK TO STAY IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. *AK

THE HATCHBACK WOULD NOT OPEN AT ALL. THE CONSUMER FELT IT WAS UNSAFE TO HAVE NO MANUAL WAY TO OPEN THE HATCHBACK FROM THE INSIDE. *AK *NLM

NO DESCRIPTION GIVEN. *AK *NLM

THE INFORMATION FOR THE RADIO WAS VISIBLE AT TIMES AND SOMETIMES IT WAS NOT VISIBLE. *AK *SCC *JB

ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING "ROUGH." DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE CAM CHAIN GUIDE BROKE, AND ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT 40 MPH TRANSMISSION TRANSFER CASE WOULD MAKE A LOUD NOISE AND IT WOULD BE HARD FOR THE DRIVER TO ACCELERATE FORWARD. *AK

1998 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER MODEL, CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED IN MY GARAGE AT 4:00 AM. VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE 5:30 PM PREVIOUS EVENING. WE WERE ALERTED BY A SMOKE DETECTOR. VEHICLE WAS TOTAL LOSS, GARAGE & ATTIC ABOVE GARAGE BADLY DAMAGED RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF OUR PERSONAL PROPERTY STORED THERE. FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT STATES THAT THEY THINK THE FIRE STARTED WITH THE BATTERY, WHICH WAS ORIGINAL TO THE VEHICLE. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH STEERING LOCKED UP. *AK

BROKEN BLEND DOOR IN 1998 FORD EXPLORER, A/C ONLY RUNS ON HIGH AND HEAT ONLY RUNS ON HIGH, COMMON PROBLEM ON NUMEROUS EXPLORERS FROM 1995 TO 1999-2000. FORD EITHER STATES THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF IT, OR ITS NOT A BIG DEAL BUT EITHER WAY WILL NOT COVER THE 800.00 TO 1,000.00 COST TO REPAIR THE BROKEN DOOR UNIT.*AK

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT WOBBLES AND IS NOT STURDY. DEALER WILL FIX THE SEAT AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK

CRUISE CONTROL FAILED WHILE ACTIVATED ON 4 LANE HIGHWAY IN WASHINGTON D.C. TRAFFIC. THEN REALIZED THE HORN HAD FAILED AS WELL DAYS LATER. THE FORD DEALER SEEMS AWFUL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND THE NEED TO REPLACE A "CLOCK SPRING" IN THE STEERING COLUMN.*AK

WE HAVE A 1998 FORD EXPLORER, WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS AT DIFFERENT TIMES GETTING THE TRUNK OPEN AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN UNLOCKED. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND ONE TIME WE WORKED ON IT FOR OVER AN HOUR BEFORE GETTING IT UNLOCKED. THIS MIGHT BECOME A PROBLEM IF YOU WERE TRYING TO GET SOMETHING OR SOMEONE OUT OF THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. *NLM

2ND TIME THIS HAPPENED...TENSIONER PULLEY FAILED (BROKE OFF) WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF, CAR OVERHEATED/ENGINE FAILURE/ETC. FIRST TIME WAS AY 40,000 MILES. THIS TIME, AT 102,000 MILES. TOWED TO A TEXACO STATION IN ABERDEEN, MD. SERVICE MANAGER SAYS TENSIONER PULLEY FAILURE COMMON IN EXPLORERS. HAD TO REPLACE PULLEY/BELT. ONCE I RETURNED HOME TO NJ, I STARTED TO NOTICE MINOR DRIPPING OF RADIATOR FLUID. 2 WEEKS LATER, IT ALL GUSHED OUT, CAUSING ME TO ALSO REPLACE MY RADIATOR. TO KNOW THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED TWICE, CAUSED SECONDARY DAMAGE BOTH TIMES, AND THAT YOU GET LEFT STRANDED ON A HIGHWAY EACH TIME IS VERY CONCERNING.

VEHICLE ENGINE IDLE WILL JUMP UP TO 2300 RPMS WHILE IN PARK OR NETURAL WITHOUT TOUCHING GAS PEDAL, A/C AND ACC'S OFF. THE ONLY WAY THIS IS NOTICED IS WHEN YOU SHIFT OUT OF DRIVE WHILE ENGINE IS RUNNING, OR HEAR THE TRANSMISSION MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND TYRING TO DOWNSHIFT AT SUCH A HIGH RPM. VEHILCE WILL ALSO INCREASE SPEED ON IT'S OWN WITHOUT PRESSING GAS PEDAL. IT'S ALMOST A DAILY OCCURANCE.

HAVE BEEN HEARING LOUD TAPPING NOISES FROM ENGINE-BROUGHT IT TO STADIUM FORD AND WAS TOLD IT WAS FRONT TIMING CHAIN AND GASKETS WHICH THEY REPLACED FOR $300 (NO DISCOUNT) NOISE HAS CONTINUED SO NEVER BROUGHT CAR HOME FROM DEALERSHIP SAME DAY. LEFT CAR AT FORD SERVICE CENTER (STADIUM AUTO MALL RUTHERFORD, NJ) AND NOW BEING TOLD IT IS THE LOWER/REAR TENSIONER AND WAS ADVISED FORD HAS A PROGRAM FOR THIS DEFECT YET WAS ADVISED THAT THEY WILL NOT COVER THIS FOR ME. THEY WANT ME TO PAY $2100 MINIMUM TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT WITH CAMSHAFT TENSIONERS. HOWEVER THIS DEFECT/PROBLEM HAS PREVIOUSLY SHOWN TO CAUSE ENGINE DMAGE OTHER THAN W/THE TENSIONERS. ALSO READ MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE WHERE WAS COVERED. MADE COMPLAINT W/FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND WAS ADVISED THAT CAR W/EITHER 7 YEARS OR UNDER 100,000 MILES IS COVERED. YET THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT COVER IT AND MY TRUCK IS UNDER 7 YRS AND UNDER 100,000 MILES...AT THIS POINT HAS BEEN 3 WEEKS AND STILL HAVE NOT COME TO RESOLUTION AND MY TRUCK IS STILL IN THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER. STILL WAITING FOR MANAGER/OWNER TO CONTACT ME BACK...*AK

NHTSA RECALL 98-V-060-000:VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L SINGLE OVERHEAD CAM ENGINES. ENGINE FUEL LINES CAN BE DAMAGED IF THE VEHICLE IS JUMP STARTED AND THE GROUND CABLE IS ATTACHED TO THE FUEL LINE BRACKET THAT IS LOCATED NEAR THE BATTERY. SINCE THE BRACKET IS NOT GROUNDED, THE STAINLESS STEEL FUEL LINE BRAID COULD ACT AS A GROUND POTENTIALLY OVERHEATING THE PTFE INNER LINER OF THE FUEL LINE, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE FUEL LINE. CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLEDE DUE TO THE VIN. *AK

1998 FORD EXPLORER LEFT REAR PASSENGER SAFETY BELT RELEASE DEVICE THAT YOU PUT THE SEAT BELT INTO BROKE. I HAD MY 1 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN HER CHILDSEAT CORRECTLY BELTED BEHIND ME IN THE LEFT REAR SEAT. I CAME TO A NORMAL STOP, THE HEARD BELT CLICK AND TURN AROUND NOTICED IT HAD COME OUT OF THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. I PULLED OVER AND PUT THE CHILDSEAT AND MY DAUGHTER INTO THE RIGHT REAR SEAT. IF I HAD COME TO A HARDER STOP, OR EVEN A CRASH, MY ONE AND ONLY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. AS OF TODAY, CAPITAL CITY FORD HAS NOT RECEIVED MY NEW BUCKLE ASSEMBY. THEY CALLED ME IN ONCE SAYINF THE PART WAS IN. AFTER 1 1/2 HOURS IN THE WAITING ROOM, I WAS TOLD THAT THEY ORDERED THE WRONG PART AND THAT THEY NEEDED TO ORDER THE NEW ONE. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT IT WOULD TAKE SOME TIME BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS. I CALLED ON MONDAY, JULY 07, 2003 AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PART WAS NOT IN THAT I WILL BE CALLED WHEN IN IT COMES IN. THIS MEANS THAT NO ONE CAN SAFELY SIT AND RIDE IN MY 1998 FORD EXLPORER IN THE LEFT REAR PASSENGER SEAT. AS YOU CAN TELL I AM PERTURBBED WITH THIS SITUATION AND WOULD LIKE IT RESOLVED ASAP. AND TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, MY TIME AND MONEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE COMPENSATED. QUESTION? ARE 1998 FORD EXPLORER LEFT REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY PARTS DESIGNED TO FAIL AFTER 78000 MILES????*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 30MPH ON A BUSY ROAD SUDDENLY ACCELERATOR PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR . DEALER FOUND THAT PEDAL MOUNTAIN ATTACHMENT WAS BROKEN. *AK

THE POWER DOOR LOCKS ARE MALFUNCTIONING ON MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE EXPOLANATION IS THAT "WATER, DIRT AND STUFF GET IN THERE". THIS IS THE SECIOND SUCH INCIDENT. I'M NOW BEING BILLED $186 PLUS TAX TO REPAIR SOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T NEED RERPLACING ON A VEHICLE WITH 70000 MILES!. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WILL ENGAGE ON ITS OWN, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. *AK

DEFECTIVE ALTERNATOR, REAR AXLE SEALS, AND OXYGEN SENSOR. *SCC

I WAS CHECKING FUSES UNDER THE HOOD OF OUR 98 FORD EXPLORER WHEN THE HOOD CAME DOWN WITHOUT PROVOCATION, CRUSHING FINGERS ON MY LEFT HAND. THE PISTONS THAT HOLD THE HOOD UP, GAVE WAY CAUSING THIS ACCIDENT. TO DATE I HAVE DIFFICULTY USING MY LEFT HAND CORRECTLY. I SPOKE WITH MANY ATTORNEYS AND THEY SAID SINCE THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY SIMILAR CASES TO MINE, NONE WOULD PURSUE IT. I CALLED FORD AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD MAKE A NOTE OF THE INCIDENT. FORD MANUFACTURED A DEFECT, HARMED ME AND EVERYONE JUST WANTS TO ROUND FILE THE CASE. WOULD YOUR GROUP LIKE TO SEE PICTURES OF MY CRUSHED FINGER? IT HAPPENED, AND FORD IS RESPONSIBLE. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO? GARRY MELOTT. *JB

CONSUMER NOTICED OIL LEAKING, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, DEALER STATED THAT SEALS WERE DEFECTIVE. *AK

LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES. *AK

VEHICLE STOPPED DEAD IN TRAFFIC ON WEEMS CREEK BRIDGE IN ANNAPOLIS MARYLAND DURING A RAINSTORM BECAUSE THE CRANKSHAFT BROKE. *NLM

WELL DRIVING MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER GAS PEDAL COMPLETELY FELL OFF THE FIREWALL/FLOORBOARD. THE TWO SPOT WIELDS BROKE NEARLY, CAUSING VEHICLE TO CRASH. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MOVING MY VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED BY A BIG RIG. *AK

DRIVER'S SEAT RECLINED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD (HEARD A SNAP AND THEN THE SEAT FELL BACK). TALKED WITH THE DEALERSHIP - ENDED UP HAVING TO REPLACE THE UPPER RECLINE BRACKET BOLT. THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS BOLT WAS NOT COVERED BY EXTENDED WARRANTY OR SAFETY. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING UPPER BALL JOINTS BROKE, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

AFTER SITTING IDLE FOR AN HOUR THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE. *TT

THE THERMOSTAT ON MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TWO YEARS WITH NO DEFINITION OF WHY IT HAS BROKEN. *TT

THE UPPER BALL JOINTS AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE WARPED. *NLM

BROKEN CRANKSHAFT ON 1998 FORD EXPLORER WITH ONLY 83,000 MILES. NO HELP FROM FORD. SEEMS TO BE A MATERIALS DEFECT. *JB

FRONT END FELT LOOSE AND VEHICLE WAS VEERING TO THE RIGHT DUE TO CRACKED BALL JOINTS. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARED, AND A RED BROWN LIQUID WAS LEAKING FROM DRIVER'S SIDE BECAUSE POWER STEERING RACK WAS DEFECTIVE. ALSO, DEALER REPLACED TIMING GEAR, AND UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLDS.*AK

1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WON'T RETRACT. IT HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE, WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, AND NOW THE REPLACEMENT IS DOING THE SAME THING. OF COURSE IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THE COST WILL BE AROUND $300. ALSO, CD EXCHANGER HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND IS BROKEN AGAIN. *NLM

ON 5/7/03, I TOOK MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER TO CLASSIC FORD IN SMITHFIELD NC., BECAUSE I HAD BEEN HEARING A ROARING NOISE WHEN EVER I TURNED TO THE LEFT. I WAS TOLD THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE MY RACK & PINION. THEY WILL HAVE TO KEEP IT A COUPLE DAYS TO REPLACE IT. I FEEL THAT IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR AN AUTO WITH ONLY 66,000 MILES WOULD HAVE THAT PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING.(INCIDENT DATE SHOULD BE 5/7/2003) *JB

THE TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS. *NLM

THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DETACHED FROM THE ADHESIVE. THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. MR SCC *JB

THE ENGINE STALLED OFF WHILE DRIVING. *JB

WHILE DRIVING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FELL OFF AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE DECELERATE RAPIDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE WHY THE PEDAL FELL OF BUT WERE ABLE TO FIX THE PEDAL. *NLM

REAR CHAIN GUIDE TENSIONER BROKE - PART OF CAM CHAIN GUIDE ASSEMBLY. ENGINE DIED IN MORNING RUSH HOUR, BUT CAR COASTED SAFELY TO EMERGENCY LANE. *NLM

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *JB

THE CRANK SHAFT BROKE IN HALF, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE DISABLED. *JB

THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE POWER DOOR FROM THE INSIDE AND HAD TO CRAWL OUT OF THE WINDOW, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SOLENOID FAILED IN THE DRIVER DOOR. *SCC *NLM

I WAS DRIVING WHILE TOWING A TRAILER AND HEADLIGHTS, PARKING LIGHTS, AND FOG LIGHTS WENT OUT AND SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. AFTER COOLING OFF, I DROVE THE REST OF THE WAY HOLDING THE DIMMER SWITCH BACK TOWARDS ME FOR 2-AND-A-HALF HOURS. *NLM

THE MAGNESIUM WHEELS ON MY VEHICLE ARE DETERIORATING AROUND THE HUB. A LOCAL TIRE CENTER INFORMED ME THEY ARE UNSAFE TO USE. YOU CAN PUT YOUR FINGER RIGHT THROUGH THE CENTER. IF A WHEEL WAS TO BREAK UP WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY IT COULD BE DISASTROUS. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN FEBRUARY OF 1999 FROM RODMAN FORD, FOXBORO, MA THESE WHEELS WERE USED ON SALEEN EXPLORERS AND SALEEN MUSTANGS FROM 1994-1998 SO THERE COULD BE MORE OUT THERE WITH IMPENDING FAILURE.*JB

THE BRAKE SENSORS WERE FAULTY, THE DRIVER SEAT BOLT HAD BROKEN AND FELL WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER DOOR LOCK WAS DEFECTIVE, AND THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE. SCC *JB

THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCK FAILED TO UNLOCK.*JB

THE RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER. (TIRE BY MICHELIN) THERE WAS A CUT FOUND IN THE INSIDE OF THE SIDEWALL. *JB THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT, VEERED HARSHLY TO THE RIGHT, AND THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD SHREDDED, WHICH WAS A FIRESTONE TIRE. (THE FRONT TIRES WERE MOVED TO THE REAR AND REPLACED THE FRONT TIRES WITH THE SPARE A NEW TIRE. IN OCTOBER 2000, ALL OF THE TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH MICHELIN TIRES) *SCC