1998 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

I CALLED FORD CONSUMER RELATIONS AND THEY PLAYED DUMB LIKE THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. I WAS STEAMED. AT LEAST ADMIT YOU HAVE A PROBLEM I TOLD THEM. AFTER FIRST TALKING TO SOME LACKIE, I GOT A "SUPERVISOR" WHO WAS VERY ARROGANT. HE TRIED TO BLAME IT ON A LACK OF "FORD CERTIFIED" MAINTENANCE. IF THEY WOULD HAVE JUST ADMITTED THE PROBLEM AND CHARGED ME COST FOR THE REPLACEMENT INSTEAD OF MAKING EVEN MORE MONEY ON THEIR OWN DESIGN FLAW, I WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY. THEY EVEN CHARGED ME $30 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM! I MENTIONED THE TSB, BUT AGAIN, HE PLAYED DUMB AND SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK INTO IT. *AK

I UNDERSTAND THIS PROBLEM IS UNDER INVESTIGATION AS OF SEPT. 2001. AS STATED 14 INCIDENTS REPORTED. I HAVE A VERY HARD TIME BELIEVING THAT I AM NUMBER 15. THIS IS LUDICROUS. THIS IS A FORD DEFECT, JUST LIKE THE EXPLORER AND SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY RECALLED. I WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY, AS IT SEEMS THE OTHERS WERE ALSO. I GUESS THE NHTSA ONLY REALLY CARES IF THERE ARE FATALITIES INVOLVED. PEOPLE SAVING PEOPLE, WHO ARE THEY KIDDING. THEY PROBABLY HAVE THE FORD MOTOR CO. IN THEIR POCKETS. PLEASE NOTE THAT WE LEASED THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW AND JUST RECENTLY PURCHASED IT.*AK

VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT. CONTACTED DEALER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT ALIGNMENT MIGHT BE OFF. PROBLEM WAS DUE TO BREAKING OF LINKS ON STABLIZER BAR.*AK

WHILE KEY WAS IN IGNITION, BUT ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING, A CHILD KNOCKED GEAR SHIFT LEVER OUT OF THE PARK GEAR WHICH ALLOWED VEHICLE TO START ROLLING IN REVERSE. VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET, AND THEN STARTED MOVING FORWARD FOR AN APPROXIMATE DISTANCE OF 150 FEET. VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE, CAUSING BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY FROM WHICH CHILD SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

REAR WIPER MOTOR (RWM) HAS FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES WITHIN 36K MILES, 39 MOS FROM PURCHASE AS NEW. PURCHASED TRUCK ON 9/12/98; RWM REPLACEMENT #1 ON 6/3/99 AT 8530 MI; RWM REPLACEMENT #2 ON 9/25/99 AT 11965 MI; RWM REPLACEMENT #3 ON 7/13/00 AT 20413 MI; RWM REPLACEMENT #4 ON 12/12/01 AT 35419 MI. WHY HAS THIS COMPONENT FAILED SO OFTEN? DEFECTIVE DESIGN? DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS? IMPROPER INSTALLATION? ALSO SEE RWM FAILURE COMPLAINTS MADE BY OTHER CONSUMERS TO NHTSA. PLEASE REFER TO THOSE ODI #'S: 540834; 608809; 608715; 607562; 609271; 609531; 544197. THERE APPEARS TO BE A PATTERN OF RWM FAILURE. CONSIDER HOW MANY OTHERS HAVE NOT BOTHERED TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM. I CAN PROVIDE ANY DOCUMENTATION NEEDED. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN YOUR EFFORTS TO HAVE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CORRECT THE REAR WIPER MOTOR FAILURE PROBLEM. THANK YOU.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD POP IN VEHCILE, AND THEN VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND DEALER NOTED THAT HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWEN OUT. *AK

FRONT STABILIZER BAR FELL AND BOLTS FELL OFF. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE STABILIZER BAR LINK KIT.*AK

FRONT WHEEL CONTROL ARM SHEARED OFF. CONSUMER NOTICED A RATTLE. THIS HOOKS SWAY BAR TO LOWER CONTROL ARM. CONTACTED DEALER WHO STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS. FORD STATED WARRANTY EXPIRED.*AK

THE OVERDRIVE SWITCH FOR MY VEHICLE IS LOCATED AT THE END OF THE SHIFTING LEVER, WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE STEERING COLUMN. THE WIRING FOR THE OD SWITCH RUNS THROUGH THE SHIFTING LEVER AND EXITS AT THE BASE OF THE STEERING COLUMN, THEN DOWN INTO SOME WIRING HARNESSES. THE STEERING COLUMN IS COVERED BY A PLASTIC HOUSING. THIS PLASTIC HOUSING HAS WORN THROUGH THIS WIRE, WHICH HAS CAUSED THE OD SYSTEM TO SWITCH ON AND OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION. THIS HAS CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN OPERATING VEHICLES ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE ENCOUNTERED PROBLEMS WHEN PASSING VEHICLES ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE OD SYSTEM FAILS BECAUSE OF THIS SHORT IN THE WIRE SYSTEM. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT. THERE'S NO CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE PLASTIC HOUSING AND THE WIRE THAT EXITS THE SHIFTING LEVER. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THE WARRANTY PERIOD IS OVER. THEY ESTIMATED THE REPAIRS AT $300. I ALSO NOTIFIED FORD AT (800) 392-3673 AND THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY.*AK

VEHICLE WAS GOING 55MPH ON A STARIGHT LINE WITH NO WHERE TO PULL OVER WHEN GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK. CONSUMER PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL TO STOP IT. CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ENGAGED. *AK