1998 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

TIRE - TREAD SEPARATION VEHICLE - FORD EXPLORER (1998) TIRES - FIRESTONE (PURCHASED SOMEWHERE IN THE 2003-2005 TIMEFRAME). THESE TIRES WERE SNOW TIRES AND ARE USED ONLY A FEW MONTHS OUT OF EACH YEAR, SO THERE IS LOW MILEAGE ON THEM. AT APPROXIMATELY 1 PM, MY DAUGHTER LEFT A SCHOOL FUNCTION IN BURBANK, WA, AND TURNED ONTO HIGHWAY 12. SHE ACCELERATED; ABOUT 100 YARDS LATER, JUST AS SHE REACHED THE SNAKE RIVER BRIDGE, THE LEFT REAR TIRE LOST ITS TREAD. SHE WAS GOING LESS THAN 50 MPH. THE CAR WAS UNCONTROLLABLE, SPUN AROUND, AND SMASHED INTO THE CONCRETE BARRIER OF THE BRIDGE. THE CAR WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED (TOTALED). NO OTHER CARS WERE INVOLVED. *TR

IN 2007, MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER DRIVER DOOR LOCK STOPPED WORKING. IT REALLY DIDN'T BOTHER ME ALL THAT MUCH UNTIL ONE DAY BY ACCIDENT THE DOOR LOCKED AND WOULD NOT COME OPEN. I HAD TO PUSH WITH ALL MY FORCE AND PULL UP ON THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE AT THE SAME TIME. FINALLY IT CAME OPEN BUT THE DOOR HANDLE BROKE. NOW IT WAS TO THE POINT OF DISGUST. DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT SO WE WAITED UNTIL WE DID. IN 2008, I TOOK MY EXPLORER TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. I WAS QUOTED $197 FOR EVERYTHING, INSTALLATION, PARTS, AND LABOR. BUT WHEN I CAME TO PAY THE BILL I WAS INFORMED IT WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT $100 IF NOT MORE WHEN COMPLETED. SO MY AUNTS BOYFRIEND, WHO DOES AUTO BODY WORK, FIXED IT. IT WAS WORKING FINE, WE STILL HAD TO JIGGLE TO LOCK FROM THE OUTSIDE TO GET THE LOCKS TO UNLOCK. AND THEN ABOUT A WEEK AGO, I WAS GETTING OUT AND THE DOOR HANDLE BROKE AGAIN. THIS TIME THE HANDLE IS STUCK. I NOW HAVE TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE OR CRAWL ACROSS THE PASSENGER SIDE. WHICH WE HAVE HAD TO DO THAT IN THE PAST AND IT IS EMBARRASSING. SO NOW I'VE E-MAILED FORD ABOUT MY COMPLAINT AND THAT IS WHERE I WAS INFORMED YOU DONE THE RECALLS. I REALLY LEARNED THAT THERE IS ALOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME COMPLAINT, WWW.CARCOMPLAINT.COM. I REALLY HOPE YOU CAN HELP RESOLVE THIS MATTER. WHAT SHOULD I DO NEXT? I GUESS JUST BE OUT $200 MORE WHEN I HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP....HOPE YOU CAN HELP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

SPARE TIRE THAT IS SECURED TO UNDERSIDE OF VEHICLE SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD DUE TO SNAPPED CABLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT HEARD A HUGE EXPLOSION COMING FROM HER DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. SHE CALLED HER INSURANCE COMPANY AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000. UPDATED 03/17/09. *LJ UPDATED 03/17/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT HEARD A HUGE EXPLOSION COMING FROM HER DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. SHE CALLED HER INSURANCE COMPANY AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS WERE NOTIFIED. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ON FIRE WHEN THEY DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL. THERE WAS NO POWER RUNNING THROUGH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN DIAGNOSED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 158,000.

1998 FORD EXPLORER DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK WON'T OPEN. IT WON'T OPEN IF YOU USE THE KEY, REMOTE, OR MANUALLY TRY TO PULL UP ON IT WHILE INSIDE. HOWEVER, THE OTHER DOORS AND TAILGATE UNLOCK OK. I AM FORCED TO ENTER THE CAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND CLIMB OVER A CONSOLE IN THE MIDDLE TO GET INTO DRIVER SEAT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THERE IS NO WAY TO GET IN OR OUT OF THE CAR ON THE DRIVER SIDE. I AM 76 YEARS OLD AND THIS IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET IN OVER THE CONSOLE ON PASSENGER SIDE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. *TR

ONE DAY WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO ENTER MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER, PARKED IN MY GARAGE, THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK. WHENEVER THE AUTOMATIC FEATURE LOCKS THE DOORS WHEN I AM DRIVING OR I LOCK THE DOOR USING MY KEY FOB, IT WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE EXTERIOR. I HAVE TO REACH IN FROM THE REAR DOOR (OR IF I AM IN THE DRIVERS SEAT) AND OPEN THE DOOR WITH A VERY STRONG PULL ON THE DOOR HANDLE. I HAVE NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR AS YET. I HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS SITUATION FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS AS OF TODAY. TEDWARDS *TR

1998 FORD EXPLORER DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK WON'T OPEN. IT WON'T OPEN IF YOU USE THE KEY, REMOTE, OR MANUALLY TRY TO PULL UP ON IT WHILE INSIDE. HOWEVER, THE OTHER DOORS AND TAILGATE UNLOCK OK. I AM FORCED TO ENTER THE CAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND CLIMB OVER A CONSOLE IN THE MIDDLE TO GET INTO DRIVER SEAT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THERE IS NO WAY TO GET IN OR OUT OF THE CAR ON THE DRIVER SIDE. I AM 76 YEARS OLD AND THIS IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET IN OVER THE CONSOLE ON PASSENGER SIDE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V286000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). AFTER THE REPAIR, THE SPEED CONTROL NO LONGER WORKED. A PRIVATE MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT THE WIRING INSIDE THE COLUMN, WHICH CONNECTED TO THE AIR BAG, WAS MELTED AND CAUSED THE AIR BAGS TO MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT RETURNED TO THE DEALER WITH THE REPORT FROM THE MECHANIC. THE DEALER DENIED THE FREE REPAIR REQUEST AND STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT TO REMEDY THE ISSUE, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY $2,500 TO REPLACE THE WIRING, AIR BAGS, AND THE PART USED FOR THE SPEED CONTROL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 158,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 157,000.