1998 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

SPARE TIRE LOST FROM LIFT/HANGER. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASING NEW TIRES I LEARNED MY SPARE TIRE WAS MISSING. THE CABLE USED TO LIFT THE TIRE WAS BROKEN, IT DID NOT APPEAR TO BE CUT. I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE TIRE WAS LOST, BUT THIS COULD BE A VERY SERIOUS HAZARD TO OTHER MOTORISTS IF IT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING. *JB

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPONTANEOUSLY BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECT IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM THAT IS SYSTEMATIC OF FORD VEHICLES. THE FIRE COMPLETELY BURNED DOWN MOST OF MY TWO-STORY HOUSE AND CAUSED EXTENSIVE SMOKE DAMAGE TO THE REMAINING AREAS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH INTO THE GARAGE AT THE REPAIR SHOP, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A WALL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE THROTTLE FAILED AND REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 00V422000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 37,000.

VEHICLE HESITATING AND STALLING. ALL SIX FUEL INJECTORS MELTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT OF FUEL INJECTORS, STRONG GAS SMELL, AND THE VEHICLES STILL CURRENTLY STALLS OR IDLES TO HIGH. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST STEERING ABILITY AND DEFECTIVE PARTS PUNCTURED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE FAILURE CAUSED HIM TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS DUE TO A FAILED STEERING KNUCKLE. THE BODY SHOP REPAIRED THE STEERING KNUCKLE AND ALL RELATED PARTS. NO OTHER FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,916 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 123,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE TURNS THE KEY IN THE UNLOCKED DOOR OF HIS VEHICLE, THE DOORS BECOME LOCKED. WHEN HE TURNS THE KEY IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, THE DOORS STILL REMAIN LOCKED. WHEN HE PRESSES THE POWER LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE, IT WILL LOCK THE DOORS BUT FAIL TO UNLOCK THEM, CAUSING PASSENGERS TO BE TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS HAD TO EXIT THROUGH THE WINDOW. HE HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP BECAUSE HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS AND HE FEELS THE FAILURE SHOULD BE RECALLED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

THE LOCKS ON MY DOORS KEEP LOCKING BY THEMSELVES AND THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WONT UNLOCK UNLESS YOU BEAT IT TO DEATH THE BACK LATCH DOES NOT OPEN AT ALL IT IS LOCKED AND WON'T UNLOCK. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE # 06V286000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). SHE CALLED THE DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE REPAIR AND THE DEALER ASKED IF ANY FAILURES HAD OCCURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE AND ABS WARNING LIGHT INDICATORS HAD ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER THEN STATED THAT THERE WOULD BE A SERVICE CHARGE OF $100. WHEN THE DEALER WAS TOLD TO ONLY SERVICE THE VEHICLE FOR THE RECALL, THEY STATED THAT THE $100 SERVICE FEE WOULD STILL APPLY. THE MILEAGE INFORMATION WAS UNKNOWN.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE WITH A TRAILER ATTACHED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT FULL SPEED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE RECALLS FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL, HOWEVER HE WAS NEVER CONTACTED ABOUT THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO SALE HIM ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE'S ENTIRE REAR END IS DAMAGED, THE TRAILER IS COMPLETELY DESTROYED, AND THE BOAT THAT WAS PARKED IN HIS YARD NOW HAS A HOLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 110,000.

FORD EXPLORER TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ~ HAVEN'T HAD MY VEHICLE IN ABOUT A MONTH DUE TO CONTINUINING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION