1998 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER CAUGHT FIRE IN MY GARAGE AFTER BEING PARKED FOR 3 HOURS CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE. *NM

98 FORD EXPLORER SPORT ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE 10 MINUTES AFTER VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT RESIDENCE- ENGINE COMPLETELY BURNED LEAVING VEHICLE TOTALED. *NM

NORMAL OPERATION; A THE DRIVERS DOOR LATCH FAILED IN THE LOCKED POSITION. AS A RESULT, THE DOOR COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED OR OPENED BY NORMAL MEANS. THE DOOR WAS FINALLY OPENED AFTER THE DOOR PANEL WAS REMOVED ALLOWING THE LATCH TO BE UNLOCKED BY REACHING A HAND INSIDE THE DOOR. THE FAILURE IS A BROKEN SPRING. THE FAILURE RESULTED IN AN INTERNAL LEVER INTERFERING WITH THE LOCK PORTION OF THE LATCH DURING THE UNLOCK ATTEMPTS. I HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE FAILURE AS OF THIS DATE. I HAVE THE FAILED ITEM (A SPRING). *NM

ON APRIL 4, 2006, MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS TOTALED. I ARRIVED AT WORK AT APPROXIMATELY 3:15 PM. I WENT IN AND WENT TO WORK. AT ABOUT 3:55, I WAS PAGED OVER THE INTERCOM TO GET TO THE NORTH ENTRANCE IMMEDIATELY. WHEN I GOT THERE THE SECURITY GUARDS TOLD ME THAT MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. AS I LOOKED OUT THE DOORS, THE FRONT OF MY TRUCK WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD GOT THERE AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING THE FIRE OUT. WHEN THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, ALL THAT WAS LEFT WAS A BIG MESS. MY TRUCK WAS GONE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN RUNNING FINE. MY CRUISE CONTROL HAD WENT OUT ABOUT 1 MONTH PRIOR TO THE FIRE. I WAS UNAWARE OF ANY RECALLS EXCEPT FOR A SCREW IN THE DRIVERS SEAT (WHICH WAS THE ONLY RECALL LETTER THAT I HAD RECEIVED.) FOR DAYS THAT THEY CAN'T SPEAK TO ME ABOUT THE VEHICLE OR INCIDENT BECAUSE I HAVE AN INSURANCE CLAIM AND MY INSURANCE ADJUSTER SAYS THAT THEY WON'T SPEAK TO HIM EITHER. WHAT ARE WE AS CONSUMERS SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN THE PRODUCTS WE PURCHASE, AND FOR THE AMOUNT THEY ASK FOR THEIR PRODUCT , ARE LOST DUE TO THE MANUFACTURERS DEFECTS? HOW ARE WE AS CONSUMERS PROTECTED? *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED IN COLD WEATHER, THE HINGES DO NOT HOLD THE HOOD IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. THIS CAUSED THE HOOD TO FALL ON THE CONTACT'S HEAD AND NECK, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. THE HOOD HINGES WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THIS HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM.

I PURCHASED MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED FROM MY MOTHER IN JANUARY OF 2006 WITH 68000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IN FEBURARY I FIRST NOTICED VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO DEFROST THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND DEFOG THE VEHICLES WINDOWS. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS THE CLIMATE CONTROL WOULD SOMETIMES NOT BLOW WARM AIR. THIS WOULD ALSO RESULT IN A VERY COLD INTERIOR. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET I FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE 1996-1998 FORD EXPLORER AND A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CLIMATE CONTROL'S AIR BLENDING DOOR BREAKING, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO REGULATE HEAT AND COLD. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED UNTIL I COULD DETERMINE IF THIS WAS IN FACT THE ISSUE I WAS HAVING. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PARK THE VEHICLE UNTIL I WAS SURE I HAD NO NEED TO OPERATE THE CLIMATE CONTROL. I WAS INSTRUCTED HOW TO CHECK FOR A BROKEN BLEND DOOR AND INDEED FOUND MINE TO BE BROKEN. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER IN CARSON CITY NEVADA AND WAS TOLD THAT DESPITE THE FREQUENCY OF THIS PROBLEM IT WAS NOT A RECALL ISSUE AND WITHOUT A WARRANTY THE COST FOR REPAIR WAS $1100. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THE BROKEN PARTS WERE BEING REPLACED WITH PARTS CONSTRUCTED OF IMPROVED MATERIAL (NYLON) BECAUSE OF THEIR TENDENCY TO BREAK USING THE PREVIOUS MATERIAL (ABS PLASTIC). I FEEL FORD IS WELL AWARE OF THIS HAZARDOUS PROBLEM BUT BECAUSE OF THE COST, WON'T ISSUE A RECALL OR EVEN A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. INSTEAD THE LEAVE THE CONSUMER TO COUGH UP THE LABOR AND PARTS COST TO REPAIR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A REPUTABLE AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER. *JB

I HAVE A 1998 FORD EXPLORER THAT I HAVE BEEN GETTING A LOUD GRUNTING NOISE EVERYTIME I TURN LEFT. REPLACED RACK N PINION AND POWER STEERING PUMP, AND STILL NO CHANGE. NOISE IS STILL THERE. *NM

MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY. IT WAS NOT RUNNING AND IT HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN IN OVER 3 HOURS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT WARNING THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE STEERING AND BRAKES LOCKED UP. THIS OCCURRED AT 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. A FAMILY MEMBER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THE CRANKSHAFT BUSTED, CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE. THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST HIGHER THAN THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TRIED TO REPLACE IT WITH A USED ENGINE, BUT WAS TOLD BY SEVERAL MECHANICS THAT FORD MANUFACTURED A BAD ENGINE WITH THE 4.0 SOHC, AND TO PUT A USED ENGINE WOULD BE A WAIST OF MONEY SINCE IT WOULD FAIL AGAIN. *AK

I ARRIVED BACK FROM TAKING MY SON TO THE PARK AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00PM, WATCHED TV AND THEN FIRED UP THE GRILL AROUND 7:45PM. I CAME BACK IN THE HOUSE AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE. I YELLED UPSTAIRS TO MY HUSBAND AND ASKED IF HE HAD HEARD THE NOISE, HE YELLED BACK AND SAID, CALL 911 YOUR TRUCK IS ON FIRE. HE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO FIGHT THE FIRE WITH TWO FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND THE WATER HOSE. WE WERE SCARED AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD NOT YET ARRIVED AND WE WERE WORRIED IT WAS GOING TO BLOW UP AS IT WAS ONLY APPROXIMATELY 7 FEET FROM THE HOUSE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED US THE AREA IN WHICH THE FIRE STARTED WHICH WAS UNDER THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, HOWEVER, DEEMED IT INDETERMINABLE. I WAS IN SHOCK THAT THIS OCCURRED AS I ONLY HAD ONE PAYMENT LEFT TO PAYOFF THE LOAN. I RESEARCHED AND FOUND OUT THAT THE SAME VEHICLES THAT WERE BEING RECALLED BY FORD FOR A FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS ALSO USED ON MY 1998, HOWEVER, HAD NOT BEEN RECALLED. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES THAT ARE THE SAME YEAR AS MINE WERE CATCHING ON FIRE FOR NO APPARENT REASON WITHOUT WARNING. THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS, HOWEVER, NOT ON MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE. FORD SENT ME A FORM LETTER THAT WAS ADDRESSED TO MY HUSBAND WITH OUR ADDRESS, HOWEVER, THE LETTER STATES DEAR MS. X. (A TRUE INDICATION OF THEIR CONCERN FOR MY ISSUE) I AM ANGERED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY VEHICLES THAT HAVE BURST INTO FLAMES WITHOUT WARNING, BURNED DOWN CARS AND HOMES AND LIVES LOST AND FORD BELIEVES THEY HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY. COULD THEY HAVE NOT ISSUED A CONSUMER ALERT FOR ALL VEHICLES AND AT LEAST AFFORDED THE CONSUMER THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DECISION TO PAY $20 TO REPLACE THIS PART? I WILL BE PAYING TO HAVE A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION DONE TO PROVE TO FORD THAT THEY ARE IN FACT RESPONSIBLE AND WILL TAKE THIS AS FAR AS I HAVE TO. SOMEONE NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND DO SOMETHING TO INFORM THE PUBLIC OF THIS HAZARD AND POTENTIALLY SAVE SOMEONE'S LIFE. *NM