1998 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

DT: WHILE DRIVING IN JULY THE OWNER NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SHIFT MECHANISM. THE GEAR POSITION INDICATOR WAS NOT CORRECT. THE VEHICLE HAD A NORMAL POSITION INDICATOR FOR ABOUT 7 YEARS. THEN ONE DAY IT WENT OUT OF WACK. THE REVERSE WAS WHERE NEUTRAL SHOULD BE, NEUTRAL WAS WHERE DRIVE SHOULD BE, AND DRIVE WAS WHERE SECOND GEAR SHOULD BE. THE OWNER HAS NOT TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP OR CONTACTED THEM YET. THE OWNER HAS NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION'S PERFORMANCE, THE OWNER IS JUST CONCERNED BECAUSE HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT GEAR THE CAR WAS IN. THE OWNER ADDED THAT THE GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK YESTERDAY. THE OWNER WAS BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY. THE OWNER WAS GOING SLOWLY AND AND WENT TO PUSH THE ACCELERATOR AND IT WOULDN'T ACCELERATE. THE GAS PEDAL WAS JAMMED. THE OWNER THINKS THE PEDAL WAS DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND THERE WAS NO REACTION. THE OWNER STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND SHOUTED FOR HUSBAND TO COME OVER AND LOOK. THEN SHE TRIED AGAIN. THIS TIME THE ACCELERATOR WORKED. THIS WAS THE FIRST AND LAST TIME THE VEHICLE HAS EVER THIS PROBLEM.*AK *NM

DT:1998 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN A WRECK THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THERE WERE RECALLS 00M12 AND 01M01, BUT THE RECALLS EXPIRED, DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WERE NOT OFFICIAL RECALLS. FORD M SAID IT WAS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET.*AK

TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEM LOCKED IN COLD AC MODE. SYSTEM WILL ONLY BLOW COLD AIR DUE TO A BROKEN AIR BLEND DOOR. DRIVER CAN NOT DEFROST WINDSHIELD WITH COLD AIR CONDITIONED DEFROST. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE DRIVER. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FIXED BECAUSE THE COST WILL BE $1200.*JB

DT: 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONSUMER PARKED CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY AND FIVE HOURS LATER THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE CAR EXPLODED, AND THAT WAS WHAT ALERTED THE CONSUMER TO THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNING LIGHTS ON BEFORE THE FIRE. THE CRUISE CONTROL STILL WORKED WHEN CONSUMER PARKED THE CAR. ALSO, THE BRAKES WORKED FINE WHEN SHE PARKED THE VEHICLE. THE CAR WAS ONLY USED FOR LOCAL ACTIVITIES. THE CAR WAS INSPECTED IN NOVEMBER 2004 AND NOTHING WAS FOUND TO BE WRONG . THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED , AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. IN ADDITION, A POLICE REPORT AN INSURANCE COMPANY REPORT WERE TAKEN. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE IT CAUGHT THE CONSUMER DAUGHTER'S HOUSE ON FIRE. THERE WAS AT LEAST 50% DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO OTHER CARS THAT WERE PARKED CLOSE TO VEHICLE ON FIRE, AND DAMAGE TO OTHER PEOPLE'S PROPERTY. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD COSTUMER SERVICE, AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. SINCE THEN SHE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT STATING THEY WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH HER. *AK

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT 1998 FORD EXPLORER CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED. THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN THE FIRE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT, AND THE CONSUMER HAD ONLY BEEN IN THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS STILL WORKING. ALL OF THE INSTRUMENTS ON THE DASHBOARD WERE IN WORKING ORDER. THE CONSUMER HAD THE AIR CONDITIONER (A/C) ON AND NOTICED THAT SMOKE WAS COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. THE FIRE WAS COMING OUT OF THE DASHBOARD FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT IT LOOKED LIKE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD, AND THEY ASKED WHAT SHE WANTED THEM TO DO ABOUT IT. THE CONSUMER DID HAVE A FIRE REPORT AND PICTURES . THE CONSUMER ONLY HAS LIABILITY INSURANCE ON THE TRUCK, WHICH WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE FIRE WAS CALLED IN TO THE POLICE, BUT THE CONSUMER WAS UNSURE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN.*AK

DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THAT 1998 FORD EXPLORER HAD A STEERING PROBLEM. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNING TO THE LEFT, SHE HEARD A CLUNG, AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNING, BUT SHE WAS NOT MOVING. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND WAS TOLD THAT A STEERING SHAFT BROKE. THE SHAFT WAS REPLACED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING FINE NOW. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY SAID THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE CONSUMER WAS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO PAY THE BILL. *AK

AFTER VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR FOUR HOURS A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *JB

DT: 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING THE GAS PEDAL FELL OFF INCLUDING THE MOUNTED METAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED TO SEE WHY THIS OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER'S FATHER FIXED THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED TO FORD. THERE WERE NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THE PEDAL. THIS HAPPENED ON AUGUST 24, 2005. THIS PROBLEM DID NOT CAUSE A CRASH.*AK *MR

DT: THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK BY KEY, REMOTE OR THE INSIDE HANDLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER, THEY TOLD HER THAT IT WAS NOT ON RECALL AND THAT SHE HAD TO TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUE HERSELF. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IF THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY ONE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE QUICKLY. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE DOOR WHEN SHE LEFT FOR WORK ON 8-29-05. AS OF NOW THE PROBLEM IS STILL HAS NOT BEEN SOLVED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED SON-IN-LAW WAS ABLE TO FIX THE DOOR. UPDATE 4/25/07 *TR

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I PURCHASED A USED 1998 FORD EXPLORER 13 MONTHS AGO. ON AUG 15,2005 I STARTED MY TRUCK UP AND I COULD NOT ROLL MY WINDOWS DOWN THEN I WENT ON TO TESTING THE WIND SHIELD WIPERS ( FRONT & BACK ) THEY DID NOT WORK (THIS IS A SAFETY HAZZARD ) I TRIED THE INTERIOR LIGHTS THEY DID NOT WORK AND AS WELL AS THE 4X4 SYSTEM. I HAD TO GET HOME SO WHEN AS I WAS DRIVING ( LUCKILY IT WAS NOT RAINING ) I RANDOMLY TESTED EVERYTHING AGAIN STILL NOTHING WORKED, SO I LEFT THE SWITCHES ON AND EVERY NOW AND THEN EVERYTHING WOULD COME ON FOR A SPLIT SECOND. WHEN I GOT HOME I WAS BAFFLED AND STARTED LOOKING THROUGH MY OWNERS MANUAL, NO INFO THAT COULD HELP ME FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE. SO I WENT ONLINE AND DID SOME RESEARCH ON FORD EXPLORERS AND ITS ELECTRONICS. MY SEARCH BROUGHT ME TO THE RECALL SIGHTS AND WHEN I LOOKED ON THAT SIGHT I NOTICED THAT I HAD FOUND THE SAME EXCACT PROBLEMS I AM HAVING AS THE 1999 & 2000 FORD EXPLORER RECALLS AS WELL AS 1999 & 2000 MERCURY MOUNTAINERS WHICH IS BY THE FORD COMPANY. THEY ARE UNDER THE TITLE - COMPONENT: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUSES, AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND THE NHTSA RECALL # 00V072000 AND THE REMEDY FOR THIS PROBLEM IS THAT THE DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RESISTOR IN THE GEM CIRCUIT. I CALLED FORD COMPANY AND THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE MY TRUCK IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST AND I FEEL THAT IT SHOULD BE AND THAT SOMEONE NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING TO THE 1999 & 2000' S THEN IT IS HAPPENING TO THE 1998 AS WELL, THEY ARE THE SAME TRUCK MADE WITH THE SAME MATERIALS AND ONLY UPDATED WITH MORE PHYSICAL FEATURES OR OMITTED OUT DATED PHYSICAL FEATURES. UNFORTUNATLY I CAN'T DRIVE MY TRUCK NOW UNLESS I KNOW THE WEATHER IS GOING TO BE CLEAR OF RAIN OR OTHER BAD WEATHER. I AM NOT ABLE TO GET IT FIXED BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD IT SO I AM STUCK AT THE MOMENT IF ANYONE CAN HELP OR ADVISE IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED - THANK YOU DAVID STANSBURY