1998 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OF THE HOME AND A FEW MINUTES LATER IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK

THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF THE FORD TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING LOCK COMPONENTS. *AK THE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED WITH THE KEY OR FROM THE INSIDE HANDLE. THE DOOR COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED WITHOUT EXCESSIVE EFFORT. *SC *JB

I HAVE A 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORTS THAT CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE THE ENGINE WAS OFF AND PARKED IN MY GARAGE. I PARKED THE CAR AT AROUND 7:00 PM AND AROUND AFTER 10:00 PM HEARD A LOUD EXPLOTION IN THE GARAGE. MY FAMILY WAS ALREADY IN BED AND I WAS WATCHING TV. WHEN I OPEN THE ACCESS DOOR TO THE GARAGE THE FRONT PART OF THE EXPLORER WAS IN FLAMES. WE CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND PUT OUT THE FIRE, BUT THE CAR IS RUINED. MY SECOND CAR IS DAMAGED AND MY GARAGE IS ALSO DAMAGED. NO ONE WAS HURT BECAUSE WE GOT OUT OF THE HOUSE ON TIME.*AK

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH KEY, REMOTE, KEY PAD ENTRY OR WITH DOOR HANDLE INSIDE. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 1998 EXPLORER SPORT.*AK

1998 FORD EXPLORER CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED.*MR THE VEHICLE FIRE CAUSED DAMAGE TO ANOTHER VEHICLE AS WELL AS THE CONSUMER'S HOME. *NM

I TOOK MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP BECAUSE MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING (I CAN ONLY GUESS HOW LONG THEY WERE NOT OPERATING). AFTER DOING A DIAGNOSTIC THEY DETERMINED I HAD TO REPLACE MY (FORGIVE ME, AS I AM NOT MECHANICAL, BUT IT IS ALL ON MY RECEIPT) CRUISE CONTROL HARNESS AS THE COMPONENT HAD COMPLETELY MELTED. MY CRUISE CONTROL HAD STOPPED WORKING A COUPLE OF MONTHS EARLIER, BUT I HAD NOT BOTHERED TO FIX IT. THE CRUISE CONTROL HAD GOTTEN SO HOT THAT IT BURNED A HOLE THROUGH MY MASTER CYLINDER SO THAT IT ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I AM NOTIFYING YOU BECAUSE I FEEL MY AND MY FAMILY'S SAFETY WERE JEOPARDIZED IN THREE WAYS: INOPERABLE BRAKE LIGHTS, THE FIRE HAZARD OF THE CRUISE CONTROL, AND CONSEQUENTLY POOR BRAKES.*AK

REAR WIPER MOTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE BY DEALER UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS KNOWN FAULTY DESIGN. WIPER JAMS AND HAS TO BE PHYSICALLY ROCKED TO UNJAM. PROBLEM IS YOU COULD BE DRIVING IN RAINSTORM & COULD NOT USE WIPER AT THAT CRITICAL TIME. THIS VEHICLE IS PAST WARRANTY NOW.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE CONSUMER WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND TWO OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK *NM

THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR OF MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT WILL NOT UNLOCK. A SPRING BROKE, AND THE LOCK WILL NOT OPEN WITHOUT NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED AND THE CAUSE IS WELL KNOWN (THE SPRING DESIGN IS POOR). *AK

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN GEAR IT HAD TO BE GIVEN MORE GAS BECAUSE THE THROTTLE BODY WAS STICKING. OWNER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER. BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE THEY WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *AK THE THROTTLE CONTINUES TO STICK CAUSING UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS. *NM