1998 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. UPON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HER HOME. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEPARATED FROM THE FLOOR ON MY EXPLORER. THE CAR WOULD ONLY IDLE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. I RE-BOLTED THE BRACKET TO THE FLOOR AFTER VISITING THE DEALER. IT APPEARS TWO SPOT WELDS BROKE. *JB

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LOCK AND LATCH NO LONGER WORK AND PREVENT DOOR FROM OPENING. THIS CREATES A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION FOR DRIVER WHO NOW CANNOT EXIT VEHICLE RELIABLY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS EFFECTIVELY PERMANENTLY LOCKED AND DRIVER MUST ENTER/EXIT VIA PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. DOOR LOCK NO LONGER RESOUNDS TO REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY, OUTSIDE KEY, NOR INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. ONLY AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO PULL ON TAPERED DOOR KNOB WHILE REPEATEDLY PRESSING INTERNAL ELECTRIC DOOR UNLOCK BUTTON WILL DRIVER'S DOOR SOMETIMES BECOME UNLOCKED AND THEN THE DOOR CAN BE OPENED. NONE OF THE OTHER DOORS TO THE VEHICLE (4 DOOR PLUS REAR HATCH) HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED PREVIOUSLY TO THROUGH NHTSA BY NUMEROUS OTHER FORD EXPLORER OWNERS, YET APPARENTLY NO RECALL HAS YET BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE VISTA FORD DEALER ON NOVEMBER 28, 2004 FOR A SAFETY CHECK AND WARRANTY REPAIR OF BOLT IN DRIVER'S SEAT. DEALER INITIALLY ESTIMATED $230 FOR REPAIR, BUT AFTER INSPECTION THEY DEMANDED $500+ (INCLUDING PARTS AND LABOR). REPAIR NOT PERFORMED. VEHICLE REMAINS IN HAZARDOUS CONDITION. *JB

NHTSA RECALL 03V281000; FORD ISSUED A HIGH BACK SEAT RECALL. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, BUT THE SEAT RECLINED BACK, ALMOST TOUCHING THE SECOND ROW CUSHION. DRIVER HAD TO MANUALLY PUSH THE SEAT FORWARD. *AK

VEHICLE TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP WHEN THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL DID NOT OPERATE. THE RESULT SHOWED THAT A NEW COMPUTER MODULE WAS NEEDED. THEN, VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME WHEN CONSUMER HEARD A CRACKLING NOISE COMING FROM INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN. VEHICLE RETURNED BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL WIRES IN THE STEERING COLUMN. REPAIR WAS PERFORMED BY THE REPAIR SHOP.*AK

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP, THE BAKES FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINE CORRODED. NO IMPACT REPORTED. *AK THE NON CORRODING STEEL BRAKE LINE RUSTED AND RUPTURED. *SC

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE. *AK

CANNOT OPEN DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENER DOES NOT WORK, DOOR HANDLE DOES NOT OPEN DOOR, KEY DOES NOT OPEN DOOR. THE ONLY WAY TO EXIT THE CAR IS TO CRAWL OVER THE FRONT SEAT DIVIDER AND EXIT THROUGH THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT DOOR. THE DRIVER IS LITERALLY TRAPPED IN THE CAR. *AK

DEFECTIVE BOLT THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM TO DRIVER SEAT FRAME KEPT THE SEAT FROM RECLINING. *BF CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 03V281000 THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER WHICH STATED THAT DRIVERS MAY EXPERIENCE LOOSENESS OR NOISE IN THE SEAT AND IN EXTREME CASES IT COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE ONE TO LOSE CONTACT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL OR FOOT PEDALS RESULTING IN A CRASH. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO PAY $110. TO HAVE A COMPONENT WITHIN THE SEAT REPAIRED SO THEY COULD EASILY REPAIR THE RECALLED PART. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE SHOULD NOT BE MADE TO PAY FOR SERVICE THAT A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR. . *TC *JB

THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER INSIDE OF THE ENGINE FAILED, CAUSING THE TIMING CHAIN TO COME LOOSE. AS A RESULT HEADS AND PISTONS INSIDE OF THE ENGINE CAME LOOSE, DESTROYING OTHER PARTS INSIDE OF THE ENGINE. THE ULTIMATE RESULT OF THIS WAS THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER AT HIGHWAY SPEED PRIOR TO GETTING OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. MANUFACTURER HAS A WARANTY EXTENSION IN PLACE PRIOR TO 72,000 MILES, BUT NO RECALL, AND CONSIDERS A VEHICLE THAT LOOSES POWER AND CANNOT BE COMPLETED STEERED AS A RESULT OF AN EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE NOT TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE!?!?!? THE MANUFACTURER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES, BUT WILL ONLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT IF THE VEHICLE HAS SYMPTOMS. I HAD THE FIRST MINOR SYMPTOM ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON, AND A MAJOR PROBLEM THE NEXT DAY, MONDAY.*AK