1998 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

WHILE DRIVING,VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE DRIVER PLACED BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE CONTINUE TO ACCELERATED. THE DRIVER SHIFT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND WAS ABLE TO COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE DRIVER INFORMED THE MECHANIC RECALL NUMBER(99V062001) WAS FOR THIS VEHICLE BASED ON THE PROBLEM WITH DRIVER VEHICLE. ALSO THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THE IS RECALL WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THIS VEHICLE. A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD BE DOWN TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH CONSUMER FELT VIBRATION IN THE GAS PEDAL. THE GAS PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO NEAR 100 MPH. CONSUMER HAD TO VEER OFF THE ROAD, AND PUT THE GEAR SHIFT INTO PARK TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE BUT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BRACKET SUDDENLY BROKE AS A RESULT OF FLIMSY CRAFTSMANSHIP. THE METAL BRACKET IS ATTACHED TO THE METAL BODY OF THE VEHICLE BY 3 THIN PEGS (THEY SNAPPED AT THE BASE OF THE BRACKET) AND GLUE! (IT'S OBVIOUS IT'S THE FAULTY MANUFACTURE'S WORK, AND NEVER MESSED WITH PREVIOUSLY.) THIS DEFECT COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE YOU TO BE STRANDED (NO ACCELERATION) POSSIBLY ON THE HIGHWAY MAKING IT A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I EXPERIENCED LOSS OF CONTROL WITH THE ACCELERATION AND A SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHICH NEARLY CAUSED A CRASH. I'M ATTEMPTING TO CONSULT WITH GALPIN FORD OF VAN NUYS, CA CURRENTLY TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, BUT AM EXPERIENCING LACK OF COMMUNICATION. 1998 FORD EXPLORER-EDDIE BAUER V-6 SOHC(?) VEHICLE WALL ACCELERATOR PEDAL BRACKET. *AK ! ___/ ! ---! ! ---! * ! ---!___

SPOT WELDS HOLDING ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO FIREWALL BROKE, LEAVING FOOT PEDAL ATTACHED ONLY BY ACCELERATOR CABLE. BREAKAGE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 1998 FORD EXPLORER ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. WHEN DRIVER MOVED TO BRAKE FOR STALLED TRAFFIC, ACCELERATOR PEDAL LODGED UNDER BRAKE PEDAL. DRIVER AVOIDED MULTI CAR COLLISION BY SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL AND KICKING ACCELERATOR PEDAL OUT OF WAY. FULLER FORD DEALERSHIP RE-WELDED ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO FIREWALL FOR $152. WORKER NOTED THAT WINDSTARS ARE FAR MORE PRONE TO THIS CONDITION, AND THAT THIS IS THE SECOND EXPLORER THAT HAS BEEN SEEN FOR THIS CONDITION. *AK

RADIO DISPLAY GOES OUT. CANNOT SEE THE CLOCK OR RADIO SELECTION. THIS HAS BEEN VARY DANGERIOUS IN THE WINTER DURING EARLY MORNING DRIVING WHEN I CANNOT SEE MY WATCH AND TRAVEL THROUGH SCHOOL ZONES AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE ZONE IS ACTIVE OR NOT. THE RADIO WAS REPLACED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY AND HAS SINCE GONE OUT AGAIN. *AK

VEHICLE LOCKED UP AFTER ABOUT 1/2 HOUR OF DRIVING. CONSUMER CALLED FORD, AND HAD AN APPOINTMENT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR THIS PROBLEM. BUT IT WILL COST CONSUMER $100.00 JUST FOR FORD TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT YET, BUT WAS AFRAID THAT HE WILL.*AK

I CAN'T OPEN MY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OF MY FORD EXPLORER FROM EITHER THE OUTSIDE OF INSIDE. THE POWER LOCKS DON'T OPEN AND THE DOOR SHOULD STILL OPEN FROM THE INSIDE EVEN IF IT IS LOCKED AND IT DOESN'T. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. FORD SAID IT WILL COST ME $130.00 JUST TO LOOK AT THE DOOR. I AM GOING TO MY OWN MECHANIC TO SEE IF HE CAN FIX THIS PROBLEM. UNTIL THEN I CAN'T DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE. *NM

TAILGATE SHELL SHOWS CRACKS AROUND THE HINGES FROM METAL FATIGUE. *MR THIS APPEARED TO BE A DEFECT. *SC *JB *AK

ON 6/18/04 MY FAMILY WAS IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT WHILE ON VACATION IN NY. MY SON WAS DRIVING AND SWERVED TO AVOID A CAR COMING AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE STEERING BECAME VERY LOOSE AND WE ROLLED OVER. BEFORE ROLLING OVER, HE TRIED TO REGAIN CONTROL AND TOTTTLED LEFT THEN TOTTLED RIGHT AND THEN FLIPPED AND LANDED ON THE HOOD. THE THREE WITH MINOR INJURIES INCLUDED CUTS ON HANDS FROM CLADD, SPRAIN NECK AND BRUISES.*AK

MASSIVE FUEL LEAK UNDER THE HOOD OF 1998 FORD EXPLORER XLT.*MR ANOTHER FUEL LEAK OCCURED WHEN A WOVEN PART OF THE FUEL LINE BROKE. *NM