1998 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER HEARD A RATTLING NOISE. MECHANIC BELIEVED IT WAS THE CAM SHAFT. TOOK VEHICLE TO FORD, AND FORD STATED THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

I HAVE READ 24 COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE FAILURE OF THE CAMSHAFT CHAIN ON THE 1998 FORD EXPLORERS WITH THE 4.0 SOHC ENGINES AND SEEN 23 TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS CONCERNING THIS SAME PROBLEM. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY IF THIS OCCURS WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE,NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT IT ALSO BLOWS THE ENGINE REQUIRING IT TO BE REPLACED AT A COST NEAR $5000. FORD HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS PROBLEM AND HAS OFFERED REPLACEMENT WITH MILEAGE LIMITATIONS. IF THIS IS A DEFECT AND A SAFETY HAZARD CAUSING THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURS ,WHY IS THIS NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO WARRANT AN INVESTIGATION? MY FORD IS 4000 MILES OVER THE LIMIT SET BY FORD TO REPLACE THE PARTS IN QUESTION. ALTHOUGH THIS DID NOT LESSEN THE DANGER WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURRED TO MY WIFE, 5 YEAR OLD AND 1 YEAR OLD DAUGHTERS WHILE IN THE VEHICLE CAUSING HER TO LOSE CONTROL DUE TO THE ENGINE FAILURE AS A RESULT OF THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS. I WAS TOLD IN A PHONE CONVERSATION THAT THE RECALL WAS VOLUNTARY BY FORD AND IT IS LEGAL FOR THEM TO SET THOSE LIMITATIONS. THIS IS UNCONCEIVABLE THAT THEY CAN PLACE INDIVIDUALS IN HARMS WAY KNOWINGLY AND IN AN EFFORT TO SAVE A BUCK, NOT A LIFE , SET LIMITS TO THE REMEDY OF THE SITUATION. WHY ARE THESE COMPLAINTS NOT BEING INVESTIGATED AND IF THEY HAVE WHAT WAS THE END RESULTS OF THIS INVESTIGATION? *LA DAVID KYDE 810 THIRD ST. #5 TRENTON, OHIO 45067 513-988-6516

I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. DUE TO BLACK ICE THERE WAS A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THIS RESULTED IN A REAR END COLLISION WITH THE CONCRETE BARRIER AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DRIVERS SEAT BACK COLLAPSED, AND THE SEAT FOR AFT ADJUSTING MECHANISM FAILED. THE SEAT BACK RECLINING MECHANISM HAD BEEN FIXED FOR THE RECENT RECALL. *LA

I BOUGHT A USED 1998 FORD EXPLORER FOR MY WIFE AND AT 135,000 MILES THE CAM TENSIONER BROKE, PUTTING A HOLE IN THE VALVE COVER AND POSSIBLY RUINING THE ENGINE. I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, FLAGGLER FORD. FORD'S REPLY AT FIRST WAS, "YES THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND WE WILL FIX THIS AT NO COST TO YOU". THEY TOWED MY EXPLORER IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND CALLED ME LATER TELLING ME THAT WHILE THE TIME FOR THIS REPAIR IS NOT UP, THE MILEAGE IS OVER WHAT THEY WILL COVER. FORD SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT FOR ANYWHERE FROM $600 TO $6,000! MY MECHANIC, WHO TOLD ME THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES, SAID HE WILL FIX IT FOR $300 PLUS PARTS. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND FORD COSTOMER SERVICE, THIS GOT ME NOWHERE, AND A SUPERVISOR WAS SUPPOST TO CALL ME TODAY BUT AS OF YET...NOTHING.AFTER SEARCHING THE NET I FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS HAD THIS VERY PROBLEM. GO TO CARTRACKERS.COM AND YOU'LL FIND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY FORD FOR THIS PROBLEM. IF I WAS THE ONLY PERSON THIS HAPPENED TO, WELL I WOULD BE OK WITH THAT BUT FORD'S STANCE IS THAT WHILE ITS A DEFECTIVE PART MINE LASTED LONGER THAN EXPECTED AND THAT I GET NOTHING BUT A BILL. I HAVE NEVER SEEN DAMAGE TO A VEHICLE LIKE THIS BEFORE, AND I HAVE A DODGE AND A CHEVY WITH OVER 140,000 MILES ON THEM AND HAVE NEVER HAD A INTERNAL ENGINE PART FAIL AND RUIN THE ENGINE. PLEASE HELP ME AND THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SOLD THESE VEHICLES HAVEING NO IDEA THAT AT ANY MOMENT THEY MAY HAVE TO BUY A NEW ENGINE WHILE THE PEOPLE WHO PROFITED FROM THESE SALES JUST SIT BACK AND DO NOTHING. HAD I KNOWN THE LIFE OF MY EXPLORER WAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES I WOULD HAVE NEVER BOUGHT A FORD. THERE WAS NEVER A FORMAL RECALL PUT OUT FOR THIS PROBLEM, JUST A SERVICE BULLITEN, SO PEOPLE WHO HAD THESE DEFECTIVE TENTIONERS WERE NEVER CONTACTED. MY GUESS IS THAT FORD JUST HOPED THAT THE FAILURES WOULD OCCUR AFTER THE 100,000 MILES, AND WOULD JUST DEAL WITH THE ONES THAT DIDN'T.

DEALERSHIP REFUSE TO REPAIR CAR PARTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT AND HAVE SERIOUS SAFTY ISSUES. DRIVERS CAR SEAT BACK COLLAPSE, ACCELERATOR PEDAL SUPPORT BRACKET ELL OFF THE FLOOR BOAD...NEEDS TO BE WELDED BACK ON.*AK

ON DECEMBER 17,2003 THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT RELEASE ON MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER BROKE WHILE I WAS TRYING TO ADJUST THE SEAT BACK. THE STEEL THAT ATTACHES THE POSITIONING LEVER TO THE MECHANICAL PART OF THE SEAT SHIRRED OFF IN A CLEAN BREAK AND CAME OFF IN MY HAND. MY SEAT BECAME STUCK IN A FORWARD POSITION WHILE I WAS IN THE SEAT FORCING ME INTO A FORWARD POSITION. I HAD TO DRIVE IN THIS POSITION TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY USED A LARGE VICE GRIP TYPE WRENCH TO RELEASE THE SEAT BACK INTO A POSITION SO I COULD DRIVE THE CAR. AT THIS TIME THE SEAT IS JAMMED IN A STATIC POSITION WHILE THE REMAINING PART OF THE STEEL IS STILL IN THE RECLINING GEAR.

MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER LTD'S GAS PEDAL ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE'S FIREWALL. THIS ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS, AND ENDANGERED OUR FAMILY. THIS $39,000 VEHICLE I PURCHASED BASED ON ITS SAFETY AND RATINGS HAS PROVEN OTHERWISE, AS THIS IS THE MOST RECENT IN THIS VEHICLE'S FALIURES.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH SEAT RECLINED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER STATED THE RECLINING BOLT CRACKED. NO IMPACT REPORTED. *AK

DRIVERS-SIDE DOOR DOES NOT OPEN BY USING THE KEY, POWER-LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON OR PULLING THE INSIDE HANDLE. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFETY FEATURE IN CASE THE POWER LOCKS FAIL. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON ACCORDING TO FORD DEALERS, LOCKSMITHS, AND AFTER-MARKET PROFESSIONALS.*AK

DRIVER'S SEAT RECLINING LEVER BROKE. HAD BEEN BENT FOR SOMETIME. WILL COST ALMOST $200 TO REPLACE. TOLD BY DEALER THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAD BEEN IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK