1998 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

CONSUMER STATED DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE. WHEN CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE, HE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS, AND WAS TOLD THAT SINCE BOLT DID NOT BREAK THE RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO THIS VEHICLE. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT DRIVERS' SEAT FRAME CRACKED, AND HE TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC, AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM FOR THE DEALER. ALSO, CONSUMER INSISTED THAT WHAT THE RECALL STATED WAS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 98 FORD EXPLORER SPORT .AFTER ABOUT 2 HOURS OF HIGHWAY DRIVING AT 65 MPH THE REAR PASSANGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT.TIRE WAS A GOODYEAR WRANGLER RT/S 255/70R16.TIRE SEPERATED FROM SIDEWALL 3/4 OF THE WAY AROUND.HAD RAGGED EDGE LIKE IT WAS PULLED APART.TIRE DEFECTIVE ? LOOKED LIKE DRY ROT.98 EXPLORER HAS 49,000 MILES ON IT .NOT SURE IF TIRES WERE ORIGINAL EGUITMENT.BOUGHT CAR USED.*AK

OVER THE LAST YEAR MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER 2 DOOR SPORT HAS BEEN LOOSING SOME INTERIOR ELECTRICAL FEATURES. THE FIRST WAS THE DISPLAY LIGHTS ON THE RADIO. THEY WOULD COME AND GO..... NOW THE DISPLAY IS TOTALLY GONE. HOWEVER THE RADIO, CD PLAYER AND TAPE DECK STILL WORK. I JUST CAN'T SEE WHAT TRACK, STATION, OR THE TIME. THEN THE NEXT ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WAS THE DRIVER SIDE POWER UNLOCK SWITCH. I CAN LOCK ALL THE DOORS BUT I CANNOT UNLOCK THE DOORS, NEXT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY DASH..... I CAN'T REMEMBER IF THIS WAS THE SAME TIME THE LIGHTS WENT OUT ON THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS (CRUISE CONTROL SETTINGS) OR IF THAT WENT OUT SEPARATELY. NOW........ I CANNOT UNLOCK THE DRIVER DOOR WITH A KEY. I CAN MOVE THE KEY AROUND AND UNLOCK THE OTHER DOORS BUT NOT THE DRIVER DOOR. I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE AND YANK ON THE DRIVER HANDLE SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE DOOR WILL OPEN. THIS IS VERY INCONVENIENT. I PLAN ON TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS..... BUT I HAVE HEARD SEVERAL OTHER EXPLORER OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS...... SHOULD FORD REPAIR THIS AT THEIR COST? IT SEEMS TO ME THIS IS A FORD ISSUE AND NOT SOMETHING I HAVE DONE TO THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY IF OTHER OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS DEFECTIVE IN THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS. *LA

EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASE LEVER BRACKET FELL FROM CONNECTION TO PLASTIC DASH. FORD WILL SPLIT THE $2000 COST 50/50 TO REPAIR SINCE NO RECALL AT THIS TIME. FEEL POOR DESIGN ATTACHING MECHANISM TO PLASTIC DASH INSTEAD OF METAL BRACKET. WHEN USED CURRENTLY, MUST BE CAREFUL TO NOT LET RELEASE GET STUCK UNDER DASH MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO RETRIEVE AND RELEASE THE LEVER. *LA

SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM FAILED ON 1998 FORD EXPLORER.*MR THE CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 03V-281000, RELATED TO THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM BOLT, AFTER THE VEHICLE'S SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM FRACTURED. THE CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW IF HIS VEHICLE'S FAILURE WAS COVERED BY THE SAFETY RECALL. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALER TO HAVE THE SEAT INSPECTED BY A TECHNICIAN. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL ONLY COVER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BOLTS, THEREFORE THE FAILURE OF THE RECLINER HANDLE WOULD NOT BE COVERED. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH GAS PEDAL DISCONNECTED FROM THE FLOOR. CONSUMER COASTED TO THE SHOULDER TO ASSESS THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE. AAA WAS CALLED TO EVALUATE THE PROBLEM, AND FOUND THAT THE WELD CONNECTION FROM THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR BROKE. *AK

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 1998 FORD EXPLORER "EDDIE BAUER" AND EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN PULL TO THE LEFT. UPON ARRIVING AT OUR MECHANIC, LA AUTOBODY - NEWTON MA, WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE WERE MISSING BOTH OF OUR SWAY BARS. HAS THERE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS FROM FORD TRUCK OWNERS? IF SO WHEN WILL A RECALL BE DEMANDED BY THE NHTSA. ACCORDING TO OUR MECHANIC HE HAS SEEN THIS MANY TIMES AND IT CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS ON THE ROAD. *LA

CONSUMER UNABLE TO TAKE VEHICLE TO HAVE RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED BECAUSE CONSUMER HAS BEEN DEPLOYED TO IRAQ.*MR CONSUMER INQUIRED AS WHETHER OR NOT THE REPAIR WOULD BE FREE OF CHARGE WHEN HE RETURNS HOME FROM IRAQ. THE RECALL IS ON THE RECLINING BOLT THAT CONNECTS TO THE BACK OF THE SEAT. *PH

HAVE FORD EXEPLORER 1998 TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN ACTING UP FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. JERKING WHEN YOU PUT IT IN REVERSE AND CLUNKING WHEN YOU PUT IT IN TO DRIVE. MY EXEPLORER JUST TURNED 60.000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION IS NO LONGER WORKING,I CAN NOT BELIEVE THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR,FROM HAVING A WRECK AND AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING TO ALL OF THE RECALLS,HAD THE BAD TIRES AND WINDSHEILD WIPERS NOT WORKING.THEY SHOULD REALLY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE EXEPLORER FROM THAT YEAR.IBOUGHT MY EXEPLORER IN OCT,98 OF THAT YEAR NEW. WHEN MY EXEPLORER WAS HIT HEAD ON ,THE POLICE ASKED IF I TURNED OFF MY AIRBAGS.THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED.*AK

CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSES OF $850.00. TWENTY DAYS AFTERWARDS THE PROBLEM WAS STILL RECURRING. *AK