1998 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD MOTOR CORP AND TELEPHONED THEM ABOUT ANOTHER MATTER. NAMELY WHEN BREAKING MY 1998 FORD SPORT EXPLORER, IT SUDDENLY STARTED TO ACCELERATE. IMMEDIATELY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND CONTINUED TO BREAK THE CAR. THE MOTOR RACED,BUT THE VEHICLE STOPPED. BECAUSE I APPLIED THE BRAKE WITH CONSIDERABLE FORCE. FORD MOTOR PERSONNEL TOLD ME TO BRING THIS MATTER TO THE ATTENTION OF MY LOCAL FORD DEALER. COMPLIED, BUT ADVISED IF THE PROBLEM DOES NOT APPEAR DURING A ROAD TEST NOTHING CAN BE DONE. THIS IS A COP OUT . WHO KNOWS WHEN IT WILL APPEAR AGAIN AND SOME ONE PERISHES. *JB

ISSUE: FORD EXPLORER HAS FUEL CUT OFF SWITCH DIRECTLY BELOW THE GLOVE BOX AGAINST THE PASSENGER SIDE PILLAR (DIRECTLY ABOVE THE CARPET ON PASSENGER SIZE) APPROXIMATELY 1 FOOT ABOVE FLOORBOARD. PASSENGER MAY BE ABLE TO KNOCK THE CONNECTOR OR SWITCH LOOSE, CAUSING FUEL SHUT DOWN AND LOSS OF POWER IN THE VEHICLE. CONNECTOR IS ON BOTTOM OF SWITCH; CABLE RUNS DIRECTLY BELOW CARPET AND CAN BE TUGGED LOOSE WITH ENOUGH FORCE (CONNECTOR IS STANDARD FORD LOCKING BLADE TYPE). INCIDENT OCCURRED ON INTERSTATE 10 W IN LOS ANGELES ON THE INTERSTATE 5 NORTH ON RAMP. HEAVY TRAFFIC CAUSED WIFE TO STRAIGHTEN LEGS AND KICKED THE CONNECTOR LOOSE AT 60 MPH. VEHICLE LOST TOTAL ENGINE POWER AND STALLED IN TRAFFIC. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP ONCE BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. FORTUNATELY IT WAS IN A PARKING LOT. DEALER MENTIONED ISSUE WAS RESOLVED AFTER PLUGGING SWITCH BACK IN. RESOLVED ISSUE USING CABLE TIES, BUT A MORE SUITABLE RECALL SHOULD BE DONE TO ENSURE OTHER OWNERS DO NOT ENCOUNTER THE SAME SITUATION. RECOMMEND A PLATE OR FASTENER THAT MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR PLUG TO COME LOOSE WHEN HIT WITH FOOT OR OTHER OBJECTS. ALSO RECOMMEND REPOSITIONING SWITCH TO REAR OF VEHICLE, OR UNDERNEATH REAR SEAT ON NEWER MODELS, IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY OCCURRED. DISCUSSED THIS WITH A FRIEND WHO RECOMMENDED I FILE A COMPLAINT, EVEN THOUGH IT OCCURRED ALMOST A YEAR AGO. *JB THANK YOU.*JB

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT RECLINE LEVER BROKE OFF. THE SEAT IS UNABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, PREVENTING ACCESS TO THE REAR FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE METAL IS TOO WEAK AND AT AN AWKWARD POSITION. THE DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE, EVEN THROUGH THIS IS AN OBVIOUS FAULTY PART AS THE REPLACEMENT PART IS DESIGNED WITH A THICKER METAL. *JB

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER CONCERNING FRONT ASSEMBLY SEAT RECLINER FROM THE MANUFACTURER, BUT DEALER INDICATED THEY DID NOT HAVE YET RECALL PARTS.*AK

RIGHT TURN SIGNAL PERIODICALLY STICKS "ON" (NOT FLASHING) WHEN COMMANDED AND SOMETIMES COMES "ON" (NOT FLASHING) WHEN THE IGNITION IS STARTED. IF LEFT "ONO" (NOT FLASHING) FOR MORE THAN 30-45 SECONDS, SMOKE COMES OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THE SMOKE STOPS AS SOON AS THE LIGHT GOES OFF. *JB

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BACK RECLINER LEVER BROKE OFF WITHOUT BEING USED. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE RECALL DEFECTIVE COMPONENT FOR THE HIGH BACK BOLT 03 V 281 000, IS THE POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE LEVER BREAKING BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE SAME STRUCTURE. *PH

AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED, AND THEY SAID FIRE WAS DUE TO A FUEL LEAK. *AK

TOOK VEHICLE TO HAVE RECALL (03S04) PERFORMED FOR BROKEN DRIVERS SEAT BOLTS. (DRIVERS SEAT IS BROKEN AND LEANS WAY BACK ) . I ALSO ASKED THEM TO FIX THE DEFECTIVE DRIVERS DOOR LOCK. THE ELECTRIC LOCK STAYS DOWN I CAN NOT OPEN THE DOOR I HAVE TO CRAWL OUT PASSENGERS SIDE OR OUT THE DRIVERS WINDOW. AS I HAVE BEEN OVERCHARGED FOR REPAIRS IN THE PAST I SAID I WANTED TO KNOW HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO FIX THE DOOR. THEY ESTIMATED THAT IT WOULD COST ME $68.00 JUST TO HAVE THEM TELL ME HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO FIX THE DEFECTIVE DOOR LOCK. I HIT THE ROOF, AS THEY HAVE CHEATED ME IN THE PAST. (THIS DEALERSHIP PREVIOUSLY TRIED TO SELL ME A NEW CLUTCH FOR F150 PICKUP, IT TURNED OUT THAT FORD HAD ALREADY CREATED A $20 KIT THAT FIXED THE CLUTCH. ) SERVICE MANAGER SAID THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO THE RECALL AND TOLD ME TO LEAVE. I ASKED TO SPEAK WITH THE DEALERSHIP OWNER THEY TOLD ME THAT HE WAS NOT IN. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP10 MINUTES LATER AND THE OWNER WAS THERE. I HIGHLY SUSPECT I WAS LIED TO . I TOLD MIKE PALLATA THE OWNER I WANTED THE RECALL PERFORMED. HE TOLD ME THAT HIS DEALERSHIP WAS NOT GOING TO DO THE RECALL. MY EXPLORER IS ON THE ROAD WITH DEFECTIVE SEAT AND A DRIVERS DOOR THAT WILL NOT OPEN. FORD HAS REPLACED TWO SETS OF DEFECTIVE TIRES AND REPLACED A HOOD LATCH WITH ALL THESE DEFECTS WHY AM I TO THINK THE DOOR LATCH IS NOT ALSO A SAFETY DEFECT. I PREVIOUSLY LEASED A 97 FORD EXPLORER THE PASSENGERRS SEAT BROKE ON THIS ONE JUST LIKE ON THE 98. THEY WANTED ME TO PAY TO FIX THAT SEAT AT THE END OF THE LEASE.*AK

FUEL LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE, CAUSING A FIRE. THE LOCATION OF THE FUEL LEAK HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE STEERING WANDERED AND SWERVED. AT THIS TIME THE CAUSE IS UNDETERMINED. *AK