1998 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE ENGULFED INTO FLAMES WITH THE SOUND OF A LARGE EXPLOSION. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, WHICH ORIGINATED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED AS DESTROYED AND REMAINED AT THE RESIDENCE FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

MAY 20, APPROXIMATELY 03:30AM, WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35MPH TO WORK IN THE DARK WITH HEAD LIGHTS ON; HEADLIGHTS UNEXPECTEDLY TURNED OFF. LUCKILY THAT SECTION OF THE STREET, HAD STREET LIGHTS WORKING PROPERLY; BUT, I WAS APPROACHING AN UNLIT STRETCH OF WINDING ROAD WITH A 45MPH SPEED LIMIT. THIS COULD HAVE BECOME VERY DANGEROUS. (DASHBOARD LIGHTS WERE NOT AFFECTED.) TURNING THE NORMAL HEADLIGHT SWITCH DID NOT SEEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I TRIED THE BRIGHT LIGHT FUNCTION, WHICH IS PART OF THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER. THEY DID NOT COME ON AT FIRST; HOWEVER WHEN JIGGLING THE "TURN SIGNAL LEVER," I NOTICED A "LOOSENESS IN THE LEVER, AT THE BASE WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE STEERING COLUMN." WIGGLING IT, TURNED THE HEAD LIGHTS BACK ON, TEMPORARILY; BUT, WIGGLING FROM VIBRATION IN TRAFFIC CAUSED THEM TO TURN "OFF" AGAIN. THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER ON THE 1998 FORD EXPLORER IS USED TO CONTROL THE "BRIGHT LIGHTS" AND ALSO CONTROLS WINDSHIELD WIPERS. I AM NOT CERTAIN; BUT, I BELIEVE I HAD THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER ASSEMBLY REPAIRED SEVERAL YEARS AGO BY A FORD DEALER IN SAN DIEGO...NEITHER OF THE DEALERS I USED TO HAVE SERVICE MY VEHICLE ARE STILL IN BUSINESS. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM WITH THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER AT THAT TIME, HAD TO DO WITH THE WIPERS CUTTING OFF UNEXPECTEDLY; AND, EVENTUALLY, NOT WORKING ALL TOGETHER. FIRST: IS THIS SOMETHING THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD INVESTIGATE "BEFORE" HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED? SECOND: SHOULD FORD BE THE ONE INVESTIGATING THIS PROBLEM? THIRD: SHOULD FORD REPLACE THE TURN LEVER ASSEMBLY AND PROVIDE THE LABOR AT THEIR EXPENSE? ... ON A PERSONAL NOTE, AFTER WORKING FOR THE SAME COMPANY FOR 12 YEARS AND BEING A WORKAHOLIC, I JUST GOT LAID OFF LAST WEEK. THIS EXPENSE IS DEFINITELY GOING TO COST SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS IN PARTS AND LABOR, WHEN I CAN LEAST AFFORD IT. AT THIS TIME, I CAN RULE OUT TRYING TO APPLY FOR A NIGHT JOB. *JS

THE EXPLORER BRAKE PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR TO STOP THE VEHICLE . THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD . IN A FEW SECONDS , THE TRUCK WAS IN FLAMES. POLICE AND FIREMEN WERE CALLED TO THE LOCATION . THEY PUT THE FIRE OUT IN A FEW MINUTES . *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOOSE POWER BUT THE ENGINE WOULD CONTINUE TO RUN. THE VEHICLE WOULD EVENTUALLY STALL BUT WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES. IN ADDITION, THE WIPER BLADES WOULD ALSO FAIL AND WOULD NOT OPERATE AS THEY SHOULD WHEN INCLEMENT WEATHER AROSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE WIRING IN THE ENTIRE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

WHEN BACKING UP AT 5MPH VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED WENT UP CURB AND HIT GUARDRAIL. AFTER 2-3- SECONDS VEHICLE DROPPED DOWN TO 0 MPH. *TR

VEHICLE ACCELERATES FROM STOPPED AND BRAKE POSITION FOR 3 SECONDS AND THEN RETURNS TO NORMAL. *TR

I WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THEN SPEEDOMETER WENT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE MAX, AND COASTED OFF TO THE SIDE AS SOON AS I COULD. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO BE DAMAGED AND THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE. *TR

WE USED THE FORD EXPLORER EALIER IN THE DAY TO VISIT LOCAL RELATIVES. WE PARKED THE CAR IN OUR ATTACHED GARAGE AT AROUND 4PM THAT DAY. WE WERE WOKEN UP AROUND 1AM TO NOISES COMING FROM THE GARAGE. UPON OPENING THE GARAGE DOOR FROM OUR LAUNDRY ROOM, I FOUND THE HOOD OF THE FORD EXPLORER IN FLAMES. I SLAMMED THE LAUNDRY ROOM DOOR AND PROCEEDED TO GET OUR 3 YR OLD SON OUT FROM HIS ROOM THAT IS LOCATED ABOVE THE GARAGE AND OUT OF THE HOUSE. MY HUSBAND ALSO WENT INTO THE GARAGE TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING, BY THEN THE TRUCK WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. HE WAS GOING TO TRY TO PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT QUICKLY REALIZED THAT THERE WAS NO CHANCE.THE FIRE WAS TOO BIG BY THEN AND BEING THAT OUR GAS WATER HEATER WAS LOCATED NEXT TO THE VEHICLE, HE QUICKLY EXITED THE GARAGE BUT DID RECEIVE 2ND - 3RD DEGREE BURNS TO HIS HANDS, FEET AND RIGHT FLANK OF HIS BACK. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPT ARRIVED ON SCENE, THE GARAGE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DESTROYED THE GARAGE, THE SUPPORT BEAMS FOR THE SECOND FLOOR ABOVE THE GARAGE AND THE LAUNDRY ROOM. ALSO, THE ENTIRE FIRST FLOOR HAS SMOKE AND WATER DAMAGE AND THE SECOND FLOOR IS MOSTLY SMOKE DAMAGE. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHEN BURNING FUMES WERE EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MOVED THE VEHICLE FROM THE ROADWAY, FOUND THAT THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH AN EXTINGUISHER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT DID NOT MENTION IF THERE WERE ANY INJURIES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED THAT CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS ELECTRICAL. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE FIRE AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FIRE COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000.