1998 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT APPEARED ON THE SCENE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FIRE WAS ELECTRICAL AND ORIGINATED NEAR THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 96,160. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED UNOCCUPIED OUTSIDE OF THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE WHEN IT BURST INTO MASSIVE FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. A FIRE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED A VOLUNTARY RECALL PERTAINING TO THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM MODIFICATION UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 00V422000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) AND THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BUT HAD NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,000. UPDATED 05/03/11*LJ UPDATED 05/23/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT WIND WAS ENTERING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE LIFTGATE GLASS STRUT WAS DISENGAGED FOR THE REAR WINDOW AND THE HINGES WERE FRACTURING ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BROKE OFF FROM THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 140,000. UPDATED 03/15/11*LJ UPDATED 05/13/11

1998 FORD EXPLORER VIN#[XXX] REGISTERED TO THE STATE OF NEVADA; ORIGINAL OWNER: [XXX]...REGISTERED BECAUSE OF DISABILITY REASONS TO WIFE [XXX]...WE WERE INVOLVED IN A CAR CRASH ACCIDENT...RESULTING TO A TOTAL LOSS AT BAKER, CALIFORNIA BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLE CRUISE CONTROL RECALL WHICH COULD CAUSE THE TIRE TO BE TREADED...PUSHING THE CAR TO BE OUT OF CONTROL..WHILE THE BRAKE FLUID LEAKING...AND THE AIR BAG SAFETY FAILED TO DEVELOP (OPEN). I THINK FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBLE OF THE MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE WORKMANSHIP AND THE CAR DESIGN. I GOT IN TOUCH WITH THEIR LEGAL DEPARTMENT: PRODUCT RECALL & LIABILITY. THE ACCIDENT REPORT# [XXX] NCIC#[XXX]. THE INJURED DRIVER [XXX]; PASSENGER AND THE PERMANENT DISABLED PASSENGER WERE TAKEN TO BARSTOW COMMUNITY HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM. I NEED YOUR HELP IN REMOVING ALL 1998 FORD EXPLORER FROM THE ROAD; THIS CAR COULD CAUSE MAJOR & FATAL INJURIES TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I OWN A 2000 FORD RANGER AND A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. I BELIEVE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE BREAK PEDAL ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER ON BOTH VEHICLES. ON AT LEAST FOUR OCCASIONS I HAVE EXPERIENCED MY TENDENCY TO HAVE MY FOOT ON BOTH PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME WHEN IN A SITUATION WHERE I HAVE TO STOP QUICKLY. I T SEEMS THAT I "PANIC" TO SOME DEGREE WHEN IN A SITUATION WHERE I MUST STOP QUICKLY TO AVOID A COLLISION. THIS MAY BE A VERY ISOLATED PERSONAL 'QUIRK" AS IT WERE, BUT I HAVE CAUSED TWO REAR END COLLISIONS SO FAR AND I NOW KNOW THAT I AM PRESSING BOTH PADS WHEN TRYING TO BREAK. I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I REMEMBER VIVIDLY HOW MY MOTOR WAS ACCELERATING WHILE I THOUGHT MY FOOT WAS ONLY ON THE BRAKE AND I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COMING TO A STOP WHEN MOST LIKELY I HAD PLENTY OF SPACE AVAILABLE TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP AND AVOID HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND MAKING A TURN, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEPARATED FROM THE FIREWALL; THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN AFTER THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED HER THAT SHE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BRACKET. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BRACKET. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MPH SHE ENGAGED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATED WITH LIMITED BRAKING ABILITY. HE STATED THAT NONE OF THE WARNINGS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. ONE YEAR LATER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED RECALL 09V399000, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL AND STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE LAST YEAR IN 2009. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER DID NOT INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR AND REPAIRED IT AS NECESSARY PER THE RECALL. THE CONTACT SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER NEXT WEEK. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 164,000. UPDATED 12/14/2011 *CN UPDATED 03/02/11

ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO I STARTED TO NOTICE THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT RECLINING AND I COULDN'T RESET IT TO THE UPRIGHT POSITION. THROUGH THE YEARS THE RECLINE GOT WORST AND I CONTACTED FORD AND ADVISED THEM THAT THIS MAY BE RELATED TO THEIR RECALL # 03V281000. FORD RESPONDED BY TELLING ME THAT I ALREADY GOT SERVICED FOR THIS RECALL AND THAT MY VEHICLE HAS NO OUTSTANDING RECALLS. I PURCHASED ANOTHER SEAT AND RECENTLY HAD IT INSTALLED. UPON INSPECTION OF THE ORIGINAL SEAT MY MECHANIC AND I NOTICED A STRESS CRACK ON THE RECLINING BRACKET OF THE SEAT. MY ARGUMENT IS THAT FORDS RECALL REMEDY DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS A DEFECTIVE RECLINING BRACKET THAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM NOT THE UPPER BOLT THEY REPLACED. I HAVE WORKED AS AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC AND KNOW A STRESS CRACK WHEN I SEE IT. THIS IS DEFINITELY A FACTORY DEFECT AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED IMMEDIATELY. I HAD ROUGHLY A INCH LEFT BEFORE THE BACK OF THE SEAT WOULD SNAP AND RECLINE TOTALLY. DEPENDING ON THE SPEED AND TERRAIN YOU ARE DRIVING ON THIS COULD BE TRAGIC. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD NUMEROUS TIMES AND IN THEIR LAST LETTER THEY INDICATED THAT THEY WILL NOT COMMUNICATE WITH ME ANYMORE. I KEPT THE ORIGINAL SEAT AND CAN SEND YOU PHOTOS IF YOU NEED THEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE SMELLED SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. SHE BELIEVED THE FAILURE TO BE SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06V286000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD BE OPENING A CASE ON HER BEHALF TO FURTHER INSPECT THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000.