1998 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

CIGARETTE LIGHTER CAUSED WIRING HARNESS TO BURN. SMOKE FILLED THE CABIN WHEN LIGHTER STUCK AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF VEHICLE. AFTERWARD SEVERAL EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTS STAYED ON. THE REAR WIPERS WERE ALSO ACTIVATED.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER XLT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS WERE INOPERABLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ARM YET THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN A YEAR. THE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ARM WAS REPLACED A SECOND TIME BY THE DEALER. HE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE WIRES WERE DISCOLORED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED SEVERAL ADDITIONAL REPAIRS. THE CONTACT DECLINED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE CONTROL ARM DID NOT NEED AN ADDITIONAL REPLACEMENT BUT SUGGESTED REPLACING THE FUSE. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE USING THE TURN SIGNALS, THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH INSIDE BEGAN SMOKING. THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE OR RELATED RECALLS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SINCE THERE WERE NO RECALLS, THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000 AND THE CURRENT WAS 191,000.

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BACK OF PARKING SPACE AT HOME, VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT TOWNHOME ACROSS THE STREET. ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS RECENTLY REPAIRED AT DEALERSHIP (01/12/2010). *TR

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BACK OF A PARKING SPACE, ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DANGLING FROM UNDERNEATH THE CONSOLE COMPLETELY UNATTACHED FROM THE CAR. VEHICLE HAD JUST BEEN PICKED UP FROM THE FORD DEALERSHIP FOR OTHER REPAIRS. CALLED FORD WHO CAME AND DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE, TOOK IT BACK TO THEIR SHOP, MADE REPAIRS AND BROUGHT SUV BACK TO ME AT NO CHARGE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE TRYING TO USE THE LIGHTER IN THE VEHICLE, IT BEGAN TO SMOKE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND NO ACTION WAS TAKEN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

I HAVE A 1998 FORD EXPLORER, 4.0L V6 WITH ALMOST 110K MILES ON THE VEHICLE. ON 2/24/10 I ACCELERATED FROM A COMPLETE STOP AND THE ENTIRE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY, DETACHED FROM THE FIRE WALL AT WHAT LOOKS LIKE THE SPOT WIELDS. THIS ALMOST RESULTED IN A ACCIDENT DUE TO IMMEDIATE VEHICLE DECELERATION. THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY IS NOW ONLY "ATTACHED" TO THE CAR VIA THE THROTTLE CABLE. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME BY BASICALLY PULLING THE THROTTLE CABLE. THIS WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS I HAD USE ONE HAND ON THE WHEEL WHILE BENDING DOWN TO PULL THE CABLE. I WAS JUST ABLE TO SEE OVER THE DASH. I WAS TOLD BY SANTA MARGARITA FORD IN ORANGE COUNTY CALIFORNIA, THAT IT'S NOT OF THEIR CONCERN SINCE THEY DON'T "FIX" PARTS BUT REPLACE THEM. THEY WOULD CHARGE ME TO "REPLACE" THE PART. SO NO FIX HAS BEEN DONE TO MY VEHICLE YET. I WILL MOSTLY LIKELY DRILL AND BOLT THE ASSEMBLY TO THE FIREWALL, SINCE FORD HAS NO INTEREST IN "FIXING" MY CAR. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND O2 SENSORS HAVE TO BE REPLACE EVERY THIRTY TO FORTY THOUSAND MILES. NOW O/D OFF LIGHT IS FLASHING AND CAR DRIVES LIKE IT IS IN FIRST GEAR, SHIFTS HARD. *TR

1998 FORD EXPLORER. PARKED AT RESTAURANT, SHUT OFF VEHICLE, WENT INSIDE. APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES LATER SOMEONE YELLED FIRE. WENT OUTSIDE TO DISCOVER SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED AND RESPONDED QUICKLY. FIRE EXTINGUISHED, BUT VEHICLE TOTALED. NO INJURIES, NO OTHER PROPERTY DAMAGE EXCEPT BURNED HEDGES THAT WERE IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHERE IT WAS PARKED. TOW TRUCK DRIVER REMARKED THAT IT APPEARED POSSIBLE THAT IT WAS ONE OF THOSE CRUISE CONTROL CAUSED FIRES AS IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED ON OR NEAR THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER, MY SON WAS USING THE TRUCK WHEN THE FIRE OCCURRED AND I AM RELATING HIS RECOLLECTION OF THE EVENTS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS TO A HOLDING YARD AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO MY HOME WHERE IT IS PRESENTLY. *TR

1998 FORD EXPLORER TRANSMISSION OVERDRIVE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND TRANS STARTED SLIPPING BADLY ALL AT ONCE. CAN NOT DRIVE NOW. I DON'T YET KNOW HOW MUCH A NEW TRANS WILL COST, BUT VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND SERVICED REGULARLY. I BELIEVE THIS TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

AFTER SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR APROX 9 HOURS, THE ENGINE AREA CAUGHT ON FIRE AT 4AM. SPECULATION IS THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH IGNITED AND CAUSED THE FIRE. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY DESTROYED, AS IS THE INTERIOR WITH SMOKE DAMAGE. *TR