1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH CONSUMER FELT VIBRATION IN THE GAS PEDAL. THE GAS PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO NEAR 100 MPH. CONSUMER HAD TO VEER OFF THE ROAD, AND PUT THE GEAR SHIFT INTO PARK TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE BUT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT DRIVER'S SEAT BACK LEVER WAS ALWAYS BEING BENT DOWN AS DRIVER WOULD EXIT SUV, CAUSING HANDLE TO JAM AGAINST SEAT FRAME. DRIVER WOULD STRAIGHTEN HANDLE IN ORDER TO CHANGE POSITION OF SEAT BACK FROM ONE DRIVER TO ANOTHER. UPON PUSHING HANDLE BACK UP INTO ORIGINAL POSITION, IT SNAPPED, BREAKING OFF AT CONNECTION POINT, JUST ABOVE TWO RIVETS ON CAM OF THE SEAT BACK ASSEMBLY. SEAT WAS IN THE MOST FORWARD UP POSITION (ACROSS DRIVERS SEAT) WHILE ACCESSING SPACE BEHIND DRIVERS SEAT, SPORT MODEL IS A 2-DOOR. HAD TO USE SCREWDRIVER AS A LEVER TO RETURN SEAT BACK TO UPRIGHT POSITION. IF THIS HAD HAPPEN TO MY WIFE (OR OTHER PERSON NOT MECHANICALLY INCLINED) SHE/THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RETURN SEAT BACK TO ITS NORMAL POSITION, AND THEREFORE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS SEAT OR DRIVE VEHICLE. THIS COULD VERY WELL CONSTITUTE A SAFETY HAZARD FOR DRIVERS THAT ARE UNABLE TO RETURN SEAT BACK TO PROPER DRIVING POSITION WHEN THIS LEVER BREAKS OFF. PART NUMBER 7862649-AAA, SEAT BACK ASSEMBLY, IS NOT AVAILABLE THOUGHT EXHAUSTIVE SEARCH ON-LINE. WHILE GOING THROUGH SCRAP YARDS LOOKING FOR LEVER ASSEMBLY, FOUND 2 OTHER DRIVER SEAT BACK LEVERS BROKEN IN SIMILAR FASHION. HAVE HAD RECALL NUMBER 03V281000 ALREADY SERVICE ON THIS VEHICLE IN FALL 2003. *AK

THE LIGHTS WENT OUT ON THE RADIO DISPLAY FOR MY EXPLORER. THE UNIT STILL PLAYED HOWEVER YOU COULDN'T SEE WHAT TRACK, THE VOLUME, OR WHAT RADIO STATION IT WAS CURRENTLY ON. I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A SIMPLE FUSE FIX BUT WAS TOLD THAT THE WHOLE RADIO HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR A COST OF $600. LUCKY ME I HAVE THE PREMIUM STEREO SO IT COSTS MORE. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH PEOPLE WHO ALL HAVE THE 98 EXPLORER SPORT AND THIS ISSUE WAS THE SAME FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON. *AK

EVER SINCE I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE THE REAR END SAGS LOWER THAN SHOULD BE EXPECTED ON MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. I SAID SOMETHING TO THE DEALERSHIP BEFORE PURCHASING IT SO THEY COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WASN'T ANYTHING WRONG. IT IS NOW A YEAR LATER AND AND THE REAR END OF MY EXPLORER HAS STARTED SITTIND LOWER EVERY MONTH I'VE HAD IT, AND I HAVE ALSO REPLACED MY SHCKS THREE TIMES SINCE I HAVE HAD FOR 1YEAR. I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AND IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT.*AK

I HAVE A 98 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE RADIO WORKS BUT DOES NOT HAVE A LIGHTING DISPLAY. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THEY KNOW OF THE PROBLEM AND THAT MOSTLY ALL EXPLORERS WILL LOSE THE LIGHTING DISPLAY, BUT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL AS OF YET. THIS IS EXPENSIVE TO FIX. IT'S NOT LIKE REPLACING A BULB OR SOMETHING. YOU'RE BASICALLY BUYING A NEW RADIO. IF THAT'S THE CASE IT WON'T BE FROM THE FORD DEALERSHIP, AND IT WON'T BE THE MANUFACTURERS RADIO WHICH WE ALL KNOW WILL CRAP OUT. *JB

WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER'S SEAT BACK COLLAPSED ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL RELATED TO THIS FAILURE THE DAY AFTER THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED. *LA THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THEY WERE ONLY REQUIRED TO REPLACE THE BOLT NOT THE SEAT. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE SEAT REPLACED AT NO COST TO HER (RECALL #03S04). * NM

CONSUMER SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS ON A BOLT THAT ATTACHED TO THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM. *LA THE VENTILATION SYSTEM LEAKED. *JB

THE CONSUMER FELT THAT RECALL #03V281000 WAS NOT ADEQUATE ENOUGH TO CORRECT THE DEFECT. THE PROBLEM REMAINED. *AK *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER HEARD A RATTLING NOISE. MECHANIC BELIEVED IT WAS THE CAM SHAFT. TOOK VEHICLE TO FORD, AND FORD STATED THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

I BOUGHT A USED 1998 FORD EXPLORER FOR MY WIFE AND AT 135,000 MILES THE CAM TENSIONER BROKE, PUTTING A HOLE IN THE VALVE COVER AND POSSIBLY RUINING THE ENGINE. I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, FLAGGLER FORD. FORD'S REPLY AT FIRST WAS, "YES THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND WE WILL FIX THIS AT NO COST TO YOU". THEY TOWED MY EXPLORER IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND CALLED ME LATER TELLING ME THAT WHILE THE TIME FOR THIS REPAIR IS NOT UP, THE MILEAGE IS OVER WHAT THEY WILL COVER. FORD SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT FOR ANYWHERE FROM $600 TO $6,000! MY MECHANIC, WHO TOLD ME THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES, SAID HE WILL FIX IT FOR $300 PLUS PARTS. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND FORD COSTOMER SERVICE, THIS GOT ME NOWHERE, AND A SUPERVISOR WAS SUPPOST TO CALL ME TODAY BUT AS OF YET...NOTHING.AFTER SEARCHING THE NET I FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS HAD THIS VERY PROBLEM. GO TO CARTRACKERS.COM AND YOU'LL FIND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY FORD FOR THIS PROBLEM. IF I WAS THE ONLY PERSON THIS HAPPENED TO, WELL I WOULD BE OK WITH THAT BUT FORD'S STANCE IS THAT WHILE ITS A DEFECTIVE PART MINE LASTED LONGER THAN EXPECTED AND THAT I GET NOTHING BUT A BILL. I HAVE NEVER SEEN DAMAGE TO A VEHICLE LIKE THIS BEFORE, AND I HAVE A DODGE AND A CHEVY WITH OVER 140,000 MILES ON THEM AND HAVE NEVER HAD A INTERNAL ENGINE PART FAIL AND RUIN THE ENGINE. PLEASE HELP ME AND THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SOLD THESE VEHICLES HAVEING NO IDEA THAT AT ANY MOMENT THEY MAY HAVE TO BUY A NEW ENGINE WHILE THE PEOPLE WHO PROFITED FROM THESE SALES JUST SIT BACK AND DO NOTHING. HAD I KNOWN THE LIFE OF MY EXPLORER WAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES I WOULD HAVE NEVER BOUGHT A FORD. THERE WAS NEVER A FORMAL RECALL PUT OUT FOR THIS PROBLEM, JUST A SERVICE BULLITEN, SO PEOPLE WHO HAD THESE DEFECTIVE TENTIONERS WERE NEVER CONTACTED. MY GUESS IS THAT FORD JUST HOPED THAT THE FAILURES WOULD OCCUR AFTER THE 100,000 MILES, AND WOULD JUST DEAL WITH THE ONES THAT DIDN'T.