1998 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR Complaints

PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE THE VEHICLE SPED UP ON ITS OWN. THE HARDER I BRAKED THE FASTER THE ACCELERATION. THE RPM'S RED LINED AND I LOOKED DOWN AND ALL GAUGES WERE GOING CRAZY. IT FELT AS IF I LOST ALL POWER STEERING AND BRAKING. I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. STARTED IT BACK UP AND ALL SEEMED FINE. THE NEXT DAY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. IT IS AT THE DEALER TODAY AND THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS. I WAS VERY SCARED. *JB

I WAS DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF ROAD THROUGH RIVERSIDE, PA DOING 35 MPH WHEN I EXPERIENCED VIOLENT SHAKING IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. I HAD EXTREME DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ALMOST HIT 3 PEOPLE WALKING ALONGSIDE THE ROAD. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE I DISCOVERED THAT THE INNER TIE ROD HAD BROKEN AND THAT THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY TURNED INWARD. THE INNER TIE ROD AND ASSOCIATED MECHANICAL PARTS WERE REPLACED. (OLD PARTS NOT AVAILABLE). *JB

AUTOMOBILE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED IN GARAGE CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO HOUSE. MRS. BURT, THEN PREGNANT, FELL WHILE TRYING TO LEAVE BURNING HOUSE. *NM

I DROVE FROM MAINE TO MASS. APPROX 170 MILES, WE STOPPED AT MY BOYFRIENDS MOTHERS HOUSE FOR 20 MIN. I GOT BACK IN MY CAR STARTED IT UP AND IT HAD A HORRENDOUS NOISE UNDER THE HOOD. IT SOUNDED LIKE A MOTORCYCLE WAS IN MY ENGINE. I DID NOT FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE IT ANYWHERE. WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED HOME AND OUR MECHANIC TOLD US THE BAD ...AWFUL NEWS AND THE EXPENSE. I HAVE A BLOWN SPARK PLUG AND NEED A HELICOIL RESULTING IN A NEW MOTOR OR MINE BEING TAKEN APART (WHICH ONE IS CHEAPER) I AM A SINGLE MOM AND CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THE PART AS I HAVE A $350 A MONTH PAYMENT ON THIS VEHICLE!!! FORTUNATELY THIS HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE PARKED AND STARTING IT UP AND NOT SOMEWHERE ON THE MASS OR MAINE INTERSTATE. CONTACTING FORD HASN'T WORKED, I JUST GOT A GENERIC EMAIL ACTING LIKE THIS IS NEWS TO THEM YET I CAN FIND DOCUMENTATION ALL OVER THE INTERNET FROM PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE!!!! *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PULLING INTO A DRIVEWAY AT 5 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS LIGHTLY DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE SURGED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN NEUTRAL AND THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF, THE VEHICLE THEN STOPPED. AN AUTO PARTS STORE CHECKED THE COMPUTER FOR CODES, AND FOUND ONE FOR THE AIR SENSOR. THE COMPUTER WAS RESET, BUT THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. UPDATED 06/12/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE VEHICLE TREMBLED AND GEARS WOULD NOT CHANGE WHEN THE SPEED REACHED 40 MPH. THERE WAS ALSO AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL THAT ACCOMPANIED THE SHAKING. ONCE THE VEHICLE REACHED 75 MPH, THE SHAKING STOPPED. HOWEVER, WHEN THE SPEED WAS LOWERED, THE SHAKING BEGAN AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT BOTH REAR DOORS WILL NOT OPEN CORRECTLY. ALTHOUGH THE CHILD LOCKS HAVE BEEN DEACTIVATED, THE DOORS STILL WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DOORS WERE NOT INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC.

WOKE AT 4:00AM TO THE SMOKE AND FIRE OF OUR VEHICLE FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS LOCATED IN OUR DRIVEWAY. IT WAS PARKED AT ABOUT 9:50AM THE DAY BEFORE..ROUGHLY ABOUT 18 HOURS BEFORE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. MY WIFE AND MOTHER IN LAW GOT OUR THREE KIDS OUT INTO THE BACK YARD. TWO OF THE KIDS WERE WITHIN 20-25 FT. OF THE FIRE WHEN THEY WERE SLEEPING. I WENT OUT TO THE GARAGE AND TRIED EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO ANY GOOD. I THEN HOOKED UP THE WATER HOSE AND BEGAN USING THE HOSE ON BOTH THE CAR AND THE SIDE OF OUR HOUSE WITH MOST OF MY EFFORTS ON KEEPING THE HOUSE WET SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY ABOUT 8FT FROM THE HOUSE. I GOT HIT IN THE LEG AND CHEST WITH MATERIAL THAT FLEW WHEN ONE OF THE TIRES BLEW OUT. LATER, THE OTHER FRONT TIRE AND WINDSHIELD BLEW. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED, MOSTLY FROM THE FRONT. THE SIDING ON THE HOUSE WAS BUCKLED FROM THE HEAT, AND THE GARAGE DOORS AND CONCRETE BIB AROUND THE DRIVEWAY NEEDED TO BE PRESSURE CLEANED TO REMOVE ALL THE SMOKE RESIDUE. OUR INSURANCE COMPANY TOOK THE TRUCK ON A FLATBED AND DECLARED IT A FULL LOSS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT HAD I NOT STUCK IT OUT AND RISKED MY LIFE KEEPING WATER ON BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE VEHICLE THAT THE HOUSE WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY CAUGHT ON FIRE, ALTHOUGH I WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN THE CHANCE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATES THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS DISCONNECTED BY A DEALERSHIP ACCORDING TO A RECALL REPAIR. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, #05V388000 ON THE VEHICLE REGARDING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THEIR VEHICLE ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT THEIR LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 2/7/2006 - *NM

MY AUTO, A 98 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR, SOMETIMES WILL NOT START. THE STARTER JUST GRINDS & VEHICLE CANNOT BE STARTED OR MOVED EXCEPT MANUALLY. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME, EVEN IN TRAFFIC, IF ENGINE STALLS. IT OCCURS WITH ENGINE HOT OR COLD. I ALSO INCUR THIS DEFECT NOW WITH MY 2000 FORD EXPEDITION. I BELIEVE THE VEHICLES ARE MANUFACTURED WITH A DEFECTIVE FLYWHEEL ASSEMBLY. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED ON 7-10-04 H 1998 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAR WAS NOT DESTROYED. SHE GOT IT REPAIRED. RECALL 05V017000 INCLUDED THE 2000 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR, BUT DID NOT INCLUDE THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. SHE WANTED TO KNOW WHY THIS CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. SHE CALLED BACK IN 04 TO REPORT THAT THIS CAR WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. AS STATED IN RECALL #05V388000 THAT HAS JUST COME OUT AND INCLUDES 1998 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. SHE HAS NOT CALLED FORD YET TO SEE IF VIN NUMBER WAS INCLUDED. SHE WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIRS BACK IN 2004.*AK