1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT

145 complaints filed with NHTSA.

145
Complaints
5
Crashes
17
Fires
13
Injuries
0
Deaths

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH23
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER11
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES9
TIRES7
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD7
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE5
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM5
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL4
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.4
EQUIPMENT4
TIRES:TREAD/BELT3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING3

Recent Complaints

20090720FireEXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS FAILED AND THE FUSES WOULD CONTINUOUSLY BLOW OUT. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSTALLED NEW FUSES IN THE VEHICLE AND MADE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS, BUT THE FUSES BLEW OUT AGAIN THE SAME DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC. WHILE AT THE REPAIR SHOP, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS PARTIALLY DESTROYED AND WOULD NEED

Mileage: 132,000

20090720FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS FAILED AND THE FUSES WOULD CONTINUOUSLY BLOW OUT. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSTALLED NEW FUSES IN THE VEHICLE AND MADE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS, BUT THE FUSES BLEW OUT AGAIN THE SAME DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC. WHILE AT THE REPAIR SHOP, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS PARTIALLY DESTROYED AND WOULD NEED

Mileage: 132,000

20090720FireVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS FAILED AND THE FUSES WOULD CONTINUOUSLY BLOW OUT. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSTALLED NEW FUSES IN THE VEHICLE AND MADE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS, BUT THE FUSES BLEW OUT AGAIN THE SAME DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC. WHILE AT THE REPAIR SHOP, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS PARTIALLY DESTROYED AND WOULD NEED

Mileage: 132,000

20090720FireSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS FAILED AND THE FUSES WOULD CONTINUOUSLY BLOW OUT. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSTALLED NEW FUSES IN THE VEHICLE AND MADE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS, BUT THE FUSES BLEW OUT AGAIN THE SAME DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC. WHILE AT THE REPAIR SHOP, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS PARTIALLY DESTROYED AND WOULD NEED

Mileage: 132,000

20090115FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS WERE NOTIFIED. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ON FIRE WHEN THEY DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL. THERE WAS NO POWER RUNNING THROUGH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN DIAGNOSED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 15

Mileage: 158,000

20070325CrashSTEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM

RIGHT FRONT STEERING KNUCKLE CRACKED IN HALF, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING AND A RESULTING CRASH. *AK

Mileage: 107,000

20070221FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK, PULLED INTO DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE, CONTACTED THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO RESPONDED AND EXTINGUISH THE FIRE... THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. *NM

20060817CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

I WAS IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT 12/2003 MY SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN ME, I WAS THE PASSENGER IN MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CAR RAN INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. AT THE TIME OF IMPACT BOTH AIR BAGS WENT OFF. AT IMPACT I FLEW UP FROM MY SEAT, DIDN'T TOUCH THE AIR BAG BUT I HIT THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE WITH MY FACE. I BROKE THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE, REAR VIEW MIRROR, STEREO, TWO AIR VENTS, AND THE COUNSEL BETWEEN THE FRONT SEATS. THE RESULTS FROM MY SEAT BELT NOT WORKING WAS 50 PLUS STITCHES TO MY FO

Mileage: 110,000

20060726FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

1998 FORD EXPLORER CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED IN GARAGE. *JB

Mileage: 93,000

20060627FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER CAUGHT FIRE IN MY GARAGE AFTER BEING PARKED FOR 3 HOURS CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE. *NM

20060605FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

98 FORD EXPLORER SPORT ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE 10 MINUTES AFTER VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT RESIDENCE- ENGINE COMPLETELY BURNED LEAVING VEHICLE TOTALED. *NM

Mileage: 174,537

20060322FireVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

I ARRIVED BACK FROM TAKING MY SON TO THE PARK AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00PM, WATCHED TV AND THEN FIRED UP THE GRILL AROUND 7:45PM. I CAME BACK IN THE HOUSE AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE. I YELLED UPSTAIRS TO MY HUSBAND AND ASKED IF HE HAD HEARD THE NOISE, HE YELLED BACK AND SAID, CALL 911 YOUR TRUCK IS ON FIRE. HE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO FIGHT THE FIRE WITH TWO FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND THE WATER HOSE. WE WERE SCARED AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD NOT YET ARRIVED AND WE WERE WORRIED IT WAS GOING TO BLOW UP AS IT WA

Mileage: 138,000

20051205FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I AM THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF MY NIECE'S 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. ONE AFTERNOON I DROVE THE 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TO THE SUPERMARKET, AND PHARMACY. THE 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT WAS RUNNING FINE, ALL THE GAUGES WERE IN THE MIDDLE, NO SMOKE, NO SMELLS, NO PROBLEMS. . AFTER ARRIVING HOME I PARKED THE FORD 1998 EXPLORER SPORT IN MY DRIVEWAY, APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET FROM THE GARAGE DOOR, AND APPROXIMATELY 4 FEET FROM THE ENTRANCE TO MY HOUSE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, SHUT OFF AND SITTING IN THE DRIVEW

Mileage: 103,000

20051006FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

FORD EXPLORER SPORT 2 DOOR CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE. IT WAS NOT TURNED ON IT JUST CAUGHT FIRE ON IT'S OWN. *JB

Mileage: 195,000

20050425FireVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

AFTER VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR SIX HOURS THE OWNER WAS AWAKENED BY SOME NEIGHBORS AND INFORMED THAT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. WHICH WAS COMING OUT OF THE FENDER WELL AND CONSUMED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENEAND DETERMINED THAT CRUISE CONTROL WAS CAUSE OF THE FIRE. *AK

Mileage: 94,000

20050425FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

AFTER VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR SIX HOURS THE OWNER WAS AWAKENED BY SOME NEIGHBORS AND INFORMED THAT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. WHICH WAS COMING OUT OF THE FENDER WELL AND CONSUMED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENEAND DETERMINED THAT CRUISE CONTROL WAS CAUSE OF THE FIRE. *AK

Mileage: 94,000

20050424CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

MY CAR HYPER-ACCELERATES AT RANDOM EVEN WHEN THE BRAKE IS ON IT HAS CAUSED 2 ACCIDENTS RESULTING IN PROPERTY DAMAGE ONE RECENT WHICH THE INJURY RESULTS ARE PENDING. I AM FEARFUL THAT THE CAR WILL NOT STOP AND SOMEONE WILL BE SERIOUSLY INJURED. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WROTE TO THE MANUFACTURER BUT TO NO AVAIL. I CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER CAR OR EVEN A TRADE IN. I JUST PUT NEW BRAKES ON THE CAR AND THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. THE DATE BELOW IS FOR THE MOST RECENT ACCIDENT. THE CAR HAS DON

Mileage: 40,000

20050417FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I HAVE A 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORTS THAT CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE THE ENGINE WAS OFF AND PARKED IN MY GARAGE. I PARKED THE CAR AT AROUND 7:00 PM AND AROUND AFTER 10:00 PM HEARD A LOUD EXPLOTION IN THE GARAGE. MY FAMILY WAS ALREADY IN BED AND I WAS WATCHING TV. WHEN I OPEN THE ACCESS DOOR TO THE GARAGE THE FRONT PART OF THE EXPLORER WAS IN FLAMES. WE CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND PUT OUT THE FIRE, BUT THE CAR IS RUINED. MY SECOND CAR IS DAMAGED AND MY GARAGE IS ALSO DAMAGED. NO ONE WAS H

20050303FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

1998 FORD EXPLORER CAUGHT FIRE AT 4:30 AM,UNDER THE HOOD ENGULFED IN FLAMES CALLED FIRE DEPT THEY CAME AND PUT FIRE OUT. THE WHOLE ENTIRE MOTOR, AND FRONT OF TRUCK RUINED,NOT DRIVABLE. I FILED A CLAIM WITH FORD THE DAY AFTER FIRE,THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE LIABLE BECAUSE THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON 1998 EXPLORERS. *JB

Mileage: 100,000

20050201CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED AFTER A HEAD-ON COLLISION. *AK