Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||||
| 15692 | 03/01/2002 | 636326 | Some vehicles may exhibit a squeak, snap, rattle, or clunk in the front end when turning or going over bumps. *tt | 11/07/2002 | |
| 14371 | 09/01/2000 | 618639 | Subject regarding pop / creak noise from the rear underbody while driving. *jb | 04/18/2001 | |
| 5249 | 12/01/1998 | 615366 | Information on vehicles exhibiting steering wheel shimmy, vibration or grunt on slow speed turns. *tt | 01/13/2001 | |
| 4634 | 08/01/1998 | 615172 | Steering wheel shimmy, vibration or grunt on slow speed turns. *tt | 01/03/2001 | |
| 6699 | 08/01/1999 | 608437 | Some vehicles with a4wd may exhibit a vibration / pulsation felt from the driveline in the steering wheel and floorpan on acceleration / light tip-in at 25-35 mph when in 4 auto mode. *tt | 11/03/2000 | |
| 12947 | 07/01/1999 | 610749 | Some vehicles may exhibit a high pitched squeal or whistle type noise from the front end at speeds from 10 mph to 40 mph. *tt | 05/12/2000 | |
| 13004 | 07/01/1999 | 610753 | Some 4.0l vehicles with a4wd may exhibit a vibration / pulsation felt from the driveline in the steering wheel and floorpan on acceleration / light tip-in at 25-35 mph when in 4 auto mode. *tt | 05/12/2000 | |
| 13426 | 10/01/1999 | 609691 | Exhibiting very light steering vibration / shimmy / nibble at engine idle or low speeds. *tt | 04/06/2000 | |
| 13350 | 10/01/1999 | 609644 | Some vehicles with a4wd built prior to 9/13/99 may exhibit a vibration / pulsation at 0 - 45 mph. *tt | 04/05/2000 | |
| 996887 | 08/01/1999 | 608882 | Some 4.0l vehicles with a4wd may exhibit a vibration / pulsation at 0-45 mph on dry pavement under light to moderate acceleration. *tt | 12/06/1999 | |
| 9998 | 05/17/1999 | 606430 | Experiencing drift / pull to the right conditons. *tt | 08/20/1999 | |
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||||
| 042419 | 12/13/2004 | 10014096 | Revised procedure for adjusting alignment on all suspensions - new right hand upper control arm design for torsion bar front suspensions. *tt | 04/28/2005 | |
| 98-4732 | 09/01/1998 | 607144 | Steering wheel shimmies, vibration or grunt on slow speed turns.. | 11/02/2000 | |
| 985045 | 11/01/1998 | 613097 | Revised message regarding steering wheel shimmy, vibration or grunt on slow speed turns action on sohc equipped vehicles, perform tsb 98-21-01. *tt | 06/16/2000 | |
| 12947 | 07/01/1999 | 610749 | Some vehicles may exhibit a high pitched squeal or whistle type noise from the front end at speeds from 10 mph to 40 mph. *tt | 05/12/2000 | |
| 98021698311 | 05/27/1998 | 600596 | Some vehicles may exhibit a drift/pull, show signs of tire wear, or exhibit poor ride quality. *yc | 05/27/1998 | |
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM | |||||
| 16385 | 11/01/2002 | 10008322 | Air ride control lamp on after shock absorber replacement / contact request. *tt | 07/27/2004 | |
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - STABILIZER BAR | |||||
| 7360 | 11/01/1999 | 610786 | Some vehicles may exhibit a squeak noise from the rear while driving, especially when going bumps. *tt | 05/15/2000 | |
| SUSPENSION - REAR | |||||
| 16735 | 04/01/2003 | 10002643 | Various noise issues from the rear leaf springs while driving. *tt | 09/09/2003 | |
| 0083 | 04/17/2000 | 613577 | Some vehicles equipped with a 5.0l engine may exhibit a rubbing noise during right hand turns from the rear of the vehicle. **mr | 07/21/2000 | |
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SPRINGS - COIL SPRINGS | |||||
| 13415 | 10/01/1999 | 609679 | Exhibiting a squeak type noise from the rear stabilizer bar while driving, especially when going over bumps. *tt | 04/06/2000 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||
| 10/02/2012 | 100000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1998 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph, a noise emitted when the steering wheel was being maneuvered. the malfunction occurred whenever making a turn. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the front and rear ball joints were defective. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000. pmb | |||
| 10/02/2012 | 100000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1998 ford explorer. while driving approximately 5 mph, a noise emitted when the steering wheel was being maneuvered. the vehicle was diagnosed by a certified mechanic who stated the front and rear ball joints were defective. the malfunction occurred whenever making a turn. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000. js | |||
| 06/01/2002 | 3 | 08/01/2001 | |
| At high speeds vehicle shakes and will not stay in lane, and steering wheel is very loose. *ak the consumer had rack and pinion installed, but it started leaking and become loose. *yh | |||
| 03/02/2002 | |||
| When brakes are applied their is a loud noise from front end of vehicle, and underneath of vehicle vibrates.contacted dealer.*ak | |||
| 06/07/2002 | |||
| While traveling on highway without prior warning vehicle wandered from lane to lane. *ak | |||
| Shakes bad, no shock rebound, sways and hard to steer. *ak | |||
| 02/17/2002 | 3 | 02/01/2002 | |
| When making turns, especially right turns, vehicle slides and almost turns over.*ak. consumer states vehicle is experiencing acceleration problems,and there was a humming noise coming from the engine, signals are not working, dealer replaced a defective connector and multi-function switch, firestone tires have experienced tread separation, which were replaced in july 2001, the rear seats move/bounce when driving, the rear seat belts were inoperative, the dealer replaced the buckles, there was smoke coming from the steering column, dealer replaced the multi-function switch, the windshield was chipped, the alarm would not chut off at times, dealer replaced a bad loose wire.*jb | |||
| 07/22/2001 | |||
| Vehicle was approximately going 60mph when a loss of steering caused vehicle to jerk side to side and roll over. metal fatigue caused the hydrualic rack and pinion to burst and leak fluid. this manufacturer was notified, and vehicle was totaled. | |||
| 07/03/1999 | 1 | 03/21/1998 | |
| Consumer states that while driving, vehicle suddenly experienced a rollover, resulting in major injuries to passenger and driver, the roof crushed in on the passenger and broke his neck, consumer is concerned about the design of the roof. *slc | |||
| 01/03/2002 | |||
| While driving 35-40 mph it started to snow rear of vehicle twisted a bit, then started to spin sideways. vehicle rolled over, and landed on passenger's side. driver's rear tire was flat. damage to vehicle was $ 5000.00. no injuries.*ak | |||
| 1 | 09/20/1998 | ||
| Vehicle suddenly went out of control and almost rolled over. while changing lanes between uneven pavement, three of the tires were on newly paved lane, the other on old pavement. the vehicle suddenly without any warning began to rock uncontrollable from side to side. | |||
| When making a left turn or accelerating to left vehicle completely shuts down, cause unkown. also, consumer has concerns about wheels being out of around. please give any further details. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Firestone tires were replaced due to recall 00t005, however consumer states replacement tires (not firestone's) experience the same vibration and when making a turn it feels like vehicle is going to rollover, problem is possibly suspension related. *slc | |||
| 12/01/1997 | |||
| Explorer roll over killed my sister-very unsafe vehicle-didn't have firestone tires-vehicle is very unsafe and they should be removed from the roads-she was going 35mph and swerved to avoid a head on collision with another vehicle in her lane-explorer flipped and she was killed instantly | |||
| 12/01/1997 | 0 | ||
| Vehicle shimmies and makes a groaning noise. *ak | |||
| 05/01/2001 | |||
| Vehicle is leaning to right. took vehicle to dealer numerous times. vehicle bounces and rocks to left and right as well. dealer cannot remedy. *ak | |||
| 08/07/2000 | |||
| While driving vehicle would vibrate once it goes over 30mph. there would be severe shaking & hard to control. this would happen when just idling or waiting. sometimes vehicle would stall out. *ak | |||
| 03/25/2001 | |||
| While driving 50-55 mph vehicle started spinning and started to roll. consumer had been driving on a straight part of highway, damage to vehicle unknown at this time. *ak | |||
| 1 | 08/10/1998 | ||
| Vehicle leans to the left. nlm | |||
| 09/14/2000 | 4 | ||
| Consumer had recalled (00t005) firestone wilderness at tires replaced with dunlop, however after the replacement tires were on the vehicle it vibrated and shook badly, after the tires have been balanced 4 times, the vibration and shaking still exists, this problem could be a suspension or tire problem. *slc | |||
| Severe vibration at 62mph - ford said characteristic of vehicle would not fix or repair. *ak( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 ) | |||
| 06/25/2000 | 01/01/1998 | ||
| Severe blowout, rollover 4 times resulted in paralized back seat occupant, shoulder belt did not deploy, only lap then released at 3 rollover( dot number: ) | |||
| 03/01/2000 | 0 | ||
| When it hits twenty mph or when applying the brakes vehicle will pull to the left or right. consumer feels this is an unsafe way to drive.*ak | |||
| 04/16/2000 | 1 | 10/01/1998 | |
| Vehicle rolled after gpoing out of control when tires came in contact with gravel on shoulder. *ak | |||
| 11/06/1999 | 1 | 05/01/1999 | |
| Crm loves vehicle but there is alot of noises and vibrations and being a secon owner and having so many miles on the vehicle i haven't contacted about these problems nor had them fixed due to cost of repair.crm is looking into buying another vehicle of this sort but now not necessarily ford. *ak | |||
| 07/15/1999 | 1 | 01/01/1998 | |
| Vehicle is not able to be properly aligned due to the design of the camber unit, consumer has to purchase a camber kit in order for the vehicle to not pull to the right (alignment failure). mjs | |||
| 09/16/1998 | |||
| Vehicle experiencing problem with vibration whenever moving out of a tight parking space while turning the wheel. also, fuse to power window kept blowing out for unknown reaso.; dealer notified and unable to correct the problem. can nhtsa help inthis matter. *ak | |||
| 09/16/1998 | 4 | 03/01/1998 | |
| Vehicle vibrates from 0 to 60 mph. it can be felt in the steering wheel , seats and center console. it is very noticeable when starting on an incline. in some cases it feels like something is banging. the dealer and mfg. both tell me this in a normal condition and that there is nothing they can due to corrent this situation. i am afraid that as this vibration continues, something (drive shaft, break hose, trans or rear seals) will eventually start to break down or leak. if a break line or hose vibrates and begins to leak no telling what can happen !!! | |||
| While driving a loud noise occurs under the vehicle. dealer cannot identify the problem. *ak | |||
| 07/01/1998 | |||
| While driving 25 mph had to make a fast right, causing the vehicle to tip over to the passenger side, which almost caused an accident. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Driver loss control of vehicle while towing a 23.5 ft travel trailer which swayed as he drove at 35mph on a dry road in calm weather. | |||
| 09/24/1998 | 3 | 09/17/1998 | |
| While driving anywhere between 20-50 mph there is a whistling and grinding noise in the wheels on the right side. this prolbem has been corrected by the dealer three times, and the problem has started up again. also, around the beginning of november 1998, when turning the steering wheel to left, a rubbing and a grinding noise came from the steering wheel. dealer stated that this prolbem was not dangerous, and that a part would be ordered to correct problem. problem has not been corrected. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Vehicle experiencing extreme vibration. | |||
| 09/19/1998 | |||
| While driving at any speed and when driving at 65 mph, the vehicle started to vibrate and shake. also, there was a leakage coming under the vehicle near the engine. contacted the dealer for repairs, and the vehicle was in for repairs twice. vehicle will be taken back to the shop for additional repairs. *ak | |||
| 08/19/1998 | 1 | 03/28/1998 | |
| Vehicle suspension does not provide adequate stability. while driving in wet conditions, the driver loss control at 45mph and struck a guardrail. | |||
| 1 | 03/31/1998 | ||
| Vehicle roll over occurred while trying to avoid another vehicle, poor stability. | |||
| 06/19/1998 | 1 | 03/26/1998 | |
| While driving with trailer connected to vehicle, both started swaying, then lost control, resulting in a collision. then trailer jack-knifed, bringing both vehicles to a stop, and causing damage to explorer. no injuries. | |||
| 04/25/1998 | 1 | 12/28/1997 | |
| While driving on dry straight road at approximately 55 mph vehicle jerked suddenly to the left. when attempting to correct steering, vehicle went out of control and veered to the right, the spun back to the left. turned around on the road backwards and flipped on passengers's side and slid into median. also, abs brakes/suspension and transfer case failed. | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||
| 11/14/2005 | 90000 | 1 | 10/06/2005 |
| Dt: contact stated that right after purchasing the vehicle he had replace the brakes, tires, fuel filter, the fuel injection was cleaned , the anti lock sensors where replaced, the windshield was replaced . the air bags are also deployed. while driving the vehicle it vibrates on the left side. he took the vehicle to a mechanic they put the vehicle on a rack trying to line the vehicle. it would not line up. they found that the ball joints bad, also the motor mounts are broken. the mechanic told him that the frame is bent beyond repair. *nm | |||
| 08/04/2005 | 3 | 06/16/2005 | |
| Dt: 1998 ford explorer. the contact states there is a broken sway bar link pin. he states this is happening again and again. this has happened three times since they purchased the vehicle. the vehicle will pull to the left and then pull to the right real badly. the vehicle was then taken to the place of purchase. they replaced the sway bar link pin twice. this started on august 4, 2005. the vehicle was taken to dealer on august 8, 2005 . then the problem started less than 20 days later. *ak | |||
| 07/06/2004 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle locked up after about 1/2 hour of driving. consumer called ford, and had an appointment to take the vehicle in for this problem. but it will cost consumer $100.00 just for ford to look at the vehicle. consumer was not involved in an accident yet, but was afraid that he will.*ak | |||
| 03/04/2003 | 1 | ||
| Front end felt loose and vehicle was veering to the right due to cracked ball joints. engine check light appeared, and a red brown liquid was leaking from driver's side because power steering rack was defective. also, dealer replaced timing gear, and upper and lower intake manifolds.*ak | |||
| 12/28/1999 | 3 | 07/01/1998 | |
| On going squealing noise coming from front wheels while driving, vehicle has been to dealer on two occasions, and the problem has reoccurred. *ak consumer was told that the new parts would eliminate the noise, but it has not.*jb | |||
| 01/16/2002 | 2 | 03/01/1998 | |
| Took explorer in to local ford dealer to have firestone wilderness at tires replaced plus a wheel alignment done. dealer said that alignment could not be done until both front tie-rod ends were replaced. said that tie-rods were good enough for yearly auto inspection but not for long. i had them replaced but thought that replacement at 30,000 miles was a little premature. after looking at your complaint database, i noticed that others had reported tie-rod and ball joint failures on the '98 explorer's so i thought i should send mine in also even though no accident occurred and it may not actually be considered a safety defect. this truck has never been taken off-the-road either. *ak | |||
| 12/31/2001 | 0 | ||
| While driving could feel the vehicle pulling to the side of road. had taken vehicle to dealer, where an aligment could not correct problem. please provide more information.*ak | |||
| 12/07/2001 | 0 | ||
| While driving about 70-80 mph vehicle will start vibrating without any notice. consumer had replaced four sets of tires, and had an aligment done on vehicle. but, vibration still continued. dealer could not determine what was causing vibration. please provide more information.*ak | |||
| 10/12/2001 | 1 | 09/01/1998 | |
| Car driving40 mph on straight, wet, cement terrain, during daylight hours. driver attentive with hands at 10 & 2 position beginning to acclerate. back wheels of vehicle begin to shimmy, shake. front of vehicle begins to veer left. driver steers car away from cement embankment, left tire goes slightly up embankment, no collision. car straightend out, driver begins to acclerate again car veers sharp right hits embankment head on, vehicle does complete rollover. tie rod completely severed. both times car veered driver attempted to correct car, but unable to steer vehicle.*ak | |||
| 08/01/2001 | 0 | ||
| When back out there is a popping noise coming from front tire. *ak | |||
| 06/01/1998 | |||
| After being cut off on i-287, the explorer went into a series of swerves which became uncontrollable. it finally flipped over on the driver's side and skidded along the roadway on its side. driver sustained a broken rib and a collapsed lung. the road was dry and clean. the tires were new michelins. the car should not have gone out of control and flipped.*ak | |||
| Whenever vehicle hits a bump it would jerk either to right or left. this causes steering wheel to jump out of driver's hand. contacted dealership and manufacturer, and informed consumer it was front end suspension. *ak | |||
| 12/15/1999 | |||
| Vehicle experienced poor directional control after vehicle hit a bump or pothole in road while traveling at speeds in excess of 35 mph. dealership informed consumer that there was nothing wrong with vehicle. please provide any additional information/attachments. *ak | |||
| 05/01/2001 | 1 | 05/06/2000 | |
| Trunk door will not shut properly. consumer is able to slide his hand in while door is shut. *ak consumer contacted dmv and found out vehicle had been in an accident, consumer specifically asked for a vehicle that had not been damaged, however dealer sold it to him anyway, consumer feels deceived and is experiencing multiple problems with vehicle. radio is inoperative at times. hatch rubs agains frame of vehicle. taillight and headlight are out of alignment, fog lights had lamp failure. vehicle experiences problems with absorbing road shock, vehicle pulls to right. check engine light illuminates, vehicle experiences low power. rear power window motor failed. power antenna failed. right windshield wiper interior garnish molding loose, rear wiper blade skips center of glass, dealer replaced rear wiper arm and blade assembly. steering gear assembly replaced due to noisy. bumper not even. *slc | |||
| 03/01/2001 | |||
| There was squeaking noise coming from front of vehicle as if shocks were going bad in vehicle. in march, dealership informed her that there was nothing wrong with vehicle. on may 11, 2001- after the warranty expired, dealership informed consumer that following components needed to be replaced: both upper ball joints, right outer tie rod , and alignment. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak | |||
| When driving 40 mph vehicle hit a patch of ice in the road and vehicle went off to side road, and fliped three times. possible cause of the problem may be linked to tires. please provide any further details.*ak | |||
| 03/01/1998 | |||
| Engine starting failure has caused the car to be left two times, each time it stumbled and when it did start my wife put it into drive at which time it rolled into traffic and cut off again. this is dangerous, the shop i took it to could find no bad codes and had no idea why it happened. i found a tsb concerning it on your website so now i know others are having the same problem. concerning the squeeling coming from the front end at speeds from 0-40, i took it to a shop and they sprayed some lubricant on it but the noise returned, i am afraid that something is going to fail in the front end and again. i found a tsb concerning the same problem on your site, so i am not alone in this problem. the oil leak was noticed when the squeal problem was investigated and again i noticed a tsb conserning the rear main seal leaking.*ak | |||
| 03/01/1998 | |||
| 15 wheel too small for vehicle, suspension not as stable as a 2000 year model, rear wiper failed 2 times (also failed in 2000 model,) turn signal cancels too quickly/easily replaced 2 times still lousy, (dot number: not applic tiresize: 235/75/r15) | |||
| 07/01/2000 | |||
| Experiencing problem with vehicle tilting too far when making a turn at 20 mph. dealer notified, and informed consumer that nothing could be found, and everything appeared to be normal. feel free to provide any further detai on this matters. *ak | |||
| 1 | 05/01/1998 | ||
| While driving the vehicle it has a lot of creaking and knocking noises coming from under the front of explorer, you can feel the knocking through the steering wheel. have not found anything broken. | |||
| 09/01/2000 | 05/01/1998 | ||
| Vehicle experiences vibration and slight drift to the right around 65 mph. rotated tires every 5000 miles, however inside of front tires experience severe cupping. at 35000 mile service, brought to bankston ford (frisco tx) for maintenance. tires rotated, but nothing noted on service report about severe cupping on inside of tires by bankston. grew frustrated with lack of service and disregard for safety, took to goodyear dealer. tires were worn to the 2nd layer and near failure, and shown to me by tech. replace with goodyears & had alignment checked, needed slight toe in adjustment. vehicle still vibrates at 65 mph, already seeing cupping wear pattern on inside of brand new goodyears with less than 500 miles!. *ak( dot number: tire size: p255/70r16 ) | |||
| 09/01/2000 | 1 | 12/01/1998 | |
| Sidewall failure/partial separation - r&r kit necessary to bring vehicle into alignment specifications( dot number: w2uu tire size: p226/70r15 ) | |||
| 09/12/2000 | 1 | 12/01/1997 | |
| While driving vehicle will start vibrating. consumer had replaced tires to correct vibration, but still there was vibration. shock asorber had been replaced and vibration continued. consumer believed that could be a vehicle problem. *ak the consumer has went through 4 sets of tires which start cuppping after 15000 miles, the tiresare balanced and rotated every 5000 miles. a new shock was put on which helped vibration some but not completely. the pinion bearing rear axle went out at 36000 miles. *slc | |||
| 4 | 03/01/1998 | ||
| Tires show stress crack where the belt is attached to cassion, tire have developed a vibration at 45 mph to 70 mph, i have removed all 5 tires from vehicle and replaced them with michlen tires, since i live in ga, the voluntary recall for our area was not schedule till october, so in the name of safey i relplace them with no assistance from firestone.the dot number indicates these tire were not from firestone's decatur il plant, but i have 5 tires(dot w2hl 128) that have a problem. *ak( dot number: w2hl128 tire size: 235/75r15 ) | |||
| 07/30/2000 | 4 | 05/01/1999 | |
| Truck started developing control problems, fishtailing and vibrating. noticed that tire treads were separating. took to firestone dealer and replaced all 4. 2 of them were bulging and separating a great deal, the other 2 were starting to develop minor bulges. we were lucky that we stopped before we lost complete control. *ak( dot number: ) | |||
| 01/01/2000 | 0 | ||
| While driving at any speed vehicle pulled to the left. consumer stated this could cause an accident. *ak | |||
| 08/01/1998 | |||
| Tire is showing signs of unusual tread wear. tire rotation occurred at 35000 miles and alignment was checked. tire is wearing towards the inside and another tire is showning similar signs of wear. the tire is creating excessive road noise. *ak( dot number: e27477 tire size: p235 75r15 ) | |||
| 04/04/1999 | 4 | 09/01/1998 | |
| Suspension problems began after a heavy load was in the vehicle.(400-500 lbs) the front end rode 1 foot above the rear end.since then the car has handeled quite differently,and has constant loud squeaks and grinds. the bushings recently were removed and greased,under carriage arms in front had to be replaced. problem appears to be ok,why did this start at 6000 miles? hesitation during hard acceleration,always from stop,crossing intersection.extensive throttle body,housing repair work neccessary,recalls did not solve the problem.two friends with 98 explorers have had exact problems with load carrying and suspension problems.hesitation problems as wellave had ecact problems not solve the problem er carriage | |||
| 08/11/1999 | 09/01/1998 | ||
| I bought my truck in sept 1998. in aug 1999 i took it into the dealer because the drivers mirror vibrates at speeds of 55mph and up. also the steering wheel vibrates and the left front tire feels like it is going to come off at about 65 mph. i have everything documented and have been in now 7 times. the first time they changed the mirror, the 2nd the balanced/rotated the tires, the 3 time they had me buy new tires, the 4th the put another set of new tires on, the 5th i had the service mgr and head mechanic drive it again the tires were balanced/rotated, the 6th time the regional service manager drove it. then a factory rep from ford motor company came down from detroit and called me on the phone. with each time i had it in i was told it is normal for a mirror to vibrate but each of them said they didn't feel the virbration in the front end or steering column. i wrote a letter to the owner of the dealership along with a c/c to the president/ceo of ford motor co. i stated the ga lemon law/new car warrenty act of 1990 and per the lemon law giving them 1 more opportunity to fix the problem. the service manager called me on 11/4/99 and i took it in the am of 11/5/99 for the 7th time. he looked the suspension over and said he could not find anything wrong. i have copies of everything i mailed out and all the times i have been in. the vehicle has gotten worse, it is hard to see anything out of the drivers mirror at 50 mph and i can not see anything at 70 mph. the left front tire feels like it is going to come off when i reach about 65 mph, and it also is hard to control the vehicle. the steering wheel has a vibration in it and the front seats now have a vibration. i feel very unsafe in this vehicle. i ask on 11/5/99 about a replacement and the service manager said the dealership said they would not do that. i would have to go persue the lemon law. i don't want my children or anyone else to get hurt. please help!! | |||
| 10/22/1999 | 0 | ||
| Consumer stated that while driving vehicle about 40 mph the left front tire start vibrating also the left side mirror where the consumer can not see other vehicle. | |||
| 05/11/1999 | 1 | 01/01/1998 | |
| Also experiencing right flood light failure. this is the 3rd bulb replacement. i, the customer would like some resolution to these problems. the vehicle cost too much to experience these many problems.( dot number: 274 tire size: p235/75r15 ) | |||
| 07/20/1999 | 1 | 06/01/1998 | |
| Vehicle would lock into and out of 4-wheel drive rapidly on dry, smooth pavement for no reason ,causing vehicle to lurch and lag ( jerking ) and causing front left wheel hop and vibration. dealership has removed the 4 wheel drive capabilty of this vehicle to reslove the problem instead of repairing. the originally equipped 4 wheel drive explorer is now only 2 wheel drive. indicator lights on dash now continuously flash providing somewhat of a drivers distraction. also vehicle has a loud squeal in front end at speeds from 1 thru 40 mph which one failed repair attempt has been made. also vehicle engine has loud mechanical engine noise ( knocking and banging ) in upper engine area. *ak | |||
| 02/14/1999 | 1 | 01/24/1999 | |
| Left front suspension bolt missing / fell off, causing suspension to collapse, damaging the spindle / brake hose / wheel sensor, the wheel rim and tire. | |||
| 03/15/1999 | 03/01/1999 | ||
| Very loud, intermittent, squealing from front end. dealer first stated that the problem was the dust seals/boots, but according to other shop, there aren't any. next they said it was the front brakes: they only had 5k miles of use left, and the rotors were too worn. i had new rotors and pads installed, but the squeal is still there. it occurs with brakes applied or not, with engine on or off(just rolling down a hill), but only when vehicle is moving. does not change when turning. reference other odi ids: 700845, 702219, 702959, 703052, 703270, 703848, 704071, 829016, 834307, 834481. *ak | |||
| 02/03/1999 | 3 | 11/01/1998 | |
| Serious power steering leakage. taken to dealer twice, and told it's been repaired - still unresolved. also continual squeaking in right front wheel. dealer states cannot repair. *ak | |||
| 12/01/1998 | 2 | 05/01/1998 | |
| A squeeling type grind in left front end occurs daily when vehicle driven, independant of speed variation, sound can be heard through closed windows; dealership will not perform repair after two attempts, engineering at ford unable to determine cause so far,noise is piercing to driver and surrounding area driven. | |||
| 04/24/1998 | 7 | ||
| The front end makes noise & vibrations continuously. the wheels & steering wheel also shake. vehicle was aligned. had springs changed. the problem still has not been corrected.*ak | |||
| 8 | |||
| Vehicle pulls right when brakes are applied. problem has occurred 8 times. vehicle's alignment is faulty. *ak | |||
| 11/10/1997 | |||
| While driving 50 mph wide left curve and right side tire went on the shoulder of the road and right rear tire skidded out, tried to straighten out the vehicle, the vehicle fishtailed and tried t correct the fishtail, had a rollover. started at the driver's side. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM | |||
| 05/23/2003 | 1 | ||
| The upper ball joints and lower ball joints were warped. *nlm | |||
| 12/04/2001 | 1 | 05/23/1998 | |
| Consumer stated vehicle experiencd premature wear of the front ball joints and tie rods, dealer has been notified. *ak *yd | |||
| 07/23/2001 | 01/01/1998 | ||
| The truck's ball joint and suspension was lose starting at 30,000 miles. replaced 10 months later by dealer. truck difficult to control during this time, but we thought it was the recalled tires. | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER ARM | |||
| 06/08/1998 | 1 | 10/20/1997 | |
| Lower control arm failed. yh | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER BALL JOINT | |||
| 06/30/2005 | 42538 | 06/17/1998 | |
| Front suspension ball joints front wheel bearings and brake rotors | |||
| 03/01/2001 | 1 | 10/30/1997 | |
| Lower ball joints were shot. problem was found during routine maintenance. this was what caused vehicle to rattle when hitting bumps or cracks in road.*ak consumer was advised that ball joints have no grease joints and that is why they failed .*jb | |||
| 1 | |||
| Lower ball joint loose. nlm | |||
| 07/06/2000 | 1 | 02/01/1999 | |
| Air conditioner failed due to a defective accumulator....not covered by ford esp plan. also, lower ball joints failed....covered by ford esp plan. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER BALL JOINT | |||
| 06/30/2005 | 42538 | 06/17/1998 | |
| Front suspension ball joints front wheel bearings and brake rotors | |||
| 01/06/2004 | 04/06/2000 | ||
| I own a 1998 ford explorer. in january i took it to be serviced because the steering seemed off and i do alot of highway driving. the problem turned out to be the suspension--the upper ball joint separation. i was told i was an accident waiting to happen. this was a very costly repair and i would hope this could be investigated to prevent any accidents that could occur if this is a problem that no one realizes is out there. | |||
| 06/06/2003 | 1 | ||
| No description given. *ak *nlm | |||
| 05/29/2003 | 1 | ||
| While traveling on the highway and without prior warning upper ball joints broke, causing consumer to lose control of vehicle. please fill in additional information. *ak | |||
| 03/01/2001 | |||
| There was squeaking noise coming from front of vehicle as if shocks were going bad in vehicle. in march, dealership informed her that there was nothing wrong with vehicle. on may 11, 2001- after the warranty expired, dealership informed consumer that following components needed to be replaced: both upper ball joints, right outer tie rod , and alignment. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak | |||
| 1 | 08/21/1998 | ||
| Upper ball joints failed. *slc | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - HUB | |||
| 06/30/2005 | 42538 | 06/17/1998 | |
| Front suspension ball joints front wheel bearings and brake rotors | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SHOCK ABSORBER | |||
| 12/07/2001 | 0 | ||
| Consumer had experienced some problems with suspension. had to replace shocks and tires. currently, dealer indicated that wheels needed to be replaced also to correct the problem. please provide more information.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM | |||
| 04/13/1999 | 1 | 12/01/1998 | |
| During a routine check-up the air suspension was knocked out causing the ride to be noisy, bouncy and uncomfortably. nlm | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - TORSION BAR | |||
| 11/05/2000 | 3 | 06/01/1998 | |
| Car has never driven properly. dealer just discovered on third complaint (wheels lift off ground) that the torsion bar was installed on the wrong side during manufacturing. this mistake could have killed someone. *ak | |||
| 10/01/1998 | 1 | 06/26/1998 | |
| Vehicle experienced sway bar / bushing failure. *yc | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - STABILIZER BAR | |||
| 03/20/2008 | 80500 | 2 | 02/15/2006 |
| During the annual vehicle safety inspection, it was reported that the two front suspension stabilizer link bolts were broken. each bolt had failed as a result of rust and corrosion at the upper end where it attached to the stabilizer. this resulted in a degradation of handling ability, which in a suv vehicle with high center of gravity, could have caused a serious accident. parts were replaced and i am retaining what is left of the failed parts for further examination. *tr | |||
| 11/17/2003 | 98000 | 2 | 06/01/2002 |
| My wife was driving our 1998 ford explorer eddie bauer and experienced a sudden pull to the left. upon arriving at our mechanic, la autobody - newton ma, we were informed that we were missing both of our sway bars. has there been other complaints from ford truck owners? if so when will a recall be demanded by the nhtsa. according to our mechanic he has seen this many times and it can cause accidents on the road. *la | |||
| 01/15/2002 | 1 | 07/14/1998 | |
| There was vibration in vehicle while driving at any speed and making a right turn. an independent mechanic examined vehicle and determined that stabilizer bar broke on left side, and needed to be replaced. *ak *yh | |||
| 11/01/1997 | |||
| Vehicle susceptable to lateral windshear which causes temporary loss of control. mgm | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - WHEEL BEARING | |||
| 10/31/2006 | 64957 | 1 | 08/23/2003 |
| Failure of front wheel bearing hub assembly. wheel broke loose leaving vehicle undrivable. wheel bearing hub assembly had to be replaced. *jb | |||
| 07/14/2004 | 103000 | 6 | |
| Since purchasing a used 1998 ford explorer i have been blessed with nothing but problems with it. 6 months after purchasing the vehicle my wheel bearings went out and damaged the spindle. this was a $500 expense as the spindle was a dealer part. when i purchased it there were 26000 miles on it...there were about 36000 when the bearings went out...just as the warranty expired. then, about a year later, the upper air intake manifold got a hole burned in it. again, ford couldn't offer me any kind of help and said it was a $800-1000 repair. on a side note, this type of problem was a known issue by ford. in fact, recalls were made by ford to replace the intakes free of charge to fleets but not to the general public. just recently my freeze plugs rusted through and caused my car to overheat. this has been quoted by ford as a $1300 repair. i called ford to see about some sort of goodwill warranty and of course anything with goodwill in the equation is definitely something ford will not do. i currently have 2 years left on the loan for a piece of crap car that isn't even worth half of what i still owe on it. i am really thinking of taking it back to the dealer and parking right in front of the entry way and taking the keys with me and telling them to stick it up their rears. ford makes the whole car industry look really bad and in no way would i ever buy another ford. please help us consumers out and make the game fair between the auto industry and consumers...we are getting ripped off left and right while they keep getting richer and richer. *la | |||
| 07/25/2002 | |||
| While driving on a dirt road right front tire got sucked into car. vehicle swerved, and hit a tree and exploded. vehicle occupants were able to exit from vehicle.*ak | |||
| 01/01/1999 | 1 | 08/01/1998 | |
| The wheel bearing seals are defective causing noise in the front end. nlm | |||
| 10/01/1998 | 1 | 06/26/1998 | |
| Vehicle experienced sway bar / bushing failure. *yc | |||
| 11/01/1998 | 1 | ||
| Wheel bearing failure. | |||
| While driving the front wheels make an high pitch noise that gets louder the faster consumer drives the vehicle. the dealer has been contacted. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR | |||
| 09/22/2003 | 1 | ||
| While driving at any speed there was heavy rear vibration. dealer and manufacturer had to this point refused to acknowledge that there was anything wrong with the vehicle.*ak | |||
| 11/15/2000 | 1 | 12/01/1999 | |
| No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak | |||
| 08/14/1998 | |||
| When making a right or left turn rear end of the vehicle slips and a loud noise occurs. after numerous attempts, dealer has not identified the problem. *ak *ml | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SPRINGS - COIL SPRINGS | |||
| 06/29/2002 | 44087 | 1 | 03/13/2002 |
| Defective alternator, rear axle seals, and oxygen sensor. *scc | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SPRINGS - LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY | |||
| 06/01/1998 | 06/01/1998 | ||
| Left rear spring assembly failed. | |||
| 2 | 10/04/1997 | ||
| When a load is placed in the cargo area the rear end sags terribly. in addition, while driving 25 mph rear axle jumps/hops, making it very difficult to control vehicle. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SPRINGS - LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY - LEAF | |||
| 06/14/2001 | 1 | 06/01/2000 | |
| We towed a boat within the vehicle specs, which caused the leaf springs in the back to fail. ford has to this point refused to acknowledge that there is anything wrong with the vehicle. the vehicle rides three inches lower in the rear than in the front. | |||