This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
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.
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.
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 just for Ford to look at the vehicle. Consumer was not involved in an accident yet, but was afraid that he will.
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.
On going squealing noise coming from front wheels while driving, vehicle has been to dealer on two occasions, and the problem has reoccurred. Consumer was told that the new parts would eliminate the noise, but it has not.
- Altoona, IA, USA
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Trunk door will not shut properly. Consumer is able to slide his hand in while door is shut. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Victorville, CA, USA