RoadVitals

1999 Ford Explorer Sport Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Jun 30, 2008
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
12%
of 93 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
5
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
4

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Ford Explorer Sport submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistance
Filed Jun 30, 2008
Fire reported

FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT 4:00AM IN MORNING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10232745
Incident
Jun 28, 2008
Mileage
150,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 4, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V336000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). IN AUGUST OF 2007, SHE CALLED HER LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY HAVE STATED SINCE THAT TIME THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALER HAS NOT OFFERED TO DISCONNECT THE SPEED CONTROL SWITCH. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,800. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

NHTSA ID
10204829
Incident
Oct 4, 2007
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 27, 2007

I HAVE A 1999 FORD EXPLORE. THE PROBLEM THAT I HAD WAS WHEN I WAS DRIVING UP A HILL GOING BELOW THE SPEED LIMIT WHILE NOT USING THE SPEED CONTROL MY FORD EXPLORE JUST STARTED TO ACCELERATE AT HIGH SPEEDS BY IT'S SELF. I COULD NOT SLOW IT DOWN. I THOUGHT THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE SPEED CONTROL BUT NO LIGHT WAS ON AND I HIT THE OFF BUTTON SEVERAL TIMES. FINALLY I HAD TO PLACE IT IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE WAS STILL ON ACCELERATION. I CALLED FORD AND THEY DID NOT HELP ME. THEN I HAD IT SENT TO A DEALERSHIP AND HAD THEM DOCUMENT WHAT WAS GOING ON WHICH THEY DID. THEY CHARGED ME SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FIX IT AND I AM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT. I AM SURE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT THIS HAS HAPPEN TOO, AND I AM WORRIED TO DRIVE MY CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10204239
Incident
Aug 15, 2007
Mileage
126,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 28, 2007
Fire reported

ON ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE & CAR WAS DEEMED TOTALED. BY THE FIRE INVESTIGATORS IT WAS CONFIRMED TO BE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE, FAULTY DEACTIVATION SWITCH. *AK

NHTSA ID
10194850
Incident
Aug 29, 2003
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 7, 2007
Fire reported

1999 FORD EXPLORER SPORT WITH 76,655 MILEAGE CAUGHT FIRE, WHICH WAS PUT OUT BEFORE MAJOR DAMAGE OCCURRUED, THE FIRE STARTED AT THE MASTER CYLINDER, AT THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. *AK

NHTSA ID
10187248
Incident
Apr 2, 2007
Mileage
76,655 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 18, 2006
Fire reported

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN I NOTICED A LOSS OF POWER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND THE ENTIRE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING. I PULLED OVER AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. I CALLED THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY CAME AND TOWED IT BACK TO THEIR SHOP. THE REPAIR MAN TOLD ME THAT A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. IT REQUIRED EXTENSIVE REPAIR. UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION HE TOLD ME THAT HE BELIEVED IT STARTED WITH THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. I WAS TALKING TO MY BOSS ABOUT A WEEK AFTER THAT AND HE INFORMED ME THAT THE 1998 EXPLORERS HAD A RECALL FOR THAT EXACT PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT YOU SHOULD INVESTIGATE THE 1999 EXPLORER SPORTS FOR THE SAME THING. *NM

NHTSA ID
10165927
Incident
Aug 4, 2006
Mileage
109,685 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 22, 2005
Fire reported2 injuries reported2 deaths reported

ON 2/14/03, I WOKE UP SCREAMING THAT I SMELL SMOKE. MY FIANCE JUMPED UP, AND WE SCREAMED FOR EVERYONE TO GET OUT- BECAUSE THE HOUSE WAS ON FIRE. THE HOUSE BURNED DOWN WITH ME BREAKING BOTH ANKLES AND MY 2 OLDEST CHILDREN DYING. FOR TWO YEARS I NEVER KNEW WHAT HAPPENED. THE CAUSE WAS LEFT UNDETERMINED. THERE WERE SO MANY HOLES INTO WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT. EVERYTHING WAS INVESTIGATED, EVEN THE STOVE. NOTHING LEADS TO THE FIRE, EXCEPT FOR THE 1999 FORD EXPLORE TRUCK THAT WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. NO ONE INSPECTED THE TRUCK BECAUSE THEY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH RECALL. I FEEL THAT HAD WE KNOWN ABOUT THE FORD CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH, WE WOULDN'T HAVE PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE. THESE VEHICLES NEED TO BE THOROUGHLY LOOKED INTO, BECAUSE THE PLACE OF ORIGIN WAS IN THE AREA OF THE GARAGE.

NHTSA ID
10137307
Incident
Feb 14, 2003
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 15, 2005

ON 08/11/05,I HAD A GENTLEMAN INTERESTED IN PURCHASING MY 1999 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. HE CAME TO LOOK AT IT, HE LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD & MENTIONED THAT FORD WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH CONNECTORS IN FRONT OF THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR & THAT SOME VEHICLES HAD EVEN CAUGHT ON FIRE! HE SAID IT LOOKED AS THOUGH IT HAD ALREADY MELTED. VERY CONCERNED, I MADE AN APPT FOR THE NEXT DAY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MOORE MOTOR SALES IN CARO, & HAD THE RECALL DONE. ON MY WAY HOME, I TRIED OUT THE CRUISE CONTROL - TO MY SURPRISE, IT DID NOT WORK! WHEN I RETURNED HOME, I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD TO FIND THE PART THAT I THOUGHT WAS TO BE REPLACED WAS STILL THERE! SO, I CALLED MOORE MOTOR SALES AND SPOKE TO HEATH PETERS. I QUESTIONED HIM WHY THIS MELTED PART WAS NOT REPLACED AND HE SAID THAT THE ONLY THING ON THE RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE WAS THE CABLE, NOT THE SWITCH. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I WAS CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF MY 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND MYSELF AT 8 MONTHS PREGNANT AS PASSENGERS. HE IMMEDIATELY SCHEDULED ME FOR ANOTHER APPT ON 08/15/05(MONDAY). OVER THE WEEKEND I TOOK THE TIME TO RESEARCH THIS ISSUE FURTHER. I DISCOVERED THIS "SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH, " HAD BEEN RECALLED IN SOME FORD VEHICLES, UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR OTHERS & MY VEHICLE HAS THE SAME SWITCH AS THOSE UNDER THE RECALL. ON MONDAY, I WENT TO MY APPT AS SCHEDULED. I INFORMED HEATH THAT I WANTED TO BE THERE WHEN THEY LOOKED AT MY SUV. I SHOWED HIM & THE SERVICE TECH THE CHARRED SWITCH. THEY BOTH AGREED THAT THIS PART HAD MELTED. I WAS INFORMED HOWEVER THAT SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS NOT ON THE RECALL AS OF YET, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE COSTS TO FIX IT UP FRONT, WITH HOPES OF EVENTUALLY BEING REIMBURSED. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER FURTHER, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS THE SAME PART JUST IN A DIFFERENT VEHICLE. AND I HAVE PROOF THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY A DEFECTIVE PART NO MATTER WHAT VEHICLE THEY DECIDE TO PUT IT IN. I THANK GOD THAT NOTHING MORE HAPPEN IN MY CASE. I'M SURE OTHERS WON'T BE SO LUCKY. *NM

NHTSA ID
10132963
Incident
Aug 15, 2005
Mileage
94,400 mi
Driver assistance
Filed May 9, 2005

DT: DRIVING WHEN HE FELT GAS PEDAL WENT DOWN, IT BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ALL ON ITS OWN IN BUSY TRAFFIC. HE WAS PRESSING BRAKE AT THE SAME TIME IN EFFORT TO STOP. COULD SMELL SOMETHING AS IF BURNING. JAMMED IGNITION INTO PARK AND PULLED KEYS OUT. VEHICLE STOPPED. CALLED TRIPLE A AND THE COPS, VEHICLE WAS TOWED. NO ACCIDENT. NO REPAIRS YET. TOW DRUCK DRIVER SUPSECTS SOMETHING WITH GAS PEDAL HAS BROKEN OFF.*AK

NHTSA ID
10120298
Incident
May 8, 2005
Mileage
75,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical+1 more
Filed Apr 22, 2004

POOR PERFORMANCE/DURABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. INCLUDES 5 RECALLS (TO DATE) AND THE NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN THE VEHICLE AFTER ONLY 72,000 MILES OF OPERATION. OTHER PARTS NOT PROPERLY FUNCTIONING AT THIS TIME ARE THE RADIO, CRUISE CONTROL, AND BRAKE LIGHTS.*AK

NHTSA ID
10067674
Incident
Apr 22, 2004
Mileage
71,900 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 4, 2002

CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME DEFECT FOR THE THROTTLE IN THEIR VEHICLE AS STATED IN RECALL NUMBER 00 V 422 000, BUT THEIR VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE RECALL IS FOR THE TWO PREVIOUS YEAR VEHICLES. ALTHOUGH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAS THE SAME SIZE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY A DEALERSHIP WHO INDICATED THAT THE CONSUMER VEHICLE IS" HAVING THE SAME DEFECT". TS

NHTSA ID
8023660
Incident
Nov 24, 2002

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .