Owner-reported complaints naming the heating or air-conditioning system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Ford Explorer 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WAS LEAKING IN THE 1998 EXPLORER, AND THE ACCUMULATOR WAS RUSTED VERY BADLY SO THAT IT TOO MAY HAVE LEAKS IN IT. FORD NEEDED TO RECALL THESE UNITS, AND REPLACE THE RUSTED ACCUMULATOR.*AK
THE AIR CONDITIONER IN MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER GRADUALLY DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. AT THIS TIME, IT IS NOT COOLING AT ALL. TODAY (JUNE 12, 2004), I READ ABOUT PROBLEMS WITH THE A/C ACCUMULATOR. I PEALED BACK PART OF THE "THERMAL BLANKET" WRAPPED AROUND THE ACCUMULATOR, AND FOUND IT TO BE RUSTED. THE AC HAS NOT BEEN COOLING IN ABOUT 2-3 MONTHS, BUT IT IS MOST INCONVENIENT AND DANGEROUS NOW WITH THE SUMMER HEAT IN FULL FORCE. *AK
AIR CONDITIONER MODE WILL COOL GREAT IN MAX A/C MODE BUT NOT IN ALL OTHER MODES. ONLY HOT AIR COMES OUT. I'VE HAD THIS INVESTIGATED ONCE IN GERMANY AND TWICE IN THE STATES. NO DEALERSHIP CLAIMED TO HAVE FOUND ANYTHING WRONG. FINALLY, THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE AIR BLENDER. IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT IS IN A LOT OF EXPLORERS FROM WHAT I SEE ON THE INTERNET. THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED TO FIX. THE INTERNET SHOWS A BACKYARD GARAGE FIX, BUT IS NOT IDEAL SOLUTION. FORD NEEDS TO CORRECT DEFECTIVE DESIGN. *LA
THE AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL FAILS TO ADJUST THE TEMPERATURE OF THE CABIN. ONLY THE MAX A/C CONDITION WILL BLOW COLD AIR, WHILE ANY OTHER SETTING BLOWS VERY HOT AIR REGARDLESS OF THE OUTSIDE OR INSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSIS WAS TO REPLACE THE PLEMUN CHAMBER AND ACTUATOR + FREON, WHICH RESULTS IN A $1,200 REPAIR. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DEFECTIVE DESIGN ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER AS THE VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 5 YEARS OLD. DT
AIR CONDITIONER MODE WILL COOL GREAT IN MAX A/C MODE BUT NOT IN ALL OTHER MODES. THE HOT AIR ONLY COMES OUT. I ALSO AS A RESULT OF THIS HAVE HAD THE THERMOSTAT READ HOT UNLESS I TURN ON THE VENT, WHICH ALSO TURNS OUT HOT AIR. I WENT TO THE DEALER WHO SAYS IT IS THE PLENUM, A DOOR IN THE AIR CONDITIONER. IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT IS IN ALOT OF 98 EXPLORERS FROM WHAT I SEE ON THE INTERNET. THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED TO FIX. IF THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING OR TOLD ABOUT IT WHEN I WENT TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER.*AK
VEHICLE STALLS FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NLM
THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READS COLD ALL THE TIME, THE ENGINE WHISTLES SOMETIMES AT LOW SPEED AND IDLE AND THE CONDENSOR WENT UP - ALL PRETTY MUCH AT THE SAME TIME THESE STARTED. (TIRESIZE: P3575R)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P3575R )
CYLINDER WASN'T FIRING AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT; AC NOT FUNCTIONING AT FULL CAPACITY.
WHEN I TRIED TO USE THE AC IN MARCH IT BLEW OUT ONLY HOT AIR. A NEW COMPRESSOR HAD TO BE PUT IN IT. IT STILL LEAKS UNDER THE DASH WHEN IT RAINS HARD OR GOING THROUGH CAR WASH. REAR WIPER MOTOR BURNT OUT. WIPER WOULD NOT WORK, HAD TO BE REPLACED. REAR SEAL, PINON SEALS, AND REAR DRIVE SHAFT WERE REPLACED TWICE. THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR PANEL AND WINDOW RATTLED REALLY BAD. HAD REPAIRED. NOW FRONT DRIVER DOOR PANEL AND WINDOW RATTLES. HAD A "VIBRATING" NOISE REPAIRED. WHEN VEHICLE IDLED A PIECE OF METAL VIBRATED. SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE GONE TO TURN ON THE HEADLIGHTS AND THEY WON'T COME ON. I HAVE TO TURN THE BUTTON SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THEY WILL COME ON. AFTER MY AUTO HAS SET OVERNIGHT AND I START IT, IT IDLES VERY ROUGH FOR A FEW MINUTES. THE GAS PEDAL HAS BEEN STICKING FOR QUITE A FEW MONTHS. ONLY WHEN YOU INITIALLY PUSH ON THE GAS TO GO. YOU HAVE TO TAP ON IT TO GET IT TO UNSTICK; THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THIS, THE PA
ON FRIDAY, MAY 14TH, 1999 AT APPROXIMATELY 9:15 PM, I WAS DRIVING MY FORD EXPLORER ON THE NY THRUWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN TO SPEEDS UP TO 70 MPH WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION. I APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THE VEHICLE ONLY SLOWED DOWN TO 50-55 MPH. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED FOR A FEW MINUTES (SINCE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO), I DECIDED TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF AND THAT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO GLIDE THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER ROAD ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, OURSELVES OR ANYONE ELSE. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT FROM TO INVESTIGATE AND FIND OUT WHAT CAUSED THIS PROBLEM. TO MY AMAZEMENT, THE SERVICE DEPT. INDICATED THAT THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND THAT I COULD TAKE IT HOME. I TOLD THEM I CAN'T ACCEPT HIS RESPONSE AS AN ANSWER FOR ALMOST LOSING MY LIFE, AND THAT I WANT THEM TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF WHY THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN AND UNEXPLAINED ACCELERATION. SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE RUN-AROUND AND NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE IN GETTING THIS MATTER RESOLVED QUICKLY BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE IS PUT IN DANGER WITH THIS VEHICLE, OR OTHER ONES IN THIS CLASS THAT MAY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER AND PLEASE CALL ME IF YOU NEED ANY FUTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THIS MATTER. *AK
A/C FAILED. YH
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .