Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. 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. 67 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.
The 25 most recent of 67, in the owner's own words
1998 FORD EXPLORER TRANSMISSION OVERDRIVE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND TRANS STARTED SLIPPING BADLY ALL AT ONCE. CAN NOT DRIVE NOW. I DON'T YET KNOW HOW MUCH A NEW TRANS WILL COST, BUT VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND SERVICED REGULARLY. I BELIEVE THIS TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR
WE WERE DRIVING ALONG IN OUR 1998 FORD EXPLORER AND THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT STARTED BLINKING AND THEN IT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR. IT OCCURS EVERYTIME WE DRIVE THE CAR NOW. WE TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER, THEY SAID IT WAS A TORQUE CONVERTER AND THAT IT WAS 2000 DOLLARS. ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER IT WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THIRD GEAR. FORD DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED FOR 4000 DOLLARS. WE DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FROM 98-04 EXPLORERS, AS THEY SHARE THE SAME TRANSMISSION. LINK: HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/FORD/EXPLORER/2002/TRANSMISSION/TRANSMISSION_FAILURE.SHTML FEEL FREE TO CALL ME ANYTIME. *TR
REVERSE SOMETIMES IT WORKS SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. *TR
FAULTY TRANSMISSION IN 1998 FORD EXPLORER. VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT FROM FORD DEALERSHIP, APPROXIMATELY 4 YRS. OLD WHEN PURCHASED. TRANS. NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY AFTER FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP OR APPROX. 65,000 MILES. WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE AT ALL SHORTLY AFTERWARD. HARD AND LATE SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD, AND TRANSMISSION WILL FREQUENTLY TOTALLY DISENGAGE WHILE DRIVING AT 55 TO 60 MPH, ENGINE WILL REV., BUT CAR WILL START SLOWING DOWN. ENGINE SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BLOW UP WHILE WAITING FOR TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT. HAD TRANSMISSION REBUILT BY PRIVATE MECHANIC AND PROBLEM IS STILL THE SAME. *TR
TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR AND CLUNKS. TRANSMISSION DISENGAGING OUT OF DRIVE GEAR; WILL NOT STAY IN GEAR WHEN MOVING IN THE FORWARD (DRIVE) DIRECTION. ALMOST WAS IN WRECK DUE TO TRANSMISSION/DRIVE FAILURE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE IN TO TRANSMISSION SPECIALTY SERVICE STATION TO HAVE LOOKED AT. FAULTY SOLENOID AND STUCK MECHANISM DUE TO FAILURE. TOTAL COST OF REPAIR $1700.00. *TR
FORD EXPLORER TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ~ HAVEN'T HAD MY VEHICLE IN ABOUT A MONTH DUE TO CONTINUINING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION
THE 1998 FORD EXPLORER ACCELERATOR PEDAL FELL OFF. I WAS DRIVING AT 60 MPH IN A STRAIGHT LINE AND ACCELERATING TO 65 MPH WHEN I FELT A POP. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STOPPED WORKING. DESPITE THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS, I WAS NEARLY REAR-ENDED BY A CAR THAT DIDN'T NOTICE I WAS SLOWING DOWN ON THE FREEWAY. LUCKILY, I PULLED OVER AND STOPPED SAFELY. LOOKING AT THE BREAK, I THINK THE SHEET METAL HOLDING THE RIVETS WAS TOO WEAK.*AK ON 5/23/07 I CALLED THE FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS HOT LINE. THEY REFUSED TO HELP STATING ONLY THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON MY CAR. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND CAN VERY EASILY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT AND DEATHS. FORD SHOULD INVESTIGATE THIS AND PAY FOR REPAIRS OF DEFECTIVE MATERIALS USED OR IMPROPER INSTALLATION. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HEARD OF AN ACCELERATOR PEDDLE FALLING OFF?
DT: WHILE DRIVING IN JULY THE OWNER NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SHIFT MECHANISM. THE GEAR POSITION INDICATOR WAS NOT CORRECT. THE VEHICLE HAD A NORMAL POSITION INDICATOR FOR ABOUT 7 YEARS. THEN ONE DAY IT WENT OUT OF WACK. THE REVERSE WAS WHERE NEUTRAL SHOULD BE, NEUTRAL WAS WHERE DRIVE SHOULD BE, AND DRIVE WAS WHERE SECOND GEAR SHOULD BE. THE OWNER HAS NOT TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP OR CONTACTED THEM YET. THE OWNER HAS NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION'S PERFORMANCE, THE OWNER IS JUST CONCERNED BECAUSE HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT GEAR THE CAR WAS IN. THE OWNER ADDED THAT THE GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK YESTERDAY. THE OWNER WAS BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY. THE OWNER WAS GOING SLOWLY AND AND WENT TO PUSH THE ACCELERATOR AND IT WOULDN'T ACCELERATE. THE GAS PEDAL WAS JAMMED. THE OWNER THINKS THE PEDAL WAS DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND THERE WAS NO REACTION. THE OWNER STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND SHOUTED FOR HUSBAND TO COME OVER AND LOOK. THEN SHE TRIED AGAIN. THIS TIME THE ACCELERATOR WORKED. THIS WAS THE FIRST AND LAST TIME THE VEHICLE HAS EVER THIS PROBLEM.*AK *NM
CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BACK UP. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE BECAUSE THE REVERSE GEAR FAILED. *AK *SC *JB
HAVE FORD EXEPLORER 1998 TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN ACTING UP FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. JERKING WHEN YOU PUT IT IN REVERSE AND CLUNKING WHEN YOU PUT IT IN TO DRIVE. MY EXEPLORER JUST TURNED 60.000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION IS NO LONGER WORKING,I CAN NOT BELIEVE THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR,FROM HAVING A WRECK AND AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING TO ALL OF THE RECALLS,HAD THE BAD TIRES AND WINDSHEILD WIPERS NOT WORKING.THEY SHOULD REALLY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE EXEPLORER FROM THAT YEAR.IBOUGHT MY EXEPLORER IN OCT,98 OF THAT YEAR NEW. WHEN MY EXEPLORER WAS HIT HEAD ON ,THE POLICE ASKED IF I TURNED OFF MY AIRBAGS.THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED.*AK
THE TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS. *NLM
4 WHEEL DRIVE WILL NOT ENGAGE, AND INDICATOR LIGHT SAYS IT HAS ENGAGED.*AK
VEHICLE LOST POWER TO WHEELS, GRINDING GEAR NOISE IN ALL GEARS - PARK SELECTION WOULD NOT HOLD. *AK
THERE IS A MILD TO MODERATE VIBRATION THAT CAN BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL, FLOOR BOARD, AND CENTER CONSOLE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (MOST OBVIOUS AT APPROXIMATELY 65 - 70 MPH). IT SEEMS WORSE WHEN APPLYING SLIGHT THROTTLE, AND SEEMS TO SUBSIDE WHEN YOU LET COMPLETELY OFF THE THROTTLE.*AK
EXPERIENCING A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE TRANSFER CASE AT LOW SPEED (FORWARD AND REVERSE).*AK
TORQUE CONVERTER DID NOT DISENGAGE WHEN TRYING TO STOP THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WENT THROUGH A STOP SIGN AND STOPPED WHEN BRAKING STALLED THE ENGINE. FORD RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE SOLONOID THAT CONTROLS THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS FAILULE IS TOTALLY WITHOUT WARNING AND MAKES THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO STOP. STOPPING OCCURES ONLY WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED HARD ENOUGH TO STALL THE ENGINE. *AK
VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE, ROLLED OFF OF HIGHWAY REQUIRED TOWING. VERY DANGEROUS.*AK
VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR INTO REVERSE AND ROLLED BACKWARDS.*AK
THE DEALER INSTALLED A NEW BATTERY AND FOUR DAYS LATER, THE BATTERY WENT DEAD. *YH
TSB 99-14-02, REPAIR COST $799.40, REPAIR INCLUDES ADDING A JUMPER WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A MANUFACTURING FLAW AND THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE LISTED AS A RECALL. THE COST FOR REAPIR SHOULD BE REFUNDED BY MANUFACTURER. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
AFTER COMING OFF A HIGHWAY STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, TRIED TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND RED LIGHT CAME ON DASHBOARD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, WHERE THEY SAID THAT TRANSMISSION HAD BROKEN DOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
WHEN FOOT IS NOT ON BRAKE, VEHICLE CAN BE SHIFTED INTO ANY GEAR. IGNITION WOULD BE IN BETWEEN ON AND OFF WHEN THIS OCCURS. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, AND INFORMED BY MECHANIC ALL VEHICLES ARE DESIGNED LIKE THAT.*AK CONSUMER STATES OWNERS MANUAL SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT VEHICLE HAS INTERLOCK SAFETY AND THE BRAKE MUST BE APPLIED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR, THIS CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHERE VEHICLE RAN INTO A FENCE. *SLC
THE VEHICLE THE CONSUMER WAS TOWING CAUGHT FIRE, IT APPEARED THAT THE DRIVETRAIN/TRANSMISSION POSSIBLY OVERHEATED ON THE TOWED VEHICLE DAMAGING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT (ALL WHEEL DRIVE - OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). NLM
THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE WOULD JERK WHEN ACCELERATING, HAS DONE THIS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, THE DEALER FINALLY DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS PROBLEM WITH THE AUTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM AND MADE COMPUTER ADJUSTMENT WHICH HAS REDUCED BUT NOT ELIMINATED THE PROBLEM. THEY SAY THIS IS NORMAL, IT OCCURS WHEN ACCELERATING USUALLY A FAST ACCELERATION AND IS MORE PRONOUNCED WHEN I PULL MY BOAT. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS SIGNIFICANT JERKING OVER A PERIOD OF TIME COULD BE CONTRBUTING TO THE TIRE SEPERATION PROBLEMS OR TIRE DAMAGE. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT ANY CAR MAKER WOULD MARKET A CAR WITH THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE BEEN HAVING AND SAY THAT IS IS NOT UNUSUAL. I AM WONDERING IF THIS IS A LARGE PROBLEM SINCE THERE HAS BEEN A SERVICE BULLETIN ON IT. *AK
CONSUMER'S SON GOT INSIDE OF VEHICLE, TURNED ON IGNITION SWITCH WITHOUT STEPPING ON BRAKE PEDAL AND NOT TURNING ON ENGINE, SHIFTED GEAR WHERE VEHICLE WAS AT AN INCLINE HILL, AND VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD, CRASHING INTO A FENCE. DEALER SAID THAT WAS NORMAL ON THAT PARTICULAR MODEL.*AK
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
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