1998 Ford Explorer Visibility Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOOSE POWER BUT THE ENGINE WOULD CONTINUE TO RUN. THE VEHICLE WOULD EVENTUALLY STALL BUT WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES. IN ADDITION, THE WIPER BLADES WOULD ALSO FAIL AND WOULD NOT OPERATE AS THEY SHOULD WHEN INCLEMENT WEATHER AROSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE WIRING IN THE ENTIRE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

NHTSA ID

10446784

Incident

Dec 6, 2011

Mileage

130,000 mi

WIPERS WORKS WHEN THEY WANT TOO. POWER WINDOWS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TOO. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WORKS WHEN THEY WANT TOO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10344987

Incident

Nov 7, 2009

BLEND DOOR MOTOR FAILED PERMITTING ONLY HOT AIR TO ENTER VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10209251

Incident

Nov 17, 2007

I PURCHASED MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED FROM MY MOTHER IN JANUARY OF 2006 WITH 68000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IN FEBURARY I FIRST NOTICED VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO DEFROST THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND DEFOG THE VEHICLES WINDOWS. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS THE CLIMATE CONTROL WOULD SOMETIMES NOT BLOW WARM AIR. THIS WOULD ALSO RESULT IN A VERY COLD INTERIOR. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET I FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE 1996-1998 FORD EXPLORER AND A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CLIMATE CONTROL'S AIR BLENDING DOOR BREAKING, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO REGULATE HEAT AND COLD. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED UNTIL I COULD DETERMINE IF THIS WAS IN FACT THE ISSUE I WAS HAVING. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PARK THE VEHICLE UNTIL I WAS SURE I HAD NO NEED TO OPERATE THE CLIMATE CONTROL. I WAS INSTRUCTED HOW TO CHECK FOR A BROKEN BLEND DOOR AND INDEED FOUND MINE TO BE BROKEN. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER IN CARSON CITY NEVADA AND WAS TOLD THAT DESPITE THE FREQUENCY OF THIS PROBLEM IT WAS NOT A RECALL ISSUE AND WITHOUT A WARRANTY THE COST FOR REPAIR WAS $1100. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THE BROKEN PARTS WERE BEING REPLACED WITH PARTS CONSTRUCTED OF IMPROVED MATERIAL (NYLON) BECAUSE OF THEIR TENDENCY TO BREAK USING THE PREVIOUS MATERIAL (ABS PLASTIC). I FEEL FORD IS WELL AWARE OF THIS HAZARDOUS PROBLEM BUT BECAUSE OF THE COST, WON'T ISSUE A RECALL OR EVEN A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. INSTEAD THE LEAVE THE CONSUMER TO COUGH UP THE LABOR AND PARTS COST TO REPAIR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A REPUTABLE AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10156548

Incident

Feb 1, 2006

Mileage

70,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10142752

Incident

Nov 14, 2005

Mileage

90,000 mi

TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEM LOCKED IN COLD AC MODE. SYSTEM WILL ONLY BLOW COLD AIR DUE TO A BROKEN AIR BLEND DOOR. DRIVER CAN NOT DEFROST WINDSHIELD WITH COLD AIR CONDITIONED DEFROST. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE DRIVER. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FIXED BECAUSE THE COST WILL BE $1200.*JB

NHTSA ID

10137224

Incident

Sep 21, 2005

Mileage

150,000 mi

THE BLEND DOOR , PLENUM, THAT CONTROLS THE TEMPATURE OF THE AIR COMING INTO THE CABIN IS BROKEN IN THE SAME PLACE THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED. THIS WILL NOT ALLOW HEATED AIR TO COME FROM THE DEFROSTER VENTS RESULTING IN A SAFETY ISSUE.FAILURE DATE GIVEN IS APPROXIMATE.

NHTSA ID

10124233

Incident

May 3, 2005

Mileage

79,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON AND OFF ON THEIR ON. THIS PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT, AND CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10094134

Incident

Sep 22, 2004

THE SPARE TIRE WHICH WAS LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, SNAPPED AND FELL TO THE GROUND WHILE DRIVING. *JB (THE WENCH SYSTEM) *SC THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR WAS REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10052169

Incident

Dec 15, 2003

Mileage

80,000 mi

ONE MONTH AFTER GETTING MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER IN OCTOBER 1998 THE REAR WIPER MOTOR FAILED AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE WIPER ON ALL EXPLORERS. IN JULY 2001 THE REAR WIPER MOTER AGAIN FAILED AND WAS AGAIN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. AGAIN THE DEALER SAID THAT THIS WAS A CONTINUING PROBLEM WITH THE EXPLORERS. ON MAY 13, 2004 THE REAR WIPER MOTOR HAS AGAIN FAILED. NOW THE DEALER WANTS $320 TO REPLACE THE MOTOR ASSEMBLY. THIS TIME THERE WAS NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUING PROBLEM WITH THE EXPLORER. WITHOUT THE REAR WINDOW WIPER BEING OPPERABLE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW DURING RAIN STORMS OR WHEN THE ROAD IS WET AND DIRT SPLASHES UP ONTO THE WINDOW. THIS CREATES A HAZARD THAT FORD SHOULD ADDRESS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10072543

Incident

May 13, 2004

Mileage

44,134 mi

DEFECTIVE TIRES, HOOD LATCH, SEAT LATCH, CRUISE CONTROL, REAR WINDOW WIPER, ETC... *PH THE CONSUMER STATED THE HOOD LATCH , SEAT RECLINER, CRUISE CONTROL AND TIRES WERE ALL RECALLED. THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER AND PASSENGER POWER WINDOW WERE INOPERATIVE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10068573

BLEND DOOR BROKEN ON 98 FORD EXPLORER. THIS CAUSED THE HEATING AND COOLING IN THE ENGINE TO BE STUCK IN THE "COLD" POSITION THROUGHOUT WINTER. WHILE DRIVING IN WINTER, I HAD TO LOOK OUT THE FREEZING COLD WINDOW TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE DEFROSTER IN MY WINDSHEILD WOULD NOT HEAT THE WINDOW.

NHTSA ID

10066019

Incident

Nov 16, 2003

BACK IN MAY 2002 MY DRIVERS DOOR LOCK STUCK IN THE LOCKED POSITION IT HAS POWER LOCKS AND I COULD NOT GET IT UNLOCKED UNLESS I PULLED THE LOCK BUTTON UP WHILE I PRESSED THE POWER LOCK AND UNLOCK SWITCH OPEN AN CLOSE A MULTIPLE AMOUNT OF TIMES.I BROUGHT IT TO A FORD DEALER AND HAD IT FIXED,IT COST ME $219.35 NIT WAS THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED,IT HAS BEEN 1 YEAR ALMOST TO THE DAY AND IT FAILED AGAIN. I THINK IS A BIG SAFTEY PROBLEM BECAUSE IF THERE IS A FIRE OR THERE IS AN ACCIDENT AND THE AUTOMOBILE ENDS UP IN A LAKE OR RIVER THE DOOR LOCK CAN GET STUCK LOCKED AND A PERSON COULD GET STUCK IN THE AUTOMOBILE.

NHTSA ID

10070270

Incident

May 15, 2002

Mileage

77,657 mi

HEATER BLEND DOOR BROKEN, FORD IS AWARE OF IT IN 1995 TO ABOUT 1999-2000 FORD EXPLORERS, WITH BLEND DOOR BROKEN THERE IS NOT A PROPER FLOW OF HEAT TO THE WINDSHIELD, AND THE COST FROM FORD IS $1000.00 DOLLARS TO REPLACE, AND THEY STATE THERE IS NO RECALL OR WARRANTY. *LA

NHTSA ID

10053006

Incident

Oct 2, 2002

REAR WINDOW WIPER NOT WORKING WHEN RAINING. *LA THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES AND THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO. *PH *JB

NHTSA ID

10044188

BROKEN BLEND DOOR IN 1998 FORD EXPLORER, A/C ONLY RUNS ON HIGH AND HEAT ONLY RUNS ON HIGH, COMMON PROBLEM ON NUMEROUS EXPLORERS FROM 1995 TO 1999-2000. FORD EITHER STATES THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF IT, OR ITS NOT A BIG DEAL BUT EITHER WAY WILL NOT COVER THE 800.00 TO 1,000.00 COST TO REPAIR THE BROKEN DOOR UNIT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10033209

Incident

Apr 9, 2001

THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DETACHED FROM THE ADHESIVE. THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. MR SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10017164

FRONT WINDSHIELD FRAME IS CORRODED FROM INSIDE OUT, AND IT COULD CAUSE CONSUMER TO HAVE VISIBILITY PROBLEMS. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8017477

Incident

Aug 24, 2002

CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO DEFROST VEHICLE BECAUSE OF AIR TEMPERTURE COMING OUT OF DEFROGGER. CONTACTED DEALER. THEY SAD THIS WAS A RESULT OF BLEND DOOR CASE BEING BROKEN.*AK

NHTSA ID

8015393

Incident

Aug 1, 2001

THIS PROBLEM STARTED OUT AS AN INCONVENIENCE BUT HAS GROWN TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE DEFROSTERS FAIL TO FUNCTION. I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE HEAT/AC AND WHEN THE WINDOWS ARE HIT WITH WATER BELOW FREEZING I HAVE A SAFETY PROBLEM. AT TIMES FOG AND MOISTURE CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE WINDOW W/O PULLING OFER TO WIPE IT. THE DEALER SAYS THAT IT IS A $1000 REPAIR AND TSB'S SAY IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE. PLEASE ADVISE.

NHTSA ID

763143

Incident

May 20, 2002

BLEND DOOR IN THE VENTILATION SYSTEM DOES NOT OPERATE. LEADS TO EXCESSIVE HEAT IN THE SUMMER AND SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTY DEFROSTING THE WINDSHIELD IN THE WINTER. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO FORD. THEY HAVE BEGUN TO REPLACE THE ORIGINAL PLASTIC BLEND DOORS WITH NYLON BLEND DOORS.*AK

NHTSA ID

762402

Incident

Sep 1, 2001

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

NHTSA ID

8008389

Incident

Feb 17, 2002

WHILE DRIVING SIDE DRIVER MIRROR FELL COMPLETEY OFF THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8007752

WHILE OPENING MANUAL TAILGATE WINDOW RIGHT HINGE DETACHED AND HIT CONSUMER ON THE HEAD.*AK

NHTSA ID

8006326

Incident

Jan 30, 2002

MY CLIENT SUFFERED 3RD AND 4TH DEGREE BURNS OF RIGHT FOREFOOT AND TOES FROM EXTREME HEAT EMITTED BY VEHICLE'S MANUALLY CONTROLLED HEATER. THE HEATER VENT IS JUST INCHES ABOVE THE GAS PEDAL, DIRECTED AT DRIVER'S FOOT. BURN VICTIM REQUIRED SKIN GRAFTS, THEN 3 TOES AMPUTATED. OVER $400,000 IN MEDICAL BILLS AND TREATMENT. HEATER TESTED AT 180 DEGREES OVER THE GAS PEDAL. CLIENT'S FEET WERE NUMB DUE TO DIABETES, AND DIDN'T FEEL EXTREME HEAT WHILE DRIVING CAR ON HIGHWAY FOR 25 MILES OVER, 1/2 HOUR WITH HEATER ON. FORD SAYS "NO DEFECT" - OTHER EXPLORERS WITH SAME TEMP READINGS. *AK

NHTSA ID

759027

Incident

Oct 30, 1999