1998 Ford Explorer Equipment Problems

98 FORD EXPLORER STEREO-CD-CASSETTE PLAYER, VOLUME CONTROL AND DISPLAY IS DEFECTIVE AGAIN. HAD IT FIXED OUT OF WARRANTY AT 40 MONTHS, NOW BROKE AGAIN...MANY UNHAPPY PEOPLE HAD SAME PROBLEM ON "EXPLORERFORUM.COM". SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. *TR

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

AM/FM/CASSETTE CD RADIO DISPLAY NO LONGER WORKS. AT TIMES THE DISPLAY APPEARS BUT THEN GOES BLANK FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON. CURRENTLY THE DISPLAY HAS BEEN BLANK FOR MONTHS. *JB

DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. APPEARS TO BE STUCK IN THE LOCK POSITION. HAVE READ NUMEROUS WEBSITES THAT IT IS A DEFECTIVE SPRING FROM ACE LOCK CO.

CD'S GET VERY HOT. DISPLAY HAS FAILED. AM BAND IS ALL STATIC. *NM

RADIO DISPLAY GOES OUT. CANNOT SEE THE CLOCK OR RADIO SELECTION. THIS HAS BEEN VARY DANGERIOUS IN THE WINTER DURING EARLY MORNING DRIVING WHEN I CANNOT SEE MY WATCH AND TRAVEL THROUGH SCHOOL ZONES AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE ZONE IS ACTIVE OR NOT. THE RADIO WAS REPLACED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY AND HAS SINCE GONE OUT AGAIN. *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 INFORMATION FOR THE RADIO WAS VISIBLE AT TIMES AND SOMETIMES IT WAS NOT VISIBLE. *AK *SCC *JB

NOT A SAFETY ITEM. HOWEVER THERE IS A RADIO DISPLAY PROBLEM WITH THE FORD EXPLORER'S. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE RADIO DISPLAY WAS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE EXPLORER'S. THE COST TO REPAIR IS $275. IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, I WONDER WHY IT IS NOT A RECALL ITEM. I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE FORD HAS SCREWED OUT OF $275 FOR A PROBLEM CAUSED BY THEIR FAULTY RADIOS AND NOT BY FAULT OF CONSUMERS. *NLM

RADIO LED DISPLAY DOES NOT WORK THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME.

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

SPARE TIRE IS RETAINED BY A CABLE. CABLE END FAILED. TIRE CAME LOOSE AND ROLLED INTO BUSY TRAFFIC, SENDING VEHICLES SWERVING TO AVOID IT. VERY NEARLY CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. HAD THIS BEEN AT NIGHT, OR ON A BUSY FREEWAY, THERE COULD BE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES TO HAVING 50 LBS OF WHEEL AND TIRE LET LOOSE ON THE FREEWAY. FROM INTERNET NEWSGROUPS, THIS APPEARS TO BE A FREQUENT PROBLEM AND A DESIGN FLAW. CABLE IS ABOUT 1/4 INCH THICK, AND ONCE IT FAILS THERE IS NOTHING (NO RETAINING BAR OR OTHER SAFETY FEATURE) TO PREVENT THE SPARE WHEEL FROM DROPPING INTO FOLLOWING TRAFFIC. I AM SO THANKFUL NO ONE WAS HURT THIS TIME, BUT WANT TO MAKE SURE NTSA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THANKS.*AK

THIS PROBLEM WAS FIXD ONE TIME BY FORD, 2ND TIME IT FAILED THAY SAID IT WAS OUT OF THERE HANDS. THE RADIO GET SO HOT YOU CANT TOUCH IT!THIS MIGHT START A FIRE.*AK

RADIO LIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE NOT TAKEN TO DEALER YET.*AK

RADIOS DO NOT OPERATE PROPERLY,STEERIG WHEEL WHEN GO OVER A BUMP IT SWING LEFT/ RIGHT. *AK

THE INSERTS, WHICH HOLD THE ROOF RACK TO THE ROOF, CAME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH LUGGAGE ON THE ROOF. HAD I NOT FURTHER TIED THE LUGGAGE TO THE FRONT BUMPER, I BELIEVE THAT THE ROOF RACK COULD HAVE COME LOOSE FROM THE ROOF, WITH POTENTIALLY SEVERE CONSEQUENCES TO OTHER VEHICLES. I DID TALK TO THE DEALER WHEN I RETURNED FROM THE TRIP, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY THAT TIME, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW HOW TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM.

AM/FM/CASST/CD RADIO DISPLAY QUIT WORKING. TOLD TOUGH LUCK BY DEALER, BUY A NEW ONE FOR $400. *AK

CONSUMER HAD A FLAT AND WHILE JACKING UP VEHICLE , METALJACK CRUMBLED INTO PIECES. DEALER WAS TO CONTACT CONSUMER PER MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY HAVE NOT CALLED.*AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE FELL OFF JACK. *SLC

RADIO/CD PLAYER WORKS SPORADICALLY. NLM

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM INOPERABLE. 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 )

AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS LUGGAGE RACK SEPARATED FROM THE ROOF OF VEHICLE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *AK

CD'S BECOME VERY HOT, REMOVAL CAUSES RAPIDMOVEMENT AS IF HAND WILL BURN. COULD CAUSE A FIRE OR ACCIDENT. *AK

STEREO RECIEVER FAILED.

A/C COMPRESSOR FAILED.

RADIO FAILED. MJS

RADIO LED INDICATORS FAILED. NLM

CD PLAYER IS NOT WORKING. *YC

AUDIO VOLUME CONTROL MOUNTED ON STEERING WHEEL IS OUT OF ORDER. YH

A/C FAILED. YH

I HAVE THE 6 DISC CHANGER 91P EDDIE BAUER RADIO WITH CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. AT TIMES, WHEN I USE THE CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO TURN UP THE VOLUME, THE VOLUME SHOOTS ALL THE WAY UP AND I HAVE TO USE THE KNOB ON THE RADIO TO TURN THE VOLUME DOWN. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE RADIO STATIONS LOCK UP. THE RADIO GETS "LOCKED UP" AND I HAVE TO TURN IT OFF AND THEN BACK ON TO CLEAR THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER HAS HAD THE TRUCK AT LEAST 4 TIMES AND CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. IT IS A RANDOM PROBLEM. THE SERVICING DEALER IS KINGS FORD AT 9555 KINGS AUTOMALL DRIVE CINCINNATI OH 45249 513-697-2414. THEY ACT LIKE THEY DON'T CARE SINCE THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.

STARTED TO EJECT CD. THE CD HAD OVERHEATED & MELTED CD. A DESIGN FLAW. CALLED MANUFACTURER. & DEALER. MECHANIC HEARD OF OVERHEATED CD PLAYER. CHECKED OUT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM & COULD NOT LOCATE PROBLEM. *AK