1998 Ford Explorer Recalls, Problems & Safety Rating

1998 Ford Explorer recalls

Most common 1998 Ford Explorer problems

Problem areas named in the 1,959 complaints owners filed with NHTSA.

Problem area	Reports
Tires	750
Vehicle Speed Control	287
Engine And Engine Cooling	206
Electrical System	120
Visibility	117
Suspension	116
Power Train	108
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	94
Steering	74
Seats	71

What owners report

2020-01-09, Seats
SPEED CONTROL GETS HOT TO TOUCH. ALL TOP FACING HAS MELTED OFF FROM HEAT. I WAS ON HIGHWAY AND MY STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY HOT. MY SEAT WAS REPAIRED AFTER RECALL YEARS AGO. IT CONTINUES TO DROP LOW TO FLOOR.

2019-12-06, Air Bags
MY SEAT BELT ON MY PASSENGER SIDE DOES NOT WORK HALF THE TIME. MY DOOR LOCKS DO NOT WORK RIGHT. I CAN'T GET MY WINDOW ON THE DRIVER SIDE TO GO UP AND DOWN. I HIT A TREE GOING 55 MILES AN HOUR IN MY AIRBAG DID NOT EVEN DEPLOY. I'M LUCKY I'M STILL ALIVE. THE FENDERS RUBBING UP AGAINST MY TIRE. SPEED CONTROL IS WRONG. WHENEVER I'M GOING 55 MILES AN HOUR IT SAYS 57 ACTUALLY I DON'T REMEMBER THE CORRECT DATE. BUT I'M SURE IT SHOWS I KNOW IT WAS 2017. SOMEBODY RAN ME OFF THE ROAD. MY TRUCK HIT THE TREE AND MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I'M LUCKY IT DIDN'T I GUESS BECAUSE DON'T AIRBAGS HAVE METAL SHARDS IN THEM IS WHAT I WAS TOLD

2019-10-13, Fuel/Propulsion System
PARKED IN PARKING SPACE STARTED CAR PUT IN REVERSE, ENGINE ROARED, ACCELERATED IN REVERSE APPLYING BRAKES DID NOTHING , BOTH FEET ON BRAKES , TURNED WHEEL SO THAT CAR WAS NOT TO HIT PARKED CARS BEHIND US, CAR CONTINUED RACING IN REVERSE WITH CONTINUED APPLYING BRAKES, THRU IT INTO PARK CAR CONTINUED IN REVERSE , TURNED KEY OFF & CAR CONTINURED IN REVERSE UNTIL HITTING PARKED CAR WHICH STOPPED US TOTAL DISTANCE ABOUT 200 FEET, WHICH SEEMED A LOT LONGER,I FELT I DID EVERYTHING CORRECTLY MAYBE IF THROWN IN NEUTRAL BRAKES WOULD HAVE WORKED, VERY FRIGHTING HAVING NO CONTROL TO STOP

2019-07-14, Structure
DOOR LOCKS AND WINDOWS QUIT WORKING AFTER BUYING IT. SO MANY ISSUE ..THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROL WORDS MELTED. BACK DOOR DON'T SHUT PROBABLY AND NEVER HAS SINCE BOUGHT. THIS WAS BOUGHT AS A NEW NOT USED VEHICLE. DOOR LOCKS WAS THE WORSE.THEY SOMETIMES STICK AND WON'T UNLOCK SINCE BOUGHT NEW.NEVER FIX BY BUTLER FORD IN MILLEDGEVILLE GA. OVERDRIVE SWITCH SLIPS OUT OF POSITION. DOES NOT SHOW CORRECT SPEED. I COULD GO ON AND ON

2019-04-15, Electrical System
MY EXPLORER HAD BEEN PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR WELL OVER 15 HOURS WHEN I HEARD MY NEIGHBOR SCREAMING. THE SUV WAS FULLY IGNITED INTO FLAMES.JUST OUT OF NO WHERE. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE FIRE OUT WITH MY WATER HOSES BEFORE THE GOTTA DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP BUT THE ENTIRE VEHICLE IS RUINED AND HALF MY GARAGE AS WELL. THE FIRE STARTED DOWN BY THE BRAKES AND THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGOLFED WITHIN SECONDS. OBVIOUSLY IT WAS ELECTRICAL. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I BELIEVE IT WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH MALFUNCTION. MY SUV HAD 134,000 MILES ON IT AND KEPT IN IMMACULATE CONDITION. I WILL DOWNLOAD THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS REPORT ONCE TO GET IT. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INF

1998 Ford Explorer questions

Does the 1998 Ford Explorer have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 9 safety recalls for the 1998 Ford Explorer: Vehicle Speed Control; Vehicle Speed Control; Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner; Vehicle Speed Control; Exterior Lighting. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.

What are the most common problems with the 1998 Ford Explorer?

Based on 1,959 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are Tires (750), Vehicle Speed Control (287), Engine And Engine Cooling (206).

How do I check if a recall on my 1998 Ford Explorer has been fixed?

Enter your 17-character VIN in our VIN recall check. It shows open recalls that have not been repaired on your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.