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U.S. public vehicle records

1998 Ford EXPLORER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

1,559 owner complaints analyzed

9 distinct recall campaigns

100,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 306 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Tires:Tread/Belt is the most frequently named component, appearing in 355 of 1,559 complaints (22.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior1227.8%
Steering behavior724.6%
Engine operation613.9%
Electrical and battery issues463.0%
Transmission and shifting332.1%
Fuel system concerns151.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Tires:Tread/Belt
355
Tires
312
Vehicle Speed Control
100
Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal
70
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
47
Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner
40
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
38
Electrical System
35
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Tires:Tread/Belt355
Tires312
Vehicle Speed Control100
Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal70
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine47
Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner40
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline38
Electrical System35

Tires:Tread/Belt: 355; Tires: 312; Vehicle Speed Control: 100; Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal: 70; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 47; Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner: 40; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 38; Electrical System: 35

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
11
25,000 to 49,999
20
50,000 to 74,999
49
75,000 to 99,999
72
100,000 to 149,999
102
150,000 and above
52
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00011
25,000 to 49,99920
50,000 to 74,99949
75,000 to 99,99972
100,000 to 149,999102
150,000 and above52

Under 25,000: 11; 25,000 to 49,999: 20; 50,000 to 74,999: 49; 75,000 to 99,999: 72; 100,000 to 149,999: 102; 150,000 and above: 52

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (102). 1,253 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000
757
2001
226
2002
118
2003
108
2004
79
2005
69
2006
33
2007
34
2008
34
2009
27
2010
22
2011
9
2012
8
2013
3
2014
9
2015
9
2016
2
2017
1
2018
5
2019
5
2020
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
2000757
2001226
2002118
2003108
200479
200569
200633
200734
200834
200927
201022
20119
20128
20133
20149
20159
20162
20171
20185
20195
20201

2000: 757; 2001: 226; 2002: 118; 2003: 108; 2004: 79; 2005: 69; 2006: 33; 2007: 34; 2008: 34; 2009: 27; 2010: 22; 2011: 9; 2012: 8; 2013: 3; 2014: 9; 2015: 9; 2016: 2; 2017: 1; 2018: 5; 2019: 5; 2020: 1

Pattern summary

Tires:Tread/Belt leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 122 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 72 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 61 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10004052 · 2003-02-28 (February 28, 2003)

THE BRAKE SENSORS WERE FAULTY, THE DRIVER SEAT BOLT HAD BROKEN AND FELL WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER DOOR LOCK WAS DEFECTIVE, AND THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE. SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004052 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10004068 · 2003-01-16 (January 16, 2003)

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE ELECTRONIC MODULE ATTACHED TO THE CRUISE CONTROL ASSEMBLY IS DEFECTIVE. THIS CAUSES THE CRUISE CONTROL TO ENGAGE AT VERY LOW SPEEDS WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004068 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10000433 · 2002-12-31 (December 31, 2002)

ELECTRICAL FIRE IN STEERING COLUMN. WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AT NIGHT, DRIVE LIGHTS WENT OUT AND STEERING COLUMN WAS GLOWING AND SMELL OF BURNT PLASTIC. WIRING HARNESS, MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH BOTH MELTED. NO AFTER MARKET ADD ON OR MODIFICATIONS MADE TO VEHICLE. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000433 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10010596 · 2003-03-17 (March 17, 2003)

I WAS DRIVING WHILE TOWING A TRAILER AND HEADLIGHTS, PARKING LIGHTS, AND FOG LIGHTS WENT OUT AND SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. AFTER COOLING OFF, I DROVE THE REST OF THE WAY HOLDING THE DIMMER SWITCH BACK TOWARDS ME FOR 2-AND-A-HALF HOURS. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 81,884 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010596 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10005767 · 2003-02-12 (February 12, 2003)

THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BATTERY DISCHARGING . ALSO THE ENGINE WAS STALLING . I HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP 4 TIMES , AND FINALLY THEY CHANGED THE THERMOSTAT . THE BATTERY HAS STARTED DISCHARGING AGAIN

Owner-reported narrative. 90,037 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005767 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10017572 · 2003-04-25 (April 25, 2003)

THE ENGINE STALLED OFF WHILE DRIVING. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017572 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10018093 · 2003-05-02 (May 2, 2003)

THE TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10018093 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10031126 · 2003-08-08 (August 8, 2003)

VEHICLE ENGINE IDLE WILL JUMP UP TO 2300 RPMS WHILE IN PARK OR NETURAL WITHOUT TOUCHING GAS PEDAL, A/C AND ACC'S OFF. THE ONLY WAY THIS IS NOTICED IS WHEN YOU SHIFT OUT OF DRIVE WHILE ENGINE IS RUNNING, OR HEAR THE TRANSMISSION MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND TYRING TO DOWNSHIFT AT SUCH A HIGH RPM. VEHILCE WILL ALSO INCREASE SPEED ON IT'S OWN WITHOUT PRESSING GAS PEDAL. IT'S ALMOST A DAILY OCCURANCE.

Owner-reported narrative. 34,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10031126 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10039647 · 2003-09-10 (September 10, 2003)

FUEL LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE, CAUSING A FIRE. THE LOCATION OF THE FUEL LEAK HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 98,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10039647 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10039763 · 2003-09-11 (September 11, 2003)

AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED, AND THEY SAID FIRE WAS DUE TO A FUEL LEAK. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10039763 at NHTSA ↗