1998 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

CONSUMER NOTICED HAIRLINE CRACKS ALONG THE SIDEWALL ABOUT 1 INCH FROM THE TREAD OF TWO TIRES AND ONE TIRE HAS CRACKS AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE TIRE, THE TIRES WERE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL AND CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT OF REPLACED TIRES (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES P235/75R15). NLM

PE00023; TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: OWNER REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES BECAUSE OF SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION. THERE IS A CRACK ALL AROUND THE TREAD OF THE TIRE. TIRE SIZE P23575R15, DOT # VNHL1PY058. *AK THE CUSTOMER GAT NEW TIRES TO AVOID TIRE BLOW OUT. *YH

CONSUMER HAD RECALLED TIRES REPLACED AND REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT, CONSUMER BELIEVES IT IS TAKING AND EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME (5 WEEKS) FOR IT TO ARRIVE. NLM

ONE OF CONSUMERS FIRESTONE TIRES WAS RECALLED AND REPLACED, CONSUMER FEELS THE REMAINING TIRES WERE A POTENTIAL RISK AND HAD THEM REPLACED, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES ON THE VEHICLE ARE ALL EXPERIENCING FAILURE, TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL OOT-005. *MJS

CONSUMER FIRESTONE TIRES STARTED SHOWING SIGNS OF WEAR AND THE CONSUMERS REPLACED ALL FIVE TIRES, A FEW DAYS LATER THE RECALL STARTED. NLM

15" WHEEL TOO SMALL FOR VEHICLE, SUSPENSION NOT AS STABLE AS A 2000 YEAR MODEL, REAR WIPER FAILED 2 TIMES (ALSO FAILED IN 2000 MODEL,) TURN SIGNAL CANCELS TOO QUICKLY/EASILY REPLACED 2 TIMES STILL LOUSY, (DOT NUMBER: NOT APPLIC TIRESIZE: 235/75/R15)

VEHICLE PARKED. NOTICED CRACKS ABOUT 1" FROM TREAD ON CASING. BEEN TO TIRE RETAILER & FORD & WAS INFORMED TIRES NOT RECALLED. BROUGHT DIFFERENT TIRES FOR VEHICLE. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, P235/75R15 WITH 32,000 MILES MADE AT W2 PLANT.*AK

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES ROAR WHEN CONSUMER BRAKES OR WHEN THE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP, CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCES QUICK STEERING BECAUSE OF THE SHORT WHEEL BASE. *SLC

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235 75 R15) ARE INCLUDED IN RECALL 00T005, CONSUMER HAS NOT YET RECEIVED REPLACEMENT TIRES. *SLC

CONSUMER STATES THAT FIRESTONE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE TIRES THAT WERE RECALLED WITH TIRES THAT WERE NOT RECOMMENDED BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER, NO OTHER SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON TIRES GIVEN. *TT

UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED. *SLC

HEARD NEWS ON TV & CHECKED TIRES. NOTICED CRACKS 1/2 INCH FROM TREAD ON CASING. TOOK VEHICLE TO FIRESTONE RETAILER & FORD TO HAVE TIRES REPLACED. TIRES ON RECALL & COULD NOT GET REPLACED DUE TO A 4 MONTH WAIT.*AK

VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN PULLING ONTO THE HIGHWAY. IT HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 14 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO DETEMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR THE LAST 5 MONTHS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

SUDDEN RAPID ACCELERATION NOT CAUSED BY DRIVER. *AK

CONSUMER WANTS A REFUND FOR FIRESTONE TIRES THAT HE REPLACED BEFORE RECALL WAS ANNOUNCED, FIRESTONE IS NOT WILLING TO DO SO. *AK THE TIRES WERE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS 15 INCH TIRES. *SLC

ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE CRACKS AROUND THE TREAD AS IF TO SEPARATE FROM THE TIRE, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/75R15 DOTVNHL1PY307). NLM

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235 75 R15) ARE EXPERIENCING CRACKING ON THE SIDEWALL BELOW THE TREAD SURFACE.

ALL FOUR FIRESTONE TIRE TREADS WERE BEGINNING TO SEPARATE FROM THE TIRES (DOT SERIAL # VN), CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

CONSUMER HAD THE FIRESTONE ATX TIRES (P235/75R15) REPLACED DUE TO RECALL 00T005, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER HAS NOT YET RECEIVED REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

BRAKES FAILED WHILE IN PARKING LOT WITHOUT WARNING DUE TO FAILURE OF BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE IS SERVICED EVERY 3500 MILES. *SLC

ALL FOUR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES WERE INSPECTED AND FOUND TO HAVE VISIBLE CRACKS, THE TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL BUT THE CONSUME IS WAITING FOR CONSIDERATION. NLM

CONSUMER RECEIVED ONLY PARTIAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR RECALL 00T005 FOR THE REPLACEMENT FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES (P235/75R15). *SLC

CONSUMER WAS DENIED REFUND FOR THE COST OF REPLACEMENT TIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE PURCHASED PRIOR TO JANUARY 1, 2000, THE TIRES WERE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY CAUSE POOR HANDLING IN THE VEHICLE, ONCE REPLACED THE VEHICLE HANDLED PERFECTLY. NLM

ENGINE STARTING FAILURE HAS CAUSED THE CAR TO BE LEFT TWO TIMES, EACH TIME IT STUMBLED AND WHEN IT DID START MY WIFE PUT IT INTO DRIVE AT WHICH TIME IT ROLLED INTO TRAFFIC AND CUT OFF AGAIN. THIS IS DANGEROUS, THE SHOP I TOOK IT TO COULD FIND NO BAD CODES AND HAD NO IDEA WHY IT HAPPENED. I FOUND A TSB CONCERNING IT ON YOUR WEBSITE SO NOW I KNOW OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. CONCERNING THE SQUEELING COMING FROM THE FRONT END AT SPEEDS FROM 0-40, I TOOK IT TO A SHOP AND THEY SPRAYED SOME LUBRICANT ON IT BUT THE NOISE RETURNED, I AM AFRAID THAT SOMETHING IS GOING TO FAIL IN THE FRONT END AND AGAIN. I FOUND A TSB CONCERNING THE SAME PROBLEM ON YOUR SITE, SO I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS PROBLEM. THE OIL LEAK WAS NOTICED WHEN THE SQUEAL PROBLEM WAS INVESTIGATED AND AGAIN I NOTICED A TSB CONSERNING THE REAR MAIN SEAL LEAKING.*AK

YOU STATE "FIRESTONE DOES NOT PLAN TO RECALL THE APPROXIMATELY 5.6 MILLION WILDERNESS AT TIRES MANUFACTURED AT ITS OTHER PLANTS (JOLIET, CANADA AND WILSON, NC) OR OTHER MODELS OF WILDERNESS TIRES. " HOW CAN I BE SURE WILSON, NC TIRES ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THE DEATHS NATIONWIDE. OF ALL THE 148 DEATHS, NONE INVOLVED NC TIRES??? I HAVE FAMILY WHO DO NOT RIDE WITH ME BECAUSE I HAVE WILDERNESS AT'S. (DOT NUMBER: WL XXXX TIRESIZE: 225R75-15)

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (15 INCH) EXPERIENCED 12 FLAT TIRES AND 2 TREAD SEPARATIONS ALL PRIOR TO RECALL 00T005, CONSUMER PURCHASED NEW TIRES OF A DIFFERENT BRAND, CONSUMER HAS NOW TRADED IN 1998 EXPLORER TO LEASE A 2000 EXPLORER AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE PREVIOUS TIRE FAILURES AND IS REQUESTING THAT THE FIRESTONE TIRES ON THE 2000 EXPLORER BE REPLACED WITH ANOTHER BRAND. *SLC

CONSUMERS DAUGHTER OWNS THE VEHICLE THAT HAS THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES WHICH HAVE EXPERIENCED THREE BLOWOUTS PRIOR TO RECALL, CONSUMER IS TRYING TO OBTAIN RECALL (00T-005) REPLACEMENT, HOWEVER THE TIRES MAY NOT BE ON THE LIST FOR SIX MONTHS, CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIME INVOLVED FOR RECALL REPLACEMENT. *MJS

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN ENGINE IS FIRST STARTED IN THE MORNING IT HAS A RUN AWAY THROTTLE UNTIL IT WARMS UP. ACCELERATES TO ABOUT 2000 RPMS AND DROPS BACK TO ABOUT 500 RPM. VEHICLE IS NOT PUT INTO ANY GEAR UNTIL AFTER THE ENGINE WARMS UP AT WHICH TIME IT IDLES SMOOTHLY.*AK

WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

PE-00-020; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE P23575R15, DOT NUMBER NOT AVAILABLE TIRES HAVE OVER 31 THOUSAND MILES ON THEM. . CONSUMER NOTICED A BULGE IN THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE, TIRES HAVE BEEN ROTATED. *AK *SLC

IN TODAY'S NEWSPAPER FIRESTONE SAYS THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THE WILDERNESS AT TIRE (DECATUR PLANT) FAILED IS BEACUS OF CRACKING ON THE SHOULDER. I HAD NOTED SHOULDER CRACKING ON THIS VEHICLE WHEN THE DECATUR TIRES (AND I HAD LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON THE TIRES) WERE RECALLED. BUT, TOOK THIS NOT TO BE A PROBLEM SINCE THE CANADIAN VERSION OF THE TIRES WERE NOT RECALLED. WHEN I CONTACTED FIRESTONE BY E-MAIL THEY REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. IT DOES NOT SEEM THAT THESE TIRES WOULD BE SAFE IF THEY WERE CRACKING THE SAME AS THE DECATUR TIRES BUT MAYBE THEY ARE. HOW DO I ADDRESS THIS? *AK (TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

THE FIRESTONE TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. NLM

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/75R15 TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 00T-005, BUT THE CONSUMER HAS NOTICED THAT THE TIRES ARE SO NOISY THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO HOLD A COVERSATION, TIRES THUMP WITH EACH REVOLUTION OF THE WHEEL, CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE SAME PATTERN OF NOISE JUST PRIOR TO LOOSING THE TREAD OF A FIRESTONE TIRE WHILE DRIVING. NLM

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR DOES NOT CATCH PROPERLY. NLM

WHEN CONSUMER GETS OUT OF DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SEATS AND RELEASES SEATBELT, SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT BACK INTO SYSTEM, IT WILL JUST HANG OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHEN COMING TO A STOP ENGINE RACED TO EXTREMELY HIGH RPMS, CONSUMER HAD TO APPLY BOTH FEET TO BRAKE PEDAL TO GAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN DRIVING 40 MPH VEHICLE HIT A PATCH OF ICE IN THE ROAD AND VEHICLE WENT OFF TO SIDE ROAD, AND FLIPED THREE TIMES. POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM MAY BE LINKED TO TIRES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

WHEN GAS PEDAL IS APPLIED IT STICKS UNLESS EXTREME PRESSURE IS APPLIED. VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE. AFTERWARDS, VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE FASTER THEN INTENDED. ALSO, HAVING IDLE CONTROL VALVE STICKING WHICH CAUSES VEHICLE NOT TO START. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN TRYING TO LOWER POWER WINDOWS AND TURN DOME LIGHTS ON THEY DID NOT WORK, ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT WORK AT ANY TIME. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND TECHNICIAN CANT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

FORD IS OFFERING TO REPLACE ENGINE COMPONENTS, BUT DAMAGE HAS ALREADY OCCURRED TO THE MOTOR. THE MOTORS SHOULD BE REPLACED ALSO. FAILURE TO HAVE A RECALL FOR THE CAMSHAFT TENSIONERS CAN RESULT IN AN ENGINE SEIZE RESULTING IN A CRASH IF AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (FOR EXAMPLE).*AK

THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT RECALL 00T-005 IS NOT SUFFICIENT AND SHOULD BE EXTENDED(FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 235-75R-15). NLM

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT OF ALL 4 FIRESTONE(P235/75R15) TIRES INCLUDING SPARE TIRE. *JB

THE CONSUMER SURRENDERED HIS FIRESTONE TIRES WHICH HAD THE SAME DESCRIPTION, SIZE AND SERIAL NUMBER AS THE RECALLED TIRES, THE MANUFACTURER REPLIED THAT THE CONSUMERS TIRES WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND THAT HE WAS NOT ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 235-75-15 VDHL228). NLM

THE INTAKE GASKET LEAKS, THE CONSUMER IS WAITING FOR FORD TO REDESIGN IT SO THE NOISE WILL NOT PERSIST WHILE DRIVING. NLM

INTERMITTENTLY ACCELERATOR PEDAL WILL STICK. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE; HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE.*AK

DEFECTIVE TURN SIGNALS: TURN SIGNALS WILL NOT STAY ON. WHEN I APPROACH A TURN AND ATTEMPT TO TURN ON MY SIGNAL, THE LEVER WILL NOT STAY DOWN. SUBSEQUENTLY, MY SIGNAL WILL NOT TURN ON. SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATES THAT I NEED TO TURN MY WHEEL. WELL, THIS OCCURS 50% OF THE TIME. NEXT, IF I GET THE SIGNAL TO STAY ON, AS I PULL OUT THE SIGNAL IMMEDIATELY TURNS OFF. I HAVEN'T EVEN PAST THE FIRST LANE OF TRAFFIC AND THE SIGNAL GOES OFF. CROSSING A FOUR LANE ROAD, MY SIGNAL TURNS OFF BEFORE I'VE CROSSED THE SECOND LANE TOWARDS THE CENTER. IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T SEE MY SIGNAL, WHEN I'M AT THE STOP SIGN, THEY DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY I'M GOING. I'VE EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS FOR MY SAFETY AND LIABILITY IN AN ACCIDENT WITH KIRKLAND, WA FORD DEALERSHIP. THEIR RESPONSE AFTER TESTING THE VEHICLE FOR A DAY, IS THAT IT IS WORKING AS DESIGNED ON BOTH ISSUES. I REQUESTED TO SPEAK TO A SERVICE MANAGER LATER THAT EVENING AND WAS INVITED TO COME IN. WHEN I ARRIVED, THE MANAGER SUDDENLY WOULD NOT MAKE TIME TO MEET ME.*AK