1998 Ford Explorer Engine

THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER INSIDE OF THE ENGINE FAILED, CAUSING THE TIMING CHAIN TO COME LOOSE. AS A RESULT HEADS AND PISTONS INSIDE OF THE ENGINE CAME LOOSE, DESTROYING OTHER PARTS INSIDE OF THE ENGINE. THE ULTIMATE RESULT OF THIS WAS THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER AT HIGHWAY SPEED PRIOR TO GETTING OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. MANUFACTURER HAS A WARANTY EXTENSION IN PLACE PRIOR TO 72,000 MILES, BUT NO RECALL, AND CONSIDERS A VEHICLE THAT LOOSES POWER AND CANNOT BE COMPLETED STEERED AS A RESULT OF AN EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE NOT TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE!?!?!? THE MANUFACTURER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES, BUT WILL ONLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT IF THE VEHICLE HAS SYMPTOMS. I HAD THE FIRST MINOR SYMPTOM ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON, AND A MAJOR PROBLEM THE NEXT DAY, MONDAY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THAT VEHICLE WAS RIDING ROUGHLY. WHILE SITTING STILL VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A CRACKED CYLINDER . *AK ...... *AK

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER HEARD A RATTLING NOISE. MECHANIC BELIEVED IT WAS THE CAM SHAFT. TOOK VEHICLE TO FORD, AND FORD STATED THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET CRACKED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING HOME THE ENGINE STARTED TO MISFIRE AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT UP A LITTLE. *JB

I HAVE READ 24 COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE FAILURE OF THE CAMSHAFT CHAIN ON THE 1998 FORD EXPLORERS WITH THE 4.0 SOHC ENGINES AND SEEN 23 TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS CONCERNING THIS SAME PROBLEM. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY IF THIS OCCURS WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE,NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT IT ALSO BLOWS THE ENGINE REQUIRING IT TO BE REPLACED AT A COST NEAR $5000. FORD HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS PROBLEM AND HAS OFFERED REPLACEMENT WITH MILEAGE LIMITATIONS. IF THIS IS A DEFECT AND A SAFETY HAZARD CAUSING THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURS ,WHY IS THIS NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO WARRANT AN INVESTIGATION? MY FORD IS 4000 MILES OVER THE LIMIT SET BY FORD TO REPLACE THE PARTS IN QUESTION. ALTHOUGH THIS DID NOT LESSEN THE DANGER WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURRED TO MY WIFE, 5 YEAR OLD AND 1 YEAR OLD DAUGHTERS WHILE IN THE VEHICLE CAUSING HER TO LOSE CONTROL DUE TO THE ENGINE FAILURE AS A RESULT OF THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS. I WAS TOLD IN A PHONE CONVERSATION THAT THE RECALL WAS VOLUNTARY BY FORD AND IT IS LEGAL FOR THEM TO SET THOSE LIMITATIONS. THIS IS UNCONCEIVABLE THAT THEY CAN PLACE INDIVIDUALS IN HARMS WAY KNOWINGLY AND IN AN EFFORT TO SAVE A BUCK, NOT A LIFE , SET LIMITS TO THE REMEDY OF THE SITUATION. WHY ARE THESE COMPLAINTS NOT BEING INVESTIGATED AND IF THEY HAVE WHAT WAS THE END RESULTS OF THIS INVESTIGATION? *LA DAVID KYDE 810 THIRD ST. #5 TRENTON, OHIO 45067 513-988-6516

WHILE IDLING OR DRIVING VEHICLE VIBRATED CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

CRANKSHAFT CRACKED AT 93000 MILES. *AK

1998 FORD EXPLORER FIRE.*MR THE CONSUMER ( A FIRE FIGHTER) RESPONDED TO A VEHICLE FIRE. THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE STATED THE BRAKE LIGHT BLEW. HE CHANGED THE 15 AMP BULB AND NOTICED A PLUG ON THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS HOT AND HAD SOME SOOT ON IT AND IT WASN'T MELTED OR DEFORMED. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED HEAVY FIRE DAMAGED TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITH THE HEAVIEST FIRE DAMAGE NEAR THE MASTER CYLINDER. *PH

I HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY FORD EXPLORER ENGINE SINCE THE FIRST DAY I BOUGHT THE TRUCK. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP A FEW TIMES FOR RECALLAS ON THE ENGINE, THE LAST TIME ONLY THIS PAST DECEMBER. LAST SATURDAY, MAY 22ND THE TRUCK STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. I HAD IT TOWED TO FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD MY CRANKSHAFT BROKE. TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS TOLD ME THE SAME THING AND AGREED THAT THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPEND BUT ALSO TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. BASICALLY TO BAD ON YOU. I HAVE SEEN MANY MESSAGES ON THE INTERNET ON THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM HAPPENING TO OTHERS. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY IF I WERE ON A HIGHWAY WHEN IT STOPPED. FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO COVER COSTS WHEN SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT BREAK DOES. FORD COULD CARE LESS. COST TO ME OVER $4,500.00 FOR A NEW ENGINE ON A MAINTAINED 6 YEAR OLD CAR. PER AN ATTORNEY THIS IS KNOWN AS A LATENT DEFECT AND IT TOOK THIS TIME TO HAPPEN, WHEN THAT KIND OF PART SHOULD LAST A LONG TIME.*AK

I BOUGHT A USED 1998 FORD EXPLORER FOR MY WIFE AND AT 135,000 MILES THE CAM TENSIONER BROKE, PUTTING A HOLE IN THE VALVE COVER AND POSSIBLY RUINING THE ENGINE. I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, FLAGGLER FORD. FORD'S REPLY AT FIRST WAS, "YES THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND WE WILL FIX THIS AT NO COST TO YOU". THEY TOWED MY EXPLORER IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND CALLED ME LATER TELLING ME THAT WHILE THE TIME FOR THIS REPAIR IS NOT UP, THE MILEAGE IS OVER WHAT THEY WILL COVER. FORD SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT FOR ANYWHERE FROM $600 TO $6,000! MY MECHANIC, WHO TOLD ME THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES, SAID HE WILL FIX IT FOR $300 PLUS PARTS. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND FORD COSTOMER SERVICE, THIS GOT ME NOWHERE, AND A SUPERVISOR WAS SUPPOST TO CALL ME TODAY BUT AS OF YET...NOTHING.AFTER SEARCHING THE NET I FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS HAD THIS VERY PROBLEM. GO TO CARTRACKERS.COM AND YOU'LL FIND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY FORD FOR THIS PROBLEM. IF I WAS THE ONLY PERSON THIS HAPPENED TO, WELL I WOULD BE OK WITH THAT BUT FORD'S STANCE IS THAT WHILE ITS A DEFECTIVE PART MINE LASTED LONGER THAN EXPECTED AND THAT I GET NOTHING BUT A BILL. I HAVE NEVER SEEN DAMAGE TO A VEHICLE LIKE THIS BEFORE, AND I HAVE A DODGE AND A CHEVY WITH OVER 140,000 MILES ON THEM AND HAVE NEVER HAD A INTERNAL ENGINE PART FAIL AND RUIN THE ENGINE. PLEASE HELP ME AND THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SOLD THESE VEHICLES HAVEING NO IDEA THAT AT ANY MOMENT THEY MAY HAVE TO BUY A NEW ENGINE WHILE THE PEOPLE WHO PROFITED FROM THESE SALES JUST SIT BACK AND DO NOTHING. HAD I KNOWN THE LIFE OF MY EXPLORER WAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES I WOULD HAVE NEVER BOUGHT A FORD. THERE WAS NEVER A FORMAL RECALL PUT OUT FOR THIS PROBLEM, JUST A SERVICE BULLITEN, SO PEOPLE WHO HAD THESE DEFECTIVE TENTIONERS WERE NEVER CONTACTED. MY GUESS IS THAT FORD JUST HOPED THAT THE FAILURES WOULD OCCUR AFTER THE 100,000 MILES, AND WOULD JUST DEAL WITH THE ONES THAT DIDN'T.

UPPER INTAKE PLENUM HAD BURNT A HOLE IN IT.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND THE CONSUMER SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING LIKE RUBBER/PLASTIC. THE HOLE IN THE PLENUM CAUSED TWO VACUUM HOSES TO MELT. *PH *NLM

VEHICLE FREQUENTLY STALLS AND STARVES FOR FUEL. CONSUMER HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG .*AK

1998 FORD EXPLORER, 4.0SOV HAS A REPEATED ENGINE HESITATION PROBLEM WHEN ENGINE IS WARM AND ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. DEALER SAYS AFTER NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS HE CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW IT NOW HAS 100,000 MILES AND STILL HESITATES ON ACCELERATION. *LA

ALL 1998 V-6 EXPLORER ENGINES (NOT SURE IF OTHER MODELS ARE INVOLVED) HAVE A PROBLEM WITH CARBON BUILDUP. MY 1998 EXLOROER SPORT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THIS PROBLEM AT 43,694 MILES (ENGINE PERFORMANCE WAS AFFECTED). THE DEALER CHARGED ME $388 FOR THE DECARBONIZATION PROCESS. THIS WILL BE A RECURRING PROBLEM. I WROTE TO FORD WITH MY COMPLAINT AND REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. RECEIVED TELEPHONE CALL TELLING ME I HAD TO RESOLVE WITH THE DEALER. DEALER WOULD NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY. I WROTE BACK TO FORD TELLING THEM I HAD GONE TO THE DEALER AND FELT THIS WAS FORD'S PROBLEM TO RESOLVE. THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM, WHICH CUSTOMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR. FORD NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND PROVIDE THE SERVICE AT NO COST TO CUSTOMERS. *AK

4.0L SOHC ENGINE FAILED WITHIN 9,000 MILES OF REPLACING TIMING CHAIN CASSETTE UNDER FORD PROGRAM OOM12. TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD NEED TO PAY 5,800 FOR A REBUILT ENGINE AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO WITH REGARD TO OOM12 WHICH IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE FORD 4.0L SOHC ENGINE FAILING PREMATURELY.*AK

2ND TIME THIS HAPPENED...TENSIONER PULLEY FAILED (BROKE OFF) WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF, CAR OVERHEATED/ENGINE FAILURE/ETC. FIRST TIME WAS AY 40,000 MILES. THIS TIME, AT 102,000 MILES. TOWED TO A TEXACO STATION IN ABERDEEN, MD. SERVICE MANAGER SAYS TENSIONER PULLEY FAILURE COMMON IN EXPLORERS. HAD TO REPLACE PULLEY/BELT. ONCE I RETURNED HOME TO NJ, I STARTED TO NOTICE MINOR DRIPPING OF RADIATOR FLUID. 2 WEEKS LATER, IT ALL GUSHED OUT, CAUSING ME TO ALSO REPLACE MY RADIATOR. TO KNOW THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED TWICE, CAUSED SECONDARY DAMAGE BOTH TIMES, AND THAT YOU GET LEFT STRANDED ON A HIGHWAY EACH TIME IS VERY CONCERNING.

HAVE BEEN HEARING LOUD TAPPING NOISES FROM ENGINE-BROUGHT IT TO STADIUM FORD AND WAS TOLD IT WAS FRONT TIMING CHAIN AND GASKETS WHICH THEY REPLACED FOR $300 (NO DISCOUNT) NOISE HAS CONTINUED SO NEVER BROUGHT CAR HOME FROM DEALERSHIP SAME DAY. LEFT CAR AT FORD SERVICE CENTER (STADIUM AUTO MALL RUTHERFORD, NJ) AND NOW BEING TOLD IT IS THE LOWER/REAR TENSIONER AND WAS ADVISED FORD HAS A PROGRAM FOR THIS DEFECT YET WAS ADVISED THAT THEY WILL NOT COVER THIS FOR ME. THEY WANT ME TO PAY $2100 MINIMUM TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT WITH CAMSHAFT TENSIONERS. HOWEVER THIS DEFECT/PROBLEM HAS PREVIOUSLY SHOWN TO CAUSE ENGINE DMAGE OTHER THAN W/THE TENSIONERS. ALSO READ MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE WHERE WAS COVERED. MADE COMPLAINT W/FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND WAS ADVISED THAT CAR W/EITHER 7 YEARS OR UNDER 100,000 MILES IS COVERED. YET THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT COVER IT AND MY TRUCK IS UNDER 7 YRS AND UNDER 100,000 MILES...AT THIS POINT HAS BEEN 3 WEEKS AND STILL HAVE NOT COME TO RESOLUTION AND MY TRUCK IS STILL IN THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER. STILL WAITING FOR MANAGER/OWNER TO CONTACT ME BACK...*AK

CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSES OF $850.00. TWENTY DAYS AFTERWARDS THE PROBLEM WAS STILL RECURRING. *AK

VEHICLE MAKES A VERY LOUD HUMMING NOISE WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON AND THE CAR IS RUNNING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IDLING OR IN TRAFFIC.*AK

VEHICLE STOPPED DEAD IN TRAFFIC ON WEEMS CREEK BRIDGE IN ANNAPOLIS MARYLAND DURING A RAINSTORM BECAUSE THE CRANKSHAFT BROKE. *NLM

AFTER SITTING IDLE FOR AN HOUR THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE. *TT

THE THERMOSTAT ON MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TWO YEARS WITH NO DEFINITION OF WHY IT HAS BROKEN. *TT

BROKEN CRANKSHAFT ON 1998 FORD EXPLORER WITH ONLY 83,000 MILES. NO HELP FROM FORD. SEEMS TO BE A MATERIALS DEFECT. *JB

VEHICLE HAS AIR LEAKS IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO HAVE AN ERRATIC IDLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. PH

THE ENGINE STALLED OFF WHILE DRIVING. *JB