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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
1,058 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1998 Ford Explorer engine problems

engine problem

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1998 Ford Explorer Owner Comments (Page 3 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #60

Feb 152000

(reported on)

Explorer

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Engine stalls when coming from a stop or from slowing down. Driver has to put vehicle in neutral and restart vehicle. Dealer has seen vehicle 6 times, and cannot find a solution.

- Ocoee, FL, USA

problem #59

Oct 221998

Explorer

  • miles
Vehicle stalled upon stopping while applying accelerator pedal, causing engine to shut off. Vehicle been in/out of dealer shop for inspection/repairs. ECU was replaced, and problem still reoccurring.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #58

Oct 191998

Explorer

  • miles
While pulling out the vehicle will hesitate which may cause an accident. Cause unknown. Been to dealer, but dealer cannot determine problem.

- Stone Mountain, GA, USA

problem #57

Jul 201998

Explorer

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Engine stalling on a continual basis, unable to rectify after three repair attempts. Mjs

- Aurora, CO, USA

problem #56

Jun 011998

Explorer

  • miles
After coming to a stop, intermittently, upon acceleration the engine hesitates and stalls. This leaves the driver in a dangerous situation, stalled in the middle of an intersection - this has led to numerous near accidents. The dealer is indifferent to the severity of the problem. The service dept. Can not find the cause. The onboard cpu does not leave any error codes and the service capture device does not pick-up any error codes. It appears to be an ignition misfire.

- Sanford, NC, USA

problem #55

Nov 031999

(reported on)

Explorer 4WD

  • miles
Engine has a loud noise like tappets come from the engine, and the engine occasionally stalls upon accelleration.

- Modesto, CA, USA

problem #54

Oct 141999

(reported on)

Explorer

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle will stall while coasting or at a stop. Dealer cannot determine cause of defect.

- Vermilion, OH, USA

problem #53

Mar 011998

Explorer 4WD

  • miles
Cam chain noisy at times(clattering); dealer unable to eliminate problem

- Eagan, MN, USA

problem #52

May 231999

Explorer

  • miles
1998 Ford Explorer has spontaneously accelerated over 18 times in the last ten months. It surges to maximum RPM while in park, reverse, drive. Drivers foot is not on accelerator when this occurs. Driver can only save the situation by shifting into neutral and jamming on brakes or turning off car.

- Arlington, VA, USA

problem #51

Feb 011999

(reported on)

Explorer

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Engine failure causing vehicle stalling.

- San Marcos, CA, USA

problem #50

Sep 271999

Explorer 4WD

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Ford says aware of problem no fix, stalling is serious on highway and can cause fatality

- Hopewell Jct., NY, USA

problem #49

Sep 271999

(reported on)

Explorer 4WD

  • miles
The engine has a loud clicking noise on the right side. The local dealer helped to get a remanufactured engine for me under warranty. The new engine has just started to make the same noise. It's very loud. I haven't had any stalls or hesitations, just a very loud noise.

- Gunnison, CO, USA

problem #48

Sep 201999

Explorer 4WD

  • miles
Vehicle hesitates on re-acceleration after decelerating from 50-65 mph to a slow roll. This has happened many times since the car was first purchased. Dealer claims there is nothing wrong. I just located a service bulletin #12624 that addresses this problem.

- Lansdale, PA, USA

problem #47

Sep 191999

Explorer 4WD

  • miles
Engine stalls and sometimes dies while accelerating from a stop. Problem most often occurs after long drives, on hot days, when turning to the left from a full or partial stop.

- Sheridan, AR, USA

problem #46

Sep 091999

(reported on)

Explorer

  • miles
While traveling consumer notice smoke coming from the engine compartmenton right passenger's side and vehicle caught an fire. Also, vehicle was totaled.

- Lancaster, TX, USA

problem #45

Aug 051999

Explorer 4WD

  • miles
I noticed smoke coming from engine compartment after stopping to fuel up after driving several hours at a speed of 65 mph. Took vehicle into dealer and told them that the engine was leaking oil and had to put in three quarts to finish 400 mile trip. Service dept. Advisor said problem was do to galley plug leaking. They replaced plug and engine still leaks. Vehicle is still in shop after 5 days. They recommended replacing head.

- Milwaukee, WI, USA

problem #44

Sep 081998

Explorer

  • miles
Engine continually experiences stalling, several repair attempts/repairs with no change in stalling problems. Mjs

- Temecula, CA, USA

problem #43

Apr 121999

Explorer

  • miles
Vehicle experiencing hesitaion and stalling problems when accelerating rapidly from a stop or slow speed.

- Sebastian, FL, USA

problem #42

Jul 261999

(reported on)

Explorer

  • miles
Motor experiencing noise.

- Oxford, GA, USA

problem #41

Feb 271999

Explorer 4WD

  • miles
This is a very distinct tapping noise coming from the right side of the engine that can be heard at all times and gets louder as you drive the car. We are afraid that this is a lifter and our engine is going to blow up while we are driving. The service shop denies even hearing this tapping noise but when we went to arbritration 5 people, whom are not mechanics all heard and verified that this noise is present. The service shop will not even say they hear this noise, alone fix it for us. We want to know how to get this fixed, we have had it in the shop 22 days.

- Etna, OH, USA

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