NHTSA Complaint #10220462 — 1998 FORD EXPLORER

ENGINE FAILURE. ENGINE CODE P0300. CYLINDERS 4, 5, 6 HAVE WEAK COMPRESSION. TIMING CHAIN IS DAMAGED. DEALER HAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED TIMING CHAIN TWICE AND AFTER SECOND SERVICE FORD EXTENDED ENGINE WARRANTY TO 100K MILES (NOW EXPIRED). DEALER NOW RECOMMENDS ENGINE REPLACEMENT AT COST OF $5,500. WHAT WAS ONCE A $30,000 BEAUTIFUL EDDIE BAUER RIG NOW HAS A KELLY BB RETAIL VALUE OF ~$8000, BUT WITHOUT ENGINE, CAR IS A TOTAL (AUCTION BLOCK) LOSS! WHILE NO ONE WAS HURT WHEN THIS ENGINE FAILED, IT IS BOTH A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD AND YET ANOTHER SHOCK TO A VEHICLE WITH A TROUBLESOME (AND EXPENSIVE) PAST, AND TO A LOYAL FORD CUSTOMER WHO EXPECTED A BETTER QUALITY PRODUCT. I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER HOW MANY MORE 1998 EXPLORERS ARE OUT ON THE ROADS ABOUT TO LOOSE THEIR ENGINES. IS 10 YEARS TOO LONG TO OWN A FORD? I AM STILL PONDERING WHAT TO DO WITH THIS VEHICLE WHICH NOW SITS AS A 2-TON "BOOKEND" IN MY GARAGE. *TR