1998 FORD EXPLORER Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

MY CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND WAS OFF. WE HEARD A NOISE FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE AND MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER WAS IN FLAMES FROM THE ENGINE AREA. WE HAD TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE CAR WAS QUICKLY ENGULFED. *TR

WHEN BACKING UP AT 5MPH VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED WENT UP CURB AND HIT GUARDRAIL. AFTER 2-3- SECONDS VEHICLE DROPPED DOWN TO 0 MPH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE ENGINE WAS ON SHE EXITED THE VEHICLE FOR A BRIEF MOMENT. WHEN SHE RETURNED THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED WITH SMOKE. SHE REMOVED HER CHILDREN AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. AFTER WAITING FOR FIVE MINUTES THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE FIRE DAMAGE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 110,000.

MY CAR CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT HEARD A HUGE EXPLOSION COMING FROM HER DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. SHE CALLED HER INSURANCE COMPANY AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT HEARD A HUGE EXPLOSION COMING FROM HER DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. SHE CALLED HER INSURANCE COMPANY AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000. UPDATED 03/17/09. *LJ UPDATED 03/17/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. AFTER THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE IN HIS DRIVEWAY, HE NOTICED FIREFIGHTERS OUTSIDE OF HIS HOUSE. HE THEN NOTICED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE ENGINE WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN TOWED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 110,000.

MY WIFE WAS JUST LEAVING OUR HOUSE AND THE CRANKSHAFT BROKE. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND LED TO SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. SHE WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT MISHAP. THIS WAS AT A LOW SPEED. THIS FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEED COULD RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PULLING OUT FROM A STOP SIGN, TRAVELING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S CHECK GAUGES LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. AS THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED, THERE WAS A NOISE HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE THAT SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING FLYING AROUND INSIDE THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULDN'T RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL FORD AUTHORIZED MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THE PINS USED IN THE TIMING CHAIN ON THESE VEHICLES ARE PLASTIC AND HAD FRACTURED, PENETRATING THE ENGINE AND ENDING UP IN THE OIL CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN INFORMED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT WARNING THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE STEERING AND BRAKES LOCKED UP. THIS OCCURRED AT 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. A FAMILY MEMBER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THE CRANKSHAFT BUSTED, CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE. THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST HIGHER THAN THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TRIED TO REPLACE IT WITH A USED ENGINE, BUT WAS TOLD BY SEVERAL MECHANICS THAT FORD MANUFACTURED A BAD ENGINE WITH THE 4.0 SOHC, AND TO PUT A USED ENGINE WOULD BE A WAIST OF MONEY SINCE IT WOULD FAIL AGAIN. *AK

I OWN A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAKING AN AWFUL KNOCKING/RATTLE IN THE ENGINE ON START UP. IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS NOW. UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM DUE TO IT ONLY DOES IT ON COLD START UPS, ONCE THE ENGINE HAS WARMED UP IT TENDS TO STOP. HOWEVER, AFTER A COLD START UP IT WILL RATTLE (SOUNDS LIKE A DIESEL ENGINE), THE RATTLE INCREASES AS I ACCELERATE, HOWEVER ONCE VEHICLE HAS RAN FOR ABOUT 10 MILES IT WILL GO AWAY. IF VEHICLE IS PARKED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME THEN STARTED UP AGAIN THEN THE NOISE WILL RETURN.*JB

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AROUND 8:00AM, ABOUT 4 HOURS LATER, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE ARE 35 MM PICTURES. THE VEHICLE HAD CRUISE CONTROL, BUT IT WAS RARELY USED, AND THE CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW IF IT WAS WORKING. THE INSURANCE WAS LIABILITY ONLY. *AK *SC *JB

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

THE HARMONIC BALANCER CAME LOOSE AND THE CAMSHAFT HAD BROKEN RIGHT AT THE ENGINE BLOCK. *PH CONSUMER WAS GIVEN AN OPTION BY THE DEALER TO EITHER OVERHAUL THE ENGINE, WITH NO WARRANTY, OR REPLACE THE ENGINE, WITH A 3 YEAR 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. A SERVICE TECHNICIAN FOUND OUT THAT UPON INSPECTING THE HARMONIC BALANCER CAMSHAFT AREA THAT THE LONG BOLT HOLDING THE PULLEY TO THE CAMSHAFT WAS NEVER TIGHTENED WAS ABLE TO REMOVED WITH THE TECHNICIAN'S FINGERS. IN ADDITION, THE BOLT SHOULD HAVE SOME MARKINGS ON IT CONSISTENT WITH AN IMPACT WRENCH. IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE BOLT WOULD HAVE BEEN REMOVED IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN. WHEN ENGINE WAS REPLACED AND PERFORMED ADDITIONAL TEST ON VEHICLE, DEALER FOUND A SMALL FUEL LINE LEAK. FUEL LINE WAS REPAIRED AND MADE ANOTHER TEST ON VEHICLE. CONSUMER CURRENTLY SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT OF ALL EXPENSES INCURRED DUE TO MECHANICAL ERROR THAT RENDERED...

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

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

DEFECTIVE ALTERNATOR, REAR AXLE SEALS, AND OXYGEN SENSOR. *SCC

SUV SURGES WHEN BACKING BACK BOAT AND TRAILER.

INTERMITTENTLY, VEHICLE STALLS OUT AND DIES WHEN DECELLERATING. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND HAS REPLACED ENGINE TEMPRATURE SENSOR, BUTPROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

TEMPRATURE GUAGE FAILED. YH

TEMPRATURE GUAGE FAILED. YH