1998 FORD EXPLORER Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

I WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. BROUGHT TO MECHANIC. HE CHANGED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. A TUNE UP WAS ALSO DONE. NOW PERIODIC SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE AND OIL AT DIFFERENT TIMES. VERY POTENT. MECHANIC IS AWARE OF THESE PROBLEMS, BUT CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AFTER DOING MANY PRESSURE TESTS AND FLUSHES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE LEAVING HIS HOME, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES BEFOREHAND. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED FOR THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 110,000.

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...

VERY HEAVY RATTLING IN THE ENGINE OF MY 1998 EXPLORER 4.0 SOHC. TOOK TO LOCAL FORD DEALER, THEY CLAIMED CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MOTOR, TWICE. SOME TIME LATER TENSIONERS BROKE WHILE DRIVING AND MOTOR CEASED. NO COOPERATION OFFERED ON FORD'S PART. HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE OUT OF POCKET FOR FORD'S DESIGN FLAW, WHICH HAS BEEN GETTING SWEPT UNDER THE RUG FOR YEARS NOW. ONE MONTH AFTER THE REPLACEMENT FORD OFFERED TO FIX OTHERS, IF FOUND BEFORE 75K MILES, ETC. TOO LATE FOR ME. HOW MANY FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED? WHAT IF THIS FAILURE HAD OF OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, INSTEAD OF IDLE SPEED. CHECK THE FIGURES ON THIS PROBLEM, IT'S SCARY, AND FORD IS PITIFUL. *JB

INTERMITTENT STALLING WHEN COMING TO A STOP. *NM

IT STARTED WITH A MINOR RATTLE IN THE ENGINE TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. THE RATTLE GOT LOUDER AND LOUDER AND LOUDER UNTIL IT WAS DECIDED NOT TO MOVE THE VEHICLE ANY LONGER. TOOK VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, TURNS OUT, THE TIMING CHAIN ASSEMBLY BROKE THROWING PIECES ALL OVER THE PLACE CAUSING THE CHAIN TO MALFUNCTION THAT LEAD TO DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. ENGINE BLOCK HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF AROUND $3000. FORD HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT ON THIS SAME PROBLEM, HOWEVER I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN NOV 2000 AND I NEVER RECEIVED ANY SERVICE BULLETIN FROM FORD INFORMING ME OF THIS PROBLEM. I TRIED TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY WON'T REPAIR IT UNDER THE FORD SAFETY BULLETIN BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY FOR 7 YRS OR 100,000. THE VEHICLES 7 YEARS EXPIRED IN APRIL 2005. I TRIED EMAILING...

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ENGINE STARTED PRODUCING A CLICKING SOUND. CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. *AK

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

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 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...

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

CAM SHAFT BROKE INSIDE ENGINE, DURING NORMAL OPERATION. CAR HAD ONLY 85,000 MILES, THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A DEFECT IN THE PART. IT COST $3,500 TO REPAIR DAMAGE. *AK

1999 FORD EXPLORER EXPERIENCING HIGH IDLE.*MR VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HIGH IDLE FOR 1 YEAR. *TS *JB

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

ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING "ROUGH." DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE CAM CHAIN GUIDE BROKE, AND ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. *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

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

FRONT END FELT LOOSE AND VEHICLE WAS VEERING TO THE RIGHT DUE TO CRACKED BALL JOINTS. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARED, AND A RED BROWN LIQUID WAS LEAKING FROM DRIVER'S SIDE BECAUSE POWER STEERING RACK WAS DEFECTIVE. ALSO, DEALER REPLACED TIMING GEAR, AND UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLDS.*AK

THE ENGINE STALLED OFF WHILE DRIVING. *JB

REAR CHAIN GUIDE TENSIONER BROKE - PART OF CAM CHAIN GUIDE ASSEMBLY. ENGINE DIED IN MORNING RUSH HOUR, BUT CAR COASTED SAFELY TO EMERGENCY LANE. *NLM

THE CRANK SHAFT BROKE IN HALF, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE DISABLED. *JB

WHEN REDUCING SPEED FROM 60 MPH TO A STOP THE VEHICLE STALLS. *TS *NLM

VEHICLE STALLED AND SHUT DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALL OF THE LIGHTS APPEARED ON DASHBOARD, AND VEHICLE WOULD RESTART. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER AND STALLED. VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY DEALER WHO ADVISED CONSUMER THAT CRANKSHAFT HAD BROKEN, AND VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE.*AK

WHILE TURNING ONTO AN INTERSECTION VEHICLE SHUTDOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. *AK

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND WAS TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER DETERMINED CRANKSHAFT HAD BROKEN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK. *JB

CONSUMER STATED THERMOSTAT AND VALVEBODY GASKET FAILED.*JB

CONSUMER STATED THERMOSTAT AND VALVEBODY GASKET FAILED.*JB

REAR TIMING CHAIN FAILED AND CAUSED CYLINDER HEAD DAMAGE. NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR FRONT TIMING CHAIN. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING 45MPH, STRANDING DRIVER AND SMALL CHILD. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. ENGINE WAS PULLED OUT OF TRUCK AND THE HEAD AND TIMING CHAIN REPLACED. COST WAS $2800. FORD GAVE "GOODWILL" WARRANTY OF 50%.

FORD REPLACED THE GASKET THE FIRST TIME BUT NOW REFUSES TO DO SO. MANUFACTURER'S. DEFECT?*AK

VEHICLE RATTLES UNDERNEATH. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. CAMSHAFT BROKE, AND CHAIN THAT GOES AROUND IT ALSO BROKE.*AK

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER TO GET CAMSHAFT FIXED. AFTER DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM BACK ENGINE.*AK

ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO CAMSHAFT PULLEY. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REPLACED ENGINE UNDER FORD PROGRAM. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS CONCERNING THIS MATTER . *AK

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

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

WHILE TRAVELING AT 15 MPH VEHICLE DIED. TOOK TO A DEALER AND THEY SAID CAMSHAFT WENT INTO MOTOR. TWO MONTHS BEFORE THAT VAN PULLEY SPLIT OPEN, AND VEHICLE CUT OFF. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE: TRUCK OVERHEATED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DIAGNOSED AS BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE WOULD STALL. WHILE AT AN INTERSECTION ON A SIX LANE ROAD, IN MIDDLE LANE, VEHICLE STALLED. FELT THIS WAS DANGEROUS BECAUSE CONSUMER COULD HAVE BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHEN REAR TIMING CHAIN JUMPED TIME, TIMING CHAIN BROKE. DEALER SAID ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

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...

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH ENGINE LOCKED UP. EXPLORER WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO DEALERSHIP. TIMING CHAIN WAS REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE BECAUSE IT WAS STRETCHED AND SLIPPED OFF. FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE OF SERVICE BULLETIN. *AK

WHEN OUR EXPLORER HAD 29,000 MILES ON IT, I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON AND THE VEHICLE WAS STALLING OUT AT STOPLIGHTS. THEY REPLACED THE OXYGEN SENSOR, A GASKET ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND A FUEL INJECTOR. NOW, 3,000 MILES LATER, I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM, EXCEPT THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD NOT COME ON. AT TIMES, THE EXPLORER SOUNDS AND FEELS LIKE IT'S GOING TO STALL OUT AT STOPLIGHTS OR WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. THE DEALERSHIP HAD THE TRUCK FOR 2 DAYS AND RAN UP 11 MILES ON IT, BUT THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE SCENARIO. THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEM AT THIS TIME.

A TAPPING IN MOTOR AREA DUE TO VALVE LIFTERS AND CYLINDER HEADS FAILURE. YH

A TAPPING IN MOTOR AREA DUE TO VALVE LIFTERS AND CYLINDER HEADS FAILURE. YH

CRANKCASE IS BROKEN-TRUCK HAS BEEN SERVICED PROPERLY BEFORE THIS--$6,000 REPAIR EST. BY FORD. *AK

UPON ROUTINE OIL CHANGE DEALER NOTICED ENGINE CONNECTING ROD BROKE FROM ENGINE PISTON. DUE TO THE BROKEN ENGINE CONNECTING ROD ENGINE NEEDED REPLACING. DEALER STATED THIS PROBLEM WAS COMMON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

DEALER SAYS THAT IT IS THE TIMING CHAIN HOUSING AND FORD IS WORKING ON A FIX. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING AT ONLY 45,000 MILES. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. CONSUMER HAS MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT DEALER, BUT NO PARTS HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE SINCE DEC 30,1999. *AK

ENGINE OIL LEAK DUE TO A CROSS THREADED GALLEY PLUG IN ENGINE. MJS