1998 FORD EXPLORER Suspension Problems

I WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK AND ONE DAY IT STARTED ACTING WEIRD. MY STEREO STARTED SHUTTING OFF AND COMING IN BY ITSELF. A COUPLE DAYS LATER I WAS DRIVING AND MY STEREO AND INFORMATION CENTER WENT OUT AND CAME BACK ON. MY TRUCK WILL ONLY GO ABOUT 30MPS CAUSE IT WON'T SHIFT EITHER. COUPLE DAYS AGO IT STARTED BACK FIRING. WHAT COULD BE THE PROBLEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FELT AS THOUGH IT WOULD TIP OVER AND SWAYED WHEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70-75 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUSPENSION MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, A NOISE EMITTED WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS BEING MANEUVERED. THE MALFUNCTION OCCURRED WHENEVER MAKING A TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR BALL JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

AT HIGH SPEEDS VEHICLE SHAKES AND WILL NOT STAY IN LANE, AND STEERING WHEEL IS VERY LOOSE. *AK THE CONSUMER HAD RACK AND PINION INSTALLED, BUT IT STARTED LEAKING AND BECOME LOOSE. *YH

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEIR IS A LOUD NOISE FROM FRONT END OF VEHICLE, AND UNDERNEATH OF VEHICLE VIBRATES.CONTACTED DEALER.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE WANDERED FROM LANE TO LANE. *AK

SHAKES BAD, NO SHOCK REBOUND, SWAYS AND HARD TO STEER. *AK

WHEN MAKING TURNS, ESPECIALLY RIGHT TURNS, VEHICLE SLIDES AND ALMOST TURNS OVER.*AK. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ACCELERATION PROBLEMS,AND THERE WAS A HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE, SIGNALS ARE NOT WORKING, DEALER REPLACED A DEFECTIVE CONNECTOR AND MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH, FIRESTONE TIRES HAVE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, WHICH WERE REPLACED IN JULY 2001, THE REAR SEATS MOVE/BOUNCE WHEN DRIVING, THE REAR SEAT BELTS WERE INOPERATIVE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE BUCKLES, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, DEALER REPLACED THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH, THE WINDSHIELD WAS CHIPPED, THE ALARM WOULD NOT CHUT OFF AT TIMES, DEALER REPLACED A BAD LOOSE WIRE.*JB

VEHICLE WAS APPROXIMATELY GOING 60MPH WHEN A LOSS OF STEERING CAUSED VEHICLE TO JERK SIDE TO SIDE AND ROLL OVER. METAL FATIGUE CAUSED THE HYDRUALIC RACK AND PINION TO BURST AND LEAK FLUID. THIS MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED A ROLLOVER, RESULTING IN MAJOR INJURIES TO PASSENGER AND DRIVER, THE ROOF CRUSHED IN ON THE PASSENGER AND BROKE HIS NECK, CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE DESIGN OF THE ROOF. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING 35-40 MPH IT STARTED TO SNOW REAR OF VEHICLE TWISTED A BIT, THEN STARTED TO SPIN SIDEWAYS. VEHICLE ROLLED OVER, AND LANDED ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. DRIVER'S REAR TIRE WAS FLAT. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE WAS $ 5000.00. NO INJURIES.*AK

VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND ALMOST ROLLED OVER. WHILE CHANGING LANES BETWEEN UNEVEN PAVEMENT, THREE OF THE TIRES WERE ON NEWLY PAVED LANE, THE OTHER ON OLD PAVEMENT. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY WITHOUT ANY WARNING BEGAN TO ROCK UNCONTROLLABLE FROM SIDE TO SIDE.

WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN OR ACCELERATING TO LEFT VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN, CAUSE UNKOWN. ALSO, CONSUMER HAS CONCERNS ABOUT WHEELS BEING OUT OF AROUND. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

FIRESTONE TIRES WERE REPLACED DUE TO RECALL 00T005, HOWEVER CONSUMER STATES REPLACEMENT TIRES (NOT FIRESTONE'S) EXPERIENCE THE SAME VIBRATION AND WHEN MAKING A TURN IT FEELS LIKE VEHICLE IS GOING TO ROLLOVER, PROBLEM IS POSSIBLY SUSPENSION RELATED. *SLC

EXPLORER ROLL OVER KILLED MY SISTER-VERY UNSAFE VEHICLE-DIDN'T HAVE FIRESTONE TIRES-VEHICLE IS VERY UNSAFE AND THEY SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE ROADS-SHE WAS GOING 35MPH AND SWERVED TO AVOID A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE IN HER LANE-EXPLORER FLIPPED AND SHE WAS KILLED INSTANTLY

VEHICLE SHIMMIES AND MAKES A GROANING NOISE. *AK

VEHICLE IS LEANING TO RIGHT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES. VEHICLE BOUNCES AND ROCKS TO LEFT AND RIGHT AS WELL. DEALER CANNOT REMEDY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE ONCE IT GOES OVER 30MPH. THERE WOULD BE SEVERE SHAKING & HARD TO CONTROL. THIS WOULD HAPPEN WHEN JUST IDLING OR WAITING. SOMETIMES VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 50-55 MPH VEHICLE STARTED SPINNING AND STARTED TO ROLL. CONSUMER HAD BEEN DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT PART OF HIGHWAY, DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. *AK

VEHICLE LEANS TO THE LEFT. NLM

CONSUMER HAD RECALLED (00T005) FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES REPLACED WITH DUNLOP, HOWEVER AFTER THE REPLACEMENT TIRES WERE ON THE VEHICLE IT VIBRATED AND SHOOK BADLY, AFTER THE TIRES HAVE BEEN BALANCED 4 TIMES, THE VIBRATION AND SHAKING STILL EXISTS, THIS PROBLEM COULD BE A SUSPENSION OR TIRE PROBLEM. *SLC

SEVERE VIBRATION AT 62MPH - FORD SAID CHARACTERISTIC OF VEHICLE WOULD NOT FIX OR REPAIR. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

SEVERE BLOWOUT, ROLLOVER 4 TIMES RESULTED IN PARALIZED BACK SEAT OCCUPANT, SHOULDER BELT DID NOT DEPLOY, ONLY LAP THEN RELEASED AT 3 ROLLOVER( DOT NUMBER: )

WHEN IT HITS TWENTY MPH OR WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES VEHICLE WILL PULL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS AN UNSAFE WAY TO DRIVE.*AK

VEHICLE ROLLED AFTER GPOING OUT OF CONTROL WHEN TIRES CAME IN CONTACT WITH GRAVEL ON SHOULDER. *AK

CRM LOVES VEHICLE BUT THERE IS ALOT OF NOISES AND VIBRATIONS AND BEING A SECON OWNER AND HAVING SO MANY MILES ON THE VEHICLE I HAVEN'T CONTACTED ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS NOR HAD THEM FIXED DUE TO COST OF REPAIR.CRM IS LOOKING INTO BUYING ANOTHER VEHICLE OF THIS SORT BUT NOW NOT NECESSARILY FORD. *AK

VEHICLE IS NOT ABLE TO BE PROPERLY ALIGNED DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE CAMBER UNIT, CONSUMER HAS TO PURCHASE A CAMBER KIT IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO NOT PULL TO THE RIGHT (ALIGNMENT FAILURE). MJS

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH VIBRATION WHENEVER MOVING OUT OF A TIGHT PARKING SPACE WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL. ALSO, FUSE TO POWER WINDOW KEPT BLOWING OUT FOR UNKNOWN REASO.; DEALER NOTIFIED AND UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. CAN NHTSA HELP INTHIS MATTER. *AK

VEHICLE VIBRATES FROM 0 TO 60 MPH. IT CAN BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL , SEATS AND CENTER CONSOLE. IT IS VERY NOTICEABLE WHEN STARTING ON AN INCLINE. IN SOME CASES IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS BANGING. THE DEALER AND MFG. BOTH TELL ME THIS IN A NORMAL CONDITION AND THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DUE TO CORRENT THIS SITUATION. I AM AFRAID THAT AS THIS VIBRATION CONTINUES, SOMETHING (DRIVE SHAFT, BREAK HOSE, TRANS OR REAR SEALS) WILL EVENTUALLY START TO BREAK DOWN OR LEAK. IF A BREAK LINE OR HOSE VIBRATES AND BEGINS TO LEAK NO TELLING WHAT CAN HAPPEN !!!

WHILE DRIVING A LOUD NOISE OCCURS UNDER THE VEHICLE. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH HAD TO MAKE A FAST RIGHT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO TIP OVER TO THE PASSENGER SIDE, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK

DRIVER LOSS CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHILE TOWING A 23.5 FT TRAVEL TRAILER WHICH SWAYED AS HE DROVE AT 35MPH ON A DRY ROAD IN CALM WEATHER.

WHILE DRIVING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 20-50 MPH THERE IS A WHISTLING AND GRINDING NOISE IN THE WHEELS ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THIS PROLBEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED BY THE DEALER THREE TIMES, AND THE PROBLEM HAS STARTED UP AGAIN. ALSO, AROUND THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER 1998, WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO LEFT, A RUBBING AND A GRINDING NOISE CAME FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALER STATED THAT THIS PROLBEM WAS NOT DANGEROUS, AND THAT A PART WOULD BE ORDERED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING EXTREME VIBRATION.

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WHEN DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE AND SHAKE. ALSO, THERE WAS A LEAKAGE COMING UNDER THE VEHICLE NEAR THE ENGINE. CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS, AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR REPAIRS TWICE. VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN BACK TO THE SHOP FOR ADDITIONAL REPAIRS. *AK

VEHICLE SUSPENSION DOES NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE STABILITY. WHILE DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS, THE DRIVER LOSS CONTROL AT 45MPH AND STRUCK A GUARDRAIL.

VEHICLE ROLL OVER OCCURRED WHILE TRYING TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE, POOR STABILITY.

WHILE DRIVING WITH TRAILER CONNECTED TO VEHICLE, BOTH STARTED SWAYING, THEN LOST CONTROL, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. THEN TRAILER JACK-KNIFED, BRINGING BOTH VEHICLES TO A STOP, AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO EXPLORER. NO INJURIES.

WHILE DRIVING ON DRY STRAIGHT ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH VEHICLE JERKED SUDDENLY TO THE LEFT. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT STEERING, VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND VEERED TO THE RIGHT, THE SPUN BACK TO THE LEFT. TURNED AROUND ON THE ROAD BACKWARDS AND FLIPPED ON PASSENGERS'S SIDE AND SLID INTO MEDIAN. ALSO, ABS BRAKES/SUSPENSION AND TRANSFER CASE FAILED.