1998 Ford Explorer Fuel System Problems

PARKED IN PARKING SPACE STARTED CAR PUT IN REVERSE, ENGINE ROARED, ACCELERATED IN REVERSE APPLYING BRAKES DID NOTHING , BOTH FEET ON BRAKES , TURNED WHEEL SO THAT CAR WAS NOT TO HIT PARKED CARS BEHIND US, CAR CONTINUED RACING IN REVERSE WITH CONTINUED APPLYING BRAKES, THRU IT INTO PARK CAR CONTINUED IN REVERSE , TURNED KEY OFF & CAR CONTINURED IN REVERSE UNTIL HITTING PARKED CAR WHICH STOPPED US TOTAL DISTANCE ABOUT 200 FEET, WHICH SEEMED A LOT LONGER,I FELT I DID EVERYTHING CORRECTLY MAYBE IF THROWN IN NEUTRAL BRAKES WOULD HAVE WORKED, VERY FRIGHTING HAVING NO CONTROL TO STOP

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND O2 SENSORS HAVE TO BE REPLACE EVERY THIRTY TO FORTY THOUSAND MILES. NOW O/D OFF LIGHT IS FLASHING AND CAR DRIVES LIKE IT IS IN FIRST GEAR, SHIFTS HARD. *TR

LARGE FUEL LEAK FROM BRAIDED STEEL FUEL LINES WHERE THEY WERE RUBBING AGAINST THEIR BRACE ON THE TOP FRONT OF ENGINE. THEY WERE CUT, WITH A SPLICE PUT IN, AND THE BRACE REMOVED, RATHER THAN A REPLACEMENT. THE REASON BEING THE REPLACEMENT PART COST OF $600. *TR

WHILE ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE HESITATES AS IF IT IS GOING TO STALL. I'VE TAKEN IT AND HAD IT CHECKED OUT. THE ONLY THING THAT HAS EVER BEEN FOUND IS FAULTY O2 SENSORS. *TR

VEHICLE HESITATING AND STALLING. ALL SIX FUEL INJECTORS MELTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT OF FUEL INJECTORS, STRONG GAS SMELL, AND THE VEHICLES STILL CURRENTLY STALLS OR IDLES TO HIGH. *TR

THE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED ON VEHICLE ON 09 AUG, 2003, NECESSITATING REMOVAL AND RE-INSTALLATION OF THE AIR INTAKE HOSE CONNECTED TO THE THROTTLE BODY. ON THE MORNING OF 09 FEB, 2006 THE ACCELERATOR WAS BRIEFLY DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR WHILE NAVIGATING IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC. THE ACCELERATOR REMAINED IN THIS POSITION AFTER HAVING REMOVED THE DRIVER'S FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR. FULL PRESSURE WAS BEING APPLIED TO THE BRAKES WITH NO APPARENT SLOWING OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS STEERED TOWARDS AN OPEN CONSTRUCTION AREA ADJACENT TO THE FREEWAY, AND SHIFTED INTO 'PARK' WHILE STILL MOVING AT ABOUT 50 MPH. THE VEHICLE STOPPED SAFELY, AND WITHOUT COLLISION. THE VEHICLE REMAINED DRIVABLE AFTER THIS INCIDENT. UPON INVESTIGATION, IT APPEARS THAT THE BODY OF THE HOSE CLAMP THAT SECURES THE AIR INTAKE HOSE TO THE THROTTLE BODY WAS INTERFERING WITH THE THROTTLE MECHANISM SUCH THAT WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS FULLY DEPRESSED, A PLASTIC TAB ON THE THROTTLE MECHANISM WOULD RUB AGAINST THE BODY OF THE HOSE CLAMP WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO HOLD THE THROTTLE IN THE FULLY OPEN POSITION. AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THIS HOSE HAD BEEN REMOVED AND RE-INSTALLED, POSSIBLY CAUSING THE HOSE AND ATTACHED HOSE CLAMP TO BE ROTATED SEVERAL DEGREES FROM THEIR ORIGINAL (FACTORY) POSITION. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THERE ARE NO FEATURES ON THE HOSE OR THROTTLE BODY TO ENSURE PROPER ORIENTATION UPON RE-INSTALLATION. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THE AIR INTAKE HOSE WAS RE-POSITIONED , AND THE OFFENDING CORNER OF THE PLASTIC TAB ON THE THROTTLE LINKAGE WAS FILED OFF. (DIGITAL PHOTOS AND VIDEO OF THE FAILURE CONDITION ARE AVAILABLE)*JB

DOORS AND LOCKS ON MY 1998 FORD HAS BEEN OUT OF ORDER THEY WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO!! I SAW THAT IT HAD A RECALL IN 1999 I GUESS THE LAST OWNER DIDN'T GET IT FIXED IM SOMETIMES LOCKED OUT OF MY CAR 10-15 MIN AT A TIME!! I WAS WONDERING CAN YOU DO SOMETHING OR IS IT TOO LATE!! I REALLY NEED TO GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF BECAUSE WHEN I LEAVE WORK IT'S DARK!! *TR

VEHICLE IS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER EQUIPPED WITH A 4.0L SOHC ENGINE PURCHASED IN MARCH OF 1998. BATTERY HAD DIED AND ATTEMPTED TO JUMP START THE BATTERY (WOULDN'T JUMP, WAS REPLACED). GROUND CABLE WAS PLACED AT A LOCATION THAT APPEARED TO BE A SAFE LOCATION. UNKNOWN TO ME AT THE TIME, IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE FUEL LINE BRACKET. LATER THAT DAY AND THE NEXT DAY A STRONG GAS SMELL WAS EMINATING FROM VEHICLE. TOOK TO ADAMSON FORD DEALERSHIP IN BIRMINGHAM, AL AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL LINE WAS DAMAGED RESULTING IN A FUEL LEAK WHICH COULD RESULT IN FIRE. AFTER GETTING OVER SHOCK OF A $889 REPAIR ESTIMATE, I SEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION AND CAME ACROSS A LINK TO YOUR WEBSITE CONCERNING A RECALL ISSUED BY YOUR GROUP (ID# 98V060000). THE SUMMARY OF THE RECALL DESCRIBED MY SITUATION PERFECTLY. YOU ISSUED THE RECALL THE EXACTH MONTH AND YEAR OF MY PURCHASE, MARCH OF 1998. FOUND ANOTHER INTERNET ARTICLE STATING THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY ISSUED A VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL IN MAY, 1998 FOR THE SAME SUBJECT MATTER AS YOUR RECALL. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL NOTIFICATION FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY REGARDING THIS MATTER. I'VE PRESSED THE ISSUE WITH THE DEALERSHIP AS TO WHY I DID NOT RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF THE RECALL AND THEY ARE CLAIMING IT IS DUE TO THE "BUILD DATE" OF MY VEHICLE. THEY CLAIM FORD'S RECALL OF MAY, 1998 COVERED EXPLORERS WITH A BUILD DATE UP TO 02/01/98 AND THAT THE BUILD DATE FOR MY VEHICLE WAS 02/03/98, A DIFFERENCE OF 2 DAYS. WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE DID COME FROM THE SAME PLANT AS THOSE COVERED BY THE RECALL. I HAVE A HARD TIME ACCEPTING THAT A 2-DAY DIFFERENCE WOULD BE GROUNDS FOR FORD TO DESIGNATE THAT THE RECALL IN QUESTION WAS NOT APPLICABLE TO MY VEHICLE WHEN THE DANGER EXISTED.

I OWN A FORD EXPLORER 1988 BOUGHT NEW IN 1999. I HAVE ONLY 36.000 MILES ON IT AND LAST MONTH I WAS JUST DRIVING FOR ABOUT 2 MILES WHEN I SENSED A POWERFUL SMELL OF GAS. PULLED OVER IMEDIATELY, OPENED THE HOOD A I SAW GASOLIN POURING ON THE ENGINE AND THE BATTERIES FROM THE TWO FUEL LINES GOING INTO THE FEUEL INJECTION SYSTEM IN TOP OF THE ENGINE. I HAVE CALLED FORD AND THEY TOLD ME THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS. IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE THE FORD DEALER WHERE I HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM(700$ !!!!). OLD ME THEY ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM OTHER TIMES. PLEASE DO AN INVESTIGATION BEFORE PEOPLE WILL DIE BURNT ALIVE. I DROVE NEW, OLD AND VERY OLD CARS AND I HAVE NEVER HAD OR HEARD OF THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. *AK IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE! PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WILL DO SOMETHING THANKS SORIN

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET HAS FAILED ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS ON MY VEHICLE. THIS PART WAS REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING ON BOTH OCCASIONS. THIS LEAKAGE AND PROBLEM IS DANGEROUS TO THE VEHICLE AND THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS PART OF THE FUEL SYSTEM AND SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY.*AK

THE CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE AT HER HOUSE FOR AT LEAST 7 HOURS. THEN, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED, AND THEY INDICATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS POSSIBLY ELECTRICAL. ALSO, CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO WAS NO HELP AT ALL. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *SC

FUEL LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE, CAUSING A FIRE. THE LOCATION OF THE FUEL LEAK HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

NHTSA RECALL 98-V-060-000:VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L SINGLE OVERHEAD CAM ENGINES. ENGINE FUEL LINES CAN BE DAMAGED IF THE VEHICLE IS JUMP STARTED AND THE GROUND CABLE IS ATTACHED TO THE FUEL LINE BRACKET THAT IS LOCATED NEAR THE BATTERY. SINCE THE BRACKET IS NOT GROUNDED, THE STAINLESS STEEL FUEL LINE BRAID COULD ACT AS A GROUND POTENTIALLY OVERHEATING THE PTFE INNER LINER OF THE FUEL LINE, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE FUEL LINE. CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLEDE DUE TO THE VIN. *AK

VEHICLE ENGINE IDLE WILL JUMP UP TO 2300 RPMS WHILE IN PARK OR NETURAL WITHOUT TOUCHING GAS PEDAL, A/C AND ACC'S OFF. THE ONLY WAY THIS IS NOTICED IS WHEN YOU SHIFT OUT OF DRIVE WHILE ENGINE IS RUNNING, OR HEAR THE TRANSMISSION MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND TYRING TO DOWNSHIFT AT SUCH A HIGH RPM. VEHILCE WILL ALSO INCREASE SPEED ON IT'S OWN WITHOUT PRESSING GAS PEDAL. IT'S ALMOST A DAILY OCCURANCE.

WHEN HOOD WAS LIFTED DURING ROUTINE SMOG CERTIFICATION TEST, GASOLINE WAS OBSERVED SPRAYING ON ENGINE FROM FUEL LINE. THE HOLE WAS BEHIND THE TIE DOWN BRACKET ON FRONT OF THE ENGINE. THE OBVIOUSLY EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION WAS REPAIRED ON SITE. UPON EXAMINATION, THE METAL BRAID HOSE DID NOT APPEAR CHAFED BUT RATHER APPEARS TO HAVE SPONTANEOUSLY RUPTURED. THE HOSE WAS DEFECTIVE AND REPAIR COSTS SHOULD BE PAID BY THE MANUFACTURER. (HOSES ARE AVAILABLE FOR EXAMINATION) A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION WOULD HAVE DEVELOPED HAD THE GASOLINE IGNITED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DT

WHILE DRIVING SMELLED STRONG FUEL SMELL, VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER WHO REPLACED A LEAKING FUEL RAIL. *AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED THREE TIMES AND THE FUEL LINE HAD BROKE CAUSING, THE FUEL TO LEAK AND VEHICLE TO STALL. *YD

WHILE DRIVING LATE AT NIGHT IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD MY WIFES EXPLORER STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. SHE HAD THE EXPLORER TOWED HOME FOR ME TO DIAGNOSE. I EXAMINED THE EXPLORER AND FOUND THAT THE INERTIA SWITCHS ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HAD SLID OFF. THIS RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF POWER TO THE FUEL PUMP. FORD HAS LOCATED THIS SWITCH NEAR THE FLOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FOOT AREA WITH THE WIRING ROUTED UNDER THE CARPET. REPEATED PASSENGER FOOT PRESSURE ON THE FLOOR HAD RESULTED IN THE CONNECTOR SLIDING OFF. WHILE DRIVING THIS REDUCES STEERING AND BRAKING EFFICIENCY AS WELL AS FORWARD MOVEMENT. THANK GOODNESS SHE WAS NOT ON A FREEWAY, BRIDGE, TUNNEL OR MANEUVERING THROUGH A CURVE WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.

VEHICLE STALLED WHEN MAKING A 90 DEGREE LEFT TURN. CONSUMER STEPPED SLIGHTLY ON GAS AND IT HESITATED. CONSUMER HAS TO PRESS DOWN GIVING VEHICLE GAS TO BY PASS HESITATION. DEALER REALLY HAD NO REMEDY. BUT ONCE BEFORE REPLACED FUEL INJECTION. *AK

FUEL LINES GOING INTO ENGINE WERE LEAKING FUEL NEAR SPARK PLUG. CONSUMER REPAIRED THIS HIMSELF, AND INFORMED DEALERSHIP WHEN HE WENT IN FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK