1998 Ford Explorer Visibility & Wipers Problems

WIPERS WORKS WHEN THEY WANT TOO. POWER WINDOWS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TOO. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WORKS WHEN THEY WANT TOO. *TR

BLEND DOOR MOTOR FAILED PERMITTING ONLY HOT AIR TO ENTER VEHICLE. *TR

THE "BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR" THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE AND HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A NEW IMPROVED PART (F87Z-18471-DA) AT THE CUSTOMER EXPENSE. THE OLD PART WHEN IT FAILS CAUSES A SAFETY ISSUES BECAUSE YOU CAN NOT DEFROST THE FRONT WINDOW UNTIL THE PART IS REPLACED. THIS SHOULD BE A "RECALL" THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR. I HAVE DONE SOME LOOKED INTO THE ISSUE AND MANY VEHICLES (1998 FORD EXPLORER) HAVE HAD THIS SAME FAILURE. *JB

I PURCHASED MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED FROM MY MOTHER IN JANUARY OF 2006 WITH 68000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IN FEBURARY I FIRST NOTICED VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO DEFROST THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND DEFOG THE VEHICLES WINDOWS. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS THE CLIMATE CONTROL WOULD SOMETIMES NOT BLOW WARM AIR. THIS WOULD ALSO RESULT IN A VERY COLD INTERIOR. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET I FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE 1996-1998 FORD EXPLORER AND A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CLIMATE CONTROL'S AIR BLENDING DOOR BREAKING, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO REGULATE HEAT AND COLD. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED UNTIL I COULD DETERMINE IF THIS WAS IN FACT THE ISSUE I WAS HAVING. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PARK THE VEHICLE UNTIL I WAS SURE I HAD NO NEED TO OPERATE THE CLIMATE CONTROL. I WAS INSTRUCTED HOW TO CHECK FOR A BROKEN BLEND DOOR AND INDEED FOUND MINE TO BE BROKEN. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER IN CARSON CITY NEVADA AND WAS TOLD THAT DESPITE THE FREQUENCY OF THIS PROBLEM IT WAS NOT A RECALL ISSUE AND WITHOUT A WARRANTY THE COST FOR REPAIR WAS $1100. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THE BROKEN PARTS WERE BEING REPLACED WITH PARTS CONSTRUCTED OF IMPROVED MATERIAL (NYLON) BECAUSE OF THEIR TENDENCY TO BREAK USING THE PREVIOUS MATERIAL (ABS PLASTIC). I FEEL FORD IS WELL AWARE OF THIS HAZARDOUS PROBLEM BUT BECAUSE OF THE COST, WON'T ISSUE A RECALL OR EVEN A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. INSTEAD THE LEAVE THE CONSUMER TO COUGH UP THE LABOR AND PARTS COST TO REPAIR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A REPUTABLE AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER. *JB

1998 FORD EXPLORER, PLENUM DOOR FAILURE, RESULTING IN NO HEAT. CANNOT DEFROST WINDOWS CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD EXPLORERS. SHOULD BE A FACTORY DEFECT. GARAGE WANTS $1000 TO FIX. *JB

TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEM LOCKED IN COLD AC MODE. SYSTEM WILL ONLY BLOW COLD AIR DUE TO A BROKEN AIR BLEND DOOR. DRIVER CAN NOT DEFROST WINDSHIELD WITH COLD AIR CONDITIONED DEFROST. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE DRIVER. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FIXED BECAUSE THE COST WILL BE $1200.*JB

THE BLEND DOOR , PLENUM, THAT CONTROLS THE TEMPATURE OF THE AIR COMING INTO THE CABIN IS BROKEN IN THE SAME PLACE THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED. THIS WILL NOT ALLOW HEATED AIR TO COME FROM THE DEFROSTER VENTS RESULTING IN A SAFETY ISSUE.FAILURE DATE GIVEN IS APPROXIMATE.

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON AND OFF ON THEIR ON. THIS PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT, AND CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

ONE MONTH AFTER GETTING MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER IN OCTOBER 1998 THE REAR WIPER MOTOR FAILED AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE WIPER ON ALL EXPLORERS. IN JULY 2001 THE REAR WIPER MOTER AGAIN FAILED AND WAS AGAIN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. AGAIN THE DEALER SAID THAT THIS WAS A CONTINUING PROBLEM WITH THE EXPLORERS. ON MAY 13, 2004 THE REAR WIPER MOTOR HAS AGAIN FAILED. NOW THE DEALER WANTS $320 TO REPLACE THE MOTOR ASSEMBLY. THIS TIME THERE WAS NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUING PROBLEM WITH THE EXPLORER. WITHOUT THE REAR WINDOW WIPER BEING OPPERABLE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW DURING RAIN STORMS OR WHEN THE ROAD IS WET AND DIRT SPLASHES UP ONTO THE WINDOW. THIS CREATES A HAZARD THAT FORD SHOULD ADDRESS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.*AK

THE SPARE TIRE WHICH WAS LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, SNAPPED AND FELL TO THE GROUND WHILE DRIVING. *JB (THE WENCH SYSTEM) *SC THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR WAS REPLACED. *JB

BLEND DOOR BROKEN ON 98 FORD EXPLORER. THIS CAUSED THE HEATING AND COOLING IN THE ENGINE TO BE STUCK IN THE "COLD" POSITION THROUGHOUT WINTER. WHILE DRIVING IN WINTER, I HAD TO LOOK OUT THE FREEZING COLD WINDOW TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE DEFROSTER IN MY WINDSHEILD WOULD NOT HEAT THE WINDOW.

WHILE TRAVELLING AT 75 MPH ON I-10, THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DOOR WINDOW SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED AND DISINTEGRATED.

HEATER BLEND DOOR BROKEN, FORD IS AWARE OF IT IN 1995 TO ABOUT 1999-2000 FORD EXPLORERS, WITH BLEND DOOR BROKEN THERE IS NOT A PROPER FLOW OF HEAT TO THE WINDSHIELD, AND THE COST FROM FORD IS $1000.00 DOLLARS TO REPLACE, AND THEY STATE THERE IS NO RECALL OR WARRANTY. *LA

FRONT WINDSHIELD FRAME IS CORRODED FROM INSIDE OUT, AND IT COULD CAUSE CONSUMER TO HAVE VISIBILITY PROBLEMS. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

THIS PROBLEM STARTED OUT AS AN INCONVENIENCE BUT HAS GROWN TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE DEFROSTERS FAIL TO FUNCTION. I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE HEAT/AC AND WHEN THE WINDOWS ARE HIT WITH WATER BELOW FREEZING I HAVE A SAFETY PROBLEM. AT TIMES FOG AND MOISTURE CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE WINDOW W/O PULLING OFER TO WIPE IT. THE DEALER SAYS THAT IT IS A $1000 REPAIR AND TSB'S SAY IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE. PLEASE ADVISE.

BACK IN MAY 2002 MY DRIVERS DOOR LOCK STUCK IN THE LOCKED POSITION IT HAS POWER LOCKS AND I COULD NOT GET IT UNLOCKED UNLESS I PULLED THE LOCK BUTTON UP WHILE I PRESSED THE POWER LOCK AND UNLOCK SWITCH OPEN AN CLOSE A MULTIPLE AMOUNT OF TIMES.I BROUGHT IT TO A FORD DEALER AND HAD IT FIXED,IT COST ME $219.35 NIT WAS THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED,IT HAS BEEN 1 YEAR ALMOST TO THE DAY AND IT FAILED AGAIN. I THINK IS A BIG SAFTEY PROBLEM BECAUSE IF THERE IS A FIRE OR THERE IS AN ACCIDENT AND THE AUTOMOBILE ENDS UP IN A LAKE OR RIVER THE DOOR LOCK CAN GET STUCK LOCKED AND A PERSON COULD GET STUCK IN THE AUTOMOBILE.

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICE FLAMES COMING FROM REAR WINDOW, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, THE DELAER STATED CONNECTION TO REAR DEFROSTER UNIT CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK. DELAER STATED IT WAS A SHORT IN THE CIRCUIT.*SLC

WHILE OPENING MANUAL TAILGATE WINDOW RIGHT HINGE DETACHED AND HIT CONSUMER ON THE HEAD.*AK

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS COMPONENT HAS BEEN REPLACED. ORIGINAL COMPONENT WAS REPLACED IN JUNE, 1999, AT 18,000 MILES. VEHICLE IS BASED IN A DRY CLIMATE AND WINDSHIELD WIPER IS RARELY USED. FAILURE OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING. FAILURE OF WIPER MOTOR COMPROMISES REARWARD VISIBILITY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. DEALER ADVISES PREMATURE FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT IS COMMON.*AK

HEATER/DEFROSTER CONTROL IS NO LONGER WORKING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT HEATER BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK