1998 Ford Explorer Sport Trac recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Service brakes

  TAKATA RECALL.. THE LIGHTS INSIDE WILL CUT ON FOR NO REASON. THE RADIO AND OTHER COMPONENTS WILL CUT ON AND OFF WHEN THEY WANT..THE BRAKE PADDLE WORKS WHEN IT WANT .

  Mar 2, 2019 · 179,766 miles
• Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

  THE BRAKE LINE ON BOTH OF MY 1996 AND 1998 FORD EXPLORER RUSTED OUT LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR ON BOTH SUVS, CAUSING THE BRAKE SYSTEM TO TOTALLY FAIL ON THE 1996 AND LOST ONE SET OF BRAKES ON THE 1998. WE WERE VERY LUCKY. THE PROBLEM WAS NOTICED WHEN PARKED. *JB

  Aug 1, 2006 · 45,700 miles
• Vehicle speed control › Cruise controlFire

  ON JANUARY 26TH, 2006 AT 3AM OUR 1998 FORD EXPLORER EXPLODED IN 33 DEGREE WEATHER AFTER SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR 15 HOURS. THE FIRE CAUSED MY VEHICLE, A 1994 BUICK CENTURY TO CATCH FIRE AS WELL. BOTH VEHICLES WERE TOTALED. THE FIRE INVESTIGATOR RULED THE FIRE AS AND "UNKNOWN CAUSE" AND RULED OUT ARSON OR FOUL PLAY. WE BELIEVE THIS SPONTANEOUS FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE DEFECTIVE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH ON THE FORD EXPLORER DUE TO THE QUICKNESS AND FIERCENESS OF THIS BLAZE. DUE TO QUICK THINKING WE SAVED AND PREVENTED THE FIRE FROM SPREADING TO OUR HOME. *NM

  Jan 26, 2006 · 88,000 miles
• Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch

  THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF THE FORD TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING LOCK COMPONENTS. *AK THE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED WITH THE KEY OR FROM THE INSIDE HANDLE. THE DOOR COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED WITHOUT EXCESSIVE EFFORT. *SC *JB

  Mar 2, 2005 · 51,700 miles
• Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

  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…

  Jan 12, 2005 · 36,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADClosed

  ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, ODI RECEIVED A PETITION REQUESTING THAT THE AGENCY INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE SPARK PLUG EJECTION IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1997 THROUGH 2004 FORD VEHICLES WITH TRITON V-8 AND V-10 ENGINES.ODI RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 474 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WHERE THE COMPLAINANT, OR THE DEALER REPAIRING THE VEHICLE, REPORTED THAT A SPARK PLUG DETACHED FROM THE CYLINDER AND/OR EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE.AS OF DECEMBER 8, 2005, ODI IS NOT AWARE OF ANY ALLEGATIONS WHERE THE ALLEGED DEFECT RESULTED IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, A CRASH, AN INJURY, OR A FATALITY IN ANY OF THE 10,319,810 SUBJECT VEHICLES.IN ADDITION, ODI IS AWARE OF ONLY TWO INCIDENTS WHERE THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT RESTART.INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ODI CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND OBTAINED FROM 72 TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WITH COMPLAINANTS SHOWED THE FOLLOWING:(1) 99% OF THE COMPLAINTS WERE ON MY…

  DP05005 · opened Sep 22, 2005 · closed Jan 4, 2006