I have a 1998 ford explorer sports that caught on fire while the engine was off and parked in my garage. I parked the car at around 7:00 pm and around after 10:00 pm heard a loud explotion in the garage. My family was already in bed and I was watching tv. When I open the access door to the garage the front part of the explorer was in flames. We called 911 and the fire department came and put out the fire, but the car is ruined. My second car is damaged and my garage is also damaged. No one was hurt because we got out of the house on time.
1998 Ford Explorer Sport electrical complaints
Page 2 of 2: complaints 11 to 18 of 18, newest first, as owners wrote them.
I took my 1998 ford explorer sport to my local dealership because my brake lights were not working (I can only guess how long they were not operating). After doing a diagnostic they determined I had to replace my (forgive me, as I am not mechanical, but it is all on my receipt) cruise control harness as the component had completely melted. My cruise control had stopped working a couple of months earlier, but I had not bothered to fix it. The cruise control had gotten so hot that it burned a hole through my master cylinder so that it also needed to be replaced. I am notifying you because I feel my and my family's safety were jeopardized in three ways: inoperable brake lights, the fire hazard of the cruise control, and consequently poor brakes.
Speed control switch failed on my 1998 ford explorer, resulting in cruise control failure, major electrical short circuit, blown 20a fuse, no tail lights, leaking brake fluid from master cylinder thru faulty switch, and wires, switch and connector burned approximatly six inches back from switch. Switch was burned, also. A new switch was put on the vehicle, along with a pigtail (wires & connector), the brake system had to be bled and a new fuse installed. At that time, I knew nothing of a defect. Ford said nothing of the problem. The repair was made 1/14/05. To the best of my knowlege, the defect is not corrected, but only repaired as it was originally equipped. When I heard about the recall, it did not include my 1998, explorer, sport. I have saved the old switch. The new switch number is sw-5945, f3tz-9f924-bb.
1998 ford explorer caught fire at 4:30 am,under the hood engulfed in flames called fire dept they came and put fire out. The whole entire motor, and front of truck ruined,not drivable. I filed a claim with ford the day after fire,they stated that they were liable because there were no recalls on 1998 explorers.
Fire under the hood of a 1998 ford explorer sport. The vehicle had been parked and the ignition turned off for over 4 hours. The vehicle was totaled and it was concluded that the fire began as the result of an electrical short under the hood.
The lights went out on the radio display for my explorer. The unit still played however you couldn't see what track, the volume, or what radio station it was currently on. I thought this would be a simple fuse fix but was told that the whole radio had to be replaced for a cost of $600. Lucky me I have the premium stereo so it costs more. I have spoken with people who all have the 98 explorer sport and this issue was the same for every single person.
I have a 98 ford explorer sport. The radio works but does not have a lighting display. The dealer informed me that they know of the problem and that mostly all explorers will lose the lighting display, but there has not been a recall as of yet. This is expensive to fix. It's not like replacing a bulb or something. You're basically buying a new radio. If that's the case it won't be from the ford dealership, and it won't be the manufacturers radio which we all know will crap out.
Smoke came out of the steering column and park lights turned on although the light switch was in the "off" position. Also moving the multifunction lever to make a left turn signal ,the instument panel showed that the left signal light was stuck "on" and turn signal lights didn't work at the front and rear of the truck. However, the right signal has never malfunctioned. This is very troubling. This event ocurred twice within a week. Dealer has replaced two relays(I paid for), only time will tell if this is the fix.
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