1998 Ford Explorer steering problems

Filed Feb 24, 2016 · Steering · 160,000 miles · NC

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford explorer. While driving 5 MPH, the steering rod fell off and caused the steering to fail. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 160,000.

Filed Apr 2, 2012 · Acceleration, Brakes · 131,000 miles · NJ · fire

The explorer brake peddle went to the floor to stop the vehicle . There was smoke coming from under the hood . In a few seconds , the truck was in flames. Police and firemen were called to the location . They put the fire out in a few minutes .

Filed Aug 15, 2007 · Steering · 121,916 miles · NY · crash

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford explorer. While driving 30 MPH, the contact lost steering ability and defective parts punctured the front passenger side tire. The failure caused him to crash into another vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a local body shop. The contact felt that the cause of failure was due to a failed steering knuckle. The body shop repaired the steering knuckle and all related parts. No other failures have occurred since the repair. The failure mileage was 121,916 and current mileage was 123,000.

Filed Mar 29, 2007 · Steering · 140,000 miles · NJ

On 2/22/07 I was driving to work in my 1998 ford explorer xlt 4dr. I had just come off the nj turnpike and was driving through union city at 6:45 in the morning when I stopped at a red light. When the light turned green I accelerated and attempted to turn the vehicle to the left to follow the road. To my shock and horror the steering wheel spun freely without changing the direction of my vehicle. I had absolutely no steering with barely any resistance on the steering wheel itself. My vehicle went straight across the road; I stopped the vehicle up on a sidewalk just before a building. Thank god there was no one walking there at that early hour. After I managed to compose myself I tried turning the wheel and found that it would just continue to spin freely either left or right, with nothing stopping it. If I turned the wheel hard and let go the steering wheel would spin completely around 5 or 6 times before coming to a stop. I called the union city police and told them what occurred and that the car was up on a sidewalk with no way to steer it. They told me to call aaa and sent a car by. Aaa came with a flat bed and after a long time managed to get the vehicle off the curb and on the truck. The driver had a very difficult time because there was no way to steer the vehicle. I accompanied my vehicle as it was towed to my local repair station 30 miles away. The station found that inside the drivers compartment the steering column is two separate shafts that are held together by a single bolt ( no nut ). The bolt had backed out of the connection and the shafts had become separated. The mechanic found the bolt under the driver's seat. The mechanic told me that once the shafts became separated there was no way to steer the vehicle. He expressed great concern that the bolt did not have a nut or some kind of pin to keep it from falling out. The mechanic put some 'thread locker' on the bolt and put it back in the steering shaft, which fixed the problem.

Filed Mar 12, 2007 · Steering · 63,000 miles · TN

Tl*- the contact stated that while driving the 1998 ford explorer at approximately 15 MPH she heard a rubbing noise coming from the left front of the vehicle. She did not receive any warning lights, and the road conditions were clear. Suddenly, it became very hard to turn the steering wheel and she had no control of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to the dealership. The dealership informed the contact that the power steering pump failed, and it released debris into the rack and pinion, which caused that to fail. The vehicle was being repaired by the dealership. The vehicle currently has 65042 miles.*ak updated 04/12/07.

Filed Aug 11, 2006 · Steering · MI

Power steering gear box is leaking. Both the gearbox and tie rods need replaced. Only 75,000 miles on the vehicle.

Filed Apr 26, 2006 · Steering · 117,069 miles · CO

I have a 1998 ford explorer that I have been getting a loud grunting noise everytime I turn left. Replaced rack n pinion and power steering pump, and still no change. Noise is still there.

Filed Sep 15, 2005 · Steering · 78,593 miles · MA

Dt: the consumer states that 1998 ford explorer had a steering problem. The steering wheel was turning to the left, she heard a clung, and the steering wheel was turning, but she was not moving. The consumer took the vehicle to the dealership, and was told that a steering shaft broke. The shaft was replaced, and the vehicle was driving fine now. The consumer stated she called the manufacturer, and they said that the vehicle was not under warranty, and the consumer was looking for someone to pay the bill.

Filed Mar 24, 2005 · Electrical, Locks · GA

I have a 1998 ford explorer 4 dr 2wd and the driver door will not open something went wrong with the lock from the inside u can open it from the outside but it wont open from the inside since that occured my anti-theft my security system and my horn also stopped working I have checked the fuses and the relays they tell me that its something in the wiring what should I do

Filed Jun 28, 2004 · Steering · CO · crash · 3 injuries

On 6/18/04 my family was in a rollover accident while on vacation in ny. My son was driving and swerved to avoid a car coming at high speeds. The steering became very loose and we rolled over. Before rolling over, he tried to regain control and totttled left then tottled right and then flipped and landed on the hood. The three with minor injuries included cuts on hands from cladd, sprain neck and bruises.