1998 Ford Explorer engine and engine cooling problems
189 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine and engine cooling on the 1998 Ford Explorer — 10% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“My car was parked in the driveway and was off. We heard a noise from inside the house and my 1998 ford explorer was in flames from the engine area. We had to call the fire department and the car was quickly engulfed. *tr”
filed Feb 2, 2014
“When backing up at 5mph vehicle accelerated at high speed went up curb and hit guardrail. After 2-3- seconds vehicle dropped down to 0 mph. *tr”
filed Jan 23, 2012
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
Rattle/buzz sound from under the vehicle on 4.0l single overhead cam (sohc) engines. *tt
03199 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 29, 2003
Engine and Engine Cooling problems in other Explorer years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Explorer | 1 | 1% |
| 2022 Explorer | 2 | 1% |
| 2021 Explorer | 10 | 2% |
| 2020 Explorer | 21 | 2% |
| 2019 Explorer | 6 | 2% |
| 2018 Explorer | 29 | 4% |
| 2017 Explorer | 76 | 5% |
| 2016 Explorer | 114 | 5% |
| 2015 Explorer | 66 | 4% |
| 2014 Explorer | 67 | 4% |
| 2013 Explorer | 67 | 3% |
| 2012 Explorer | 14 | 2% |
Other reported problem areas on the 1998 Ford Explorer
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.