1999 Ford Explorer Sport review from North America

* First problem was with the airbag system. They first fixed it by replacing the wiring for the airbag. Then, when the airbag light began flashing again about 6 weeks later, they then decided to replace the electrical module running the airbag system. (covered by the Used Car Department because it was existing when the car was purchased)

* The service engine light came on indicating a problem with a known defect that had been recalled. (Why this hadn't been dealt with prior to my purchase either by the dealership or the previous owner is not known to me.)

* The motor for the rear wiper went out and had to be replaced. (covered by my extended warranty)

* The transmission went out and had to be replaced. (covered by my extended warranty, thank heavens)

* The passenger side power window motor quit working and had to be replaced. (covered by my warranty)

* The thermostat went out and had to be replaced. (This was detected by the engine surging when I was stopping resulting in the car trying to lurch forward despite my foot being off the gas and on the brake.) (also covered by my warranty)

The money I spent on the extended warranty is definitely the best money I've ever spent in my life. Otherwise, I don't think I'd have been able to afford the payments with the repairs.

However, despite these problems, I've loved driving the vehicle. It's fun, it's sporty, and it handles nicely. It definitely is a much less economical than my previous car (GEO Storm), but the added space and power and refreshing.

I'm concerned that the previous owners did not take adequate care of the car (transmission problem and the recall not being serviced).

Also, a note about the extended warranties...when the transmission needed to be replaced, the company providing for the warranty first asked if the car had been serviced at 60,000 miles as suggested by Ford. (If you're not familiar, the 60k check is a very thorough exam of the car including flushing the transmission.) Luckily, I HAD done this at 60k. When speaking to the service guy at my local dealership, he said that they might have declined the repair it hadn't been. I definitely recommend that people be diligent about the suggested maintenance program.