1998 Ford Explorer Limited review from North America
"Good looks, horrible reliability"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Within the first week of purchase the automatic door locks broke.
Within the first month, the moon-roof began to leak.
The check engine light has come on over 7 times since I bought the car due to various emissions problems with sensors and valves.
The spark plugs/harness assembly has had chronic problems. Sputtering, backfiring and refusal to accelerate occurs regularly.
The rear wiper has broken three times.
The tie-rods and ball joints broke at 30,000 miles.
The catalytic converter had to be replaced at 50,000 miles.
The fuel pump went bad at 60,000 miles.
The Wilderness tires were recalled.
The cruise control system was recalled.
The stereo player lights fade in and out and the volume raises on it's own. The antenna will not descend.
The truck has been in the shop approximately 26 times since I bought it brand new.
General comments?
Don't buy this truck unless you have lots of extra money laying around and lots of free time on your hands for the numerous repairs it will need. You can expect it to be in the shop at least once every 3 months. Complaining to Ford will not help either. Once you buy it, they don't care. I complained to them and they admitted that my repairs were excessive, but they did nothing to help me.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | V8 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 2 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 1 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 20 miles |
| Most recent distance | 76000 miles |
| Previous car | Ford Explorer |
| Date of Entry | 18th March, 2004 |