1998 Ford Explorer Sport: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 145 complaints
145
Total Complaints
100,000mi
Median Mileage
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Top Issue
5
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

68,000 25th Percentile
100,000 Median Mileage
132,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
23
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
11
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
9
TIRES
7
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
5
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
5
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
5
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
4
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
4

Severity Assessment

5
Crashes
17
Fires
13
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"THE FIRESTONE TIRE BLEWOUT CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASH INTO A TREE, THE DRIVER SUSTAINED WHIPLASH, BACK, NECK, UPPER AND LOWER EXTREMITY BRUISES AND MUSCLE SPASMS (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/75R15 1055 M/S DOT W2HLIPY407). NLM"
"WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, CONSUMER STATES SHE HEARD A TREMENDOUS NOISE AND THE VEHICLE BECAME HARD TO STEER, SHE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DISCOVERED THAT THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS IN SHREDS, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A FIRESTONE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS ..."
"THE CONSUMER SWERVED TO AVOID AN ONCOMING CAR, AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS BACK ON THE ROAD THE RIGHT REAR FIRESTONE (WILDERNESS AT P235/75R15) TIRE BLEWOUT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLLOVER THREE TIMES, ONE PASSENGER WAS TREATED FOR CONTUSIONS AND A SEVERED FINGER, THE OTHER THREE OCCUPANTS WERE TREATED FO..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28