VehicleVerdict

1998 Ford Explorer visibility & wipers problems

The 1998 Ford Explorer has 117 visibility & wipers complaints filed with NHTSA — 5% of the year's total, and roughly flat versus the prior model year.

117

Visibility & Wipers complaints

5%

Share of year

0

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Visibility & Wipers complaints by year

Explorer visibility & wipers complaints by model year225 complaints1990: 1 complaints1991: 33 complaints1992: 48 complaints1993: 56 complaints1994: 75 complaints1995: 22 complaints1996: 49 complaints1997: 97 complaints1998: 117 complaints1999: 225 complaints2000: 48 complaints2001: 19 complaints2002: 141 complaints2003: 62 complaints2004: 114 complaints2005: 26 complaints2006: 16 complaints2007: 9 complaints2008: 4 complaints2009: 3 complaints2010: 3 complaints2011: 23 complaints2012: 24 complaints2013: 62 complaints2014: 53 complaints2015: 43 complaints2016: 67 complaints2017: 73 complaints2018: 26 complaints2019: 7 complaints2020: 62 complaints2021: 36 complaints2022: 23 complaints2023: 9 complaints2024: 3 complaints2025: 12 complaints2026: 2 complaints
Explorer visibility & wipers complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICE FLAMES COMING FROM REAR WINDOW, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, THE DELAER STATED CONNECTION TO REAR DEFROSTER UNIT CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK. DELAER STATED IT WAS A SHORT IN THE CIRCUIT.*SLC”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Visibility & Wipers · January 31, 2002 · fire

Common questions

How many visibility & wipers complaints does the 1998 Ford Explorer have?

NHTSA has 117 complaints about the 1998 Ford Explorer visibility & wipers — 5% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.