Four problems related to fuel pump have been reported for the 1998 Ford Explorer. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
While driving late at night in a residential neighborhood my wifes Explorer stalled in the middle of the street. She had the Explorer towed home for me to diagnose. I examined the Explorer and found that the inertia switchs electrical connector had slid off. This resulted in the loss of power to the fuel pump. Ford has located this switch near the floor on the passenger side foot area with the wiring routed under the carpet. Repeated passenger foot pressure on the floor had resulted in the connector sliding off. While driving this reduces steering and braking efficiency as well as forward movement. Thank goodness she was not on a freeway, bridge, tunnel or maneuvering through a curve which could have resulted in a serious accident.
Fuel pump wiring became dislodged.
Fuel pump failed.
This vehicle was the replacement for the 1997 model with the same problem that Ford insisted did not exist 2yrs. Ago. They have now acknowledged a problem with the fuel pump that we feel very strongly is a safety isssue. They have also informed us that there are other Explorers in the state of colorado that have the same problem. We feel that Ford is deliberately trying to minimize this problem. Vehicle "cuts out/stalls" upon accelleration which by definition of the NHTSA is a safety defect!! we filled a report on our 1997 vehicle in January of 1998. Please see NHTSA ref. #523114.