1997 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

BACK SEATS DO NOT HAVE A LOCK DOWN MECHANISM TO SECURE THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE FOLDING SEATS, RESULTING IN INCIDENTS WHERE CHILDREN HAVE WERE INJURED DUE TO SEATS FLIPPING UP UNEXPECTEDLY.

REAR SEAT FAILS TO STAY IN A DOWNRIGHT POSITION. KEEPS FLIPPING UP FOR NO REASON. DOES NOT STAY LOCKED IN PLACE. CHILD SAFETY SEAT CAN NOT BE PLACED ON THAT REAR SEAT. *AK

BRAKE LOST 3 TIMES WHERE THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR BEFORE STOPPING. THE BRAKES SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN, BUT TOOK A LONG TIME TO STOP. FELT LIKE A LOSS OF POWER IN THE BRAKES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST POWER COMPLETELY AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED, WITHOUT WARNING, IN FOR REPAIRS. *AK

ACCIDENT OCCURRED DUE TO TIRE EXPLODING OFF RIM. I HAVE ALSO GONE THROUGH 12 TIRES DUE TO IRREGULAR WEAR AND VIBRATIONS( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, SUDDENLY VEHICLE LOST POWER. VEHICLE TOWED, DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP. *AK

THE FRONT SUSPENSION BAR LINKS ARE BROKEN, THE FOG LIGHTS OF THE EXTERIOR DOES NOT WORK. *TR

I HAD TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASSIONS DUE TO COOLANT LOSS AND THE TEMPARATURE GUAGE READING COOL. ON EACH OCCASSION THEY REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT. THE LAST TIME WAS JUST PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THAT IT BE TESTED AND CHECKED THOUROUGHLY BECASUE I DID NOT WANT TO REPLACE AN ENGINE AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THEY REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT. SHORTLY AFTER I EXPERIENCED THE SAME DIFFICULTY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A PRIVATE GARAGE AND THEY REPORTED THAT THE HEAD GASKETS HAD FAILED AND WERE LEAKING. I CONTACTED THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP AND HE REQUESTED THAT I BRING THE VEHICLE TO THEM FOR TESTS. SEVERAL DAYS LATER THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CALLED AND INFORMED ME THAT THE HEAD GASKETS HAD FAILED AND THAT COOLANT WAS ENTERING THE CYLINDERS. THEY OFFERED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE FOR $4600.00. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.*AK

1997 FORD EXPLORER LOWER BALL JOINTS ON EXPLORER, BOTH SIDES, LEFT AND RIGHT, HAD A CLUNK WHEN GOING OVER DIPS IN ROAD. FORD DID NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS THERE FROM NEW, I HAVE 57,000 MILES ON THE EXPLORER. THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND AT FIRESTONE WHEN ROTATING THE TIRES AND GETTING READY FOR A FRONT END ALINEMENT. I WAS TOLD THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE BAD ON BOTH SIDES . NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. I TALKED TO FORD, THEY SAY THE WARRANTY IS GONE AND WILL DO NOTHING, BUT WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE ENGINEERS

THE GAS PEDAL STICKS AND WILL NOT MOVE UNLESS DRIVER SLAMS ON THE PEDAL VERY HARD. THIS HAPPENS MOSTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS COME TO A STOP. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

REAR LAP BELTS DO NOT COME OUT ALL THE WAY. SOMETIMES THEY DON'T RETRACT, INCIDENT OCCURRED THREE TIMES. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT HANDLE KEEPS BREAKING OFF. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFOMATION.*AK

AFTER VEHICLE WAS IN FRONTAL CRASH, FUEL CUT-OFF SYSTEM DID NOT SHUT OFF. VEHICLE/ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN FOR 10-15 MINUTES AFTER FRONTAL CRASH. ENGINE HAD TO BE MANUALLY TURNED OFF. *AK

APPIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE ACCLERATED. THE BRAKE PEDALAND GAS PEDAL ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. WHEN LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW CAN ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL INSTEAD THE BRAKE PEDAL. *AK

WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED AT A SLIGHT INCLINE IT WILL NOT START WITH LESS THAN 2 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING DUE TO FUEL PUMP.

WAS DRIVING TO GEORGIA & STEERING WAS NOT HANDLING PROPERLY. TOOK TO DEALER IN GA & VEHICLE PLACED ON MACHINE. NOTHING WAS FOUND. MOVED TO NC 1 1/2 YR LATER & HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE DONE. ALSO HAD STEERING CHECKED AGAIN DUE TO SAME PROBLEM. NOTHING FOUND AGAIN. VEHICLE WENT FOR INSPECTION & FAILED DUE TO PROBLEM WITH STEERING. TOOK TO LOCAL MECHANIC & INDICATION WAS RACK & PINION WAS MESSING UP. TOOK BACK TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC INDICATED A PROBLEM WITH THE RACK & PINION & IT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED.*AK

4 WHEEL DRIVE INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHES.

ELECTRICAL FIRE ORIGINATING BEHIND RADIO SECTION OF DASH.

FRONT MAIN SEAL. PAINT--PAINT FADED AND HAD NO PAINT UNDER DOOR JAMS.

PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACT AND LOCKS RESTRAINING NORMAL PASSENGER MOVEMENT.

ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH DOOR CONTROL PANEL CONTINUALLY.

VELOCITY CENSORS IN BRAKES FAILED.

OWNER WENT TO PUT ON THE DEFROSTER BUTTON WHILE DRIVING AND THE WINDOW BECAME FROZEN TO THE POINT THAT HE HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND CLEAN THE WINDOW BY HIMSELF. *AK

BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR AND IS HARD. INCIDENTS HAPPENED AT SPEEDS BELOW TEN MPH.

AFTER FUEL GOES BELOW A QUARTER TANK OF GAS, THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATOR DOES NOT GIVE CORRECT READINGS OF FUEL AMOUNT LEFET IN TANK. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWICE BY DEALER. VEHICLE NEEDS REPARING AGAIN FOR SAME PROBLEM. *AK

THE LEFT REAR TIRE OF MY FORD EXPLORER BECAME SEPARATED ON ARIZONA HIGHWAY I-17 AT THE SPEED OF ABOUT 70 MPH. THE TIRE WAS SENT TO THE FIRESTONE/BRIDGESTONE IN NASHVILLE,TN,AND THE COMPANY PAID FOR THE REPAIR EXPENSES CAUSED BY THE TIRE SEPARATION. THIS INCIDENT CHANGED OUR LIVES, BECAUSE WE COULD HAVE GOT SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED HAD IT BEEN ONE OF THE FRONT TIRES... AS VICTIMS, WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT'S INVESTIGATION INTO THE SITUATION INVOLVING THE TIRES MANUFACTURED BY FIRESTONE/BRIDGESTONE. BETTER YET, WE HOPE FORD WILL RECALL ALL THE F/B TIRES. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THEM REPLACED ANYWAY, AND FORD OR F/B SHOULD REIMBURSE MY COST.( DOT NUMBER: 8XHLIPY )

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WILL STICK UPON CONTACT. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY WHICH HAS NOT REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

MANUAL CLUTCH FAILED SEVERAL TIMES, REPAIRS MADE HOWEVER STILL FAILED.

AN UNUSUAL PROBLEM THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME PROBABLY OVER 100 TIMES IN 2 YEARS. AFTER UNBUCKLING THE SEATBELT, THE SEATBELT STARTS TO RETRACT AS IT'S SUPPOSED TO. HOWEVER, JUST BEFORE FULLY RETRACTING, WITH ABOUT 7-8 INCHES TO GO, THE BELT GETS TWISTED JUST BEFORE IT ENTERS THE BELT SHOULDER GUIDE/SUPPORT/SLIDE (EXACT NAME UNKNOWN--MOUNTED ON FRAME, ABOUT EAR LEVEL WHEN SEATED IN CAR, CHANGES THE DIRECTION OF THE BELT POSITION TO VERTICAL). IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE WEIGHT OF THE BUCKLE (MALE END) IS OFF CENTER IN RELATION TO THE BELT AND CAUSES THE BELT TO TWIST. THIS TWIST PREVENTS THE BELT FROM SLIDING THROUGHT THE SHOULDER BELT SUPPORT/GUIDE/SLIDE. THE 7-8 INCHES OF SLACK GETS CAUGHT IN THE DOOR AFTER EXITING AND CLOSING THE DOOR. AFTER RE-ENTERING THE CAR AND CLOSING THE DOOR, THE SLACK IN THE BELT IS STILL THERE (NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE EXITING THE CAR). THE SEAT BELT CAN BE EASILY BUCKLED (IT JUST TAKES ADDITIONAL BELT OFF THE RETRACTION ROLLER) BUT THE BELT IS STILL STUCK IN THE DOOR AND THE DRIVER WOULD NEVER KNOW IT. A SLIGHT TUG ON THE BELT FREES IT FROM THE DOOR AND THE EXCESS BELT IS RETRACTED. THIS IS A PROBLEM SHOULD THE BELT BE CALLED UPON TO WORK WITH THE SLACK CAUGHT IN THE DOOR. IN A HEAD-ON, THE BODY MOVING FORWARD WOULD NOT BE RESTRAINED UNTIL THE SLACK PART OF THE BELT IS NO LONGER STUCK IN THE DOOR. (THE BODY MOVING FORWARD FREES THE BELT FROM THE DOOR). I'M SORRY FOR THE LENGTHY DESCRIPTION.

WHILE PARKED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD, CAUSE UNKNOWN. FIRE REPORT INDICATES FUEL RELATED. *AK

THE ENGINE RACES FROM 55 TO 70 MPH.

WHILE DRIVING THE HOOD DETACHED FROM THE LATCH, CAUSING THE HOOD TO FLY UP. *AK

WHEN APPLIED BRAKES FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE, EXCESSIVE EFFORT, SHIFTED TO PARK TO AVOID CRASH; INTERMITTMENT PROBLEM; ACCORDING TO DEALER, BRAKES ARE WORKING NORMAL, HAVE NOT DUPLICATED PROBLEM. *AK

AIR DEFLECTOR INSTALLED OVER BACK WINDOW IS DAMAGING HINGES ON WINDOW.

PE99049, WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTION, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. HIGH MODE GOES TOO SLOWLY, AND THE LOW MODE GOES TOO FAST. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING A CORNER GAS PEDAL WILL GET STUCK. ONLY WAY TO GET IT BACK UP IS TO BANG ON IT OR TURN OFF VEHICLE. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS VERY UNSAFE. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN EVERY 6 WEEKS. *AK IT OCCURS BOTH ON DRIVING STRAIGHT AND TURNING CORNERS, AS WELL AS AT HIGH AND LOW SPEEDS.. *YH

WHEN VEHICLE IS IDLING OR AT A STOP LIGHT IT VIBRATES. *AK

EVERY ONCE IN THE WHILE THE GAS PEDAL WILL STICK, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON APRIL 5, 1997 BECAUSE OF PROBLEM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALERSHIP (3) TIMES; 12/96, 1/97, AND 4/ 97. DEALER CHANGED THROTTLE BODY, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF AND THE THROTTLE STUCK AND WENT TO THE FLOOR, EVEN WHEN FOOT IS ON THE BRAKES. THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. *AK

GAS GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED, DOES NOT GIVE ACCURATE INFORMATION OR WARNING. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE GOING UP A HILL OR AT A RIGHT SIDE TILT, VEHICLE RAN OUT OF GAS WITHOUT WARNING AND STALLED. *AK

BACK SPLIT BENCH SEAT: BOTTOM OF THE SEAT DOES NOT LOCK IN PLACE, WHEN SITTING ON FRONT OF SEAT, THE BACK POPS UP, CAUSE UNKNOWN. TOOK TO DEALER AND DID NOT REPAIR IT, IS TAKING TO A DEALER ON MONDAY FOR REPAIR. *AK

BRAKES: BRAKES MAKE SQUEAKY NOISE, PADS AND ROTORS ARE WEARING EXCESSIVELY. HAD PADS AND ROTORS REPLACED WITHIN A YEARS TIME. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE STEERING VIBRATES, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

VIBRATION/GRINDING IN FRONT DRIVE LINE.

WHEN THE APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES THE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND SOMETIMES FOOT WILL CATCH THE GAS PEDAL. THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED AT (150) MILES OR LESS. *AK

WHEN TRAVELING IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS ABOUT 30 MPH AND UPON MAKING A GRADUAL STOP THE VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO GO THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

AUTOMATIC WINDOW MOTOR FAILED.

CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS A SENSOR THAT IS CAUSING VEHICLE TO HEAT UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART. *SLC THE CAMSHAFT WAS REPLACED. THE RADIO GOES OFF AT ANYTIME, THE CONSUMER HAS DIFFICULTY SHUTTING THE RADIO OFF MANUALLY. *JB

CONSUMER IS A VICTIM OF ODOMETER FRAUD, ENCOUNTERING PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE THAT'S UNCHARACTERISTIC FOR THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE. (NAR) *PH EXHAUST SYSTEM, BALL JOINT, AND INSTRUMENT PANEL HAD TO BE REPLACED. *CB