1997 Ford Explorer Body & Structure Problems

SEVERE RUST ON THE FRAME OF A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. *TR

THE DRIVER SIDE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE RETURN SPRING UNSEATED RESULTING IN INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE THAT DOES NOT RETURN TO THE FULLY STOWED POSITION AFTER ACTUATION. IF THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE RETURN SPRING IS UNSEATED, COULD THE DOOR UNLATCH IN THE EVENT OF A SIDE IMPACT CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY? *TR

I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL FORD EXPLORERS RANGING FROM YEARS 1995-2001 THAT THE FRAMES ARE RUSTING THROUGH AND BREAKING. I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THERE IS A SEVERE RUST PROBLEM WITH THESE FRAMES AND THEY APPEAR TO BE MANUFACTURED QUITE THIN TO BEGIN WITH. FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN ON OVER A DOZEN OF THESE CARS IN MY AREA, THE FRAME IS RUSTING THROUGH AND BREAKING ON THE LEFT REAR CORNER ANYWHERE FROM THE FRONT MOUNT ON THE LR LEAF SPRING TO WHERE THE BUMPER MOUNTS AT THE BACK OF THE FRAME. THE CROSS MEMBER HOLDING THE BODY MOUNTS IS ALSO RUSTING THROUGH IN THIS AREA AND COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE GAS TANK AND ALSO MAKING THE SPARE TIRE LOOSE AND AT RISK OF FALLING OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND BECOMING A HAZARD FOR FOLLOWING MOTORISTS. THERE IS NO GOOD WAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND I FEEL THAT THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED TO GET THEM OFF OF THE ROAD. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE AND I AM NOT SURE HOW THERE HAVEN'T BEEN CRASHES AND OR DEATHS AS A RESULT OF THIS VERY POOR DESIGN AND QUALITY VEHICLE. ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM IS JUST NOW STARTING TO REALLY TAKE EFFECT BECAUSE OF THE AGING VEHICLES. *TR

I THINK THE REAR DOOR OF FORD EXPLORERS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I HAVE A 1997 FORD EXPLORER XLT. THE WELD THAT HOLDS THE REAR DOOR AT THE TOP IS STARTING TO COME APART. I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS AN ENGINEERING DEFECT ON FORD EXPLORERS BY A FORD BODY SHOP. WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE? I HAVE ALSO SEEN THIS ON SEVERAL OTHER EXPLORERS. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS OCCURS BECAUSE THE SHEET METAL USED ON THE DOOR IS SO THIN THAT IT DOES NOT SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE REAR DOOR THAT GOOD.*JB

DT: 1997 FORD EXPLORER THE DRIVER FRONT DOOR AND THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. CONTACT STATES SHE CALLED THE SERVICE DEALER, BUT IT COSTS TOO MUCH TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT, PARTS AND LABOR WOULD BE MORE.*AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO HAVE TO ENTER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE EXTERIOR OR INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE AS WELL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC TO HAVE THE DOORS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD THE DOORS REPAIRED THREE TIMES FOR THE RECURRING FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,100. *JS

FORD EXPLORER 1997 XLT 4 DOOR 4.0L Y AIR BLEND DOOR IS NO LONGER WORKING SUCH THAT THE HEATING SYSTEM IS PERMANENTLY ON HOT AND WITH A 9 MONTH BABY THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN THAT WE CANNOT COOL THE CAR TO THE COMFORTABLE TEMPERATURE DURING SUMMER. I FOUND ON THE INTERNET THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WHICH FORD HAS FIXED IN LATER MODELS WITH REVISED SYSTEM PART #F87Z-18471-DA. *AK

THE REAR LIFT GATE DOOR IS TEARING AWAY FROM THE WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE LIFT GATE DOOR HINGE ON THE LEFT SIDE (DIRVERS SIDE). THE DOOR HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM TO CLOSE AND WAS AJAR FROM WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW. THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT WOULD COME ON ALL THE TIME, AND OF COUSE THE NUMBEROUS TIME I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY COULD NEVER "DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM". NOW IT IS BEYOND THE POINT OF AJUSTMENT. THE WHOLE LIFTGATE HAS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF APPROXIAMETLY $1,200. IT IS A SAFETY HAZZARD AS I HAVE TO PULL OUT THE FUSETO GET THE LIGHTS TO GO OUT, IN ORDER TO DRIVE IT AT NIGHT. THE LIGHTS WON'T GO OFF WHEN THE DOOR IS AJAR. WHEN IT RAINS I HAVE TO STOP TO PUT THE FUSE BACK IN AND DRIVE WITHT THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ON, WHICH IS VERY HARD TO SEE. ALSO FUMES COME IN FROM THE EXHAUST SO I CAN'T GO FOR LONG TRIPS N IT. IF I DIDN'T LIKE THE CAR SO MUCH I WOULD TRADE IT IN, BUT I REALLY LOVE MY EXPLORER EXCEPT FOR THIS DEFECT IN CONSTRUCTION. (IT HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT.) I AM TAKING IT IN TO BE FIXED NEXT WEEK.*AK

HEATER BLEND DOOR HAS BROKEN, SO DEFROSTER DOES NOT WORK. DIFFICULTY SEEING OUT FRONT WINDOW IN COLD WEATHER. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM, FOR WHICH I WAS QUOTED A $900 REPAIR. *LA

VEHICLE DEVELOPED UNDERCARRIAGE PROBLEMS AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. *MR *SC *JB

DOOR COMPARTMENT BETWEEN THE HEATER AND THE AIR CONDITIONER, MADE OF PLASTIC IS BROKE, CAUSING NOT TO HAVE A HEATER. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. CONSUMER WILL ADD MORE INFORMATION ON THIS ISSUED. MR

TAILGATE WHILE IN LIFTED POSITION FELL/FAILED DUE TO LEFT REAR BRACKET COMING OFF, CAUSING MINOR INJURY TO OWNER. CHILD ALMOST INJURIED DUE TO BRAKET FAILURE. *AK

BRACKET ATTACHED TO FIRWALL BY THREE SMALL RIVETS. RIVETS BROKE LOOSE, PEDAL BECAME INOPERATIONAL WHILE DRIVING. *AK

BOTH REAR DOOR HINGES, LEFT AND RIGHT ARE BROKEN. CONSUMER UNABLE TO OPEN DOORS. *AK *JB

VEHICLE HAS FOUR DOORS, DOORS IN REAR WILL NOT OPERATE UNLESS UNLOCKED DOORS FROM INSIDE. WHEN OPERATING FROM OUTSIDE TOO OPEN, DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT OPEARATE. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY DOORS WILL NOT OPERATE UNLESS CONSUMER IS OUTSIDE TO OPEN THEM. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK *JB

PASSENGER DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE, THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH DOOR HANDLES. *SLC

HYDRAULIC LIFT CYLINDER BRACKET BROKE AWAY FROM THE FRAME ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

REAR PASSENGER'S AND DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLES FROM THE INSIDE ARE INOPERATIVE. IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY DRIVER/REAR PASSENGER CANNOT GET OUT. DEALER WILL REPAIR AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK.ET.

THE VEHICLE WENT ONTO THE SHOULDER THEN OVER, CORRECTED WHILE COMING BACK ONTO TO ROADWAY AND ROLLED OVER STRIKING A LIGHT POLE (BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, WILDERNESS AT M/S, VDHL1PY207, LEFT REAR). NLM

OCCUPANTS CANNOT EXIT REAR SEAT, DOOR HANDLES DO NOT WORK.