1997 Ford Explorer complaints

THE REAR DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. OCCUPANTS HAVE OPENED DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

CAM CHAIN TENSIONNERS REPLACED AT 19004 MILES DEC. 1998 BUT STILL MAKING RATTLING NOISE WHEN STARTING

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TWO CAR CRASHES DUE TO POSSIBLE FAILURE OF THE SPEED CONTROL (RECALL COMPONENT) PRIOR TO NOTICE, ALSO SPEED CONTROL REPAIRED FOUR TIMES PRIOR TO ACCIDENTS. MJS (99V-062)

DEALER CLAIMED COULDN'T DUPLICATE.2ND TIME-REPLACED MULTIFUNCITON SWITCH AND FLASHER. NOW OK.

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE INTAKE GASKET WAS LOOSE AND RESULTED IN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON. DEALER NOTED THAT THE GASKET ALLOWED DIRT TO ENTER THE ENGINE.

EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE DOESN'T ENGAGE WHEN PUSHING ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE BRAKES ARE HARD, BUT WILL SLIP OUT. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE HAD CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL, NOT ABLE TO BE RECTIFIED, 2 ACCIDENTS OCCURRED DUE TO FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL WHICH DID NOT SIGNAL ONE WHEEL TO ACTIVATE PROPERLY AND LOCKED UP INSTEAD CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL. MJS

WHILE WAITING AT THE STOP LIGHT A VAN HAD FAILED TO STOP PROPERLY & REARENDED EXPLORER. VEHICLE THEN REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT WITH OTHER VEHICLE, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. *AK

CHAIN TENSIONERS HAVE DETERIORATED AND BROKEN UP. ENGINE NOW RATTELS AND GRINDS. I HAVE FEAR OF MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE. AFTER TALKING TO FORD DEALERS IN RENO NV AND ONE IN SUSANVILLE CA I HAVE BEEN TOLD EVERY THING FROM "YOUR ON YOUR OWN " TO " FORD IS WORKING ON A PERMANANT FIX SO BE PATIENT. IS FORD GOING TO FIX MY PROBLEM . I UNDERSTAND THIS TO BE A MAJOR WIDESPREAD PROBLEM.

FORD ACKNOWLDGES PROBLEMS IN THEIR SERVICE BULLETINS RELATING TO THIS PARTICULAR PART. THE SERVICE ALERTS WARN OF CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE. THIS "DEFECT" COST ME $2178.68. FORD REFUSES TO COVER ANY OF THESE COSTS. *AK

WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE PEDAL COLLAPSED, CAUSING AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHSED NEW WITH 7 MILES ON ODOMETER FROM CHARLES GABUS FORD IN DES MOINES, IA. A FEW DAYS AFTER PURCHASE, I NOTICED AND REPORTED TO DEALER THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD STICK AT THE TOP, MEANING THAT IT REQUIRED EXTRA PRESSURE TO PUSH IT DOWN. INITIALLY THE CABLE WAS LOOKED AT AND LUBRICATION APPLIED, BUT DID NOT ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM. CHARLES GABUS FORD THEN SUGGESTED REPLACEMENT OF THE THROTTLE BODY. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHIN 2 MONTHS OF PURCHASE AND ALLEVIATED THE PROBLEM FOR A FEW MONTHS. WHEN THE PROBLEM REOCCURED, CHARLES GABUS KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR 3-4 DAYS TO FURTHER INSPECT THE PROBLEM TO SEE WHETHER DISCONNECTING THE CRUISE CONTROL HAD ANY EFFECT. IT DID NOT, SO THE THROTTLE BODY WAS CHANGED AGAIN. THIS WAS AROUND FEBRUARY 1998. THE PROBLEM ONCE AGAIN STARTED OCCURING IN AUGUST 1998. AT THAT TIME, I HAD JUST MOVED TO ST. LOUIS, BUT WAS STILL WORKING WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER AT CHARLES GABUS FORD IN DES MOINES. I WAS TOLD THAT FORD HAD NOW REDESIGNED THE THROTTLE BODY AND I WAS GIVEN THAT NEW PART NUMBER, WHICH WAS ORDERED AND REPLACED BY A DEALERSHIP IN ST. LOUIS (MCMAHON FORD) IN SEPTEMBER 1998. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AT THAT TIME. IN MAY 1999, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD THAT IT WAS PROVIDING ADDITIONAL WARRANTY COVERGE FOR THE THROTTLE BODY FOR 6 YEARS OR 72,000 MILES UNDER SERVICE PROGRAM NUMBER 99M02. IN SEPTEMBER 1999, THE PROBLEM RESURFACED AND THE THROTTLE BODY IS SCHEDULED TO BE REPLACED THIS WEEK. THE CONCERN IS THAT

SEAT BELT ANCHORS OF REAR SEATS STICK UP. WHEN PASSENGER SAT ON THE ANCHOR WHILE TRYING TO MOVE TO THE MIDDLE SEAT, THE ANCHOR HIT THE PASSENGER'S SPINE TAIL CAUSING SEVERE PAIN. LOWER BACK PROBLEM SINCE INJURY.

I WAS RECENTLY IN AN ACCIDENT, BOTH AIRBAGS DID DEPLOY BUT NOT THE FULL EXTENT THAT AN AIRBAG SHOULD DEPLOY TO. THAT THEN CAUSED ME FALL FORWARD UPON IMPACT, WHICH THEN CAUSED MY HEAD TO STRIKE THE WINDSHIELD OF MY CAR. THERE IS A MARK I BELIEVE ON THE WINDOW PROVING THIS, AND ALSO I HAD A HEADACHE FOR 3 DAYS FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT HARDER, MY HEAD COULD HAVE POSSIBLY GONE THREW THE WINDOW. I HOPE THAT YOU CAN BE ABLE TO CONTACT ME AGAIN INVOLVING THIS MATTER!! SINCERLY, HOLLY K HENDRICKSON

ENGINE MISSES AND STALLS IN VARIOUS SITUATIONS INCLUDING HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND FROM A STOP. DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPAIR AFTER REPLACING IGNITION WIRES AND VACCUUM ASSEMBLY. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE OF LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. IT ALSO CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO ACT AS IF THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN APPLIED CAUSING A STOP FROM HIGH SPEEDS.

LOST POWER ASSIST TO BRAKING SYSTEM DURING FREEWAY RUSH HOUR. NO WARNING OF LOSS OF POWER BRAKES. ALMOST UNABLE TO STOP IN TIME. LOST OF POWER ASSIST TRACED TO LOSS OF MOTOR VACUUM DUE TO AIR FILTER CLOGGED WITH AUTO TRANSMISSION FLUID. FILTER RECIEVED AUTO TRANS OIL FROM TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING FROM OIL COOLER. SEE SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 99-4-6, BULLETIN SEQUENCE NUMBER 477, DATE 9903, NHTSA ITEM NUMBER SB60476. DEALER SAYS SERVICE BULLETIN DOES NOT INDICATE THAT AIR FILTER SHOULD BE CHECKED WHEN REPAIRING LEAK OR THAT A CLOGGED AIR FILTER CAN LEAD TO LOSS OF POWER ASSIST TO BREAKS. ALSO NOTE THAT THE ANTILOCK BREAKING SYSTEM WILL NOT WORK WITHOUT THE POWER ASSIST.

THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS DO NOT SUPPORT THE GUIDES AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO CAUSING LOUD RATTLING. NLM

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

NO SUMMARY

POOR DESIGN OF THROTTLE LINKAGE CABLE STICKS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD OR BACKWARD AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE WHEN FOOT IS REMOVED FROM GAS PEDAL. NLM

WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON HIGH SPEED, CONSUMER THOUGHTTHAT BLADES CAME LOOSE, BUT INSTEAD IT WAS THE ARM CONNECTOR TO THE MOTOR THA TLOOSENED. CONTACTED THE DEALER TO HAVE VEHICLE SERVICED. *AK

I KNOW THAT FORD IS FULLY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE REPLACEMENT PARTS REFLECT THAT. THOSE WHO EXPERIENCE FAILURE DURING WARRANTY ARE FORTUNET TO SAVE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. I STILL AS OF YET NOT CLAIMED MY VEHICLE .

WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY BECOME INOPERABLE IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

BOTH REAR PASSENGER DOORS CONTINUOUSLEY WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE, CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD. *AK

TWO-TONE HORN FAILURE.

PARKING LEVER ASSEMBLY. THROTTLE VALVE ASSEMBLY.

DOOR LOCK.

ENGINE IS NOISY.

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

DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE HOOD CABLE, THE CABLE IS PRESSING AGAINST THE BATTERY, CAUSING THE ACID TO EAT THROUGH THE CABLE, CONSUMER IS ALSO UNABLE TO OPEN THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

JACK HANDLE SHATTERED IN JACK BASE WHILE LOWERING VEHICLE AFTER CHANGING TIRE. WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO LOWER JACK USING SCREWDRIVER. HOWEVER, JACK HANDLE IS ALSO REQUIRED TO RETRACT THE SPARE-TIRE HOLDING CABLE, SO THAT HAD TO BE LEFT LOOSE UNTIL WE GOT TO A TIRE STORE. HANDLE IS MADE OF VERY WEAK METAL, AND IT IS THINNEST AT THE POINT OF MOST STRESS, WHERE IT IS INSERTED INTO THE JACK.

CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER REGARDING RECALLNUMBER 97V074000/MFR RECALL 98R03 REGARDING THROTTLE LINKAGES AND CONTROL. DEALER STATED PARTS DID NOT NEED REPLACING. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL STALL AND HESITATE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES . CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER REGARDING RECALL NHTSA 99V074000/MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 98R03, THROTTLE LINKAGES AND CONTROL. DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE PARTS. DEALER STATED THAT VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO BE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE IF PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. OWNER TOOK VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER TO HAVE REPAIRS DONE. *AK *ML

DRIVER WAS REARENDED BY SMALLER VEHICLE THAT WAS DRIVING AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED, CAUSING DRIVER'S SEATBACK TO FALL BACK INTO A RECLINING POSITION, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY BECOME INOPERABLE IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND ANOTHER VECHICLE HIT HIM FROM THE RIGHT SIDE. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL BECAUSE THE BRAKES WOULDN'T HOLD. THE CAR TOOK HIM ONTO FRONT STEPS OF SOMEONE'S HOUSE. *AK

FREEZING RAIN THE NIGHT BEFORE A TRIP OCCURED, WIPERS STOPPED WORKING 20 MILES INTO A 130 MILE TRIP AND REFUSED TO WORK REST OF TRIP. REQUESTED AN APPOINTMENT WITH ROTH FORD IN PETERSBURG, WV TO ENLARGE WINDSHIELD WIPER STORAGE AREA DRAIN HOLE. DEALER REFUSED, SAID THAT AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE HAD CALL IN WITH WIPERS FROZEN. DURING THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP, I TRIED TO GET THE WIPERS TO WORK. THEY WOULD BARELY MOVE, BUT WOULD NOT OPERATE. AFTER VEHICLE SAT IN AIRPORT PARKING LOT FOR 10 DAYS, WIPERS WORKED. I SAW AN ARTICLE IN A RECENT NEWSPAPER ABOUT THIS MALFUNCTION, SO EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT PRUSUE IT WITH THE LOCAL DEALER OR WITH THE ORIGINAL DEALER, I WANTED TO INFORM NHTSA THAT IT IS PROBABLY MORE OF A PROBLEM THAN THE 35 INCIDENTS MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLE. *AK

VEHICLE LOST CONTROL OVER VEHICLE WHILE TOWING TRAILER, RESULTING IN CRASHING INTO BARRIERS. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORTS). MJS

VEHICLE RECALL DENIED (97V-074) DUE TO LOCATION OF STATE. MJS

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN MAKING A QUICK LEFT TURN THE TRUCK LOSES POWER. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER CLEANED SPEED SENSOR AND REPLACED IDLE AIR CONTROL, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *ML

EXCESSIVE WEAR OF MICHELIN TIRES. VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A LOUD OF NOISE. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED THE WHEEL, LEFT FRONT, WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT REAL BAD & NEEDED REPLACING. THE INSIDE OF TIRE WAS WORN THROUGH TO THE STEEL BELTING, WHILE THE OUTSIDE SHOWED NO WEAR. THE FRONT END WAS NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY AT THE FACTORY. *AK

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE UP, AND ABOUT TWO MINUTES AFTERWARDS THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WHICH CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. *AK

TIMING CHAIN BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO RUN AT ALL. DEALER SAID ITWAS DEFECTIVE, AND THE MANUFACTURER DOESN'T MAKE PART ANYMORE. *AK

I SAW A TV REPORT ABOUT EXPLORER OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT WIPERS. MINE DON'T WORK IN COLD OR DAMP WEATHER. THEY ONLY WORK AFTER THE SUV HAS BEEN DRIVEN SEVERAL MILES. DEALERSHIP HAS NO CLUE ON HOW TO FIX PROBLEM.

ONGOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH FRONT BRAKES LOCKING UP WHENEVER VEHICLE MAKES A TURN, AND ON THREE OCCASIONS VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE WHILE AT A STOP POSITION . VEHICLE BEEN INSPECTED BY DEALER, AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUNDED. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK

HAVE REPORTED THIS BEFORE. CONSUMER COMPLAINT IDS 538918, 702648, 827786, 829733 ALSO APPLY. VERY DANGEROUS, REAR DOORS LOCK AND CAN'T OPEN WITHOUT EXITING VEHICAL TO OPEN FROM OUTSIDE. ACTING LIKE MALFUNCTION OF CHILDLOCKS, ONLY CHILDLOCKS ARE DISENGAGED. SERIOUS ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. DEALER DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX PROBLEM AND DOESN'T RECOGNIZE IT AS A PROBLEM. NEED TO PUT DEALER IN REAR SEAT TO GET ANY REACTION, AND STILL NO RESOLUTION. RECALL WARRANTED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM!! FORD WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM.

JUMPER HARNESS FAILED. NLM

CONSUMER WAS REMOVING SPARE TIRE FROM BOTTOM OF TRUCK. THE CABLE THAT HOLDS THE TIRE IN PLACE WAS ALMOST BROKE IN TWO, WITH TIRE HANGING UNDERNEATH. *ML

THE CRANK SENSOR WIRING, FOR THE STARTER (IGNITION), WILL NOT START THE VEHICLE. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED WHAT PROBLEM WAS. VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY & DEALER REFUSED REPAIRS UNLESS PAID UP FRONT FIRST. VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY IN BEGINNING.*AK