1997 Ford Explorer complaints

WHILE DRIVING IN COLD/ ICY WEATHER THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARMS FROZE, CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO BE INOPERATIVE, WHICH COULD CAUSE VISIBILITY PROBLEMS AND AN ACCIDENT. *AK.ET.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN SHE HEARD A GRINDING NOISE AND NOTICED ENGINE SMOKING. DEALER NOTICED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE REPAIRS WOULD BE THE CONSUMER'S RESPONSIBILITY. *AK

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH DOOR CLOSING IMPROPERLY. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS AND CODITION STILL OCCURRING. *AK

THE BRAKE PEDAL IS TOO CLOSE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. IN A PANIC STOP SITUATION, THE DRIVERS FOOT WILL DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL FULLY AND AT THE SAME TIME OPEN THE THROTTLE OVER HALFWAY, ENGINE REVS TO NEARLY 3,000 RPM. I HAVE NEARLY WRECKED THIS TRUCK ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. IF ONE IS A RIGHT FOOT HEEL AND TOE BRAKE OPERATOR WITH A NORMAL SIZE ADULT SHOE, THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM WILL HAPPEN. THIS HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS BRAND NEW.

1) THROTTLE CABLE BINDS UP. WHEN IT BREAKS FREE IT ADDS 1,000 RPM TO ENGINE SPEED. MOST PRONOUNCED AFTER USING CRUISE CONTROL ON THE FREEWAY AND DEACTIVATING CRUISE WITH BRAKE PEDAL. ALMOST REARENDED CAR IN FRONT OF ME DUE TO SUDDEN ACCELERATION. 2) SEAT BELT RETRACTOR LOCKS UP. RESTRAINS PASSENGER TO THE POINT OF PAIN. VERY DIFFICULT TO RELEASE. RETRACTOR REPLACED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY.

BROUGHT VEHICHLE INTO DIFFERENT FORD DEALER TO COMPLAIN OF NOISE, WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE AIR PRESSSURE VALVE AND TO WAIT TILL IT GOT LOUDER TILL THEY WOULD FIX, ONE WEEK LATER TRANSMISSION FAILED, THEY SAY IT IS A CRACKED DRUM AND REPLACED ENTIRE TRANSMISSION...NEVER HAD AN AIR VALVE PROBLEM

THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED AT 17,000 MILES AND AT 30,000 MILES I WAS TOLD BY FORD I NEEDED AN AIR INDUCTION CLEANING. AT 37,000 MILES I NOW HAVE THE SAME GAS PEDAL PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY AGAIN.

WHEN FILLING TANK WITH GASOLINE, IT DOES NOT TAKE THE LAST 4 GALLONS. THE DEALER SAID THAT THIS IS DUE TO PRESSURE FROM THE GAS VAPORS. IF FILLING VEHICLE VERY SLOWLY, GASOLINE WOULD TAKE. 98 MODEL HAS THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED, OWNER BELIEVES FORD TO CORRECT THE 97 MODEL. *AK.ET.

THE ABSENCE OF A DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DISABLE SWITCH HAS FAILED THE SAFETY STANDARDS OF THE COUNTRY, MORALLY. I AM APPAULED THE MANUFACTURERS WON'T RECALL THESE VEHICLES, OR GIVE OWNERS THE OPTION FOR FREE DISABLE SWITCHES TO BE INSTALLED. IN ADDITION, WITH ALL THE REPORTS OF DEATHS TO INFANTS AND TEENS WITH DRIVER SIDE AIRBAGS, I'M INSULTED THAT I NEED MY GOVERNMENTS PERMISSION TO INSTALL A DISABLE SWITCH TO PROTECT MY FAMILY. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT, EVERYONE KNOWS IT. THE MANUFACTURER IS RESPONSIBLE. IT SHOULD BE A MASSIVE RECALL. NHTSA SHOULD MANDATE ALL MANUFACTURERS TO RETROFIT ALL VEHICLES WITH PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS WITH DISABLE SWITCHES. IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.CONCERN ABOUT AIR BAG ON-OFF SWITCH. ADDED ON 09-07-1999. *AK

THE LOCATION OF REAR VIEW MIRROR IS MOUNTED TOO LOW, WHICH OBSTRUCTS DRIVERS VISION. DRIVER NOT ABLE TO SEE TO THE RIGHT CLEARLY. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *AK *SB

ELECTRONIC MODULE FAILURE NOT AN ADD ON COMPONENT. PLEASE CONTAC JOHN AT SUPERIOR INVESTIGATIONS AT THE ABOVE WORK NUMBER FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

WHEN MAKING PANIC STOPS PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR BUT HITS ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS CAUSED BRAKES & WHEELS TO SQUEAK. LOCATION OF BRAKE & ACCELERATOR PEDALS ARE TOO CLOSE. CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.*AK

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.

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING SOME PROBLEMS WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT INTO THE DRIVEWAY WHEN VEHICLE PICKED UP SPEED, RESULTING IN VEHICLE HITTING HIS OTHER VEHICLES WHICH WERE ALSO PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE ACCELERATOR STUCK. *AK

BOLT HOLDING UPPER CONTROL ARM FAILED CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE WHEN THE CONTROL ARM SEPARATED FROM BALL JOINT.

UPPER BALL JOINT FELL APART AT 5MPH, AND DRIVER LOST CONTROL. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE. *AK

PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE WHEN WHEELS MADE A THUMPING NOISE. THIS WOULD HAPPEN WHEN TURNING WHEELS. HAD TO HAVE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK

HEARD A BANG & WHEEL WAS ON ITS SIDE. LEFT FRONT SUSPENSION CAUSED WHEEL TO TILT WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 5MPH. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. MECHANIC SAID BOLT WAS LEFT OFF OR WAS MISSING FROM THE SUSPENSION. *AK

REAR DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S DOOR HANDLES HAVE BROKEN, CAUSING THE OCCUPANTS NOT TO BE ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE FROM THE REAR DOORS. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VISIBILITY PROBLEMS IN THE RAIN. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER NEVER TURNED BACK ON. CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE. VEHICLE STOPPED BY TURNING ENGINE OFF.

CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. ALSO,BRAKES COMPLETELY FADED. VEHICLE STOPPED BY TURNING ENGINE OFF, STOP MADE WITHOUT POWER STEERING OR BRAKES.

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 15 MPH THE EXPLORER BEGAN TO TRAVEL AT A SPEED OF 80 MPH BECAUSE THE FLOOR MAT GOT STUCK UNDER THE PEDAL. DRIVER SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP THE SUV WHILE USING THE BRAKES. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP.

CAR SURGES OUT OF CONTROL REGARDLESS OF THE GEAR AND WITHOUT WARNING.

REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR OPENS INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

WHEN PULLING OFF THE VEHICLE CHOKES OFF. DEALER CONTACTED AND STATES A COMPUTER PROBLEM, BUT CANNOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM. NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK

NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DURING A COLLISION RESULTED IN DRIVER SUSTAINING INJURIES. VEHICLE TOTALED.

LEFT SIDE REAR DOOR IS INOPERATIVE, DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO REPLACE PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES ONGOING VIBRATION AT HIGH SPEEDS.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUALLY LIGHTING FOR NO APPARENT REASONS.

WHEN VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP THE MOTOR RACES WITH THE RPM'S GOING UP TO 6000, IDLE ARM SENSOR REPLACED, BUT STILL IDLING HIGH.

VEHICLE SUDDENDLY SLOWED DOWN AND WOULD NOT MOVE. UPON CHECKING THE SUV, DRIVING NOTICED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAD FALLEN OFF AND WAS HANGING ON BY A STRING. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. DEALER NOT WILLING TO CORRECT FREE OF CHARGE. *AK

RUSTING AND CORROSION OF THE BUMPERS AND WHEELS.

WHILE STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN OR A LIGHT, THE VEHICLE REVVED UP TO 6000RPM, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE IF THE VEHICLE BRAKES WEREN'T ACTIVATED. DEALER REPACED THE SENSOR. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK

VEHICLE VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING.

SIDE VIEW MIRRORS VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY RESULTING IN ACCIDENT.

WHILE TRAVELING AT 55MPH THERE WAS A LOUD POP, THE DRIVER PULLED OVER AND LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT.

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

SEAT LATCH METAL BROKE OFF FROM THE SEAT, AND THE SEAT IS UNUSUABLE. INCIDENT OCCURRED TWO TIMES. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED IN A PANIC STOP THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, CAUSING A COLLISION. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. *AK

REAR DOOR LOCKS FAIL TO UNLOCK, TRAPPING REAR PASSENGERS IN VEHICLE, SEVERAL REPAIRS MADE HOWEVER CONTINUES TO FAIL. (QCAW)

VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP WHEN THE ABS BRAKES ARE APPLIED. ALSO,THERE IS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH THE REAR WHEELS LOCKED UP. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY DETAILS. *AK

FUEL LINE BROKE WHICH IS LOCATED NEAR EXAUST SYSTEM MANIFOLD. CONSUMER IS VERY CONCERNED FOR SAFETY. *AK THE FUEL LINE BRACKET BROKE AT THE BRACKET ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE ENGINE BY THE VALVE COVER, THIS WAS FOUND BE THE STRONG SMELL OF GAS WHILE THE A/C WAS ON. *SLC

GAS PEDAL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL ARE TOO CLOSE, CAUSING MISAPPLICATION OF THE PEDAL WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

WHENEVER ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS PRESSED DOWN, IT WOULD STICK. WOULD HAVE TO PRESS HARD FOR IT TO CATCH. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE PROBLEM. ITS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. BEEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 4 TIMES. *AK

POWER DOOR LOCK DESIGN IS POOR, CREATING HAZARDOUS SITUATION, REAR PASSENGERS CAN NOT EXIT VEHICLE UNLESS DEPRESSING RELEASE BUTTON IN FRONT OF VEHICLE.

VEHICLE WAS PARKED. WAS CHECKING THE OIL & NOTICED FLUID LEAKED ONTO GARAGE FLOOR. CHECKED CLOSELY & LEAK WAS COMING FROM MASTER CYLINDER. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE VEHICLE. PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKING. NEEDED CABLE CHANGE (2/24/98). CONSUMER STATED ACCELERATOR CABLE HAS BEEN CHANGED.*JB

THROTTLE WOULD STICK. STARTED VEHICLE & SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. VEHICLE SHOT FORWARD. DRIVER HAD COLLAPSED BACKWARDS. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE PROBLEM. CALLED MANUFACTURER. & WAS INFORMED TO KEEP TAKING VEHICLE BACK UNTIL PROBLEM IS FOUND.