1997 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

TIE ROD THREADS STRIPPED LEADS TO COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING AND NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE. *NM

MY 1997 FORD EXPEDITION HAS BEEN HAVING SERIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. I HAVE HAD THE GEM MOD REPLACED AS WELL AS THE FUSE BOX. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH WATER IS LEAKING INTO THESE PARTS FROM THE WINDSHIELD. I AM STILL HAVING THESE PROBLEMS WITH A FAMILY OF SIX, I AM CONCERNED WITH THE PROSPECTS OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE OR SOMETHING ELSE. WE HAVE HAD INSTANCES WHERE THE CAR LOST POWER WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, THIS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. PLEASE TALK TO FORD. THIS SEEMS LIKE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM! *JB

I HAVE A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION WHICH HAS HAD THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS: THE FAN BLOWER STAYS ON WHILE TRUCK IS OFF, THE BATTERY DIES FOR NO APPARENT REASON AFTER TRUCK HAS SAT UNUSED FOR SHORT PERIODS, VARIOUS LIGHTS ON INSTRUMENT PANEL COME ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING(INCLUDING ABS, AIRBAG, ALL 4WD RELATED LIGHTS, LOW WASH, CHECK ENGINE), OVERDRIVE LIGHT BLINKS, SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T WORK, TRUCK DOESN'T ACCELERATE AND SHIFT PROPERLY, RADIO COMES ON WHEN TRUCK IS OFF. CLICKS AND BEEPS CAN BE HEARD SOMETIMES WHEN IN USE AND OFF. THE DEALER SAID THE GEM AND FUSE BOX WERE DAMAGED BY WATER LEAKING FROM WINDSHIELD. THEY REPLACED PARTS(FOR $600 AND TOLD ME THAT I HAD TO GO AND GET THE WINDSHIELD FIXED. I ASKED HOW THEY KNEW THE WATER WAS CERTAINLY COMING FROM WINDSHIELD, AND THEY SAID BECAUSE OF LOCATION ETC. AND I ASKED THEM WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF IT RAINS AFTER I PICK IT UP AND BEFORE IT GETS LOOKED AT. THEY SAID I'D BE FINE IF IT'S WITHIN A FEW DAYS ("JUST DON'T WAIT A MONTH"). WELL I PICKED IT UPON THE EVENING, AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE NEXT DAY FOR WINDSHIELD. IT RAINED OVERNIGHT, THOUGH I EVEN COVERED THE AREA AS BEST I COULD. I WOKE UP TO THE RADIO BLARING FROM MY TRUCK. I TURNED THE TRUCK ON, SHUT IT BACK OFF, RADIO STILL PLAYED SO I SHUT ITS POWER OFF. AS I DROVE TO WORK, SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS STARTED TO HAPPEN AGAIN AS WELL. I AM NOT HAPPY THAT (A) I HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR FORD'S INADEQUATE WORKMANSHIP AND (B) I NOW HAVE TO FIGHT WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NOW SINCE THE RAIN HAS ALREADY SCREWED IT UP AGAIN BECAUSE THEY LEFT IT IN MY HANDS BEFORE THE LEAK WAS FIXED. THAT TRUCK NEVER SHOULD HAVE LEFT THEIR GARAGE UNTIL IT WAS TAKEN CARE OF. I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY COULDN'T DO IT THEMSELVES, BUT THEY COULD HAVE AT LEAST HAD THE GLASS COMPANY COME AND DO IT THERE. THIS CLEARLY IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH EXPEDITIONS, AND I THINK FORD SHOULD BE FORCED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS ARE NOT SOMETHING TO LET. *NM

THE STEEL LINES CONNECTION THE TRANSMISSION TO A TRANSMISSION COOLER RUSTED OUT AND FAILED RESULTING IN A LOSS OF FLUID. THIS CAUSES IT TO START SLIPPING AND ALMOST GET STUCK IN TRAFFIC. I HAD TO CUT OUT SEVERAL BAD SECTIONS OF STEEL LINE AND REPLACE THEM. NOTE THAT THE FILLER TUBE TO REPLACE THE FLUID ALSO RUSTED OUT. *JB

I WAS BRAKING AND BRAKE PEDAL SANK TO THE FLOOR. IT TURNED OUT STEEL HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINES HAD FAILED. I HAD ALL OF THEM REPLACED IN ABOUT 3/06 FOR A COST OF $1000. I DID NOT REPLACE AT THE TIME THE MASTER CYLINDER TO ABS LINES. THEY FAILED ON 11/23/2006 AND I HAVE RETAINED THEM. IF THESE COMPONENTS HAD FAILED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT COULD HAVE BEEN POTENTIALLY DEADLY. NOTE THAT MY 1994 TAURUS SHO HAD A SIMILAR FAILURE. THIS VEHICLE HAS ALSO HAD THE TRANSMISSION COOLER STEEL LINES FAIL AND OTHER SEVERE UNDERCARRIAGE RUST PROBLEMS. *JB

CHILD SAFETY LOCKS ON BOTH REAR DOORS AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGE AFTER THE DOOR IS SHUT, OR THE CAR IS DRIVEN FOR SEVERAL MILES. SOMETIMES THE SWITCH IS HARD TO FLIP BACK TO UNLOCK WITHOUT JIGGLING THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE. I HAVE MADE SURE BOTH SWITCHES WERE SECURE IN THE UNLOCK POSITION BEFORE PASSENGERS RODE IN THE BACK, ONLY TO HAVE THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCK WHILE ON OUR WAY TO OUR DESTINATION. VERY HAZARDOUS IN AN EMERGENCY. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH IN REVERSE, BOTH BRACKETS DETACHED OFF THE BACK WINDOW, CAUSING THE WINDOW TO FALL OUTWARD. THE GLASS DID NOT BREAK, AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH ON A DRY ROAD DURING NORMAL BRAKING CONDITIONS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WHICH RESULTING IN AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A GROANING NOISE IN THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AFTER DRIVING UP OVER A ROADSIDE CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE. UPDATED 9/13/2006 - THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A FORD DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY WAS BAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY FOR REPAIR. *NM

LOW SPEED TO MODERATE SPEED YOU APPLY THE BRAKE PEDAL AS YOU WOULD NORMALLY DO AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU HAVE NO PEDAL AND IT STARTS TO PUMP FOR NO REASON AT ALL IT HAPPENS ON DRY ROADS AND WET OR SNOW COVERED ROADS THEN YOU FINALLY STOP AND LOOK DOWN AT THE DASH TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT JUST HAPPENED AND THE ABS LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH FOR NO REASON AT ALL. I HAVE HAD JUST ABOUT EVERY BRAKE PART SENSORS,COMPUTER ECT.. REPLACED IT WORKED FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AND NOW IT IS STARTING AGAIN THERE IS NO WARNING BEFORE IT HAPPENS. I AM REALLY WORRIED CAUSE NOW I HAVE A SON 17 WHO OCCASIONALLY DROVE THE VEHICLE BUT AS A RESULT OF THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONING HE CAN NO LONGER DRIVE THE EXPEDITION (UNSAFE). I HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS ON HERE ABOUT THE SAME THING HAPPENING. I AM GOING TO CONTACT THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP BUT I KNOW THAT IS GOING TO COST ME MORE MONEY THAN I ALREADY PUT OUT TO FIX IT! *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED BUT WOULD NOT INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS CAUSED BY A RECALL OR DEFECT. PICTURES OF THE INCIDENT WERE TAKEN.*AK