1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

EA99001, THROTTLE BODY SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JUMP FORWARD OR BACKWARD. ALSO, WHILE STARTING VEHICLE, IT WILL STALL OUT WHEN PLACING IT IN GEAR. OWNER THINKS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED. *AK *ML

MY '97 EXPLORER SPORT MAKES A DIESELY NOISE. I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE FORD ENTHUSIASTS MESSAGE BOARDS. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL REPAIRS DONE AND IT HASN'T FIXED THE PROBLEM. I'VE HEARD BELT TENSIONER, CAT CONVERTER, HEAT SHEILD, LIFTERS , BEARINGS, ARM ROCKERS, AND EVEN ROD KNOCK. IVE ALSO HEARD THERE WAS A BATCH OF '96- EARLY '98 EXPLORES MADE TYPICALLY THE SOHC. I WANT SOME ANSWERS. I AM FED UP WITH HAVING UNNECESSAY REPAIRS DONE TO MY TRUCK. PLEASE CONTACT ME. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH FUEL VAPOR SMELL COMING INSIDE THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, SEAT MOVES BACK AND FORTH, AND DRIVER'S SHOULDER BELT WOULD NOT LATCH PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

REAR RESTRAINTS ARE INOPERAPLE. THE RESTRAINTS WILL NOT RETRACT. DEALER HAS BENE NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 65 ON A CLEAR DAY/NO RAIN, AND TRAVELING ON THE INSIDE LANE, REAR LEFT TIRE TREAD PEELED OFF, CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL AND ROLL OVER. LEFT REAR TIRE NEVER DEFLATED. TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT. ONE CHILD CAME OUT OF THE VEHICLE. *AK *MJS

WHEN TRAVELING AND UPON IDLING, CONSUMER NOTICED A HIGH PITCH SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE, BUT HAS NOTICED A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON SEVERAL OTHER EXPLORERS. *AK *ML

A/C SERVICE PLENUM PLASTIC DOOR BROKE, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WITH STRONGER NYLON BLEND DOOR AS PER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. PART NUMBER F87Z-1847-DA. CLEARLY DEFECTIVE PART SHOULD BE REPLACED BY MANUFACTURER. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING 70MPH HEARD LOUD NOISE, LEFT REAR WHEEL FROZE. VEHICLE VEERED TO LEFT OVER 2 LANES & THEN RIGHT OVER 2 LANES. SPUN AROUND & WAS FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. WENT BACKWARDS & HIT A CULVERT. TOOK OFF & WAS AIR BORNE. LANDED UPSIDE DOWN. UNLOCKED SEAT BELT & CRAWLED OUT. POLICE AND EMERGENCY VEHICLE ARRIVED. INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED & WRAPPED AROUND AXLE. VEHICLE TOTALED. TIRES WERE FIRESTONE RADIAL AXT. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE DIDN'T GET ANY KIND OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TIRES AND NO OFFER OF SETTELEMENT FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *YH

UPPER AND LOWER ENGINE INTAKE GASKETS ARE LEAKING, CAUSING AIR TO ENTER INTO THE CYLINDER, RESULTING IN ENGINE IDLING ERRATICALLY AND EVENTUALLY NO START. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE OFF AND KNOCKED A HOLE IN THE VALVE COVER TENSIONER. COULD SMELL OIL BURNING PRIOR TO PROBLEM WITH TIMING CHAIN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS OF TIMING CHAIN. *AK