1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

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 I HAVE JUST VERIFIED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY TOUTED AS THE SOLUTION IN THE LETTER IS THE SAME THROTTLE BODY PART NUMBER REPLACED A YEAR AGO. THEREFORE, IT SEEMS PROBABLE FORD HAS NOT FOUND THE FIX, AND WHY SHOULD OWNERS PAY FOR THIS DEFECT (AND THE RESULTING DIMINSHED VALUE OF THE VEHICLE) REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE? A YEAR FROM NOW, WHEN THE ACCELERATOR STARTS STICKING AGAIN, I WILL HAVE MORE THAN 72,000 MILES. ANY SUGGESTIONS?

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.