1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

ON-GOING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE VIBRATING IN FRONT, VIBRATION WOULD COMMENCE WHENEVER TAKING OFF FROM A STOP POSITION OR WHENEVER TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT GEAR. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP ON FIVE OCCASIONS,CONDITION STILL UNRESOLVED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED, HAD DEALER CHECK VEHICLE AND FOUND THE CV SOLENOID, FTP SENSOR AND THE O2 MONITOR WERE BAD. *JG

RACK AND PINION STEERING IS DEFECTIVE. ALSO, POWER STEERING MAKES LOUD NOISES WHEN TURNING. WOULD LOSE POWER STEERING FLUID. WILL BE TAKING TO DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED. *AK

WHEN CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. DRIVER COULDN'T STOP VEHICLE BY APPLYING BRAKES, AND HE HAD TO MOVE THE PAWL TO NEUTRAL AND TURN SWITCH OFF. *AK CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. THE ENTIRE KEYLESS ENTRY ELECTRONIC SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSED THE STARTER KEPT TURNING OVER AND OVER, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT START. *YH

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH AND TRYING TO AVOID BEING HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, EXPLORER RAN INTO A GUARDRAIL, AND SHOULDER BELT DIDN'T PREVENT CONSUMER FROM HITTING HER HEAD ON WINDSHIELD AND FALLING ON PASSENGER'S SIDE OF VEHICLE. ALSO, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY, ALTHOUGHT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DID. *AK *ML

IN FEBRUARY 1998 THE NUMBER 40 AND 50 BEGAN TO DIM IN THE SPEEDOMETER. THE DIMMING HAS SPREAD TROUGHOUT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. AFTER SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS REPLACED IN OCTOBER 1998. THE NEW ONE IS WORSE THAN THE ORIGINAL. THE PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED TO SPREAD. AT THE PRESENT TIME ALL NUMBERS IN THE SPEEDOMETER ARE EITHER DIM OR DO NOT LIGHT UP. THE PROBLEM HAS SPREAD TO CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL, CONTROLS ON THE DOOR, AND THE RADIO. CONTROLS THT DO NOT LIGHT UP AT ALL ARE POWER WINDOW ADJUSTER ON DOOR, KNOB TO TURN ON LIGHTS, GAUGES FOR CONTROLLING THE LIGHT FOR OFF, LOW, OR HIGH, AND THE KNOB TO ADJUST DIMNESS OF INSTRUMNET CLUSTER. FORD HAD AN ENGINEER TO LOOK AT MARCH 31, 1999. HE CONCLUDED NO REAPIRS WERE NEEDED. THE PROBLEM WORSENS DAILY. I AM NOW GOING THROUGH A CASE WITH A DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BOARD. IF THAT FAILS I WILL HAVE TO CONTACT AN ATTORNEY. FORD REFUSES TO MAKE REPAIRS. RENTAL VEHICLES I HAVE RECEIVED FROM THEM HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. FORD MOTOR COMPNAY CONTINUES TO STATE THEY HAVE SEEN NO OTHER VEHICLE PRODUCED BYTHEM WITH THIS PROBLEM. YOUR DATABASE SUGGESTS OTHERWISE. I WOULD LIKE THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED DUE TO THIS VEHICLE FAILURE. *AK

WAS DRIVING AND CAR STOPPED WITH A CLICKING SOUND. NO PRIOR WARNING WITH ENGINE LIGHTS, ETC. DEALER CLAIMS FAILURE TO CHANGE OIL RESULTED IN ENGINE FAILURE AND THAT ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED AND FORD ALSO DENIED CLAIM TO REPLACE SAID ENGINE. *AK

TAIL PIPE SEPARATED FROM MUFFLER AND THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS SOME METAL RUBBING AGAINST THE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE SITTING AT A LIGHT VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITH BRAKES BEING APPLIED, AND WITHOUT DRIVER STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

CONSUMER WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP WITH HER FOOT ON TH BRAKES, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. *AK

VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY AND COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED BY DRIVER. THE GAS PEDAL WAS NOT BEING PRESSED. THE ONLY WAY THE CAR COULD BE CONTROLLED WAS BY TURNING THE ENGINE OFF AND COASTING TO THE SIDE. THIS WAS A VERY SCARY INCIDENT AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH AND FATALITIES. *AK