1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ENTIRE SPINDLE ASSEMBLY DISENGAGED, CAUSING A COLLISION TO OCCUR. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 TO 30 MPH STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD DUE TO A LEAK FROM THE FUEL LINE. A SPARK TOUCHED SOME OF THE WIRES, CAUSING A FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT TO PUT OUT THE FIRE, AND THEY DISCONNECTED THE WIRES. *AK

REAR DOOR LOCKS WON'T UNLOCK UNLESS YOU USE UNLOCK BUTTON ON FRONT DOOR FIRST. CHILD SAFETY DOOR LOCK WON'T DISENGAGE ON LEFT REAR DOOR, SOMEONE HAS TO OPEN LEFT REAR DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. KEYLESS CONTROL WILL NOT UNLOCK EITHER IF RIGHT REAR DOOR LOCK GETS HUNG UP. I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET REPAIRED, BUT HAVE NO DOCUMENTATION EXCEPT ONCE IN 1997. I SELDOM HAVE PASSENGERS IN THE BACK, BUT IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT ANYONE IN THE REAR COULD NOT GET OUT. I JUST WANT THE DOOR LOCKS FIXED. THERE ARE SOME SIMILIAR COMPLAINTS WITH THE NHTSA, IDI ID 702648, 827786, 829733, 537402, 538918, AND 530692. ANY HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED. *AK

ACCELERATOR STICKS TO THE POINT WHERE CONSUMER HAS TO PUT FOOT BEHIND THE PEDAL TO RELEASE IT FROM THE FLOOR. EVEN BY APPLYING THE BRAKES, IT WILL NOT DECREASE SPEED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

IN EARLY MARCH OF 1997 THE FORD ASSEMBLY PLANT IN LOUISVILLE, KY FLOODED. THIS PLANT PRODUCES FORD EXPLORERS, MERCURY MOUNTAINEERS, AND FORD RANGER PICKUP TRUCKS. FORD ESTIMATED THAT "APPROXIMATELY 2000 VEHICLES WERE AFFECTED." FORD ALSO STATED THAT "NONE OF THE DAMAGED VEHICLES WILL BE SHIPPED TO DEALERSHIPS." NOT TRUE. I BOUGHT ONE OF THE DAMAGED VEHICLES AT DON REID FORD IN MAITLAND, FLORIDA. DON REID FORD FAILED TO DISCLOSE THE MATERIAL FACT THAT MY TRUCK HAD BEEN FLOODED AND CLEANED AS A RESULT OF THE FLOOD. MY GUESS IS THAT FORD SOLD ALL OR MOST OF THE 2000 DAMAGED VEHICLES. MY TRUCK IS RUSTING, ON THE BUMPER AND THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR. I ALSO HAVE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM: MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON OF THEIR OWN VOLITION. I ASSUME THAT THE OTHER OWNERS OF THESE DAMAGED VEHICLES MIGHT BE HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, OR OTHER UNEXPLAINED PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE FLOOD, WHICH COULD POSE SAFETY PROBLEMS. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THESE OWNERS DON'T KNOW THAT THEIR VEHICLES HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE FLOODWATERS OF KENTUCKY. MY GUESS IS THAT FORD HAS SECRET WARRANTIES FOR THESE CARS.

THE BACK UP LIGHTS GO OUT. THE FUSE HAD BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. HAVE TAKEN TO 4 DIFFERENT DEALERS FOR SAME PROBLEM. SEEMS THE BACK UP LIGHTS & REAR DEFROSTER ARE CONNECTED TOGETHER. *AK

PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE SPORADIC AND INITIALLY, APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN. LAST INCIDENT CAUSED ENGAGING OF PARKING BRAKE, SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL AND TURNING OFF IGNITION.

PASSENGER SIDE DOOR CAME OPEN LAST 2 TIMES. THE LAST TIME THE DOOR CAME OPEN I FELL OUT OF IT, AND HURT MY BACK, AND CAN NOT STAND FOR ANY LENTGH OF TIME. I WOULD LIKE SOMETHING DONE ITS BEEN ONGOING FOR ALMOST 3 MONTHS WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY. AND I E-MAILED YOU IN JANUARY AND I SHOULD OF HEARD SOMETHING FROM YOU BEGINNING OF FEBUARY. AND I STILL HAVE NOT HEARD FROM YOU WHY? THANK YOU NEDRA J. OSSO

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH HEARD SOME NOISE AND THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND NOTICED WATER AND ANTI-FREEZE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TURNED VEHICLE OFF.WHEN TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE BACK UP, THE VEHICLE WON'T START. *AK

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DOES NOT ILLUMINATE ALL THE GUAGES PROPERLY, ORIGINAL INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM PERSIST.