1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING GAS THE DRIVER'S SEAT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH. ALSO, WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE SEAT ROCKS FORWARD. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

ELECTRICAL FAILURES CONTINUALLY REPLACEMENT OF THE FAULTY PCM MODULE AND SPARK PLUGS DID NOT RECTIFY FAILURES.

THE REAR DOOR LOCKS BIND UP WHENEVER A REAR PASSENGER ATTEMPTS TO OPEN A DOOR WITHOUT THE DRIVER DEPRESSING DOOR UNLOCK BUTTON MANUALLY. ONCE LOCKS BIND UP, THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN DOOR IS FROM EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE. REAR PASSENGERS ARE ESSENTIALLY TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE UNTIL DOORS ARE OPENED FROM OUTSIDE. IT APPEARS THAT LOCKS ARE MALFUNCTIONING SOMEWHAT LIKE THE CHILD DOOR LOCK PROTECTION SYSTEM EVEN THOUGH THE CHILD LOCKS ARE NOT ENGAGED. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD WHICH TRAPS A PERSON IN THE REAR SEAT. IF THERE WERE A FIRE, ACCIDENT OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF EMERGENCY, THEY COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE REAR SEAT. DEALER CLAIMS NOT A PROBLEM; THAT THIS HOW LOCKS WERE DESIGNED, BUT REFUSED TO PUT ON REPAIR SLIP STATING ONLY "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE". HELP! HELP! HELP! FORD HAS A PROBLEM HERE AND IT NEEDS A NHTSA DIRECTED RECALL TO GET THEM TO PROPERLY CORRECT IT. IN YOUR DATA BASE THERE ARE NUMEROUS SIMILAR REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH REAR DOOR LOCKS. THIS IS A MAJOR CATASTROPHY JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN. *AK

ONGONING PROBLEM WITH FUEL SYSTEM VAPOR LEAKAGE. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS. VEHICLE HAVE BEEN INSPECTED / REPAIRED, BUT VAPOR LEAKEGES STILL EXIST. NEEDS HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK

ENGINE STALLS AND ALMOST QUITS ENTIRELY DURING ACCELERATION. MOST NOTICEABLE AT SPEEDS 50 - 55 MPH. MAY BE IN CONJUCTION WITH A SLIGHT TURN OF THE LEFT (DURING LANE CHANGE ON THE FREEWAY.)

THE RIGHT SIDE DOOR THAT AUTOMATICALLY LOCKS COMES OPEN WHEN MOING SPEEDS FROM2 TO 60 MILES AN HOUR. THIS VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE CHECKED BY THE FORD MOTOR COMAPNY, NOW FOR THE 4 TIME WE HAVE PROBLEM WITH THE SAME DOOR. A FRIEND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH 2 FORD EXPLORES.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235-70-15 )

ENGINE STALLS SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING LEFT AFTER STOP. VERY DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC. TAKEN IN TO MULTIPLE DEALERS WHO CAN NEVER REPRODUCE THE FAILURE. STALLING PROBLEM SEEMS COMMON AMONG PEOPLE WITH 4.0 SOHC ENGINE (BASED ON INTERNET DISCUSSION). TRUCK WAS BOUGHT/REGISTERED UNDER MY WIFE'S NAME: KATHLEEN.

VEHICLE IS NOT CONSITENT SWITCHING IN/OUT OF OVERDRIVE/4 WD -STICKS-FORD DENIES THERE IS A PROBLEM.

WHEN ACCELERATING TO TURN LEFT WITH MY S.O.H.C V6 EXPLORER, THE ENGINE WILL SOMETIMES CUT OUT AND ALMOST STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION WITH CARS BEARING DOWN ON ME. IT GOES FOR 2 SECONDS AND THEN CUTS OUT FOR 2 SECONDS. IT WILL THEN TAKE OFF AGAIN. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT HAD TO DO WITH THE HEAT OUTSIDE, BUT IT HAPPENED THIS JANUARY. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TURNING LEFT UNDER QUICK ACCELERATION. HAS HAPPENED WITH 1/4 TANK OF GAS TO NEARLY FULL. I DID A SEARCH IN DEJANEWS AND FOUND APPROX. 20 OTHER SIMILAR CASES. IT IS VERY SCARRY TO HAVE YOUR VEHICLE ALMOST DIE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION WITH CARS COMING AT YOU. IT HAPPENED TWICE IN THE SUMMER OF 97, 3 TIMES IN THE SUMMER OF 98 AND ONCE IN JANUARY 99.

GAS PEDAL GETS STUCK, WILL NOT GO DOWN , CONSUMER HAS TO KEEP STEPPING ON PEDAL WHEN SUDDENLY PEDAL WILL GO DOWN, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE FORWARD, ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.