1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

THE ABSENCE OF A DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DISABLE SWITCH HAS FAILED THE SAFETY STANDARDS OF THE COUNTRY, MORALLY. I AM APPAULED THE MANUFACTURERS WON'T RECALL THESE VEHICLES, OR GIVE OWNERS THE OPTION FOR FREE DISABLE SWITCHES TO BE INSTALLED. IN ADDITION, WITH ALL THE REPORTS OF DEATHS TO INFANTS AND TEENS WITH DRIVER SIDE AIRBAGS, I'M INSULTED THAT I NEED MY GOVERNMENTS PERMISSION TO INSTALL A DISABLE SWITCH TO PROTECT MY FAMILY. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT, EVERYONE KNOWS IT. THE MANUFACTURER IS RESPONSIBLE. IT SHOULD BE A MASSIVE RECALL. NHTSA SHOULD MANDATE ALL MANUFACTURERS TO RETROFIT ALL VEHICLES WITH PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS WITH DISABLE SWITCHES. IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.CONCERN ABOUT AIR BAG ON-OFF SWITCH. ADDED ON 09-07-1999. *AK

THE LOCATION OF REAR VIEW MIRROR IS MOUNTED TOO LOW, WHICH OBSTRUCTS DRIVERS VISION. DRIVER NOT ABLE TO SEE TO THE RIGHT CLEARLY. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *AK *SB

ELECTRONIC MODULE FAILURE NOT AN ADD ON COMPONENT. PLEASE CONTAC JOHN AT SUPERIOR INVESTIGATIONS AT THE ABOVE WORK NUMBER FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

WHEN MAKING PANIC STOPS PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR BUT HITS ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS CAUSED BRAKES & WHEELS TO SQUEAK. LOCATION OF BRAKE & ACCELERATOR PEDALS ARE TOO CLOSE. CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.*AK

AN UNUSUAL PROBLEM THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME PROBABLY OVER 100 TIMES IN 2 YEARS. AFTER UNBUCKLING THE SEATBELT, THE SEATBELT STARTS TO RETRACT AS IT'S SUPPOSED TO. HOWEVER, JUST BEFORE FULLY RETRACTING, WITH ABOUT 7-8 INCHES TO GO, THE BELT GETS TWISTED JUST BEFORE IT ENTERS THE BELT SHOULDER GUIDE/SUPPORT/SLIDE (EXACT NAME UNKNOWN--MOUNTED ON FRAME, ABOUT EAR LEVEL WHEN SEATED IN CAR, CHANGES THE DIRECTION OF THE BELT POSITION TO VERTICAL). IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE WEIGHT OF THE BUCKLE (MALE END) IS OFF CENTER IN RELATION TO THE BELT AND CAUSES THE BELT TO TWIST. THIS TWIST PREVENTS THE BELT FROM SLIDING THROUGHT THE SHOULDER BELT SUPPORT/GUIDE/SLIDE. THE 7-8 INCHES OF SLACK GETS CAUGHT IN THE DOOR AFTER EXITING AND CLOSING THE DOOR. AFTER RE-ENTERING THE CAR AND CLOSING THE DOOR, THE SLACK IN THE BELT IS STILL THERE (NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE EXITING THE CAR). THE SEAT BELT CAN BE EASILY BUCKLED (IT JUST TAKES ADDITIONAL BELT OFF THE RETRACTION ROLLER) BUT THE BELT IS STILL STUCK IN THE DOOR AND THE DRIVER WOULD NEVER KNOW IT. A SLIGHT TUG ON THE BELT FREES IT FROM THE DOOR AND THE EXCESS BELT IS RETRACTED. THIS IS A PROBLEM SHOULD THE BELT BE CALLED UPON TO WORK WITH THE SLACK CAUGHT IN THE DOOR. IN A HEAD-ON, THE BODY MOVING FORWARD WOULD NOT BE RESTRAINED UNTIL THE SLACK PART OF THE BELT IS NO LONGER STUCK IN THE DOOR. (THE BODY MOVING FORWARD FREES THE BELT FROM THE DOOR). I'M SORRY FOR THE LENGTHY DESCRIPTION.

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING SOME PROBLEMS WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT INTO THE DRIVEWAY WHEN VEHICLE PICKED UP SPEED, RESULTING IN VEHICLE HITTING HIS OTHER VEHICLES WHICH WERE ALSO PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE ACCELERATOR STUCK. *AK

BOLT HOLDING UPPER CONTROL ARM FAILED CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE WHEN THE CONTROL ARM SEPARATED FROM BALL JOINT.

UPPER BALL JOINT FELL APART AT 5MPH, AND DRIVER LOST CONTROL. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE. *AK

PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE WHEN WHEELS MADE A THUMPING NOISE. THIS WOULD HAPPEN WHEN TURNING WHEELS. HAD TO HAVE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK