1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20MPH A VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THIS WAS A SIDE AND FRONTAL IMPACT AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE SEAT BELTS WERE IN USE. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. UPON INSPECTION THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SEPARATED THREE MILLILITERS AS IF THE AIR BAG WAS GOING TO DEPLOY. THE AIRBAG WARNING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.

REGARDING RECALL 00V402000 ON SWAY BAR PROBLEMS I ALSO WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE WAS BEYOND THE RECALL DATE HOWEVER THE SAME PARTS HAVE BROKEN JUST AS THE RECALL STATES. *JB

THE HEATER BLEND DOOR FAILED ON MY 1997 FORD EXPLORER WHILE DRIVING IT IN SNOWY CONDITIONS. I ONLY HAD COLD AIR BLOWING ON MY WINDOWS. AFTER REVIEWING WEB SITES, I HAVE FOUND THAT THE TOP PIECE OF MY HEATERS HOT AND COLD BLEND DOOR IS BROKEN. THE COST OF REPLACING THIS ONE PIECE OF PLASTIC IS AROUND $1000. FORD HAS A REPLACEMENT PART THAT IS NOW STRONGER, BUT FAILS TO REALIZE THE DEFECT IN THE OLDER DOORS. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND IT WENT THROUGH THE STOP SIGN AND THEN CAME TO A STOP WHEN PLACED INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY TWO MORE TIMES BEFORE THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO TAKE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. IT OCCURRED WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP. AGAIN THE BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD AND THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED INTO NEUTRAL TO GET IT TO STOP. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED AT THIS TIME. *AK UPDATED 12/27/2005 - WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED COLD IT WOULD NOT STAY ON AND IDLED ERRATICALLY. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM AND IDLE PROBLEM WERE DUE TO A FAULTY THROTTLE SENSOR. THE DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE VALVE ASSEMBLY BUT THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIR UNDER NHTSA RECALL 98V060000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 98S09 BEFORE BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER. WHEN SHE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE ON JANUARY 9, 2001. SHE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND HAD TO JUMP START THE VEHICLE ON JANUARY 24, 2005. IMMEDIATELY AFTER HE HAD DONE SO HE SMELLED FUEL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. WHEN HE TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP THEY FOUND TWO HOLES IN THE FUEL LINE. THEY HAD THE FUEL LINE REPLACED AT THEIR EXPENSE. THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN ON OCTOBER 15, 2005. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND HAD TO JUMP START THE VEHICLE AGAIN. AFTER EXAMINING THE FUEL LINE HE FOUND THERE WERE TWO HOLES IN THE EXACT SAME SPOTS. SHE TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER, AND THEY TOLD HER THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. *AK

I THINK THE REAR DOOR OF FORD EXPLORERS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I HAVE A 1997 FORD EXPLORER XLT. THE WELD THAT HOLDS THE REAR DOOR AT THE TOP IS STARTING TO COME APART. I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS AN ENGINEERING DEFECT ON FORD EXPLORERS BY A FORD BODY SHOP. WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE? I HAVE ALSO SEEN THIS ON SEVERAL OTHER EXPLORERS. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS OCCURS BECAUSE THE SHEET METAL USED ON THE DOOR IS SO THIN THAT IT DOES NOT SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE REAR DOOR THAT GOOD.*JB

TEMPERATURE OUT OF CONTROL, DEFOGGING/DEFROSTING CHALLENGED ON A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. WAS TOLD IT WILL IT IS DUE TO DEFECT IN THE AIR BLEND DOOR. I CAN'T DEFROST THE WINDOWS WHICH COULD BE AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *NM

CRUISE CONTROL UNDER THE HOOD CAUSED POWER OUTAGE TO OVERHEAD TEMPERATURE/DIRECTION DISPLAY. WHEN TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR THE TECH ALONG WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER,INDICATED THAT SPARKS AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE CRUISE CONTROL LOCATED UNDER THE HOOD WHEN POWER WAS APPLIED. THIS IS THE SAME CRUISE CONTROL THAT HAS CAUSED ACCIDENTS AND DEATH. THIS CRUISE CONTROL IS THE SAME ONE THAT HAS SPARKED A LARGE RECALL FROM FORD BUT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY ELECTED NOT TO INCLUDE THE EXPLORER. *NM

I HAVE A 1997 FORD EXPLORER THAT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE ORIGINATED AROUND THE WIRING HARNESS IN AND AROUND THE MASTER CYLINDER. WHEN MY VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE I LOST MY BRAKES INSTANTLY.*JB

1997 FORD EXPLORER DEVELOPED TWO FAILURES OF THE BRAKE LINE.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE CONSUMERS WIFE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF BRAKES DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE LINE ABOVE THE REAR AXLE. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED A SECOND TIME, BUT THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, BOTH FAILURES WERE CAUSED BY CORROSION. *JB