1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

1997 FORD EXPLORER, 5.0 L ENGINE, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE CAR'S ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY RACES TO THE POINT THAT ITS BRAKES WILL NOT HOLD IT BACK. THIS SOMETIMES HAPPENS WHEN BACKING FROM A COLD START AND SOMETIMES WHEN BRAKING FOR A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE IS TO SHIFT INTO PARK AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE. THE EFFECT IS LIKE BEING SLAMMED INTO BY A LARGE VEHICLE. IT ALMOST KILLED MY PREGNANT DAUGHTER AND ME EARLIER THIS MONTH WHEN IT HAPPENED AS I WAS BRAKING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT. IT FELT LIKE WE HAD BEEN HIT FROM THE REAR, BUT IT WAS THE ENGINE PULLING ITS OLD TRICK AGAIN. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM. ONE YEAR AGO HE SAID THAT IT WAS THE PCV VALVE AND HE REPLACED THE VALVE. THE CAR THEN BEHAVED FOR ABOUT ONE YEAR. THEN, WITHOUT WARNING, WITH MY WIFE AT THE WHEEL, THE CAR, IN REVERSE, RACED OUT OF OUR GARAGE INTO THE STREET. IT WAS UNSTOPABLE. LATER IT DID THE SAME THING, WHILE IN DRIVE, AT INTERSECTIONS. I RETURNED IT TO THE DEALER WHO COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. IT THEN HAPPENED TO ME AND MY DAUGHTER AND I RETURNED IT TO THE DEALER WHO TESTED IT FOR A WEEK WITHOUT RESULTS.

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO STAY LATCHED, OR SOMETIMES BECOMES UNLATCHED WITH DRIVERS FORWARD BODY MOTION (EXTEND LINE OF SIGHT, CHANGE RADIO/CLIMATE SETTINGS, TURN ON LIGHTS, ETC.). AS A RESULT, THE SEAT BELT IS NOT A RELIABLE SAFETY RESTRAINT. I AM HAVING PROBLEMS FIND A REPLACEMENT PART.

DT: THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH STOPPED WORKING, THE CONSUMER LIFTED UP THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT FLUID WAS LEAKING AROUND THE MASTER BRAKE UNIT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM AND THEY REPLACED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH ABOUT A WEEK AGO. *JB

DT: CONTACT STATED WHILE USING THE DEFROSTER SYSTEM THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE OUTSIDE TO THE INSIDE. VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, BUT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE TAKEN IN THIS WEEK. *AK

CONSUMER HEARD NOISE ON DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL AND FRONT STABILIZER BAR BROKE. CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER, AND FORD WAS TOLD CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN NUMBER. OTHER VEHICLES OF SAME YEAR WERE RECALLED. CONTACT FELT THIS VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED.*AK AT LOW SPEED VEHICLE WAS RESPONDING NORMALLY BUT AT INCREASED SPEED VEHICLE BECOMES UNSTABLE FOR A SHORT INSTANCE. CONSUMER COULD NOT CONTINUE TO DRIVE UNSAFELY, SO CONSUMER PURCHASED TWO NEW STABILIZER LINKS FROM FORD DEALERSHIP FOR $22. MECHANIC REPLACED BOTH OF THEM FOR AN ADDITIONAL $40. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS INCIDENT IS UNFORTUNATE FOR THE FORD COMPANY NOT TO STAND BEHIND THEIR VEHICLES BECAUSE THE LINKS ARE NOT MOVING PARTS OF THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD LAST A LIFETIME. *SB *NM

DT: THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY CAME ON. DEALER SAID IT COULD EITHER BE A LOOSE CONNECTION OR MOISTURE IN THE SYSTEM. AFTER ABOUT FIVE MILES ON THE ROAD, THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. PULLS IN SECOND GEAR. TRANSMISSION FINALLY FAILED.*AK *SB

1997 FORD EXPLORER LOWER BALL JOINTS ON EXPLORER, BOTH SIDES, LEFT AND RIGHT, HAD A CLUNK WHEN GOING OVER DIPS IN ROAD. FORD DID NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS THERE FROM NEW, I HAVE 57,000 MILES ON THE EXPLORER. THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND AT FIRESTONE WHEN ROTATING THE TIRES AND GETTING READY FOR A FRONT END ALINEMENT. I WAS TOLD THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE BAD ON BOTH SIDES . NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. I TALKED TO FORD, THEY SAY THE WARRANTY IS GONE AND WILL DO NOTHING, BUT WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE ENGINEERS

I OWN A 1997 FORD EXPLORER THAT SINCE ITS BEEN PURCHASED THE AIR CONDITIONING AND THE HEAT WERE ALWAYS GIVING ME PROBLEMS, I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT ITS A PROBLEM WITH ALMOST EVERY FORD EXPLORER OUT ON THE ROADS TODAY. THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN TO ME DUE TO WINDOW DEFROSTING DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, THE BLEND DOOR HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN AND WILL OPEN AND CLOSE AT ANY TIME. PLEASE ADVISE ME ON HOW I CAN GET THIS LOOKED INTO. I BELIEVE THAT FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS AND THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY DONT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

DT: 1997 FORD EXPLORER THE DRIVER FRONT DOOR AND THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. CONTACT STATES SHE CALLED THE SERVICE DEALER, BUT IT COSTS TOO MUCH TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT, PARTS AND LABOR WOULD BE MORE.*AK

THE PROBLEM I'M HAVING INVOLVES A 1997 FORD EXPLORER SPORT (4.0L-5SPD-NON-AUTO CLIMATE CONTROL)--THE TEMP IS NOT CONTROLLABLE AND REMAINS HOT ALL THE TIME EXCEPT FOR MAX A/C--THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO COMMONLY INVOLVE BUT IS NOT NECCESSARILY LIMITED TO THE BLEND DOOR, BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR AND HEATER BOX--TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE HAVE BEEN NO DEATHER OR INJURIES CAUSED BY THIS PROBLEM BUT IT IS SIGNIFICANT NON THE LESS . *AK