1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE ON ITS OWN. PULLED OVER, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. *AK

AFTER PULLING OFF THE INTERSTATE I NOTICED MY 1997 FORD EXPLORER WAS MAKING AWFUL NOISES AND DIDN'T HANDLE WELL. WHEN I GOT HOME I REALIZED THE SWAY BAR LINK HAD SNAPPED. AFTER LOOKING AT YOUR WEBSITE I SAW THAT THE 1997 FORD EXPLORER WAS RECALLED FOR SWAY BAR LINKS BREAKING. AFTER BRINGING MY EXPLORER TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET THE ITEM FIXED I WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE WASN'T PART OF THE RECALL AND THAT THEY GO BY VIN #'S. SO MY QUESTION IS WHY ARE ONLY CERTAIN 1997 EXPLORERS RECALLED. JUST BECAUSE MY VEHICLE'S VIN # DOESN'T QUALIFY DOES THAT MEAN THAT I SHOULD LOOSE CONTROL ON THE INTERSTATE GOING 75 MPH. ONLY CERTAIN COLOR EXPLORERS GET RECALLED? MAYBE ONLY EXPLORERS BUILT ON WEDNESDAYS IN 1997 QUALIFY. DO I HAVE TO CRASH AND DIE UNTIL MY VIN # QUALIFIES? IT WILL BE TOO LATE THEN BUT MAYBE MY PARENTS CAN SUE FORD AND GET RICH. FORD ALREADY TRIED TO KILL ME WITH THEIR FIRESTONE TIRES AND NOW THIS. I'M GLAD THE NHTSA HAS THE KNOWLEDGE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHICH 1997 EXPLORERS HAD FAULTY PARTS, SEEMS LIKE A COINCIDENCE THAT I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM THAT RESULTED IN A RECALL FOR THE 1997 EXPLORER BUT YET I AM REFUSED SERVICE BY FORD. COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME HOW THIS CAN HAPPEN. I AM FURIOUS WITH FORD BUT I GUESS I SHOULD BE MORE ANGRY WITH THE NHTSA SINCE THEY ISSUE THE RECALLS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW YOU DETERMINE WHICH LIVES TO SAVE AND WHICH ONES AREN'T AS IMPORTANT. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, JOE

I BOUGHT THE EXPLORER LAST APRIL AND THE A/C WORKED FINE, BUT WHEN WINTER GOT HERE THE HEATER WOULD NOT BLOW WARM AIR. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE THERMOSTATE AND LOOKED AT OTHER THINGS, BUT COULD NOT FIX IT. I THEN TOOK IT TO A SECOND MECHANIC WHO LOOKED AT IT AND TOLD ME THAT HE HAD JUST FIXED THE SAME PROBLEM ON ANOTHER 97 FORD EXPLORER--AND IT WAS THE BLEND DOOR. THAT THE DOOR WAS A FACTOR DEFECT AND WOULD COST ABOUT $650.00 TO REPLACE IT. I DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO HAVE IT REPLACED, AND IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN IT IS STUCK ON A/C AIR AND YOU CAN NOT DEFROST YOUR WINDSHILD WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING. IT HAS NOT BEEN FIXED AND RESTRICTS VISION OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD WHEN FOGGED OR ICED WHICH COULD CAUSE ME TO HAVE A BAD WRECK.

(1) CRUISE CONTROL, NORMAL USEAGE (2) WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ON FOR MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES, THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH CONTROLLING ACCEL, COAST, RESUME, ON THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES HOT. FURTHERMORE, APPROXIMATELY 30% OF THE TIME, THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE WHEN THE COAST BUTTON IS DEPRESSED, RESULTING IN TWO NEAR MISSES, WITH TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. (3) THE FAILURE STILL EXISTS, HOWEVER I HAVE NOT USED THE CRUISE CONTROL FOR TWO MONTHS. I HAD CONTACTED A FORD DEALERSHIP FULLY EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL; I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN AND PAY FOR IT.

FEW MONTHS AGO I HAVE PURCHASED A SET OF BOSCH SPARK PLUGS (PLATINUM 2 PART # 4305). ABOUT 3 WEEKS AFTER I INSTALLED THEM WILE DRIVEN ON THE EXPRESSWAY ONE OF THEM EXPLODED RUINING THE WIRE AND CAUSING TO FLIP FLOP ALL OVER SPARKING LUCKY I STOP RIGHT AWAY. THE CERAMIC PORTION OF THE SPARK HAS COME OUT OF IT CLEAN CAN NOT EVEN FIND A TRACE OF CERAMIC ON THE PLUG BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE ELECTRODE OR PORTION OF IT FELL IN TO THE CYLINDER ,CAUSING AN IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE, I HAVE REPORTED THE DAMAGE AND DETAILS TO THE MANUFACTURER AND EVEN SEND THEM THE PLUG FOR INSPECTION AND EXPLAIN EVERY THING, BUT THEY HAVE RETURN THE PLUG AND A LETTER SATING THAT THE REASON THE PLUG EXPLODED WAS BECAUSE IMPROPER TORQUE. I HAVE BEEN INSTALLING THE PLUGS ON MY VEHICLES FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS AND PEOPLE I TALKED TO SAID THE PLUG SHOULD NOT EXPLODE FOR THAT REASON. I THAT IS THE CASE I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE ON THIS PARTICULAR PLUGS AND THERE IS NOTHING ON THE PACKAGE INDICATING TO THE CONSUMER OF THIS DANGER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH TRANSMISSION ENGAGED ITSELF INTO 4-WHEEL DRIVE. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE LOST POWER, AND WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS. DEALER STATED TRANSMISSION BURNED ITSELF OUT, AND NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. *AK

FORD EXPLORER 1997, CONSUMER PAID FOR REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE PRIOR TO FORD RECALL. *BF THE CONSUMER WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS NOT PURCHASED FROM FORD. *NM

I PURCHASED A 1 OWNER,USED 1997 FORD EXPLORER IN APRIL 2004.IT HAS 105.000.3 MONTHES LATER,THE TRANSFER CASE WENT.WHEN MY MECHANIC HAD IT ON THE LIFT,HE SAW THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD ALREADY BEEN REBUILT.NOW 6 MONTHES LATER,THE TRANSFER CASE,WHICH CAME OFF OF A 1997 EXPLORER WITH 60,000 MILES ON IT,IS GOING BAD.I HAVEN'T EVEN PUT 10,000 MILES ON IT SINCE HAVING IT REPLACED IN AUGUST.I SPOKE TO OTHER FORD EXPLORER OWNERS,AND THEY TOO HAVE HAD TO REPAIR,OR REPLACE THE TRANSMISSIONS AND OR TRANSFER CASES MULTIPLE TIMES IN THEIRS.IT IS GETTING EXTREMELY COSTLY TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED.AS WELL AS THE INCONVENIENCE OF HAVING TO FIND A RIDE WHILE ITS IN FOR SERVICE.IS THIS A FAMILIAR COMPLAINT? I WAS NOT TOLD BY THE DEALER OF ANY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS,OR THE FACT THAT THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION WAS PREVIOUSLY FIXED.IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO?PLEASE HELP.*AK

BLEND DOOR CRACKED ON 1997 FORD EXPLORER, CAUSING LACK OF ABILITY TO DEFROST WINDOWS. I LIVE IN WISCONSIN AND THE WINDOWS FOGGED UP BADLY. VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE WHEN IT'S 20 BELOW OUT AND THE DEFROSTER DOESN'T WORK. COST TO REPLACE AIR PLENUM WITH REVISED, REDESIGNED ONE ABOUT $900. *AK

I DRIVE A 1997 FORD EXPLORER XLT. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT TODAY BECAME UNLATCHED WHEN I HIT THE BREAKS HARD. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. HAD I HIT ANOTHER CAR, I WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. FORD WANTS TO CHARGE ME $100 FOR THE REPAIR. *JB