1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

CONSUMER HIT A TELEPHONE POLE AT 25 MPH AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *PH *MR

FORD DID NOT APPLY NHTSA RECALL 98V060 PROPERLY TO MY 1997 FORD EXPLORER VIN [XXX]. THE DO NOT GROUND WARNING WAS APPLIED TO THE INCORRECT BRACKET. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO JUMP START THE VEHICLE, I USED THE FUEL LINE BRACKET SINCE THERE WAS NO WARNING LABEL. THE BRAIDED FUEL LINE COVERS OVERHEATED AND MELTED THE FUEL LINE RESULTING IN A SIGNIFICANT LEAKAGE OF FUEL WHEN THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. FORD CLAIMS THE RECALL WAS DONE PROPERLY. I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS WHICH SHOW IT WAS NOT DONE PROPERLY. I BELIEVE THAT THIS POSES A SERIOUS RISK TO THE 300, 000+ VEHICLES THAT HAD THIS RECALL DONE. SUMMARY 1.THE WARNING LABEL WAS NOT ATTACHED TO THE CORRECT BRACKET WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER THE RECALL 2.THERE IS NO LABEL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT INDICATING THAT THE REVISED ALTERNATOR BOLT IS A JUMP START GROUND LOCATION 3.FORDS POSITION IS THAT THE REPAIRS WERE DONE PROPERLY. MY CONTENTION IS THAT THEY WERE NOT DONE PROPERLY. 4.THIS SITUATION POSES AN IMMINENT DANGER TO DRIVERS, PASSENGERS AND BYSTANDERS. 5.THERE ARE STILL SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF THESE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. 6.FORD SHOULD PROVIDE A LABEL INDICATING THAT THE ALTERNATOR BOLT IS A GROUND LOCATION AND THEY SHOULD CHECK VEHICLES THAT WERE SUBJECT TO THIS RECALL TO ENSURE THAT THE LABELS WERE PROPERLY APPLIED. *AK UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

MY HEATER "SPLITTER DOOR" FAILED TO RELEASE HEAT ABOUT 4 MO. AGO AND IS STILL BRIKEN. I HAVEN'T HAD THE 700.OO TO FIX IT. *AK

EGR VALVE FAILED AT COST OF OVER $250. THIS IS PART OF THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM AND IS COVERED BY AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I REQUESTED WARRANTY STATUS FOR THIS PART FROM FORD MOTOR CO. CUSTOMER RELATIONS CENTER IN LETTER OF 7/17/03 WITH 76,172 MILES ON VEHICLE. INITIAL "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" FOR THIS FAILURE WAS AT ABOUT 66,000 ON 8/30/02. FORD DID NOT ANSWER MY INQUIRY, INSTEAD REFERRING ME TO THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS IN INDIA, AGAINST MY WISHES. *JB

BLEND DOOR FAILURE ON AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE. REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $700. THIS IS A KNOWN AND COMMON FAILURE ON THIS CAR AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY A RECALL BUT IS NOT. *JB

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO RECLINE/ADJUST THE SEAT. THE SEAT RECLINING HANDLE SNAPPED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

PATHFINDER LUXURY SUV P235/75R15 105S TIRES PURCHASED IN 6/03. THREE OF FOUR TIRES HAVE FAILED. THE FIRST FAILED IN 8/03 WHILE DRIVING 70MPH. THE SECOND WAS FOUND DEFECTIVE DURING TIRE ROTATION IN 12/03. THE THIRD FAILED ON 3/12/04 WHILE DRIVING 70MPH. NO APPARENT ROAD HAZARD. OUTER SIDEWALL WAS COMPLETELY SPLIT BELOW THE TIRE SHOULDER. *AK

IN SEARCHING THE INTERNET, I'VE FOUND THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUFFERED THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE HAD. I HAVE A 1997 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER EDITION. THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILED IN 1998 AND I TOOK IT TO LES PINKAM LINCOLN MERCURY IN ELIZABETHTOWN, KY FOR REPAIR. WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT IT, THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT THE BLEND AIR DOOR HAD BROKEN AND IT WOULD COSTS $800 TO REPAIR IT. THINKING HE WAS LYING, I TOOK IT TO BILL COLLINS FORD IN LOUISVILLE, KY. AGAIN, THE SAME RESULTS AND REPAIR ESTIMATE. TECHNICIANS AT BOTH PLACES, TOLD ME IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM. I EVENTUALLY HAD LES PINKAM REPAIR IT. IT SEEMS THAT FORD WOULD DESIGN A SYSTEM THAT WOULDN'T REQUIRE THE COMPLETE REMOVAL OF THE DASH TO REPAIR IT, MUCH CONTINUE WITH A DESIGN WITH SO MANY PROBLEMS. YEARS LATER AND THE PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. IN ADDITION I CAME ACROSS TSB ARTICLE NUMBER 98-23-20 IN MY SEARCHES, BUT COULDN'T FIND THE ARTICLE AT YOUR WEB-SITE. I ALSO HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT TWICE AND FINALLY REPLACED IT WITH ONE FROM A SALVAGE YARD. I COULDN'T SEE REPAIRING IT A THIRD TIME WHEN A FORD TECHNICIAN AND PRIVATE YARD COULDN'T FIX IT. BOTH TIMES WITHIN 13 MONTHS AFTER REPAIR, THE CAR WOULD SUDDENLY COMPLETELY FAIL AND TACH OUT AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. I COULD GET IT TO DO IT WITH A FORD TECHNICIAN AND HIS CODE SENSOR PLUGGED IN. THIS HAS COME CLOSE TO HAVING ME GET REAR ENDED ON THE INTERSTATE 65, ESPECIALLY WHEN ITS IN CRUISE CONTROL. FOR NO REASON AT ALL THE TRANSMISSION WOULD COMPLETELY DISENGAGE AND THE ENGINE WOULD ALMOST COMPLETELY TACK OUT BEFORE I COULD HIT THE BRAKE PEDALS TO DIS-ENGAGE. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, I'VE SPENT ALMOST $6000 IN REPAIRS SINCE OWNING THIS VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, I'VE HAD IT IN FOR MANY RECALLS. ALL I'VE EVER GOT OUT OF FORD OR THE DEALERS IS, SORRY ABOUT YOUR LUCK. SURELY THERE IS SOMETHING YOUR AGENCY CAN DO ABOUT THIS. MY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, WERE PRETTY SCARY. *JB

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, AT 55-60 MPH A TIRE FELL OFF. CONSUMER SAW THE TIRE ROLL DOWN THE FREEWAY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT, CALLED AAA, AND HAD TIRE REPLACED. *AK

THE BLEND DOOR IS BROKEN ON MY HEATER...EVER TRY TO DEFROST A WINDOW WHEN IT IS MINUS 5 WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON..? THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IN A RECALL CAMPAIGN IT IS POORLY DESIGNED AND DANGEROUS! *AK