1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN OCCUPANT. AS A RESULT, DRIVER SUSTAINED MASSIVE HEAD INJURIES. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED TO DECREASE IN SPEED WITHOUT WARNING. ENGINE HAD BLOWN.*AK

I HAVE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF POWER IN THE ENGINE IN MY 1997, FORD\EXPLORER(PURCHASED USED, IN JUNE OF 1999) CAUSING ME TO LOSE MY BRAKES WHILE DRIVING, I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO SEVERAL MECHANICS (FOR DIAGNOSIS) AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM, THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT, AND THAT THERE IS SOMETHING DEFECTIVE IN THE TIMING SYSTEM, AND I SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS, AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD, THAT THE TIMING CHAIN AND TIMING CASETTE HAD WENT AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT PERTAINING TO THIS PROBLEM AND THAT OWNERS HAD BEEN NOTIFIED, HOWEVER I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE IN THIS VEHICLE, THE DEALER ALSO TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD COST ME $4500.00 FOR A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE-REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THE CAR WAS BEYOND THE MILAGE OF THE SERVICE BULLETEN. AFTER PAYING $28,000.00 FOR A VEHICLE, AS A CONSUMER I WOULD NOT EXPECT TO BE SUBJECT TO REPETITIVE SAFETY CONCERNS FOR SELF, FAMILY AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS OF THE DEFECTIVE PRODUCT (1997 EXPLORER), AND THEN TOLD THAT I MUST PAY THE AMOUNT IT WOULD COST FORA DOWN PAYMENT ($4500.00) ON A NEW VEHICLE, JUST TO KEEP MY INVESTMENT SAFELY ON THE ROAD. EVERYTIME I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER I HAVE BEEN ROBBED OF MY FINANCES AND DIGNITY. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO KEEP PAYING FOR REPAIRS OF THIS CAR, WHEN FORD KNOWS THEY HAVE MANUFACTURED A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD TO TAKE THIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR EXPENSIVE REPAIRS FOR DEFECTS THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT AND REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR.MERICAN AUTO MANUFACTURERS WANT TO KNOW WHY THE AMERICAN CITIZEN HAS STOPPED BUYING AMERICAN CARS? WELL THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE. WE WANT TO GET WHAT WE ARE PAYING FOR ($28,000.00 WORTH)!! AND FORD AUTO MANUFACTURER, IS NOT GIVING US WHAT WE ARE PAYING FOR... INSTEAD THEY ARE TAKING US TO THE CLEANERS FINANCIALLY.. *AK

RIGHT REAR WHEEL DETACHED FROM 1997 EDDIE BAUER EXPLORER ON FREEWAY NEAR RAWLINS WYOMING ON 7-3-03 THE RATE OF SPEED WAS APPROX. 70 MPH THE REAR TIRES WERE REPLACED ABOUT 4000 MILES PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. I WITNESSED THE INSTALLER TORQUE THE LUGNUTS TO SPECS.*AK

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION BUT NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. *NLM *TS *SCC *NLM

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING STEERING BOLTS ARE LOSE AND IT IS CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO JUMP AROUND, MAKING IT HARD FOR CONSUMER TO STEER THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT WITH ITS SPEED CONTROL AS STATED IN RECALL 99 V 062 001, BUT IT'S VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED.*AK

IN MANY OCCASIONS I HAD TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THE CAR HAD CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE. MY GAS PEDAL HAS GOTTEN STUCK TOO MANY TIMES. WELL TODAY WAS THE BEST OF ALL. MY CAR FELT FOR A FEW DAYS THAT IT DID NOT ACCELERATE WHEN I PRESSED ON THE PEDAL. I TOOK IT IN YESTERDAY TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED AND SEE WHAT THE MATTER WAS. NOTHING WAS FOUND WRONG WITH THE CAR BY THE MECHANIC. WELL, TODAY I FOUND OUT WHAT THE MATTER WAS. AS I WAS DRIVING ON MY WAY TO MY SON'S DAYCARE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAME OFF THE FLOOR. I HAD NO PEDAL. I PULLED TO THE SIDE AND INDEED THE CABLE AND PEDAL WERE LAYING ON THE FLOOR. I MANAGED TO GET TO THE MECHANIC BY TRYING THE CAR TO MOVE. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THE CABLE SNAPPED AND THAT IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. *NLM

I HAVE TO PUSH EXTRA HARD ON THE PEDAL TO ACCELERATE BECAUSE IT FEELS STUCK. WHEN AND WHEN THE PEDAL FINALLY GETS LOOSE, THE CAR ACCELERATES ABRUBTLY. *AK

THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE LOUD NOISE, THE CONSUMER LEARNED THERE WAS A RECALL, BUT THE RECALL NOTICE WAS PROBABLY MAILED TO THE ORIGINAL OWNER. *JB