1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL FORD EXPLORERS RANGING FROM YEARS 1995-2001 THAT THE FRAMES ARE RUSTING THROUGH AND BREAKING. I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THERE IS A SEVERE RUST PROBLEM WITH THESE FRAMES AND THEY APPEAR TO BE MANUFACTURED QUITE THIN TO BEGIN WITH. FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN ON OVER A DOZEN OF THESE CARS IN MY AREA, THE FRAME IS RUSTING THROUGH AND BREAKING ON THE LEFT REAR CORNER ANYWHERE FROM THE FRONT MOUNT ON THE LR LEAF SPRING TO WHERE THE BUMPER MOUNTS AT THE BACK OF THE FRAME. THE CROSS MEMBER HOLDING THE BODY MOUNTS IS ALSO RUSTING THROUGH IN THIS AREA AND COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE GAS TANK AND ALSO MAKING THE SPARE TIRE LOOSE AND AT RISK OF FALLING OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND BECOMING A HAZARD FOR FOLLOWING MOTORISTS. THERE IS NO GOOD WAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND I FEEL THAT THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED TO GET THEM OFF OF THE ROAD. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE AND I AM NOT SURE HOW THERE HAVEN'T BEEN CRASHES AND OR DEATHS AS A RESULT OF THIS VERY POOR DESIGN AND QUALITY VEHICLE. ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM IS JUST NOW STARTING TO REALLY TAKE EFFECT BECAUSE OF THE AGING VEHICLES. *TR

1997 FORD EXPLORER FAULTY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER STARTED MAKING A NOISE. CONSUMER BELIEVES FORD SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM AT NO COST. *KB

FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEAT TILT LEVER BROKE OFF, PASSENGER SIDE BENT. THERE ARE OTHER REPORTS OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO OTHER OWNERS.

1997 FORD EXPLORER, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. *BF THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. THE DRIVER PULLER OVER AND NOTICED THE TIRE HAD CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE AND EVENTUALLY THE ENTIRE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. OHIO TRAFFIC REPORT # 10-0298-89.

TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT COASTED INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT AND SUDDENLY, NOTICED A FIRE HAD ERUPTED NEAR THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW. THE CONTACT DID NOT REPORT ANY INJURIES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE BUT A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HER PLACE OF RESIDENCE AND HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000.

STUCK ACCELERATOR ON 1997 FORD EXPLORER WITH 58,000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 287/78 IN NJ I TRIED TO TURN OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT INSTEAD THE CAR ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY TO OVER 85 MPH. I GAINED CONTROL BY TURNING THE ENGINE ON AND OFF UNTIL REACHING A SAFE PLACE TO STOP. AN NJDOT TRUCK HELPED ME AND LATER THAT DAY I EMAILED WHAT HAPPENED TO FORD'S CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE. I WANTED THEM TO HAVE A DEALER EXAMINE MY EXPLORER TO SEE IF THIS WAS CAUSED BY A MATERIAL DEFECT OF NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, IN WHICH CASE I WOULD REPAIR IT. THEY REFUSED TO HELP SO I WROTE A LETTER TO DEARBORN AND RECEIVED A RESPONSE SAYING THE MATTER WAS CLOSED (CASE # 1510510480). MY WIFE SAID (AND I BELIEVE HER) THAT IF SHE WERE DRIVING IT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. I NOTED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2002 ESCAPE THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME PROBLEM. I JUST WANT TO PREVENT POTENTIAL LOSS OF LIFE DUE TO THIS, IN MY OPINION, FAULTY DESIGN OR MANUFACTURER GLITCH. NJDOT DOCUMENTED THE CASE SINCE I SENT THEM A "THANK YOU" AND THEY RESPONDED. THE VEHICLE PUT ME AND OTHERS ON THE HIGHWAY IN A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION (VIZ A VIZ TOYOTA) BUT FORD IS UNWILLING TO CONSIDER THE CASE. THEY WANT TO TREAT THIS AS AN "OUT OF WARRANTY" CONDITION BUT I BELIEVE IT IS POTENTIALLY A PRODUCT LIABILITY THAT IF NOT CORRECTED WILL COST LIVES AND DAMAGE. *TR

A 1997 FORD EXPLORER CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH CAUSED A FIRE RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF THE DRIVER. *TR

HAVE EXPERIENCED PERIODS WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT OPERATE WHEN THE CONTROL IS ON. HAS OCCURRED WHEN FIRST TURNING ON THE CONTROL AS WELL AS WHEN CHANGING FROM A DIFFERENT SPEED SETTING ON THE CONTROL. NO REGULARITY IN THE OCCURRENCE, SEEMS TO BE RANDOM. THIS HAS OCCURRED MANY TIMES DURING MY OWNERSHIP SINCE 2000. I WAS CHECKING THE DATABASE AND FOUND AN ENTRY ON THIS PROBLEM UNDER "DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS" SO I AM ADDING MY EXPERIENCE TO YOUR RECORDS. *TR

OPERATOR WAS EXITING PARKING LOT ONTO MAIN ROAD WHEN VEHICLE PICKED UP SPEED, OPERATOR TRIED TO STOP VEHICLE, BY BREAKING, BUT VEHICLE ACCELERATED FASTER, CAUSING OPERATOR TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE , VEHICLE STILL ACCELERATING TURNED BACK TOWARDS OTHER END OF PARKING LOT CRASHING INTO LARGE METAL SIGN POST. OPERATOR HAD TO BE TAKEN TO NEARBY HOSPITAL, AND THEM EVACUATED TO MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL, FOR EMERGENCY HEAD OPERATION AS A RESULT OF INJURY TO HEAD. (SUBDURAL HEMOTOMA). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH SHE HEARD GRINDING AND CLICKING NOISE WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES. HER MECHANIC REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS AND STATED THAT THEY WERE WORN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 137,002.