1997 Ford Explorer Sport Problems

DRIVING ALONG EVERYTHING IS FINE, LOSE POWER PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE I SEE BLACK SMOKE AND THEN FLAMES, COULDN'T GET OUT BECAUSE OF POWER WINDOWS AND LOCKS. WENT TO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE AND KICKED MY WAY OUT AND THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES IN MINUTES AND BURNED TO THE GROUND. *TR

THE CRANKSHAFT BROKE OFF AND WENT INTO THE FAN SHIELD. THE FORD MECHANIC SAYS HE HAS NOT SEEN THIS BEFORE AND IT LOOKS LIKE A DEFECT IN THE METAL. IT WAS GOOD THAT I WAS GOING ONLY 30MPH AT THE TIME OR IT WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGHT THE FAN ITS SELF. IT COULD HAVE HAD MANY CONSEQUENCES. *TR

TIRE FAILURE RESULTING IN A BLOWOUT.*JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE THREAD SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE DEALER WHERE THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. A RECALL LETTER #[XXX] WAS RECEIVED REGARDING THE TIRES. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED FOR REIMBURSEMENT AND DETERMINED THE TIRE WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

1997 FORD EXPLORER AND BEGAN TO BACK OUT OF MY PARENTS DRIVEWAY ON THE WAY TO WORK. I USED THE ELECTRICAL SEAT MOVER BUTTON TO MOVE MY SEAT BACK A FEW INCHES AND WITHIN ONLY 10 SECONDS SMOKE WAS IN MY FACE. I JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR, TURNED THE CAR OFF, AND RAN IN MY HOUSE. I GOT WATER TO TRY AND EXTINGUISH THE SMOKE AND OPENED MY BACK DOOR AND LOOKED UNDER THE SEAT AND THERE WAS INTENSE SPARKING WHICH TURNED INTO FLAMES AND WITHIN MINUTES MY ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. FIRE AND POLICE CAME AND EXTINGUISHED IT AFTER FLAMES REACHED ABOUT 20 FEET. THERE WAS PROPERTY DAMAGE, WITH ALONG LOSING THE ENTIRE VEHICLE (ENGINE WAS SOMEHOW IN FINE SHAPE), BUT LUCKILY, IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY AS I AM ALIVE. I SENT FORD 40 PICTURES, POLICE REPORT, VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT THAT WE CAUGHT, TITLE OF VEHICLE, ETC. IT HAS CAUSED ME AN INCREDIBLE INCONVENIENCE IN MY LIFE, I NOW WALK A MILE TO A SUBWAY STATION WHICH TAKES ME TO A TRAIN STATION WHICH THEN GETS ME TO WORK. KNOWING IT WAS AN OLDER CAR, BUT A POPULAR ONE AT THAT, I FIGURED THAT FORD WOULD REIMBURSE ME WITH A USED CAR AND THE PROPERTY DAMAGE, ESPECIALLY GIVEN HOW LUCKY THAT NO DEATH OR INJURIES RESULTED. THEY INFORMED TODAY THEY WOULDN'T GIVE ME A DIME BECAUSE THEY DON'T DEEM THAT A DEFECT THROUGH THEIR ANALYSIS (THOUGH THE CAR SITS LIKE A TOXIC WASTELAND IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH NO ONE FROM FORD EVEN INSPECTING IT). THEY CAME TO THEIR DECISION WITHIN ONE DAY OF HAVING MY MATERIALS. *KB

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD. HE NOTICED BRAKE FLUID LEAKING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINE ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE RUSTED AND CAUSED THE LEAK. THE DEALER REPLACED THE REAR BRAKE LINE, AND THE REAR BRAKE HOSE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REMAINING BRAKE LINES ON THE VEHICLE WERE RUSTED, HOWEVER THEY WERE NOT LEAKING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,663.

FORD EXPLORER SPORT (1997, ~58700 MI) WAS DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEED. A STOP WAS MADE AT A SHOPPING CENTER. UPON LEAVING THE SHOPPING CENTER THE BRAKE PEDAL DROPPED TO THE FLOOR AS AN ATTEMPT TO STOP AT AN INTERSECTION WAS MADE. FORTUNATELY SWERVING AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT. AT THIS POINT THE VEHICLE HAD NO BRAKES (OTHER THAN PARKING). HYDRAULIC FLUID WAS DRIPPING FROM AN AREA ABOVE THE REAR AXLE, DRIVER SIDE. THE ABRUPT LOSS OF BRAKES WITH NO WARNING COULD HAVE LEAD TO A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. WE WERE JUST PLAIN LUCKY. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH SHE HEARD A TICKING NOISE. SHE WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY WHERE THE NOISE WAS LOCATED. SHE STATED THAT NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD OF THE VEHICLE. SHE CONTINUED TO DRIVE HOME AND PARKED THE VEHICLE. TWO HOURS LATER SHE STARTED THE VEHICLE, SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND IT CONTINUED TO MAKE A NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED THE NOISE WAS NOT THERE BUT AS SOON AS SHE SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE, NEUTRAL OR ANY GEAR THE NOISE BEGAN AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER OR LOCAL MECHANIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2010. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 229,000.

I HAVE A 1997 FORD EXPLORER THAT IS DIFFICULT AND SOMETIMES IMPOSSIBLE TO GET INTO FIRST AND REVERSE. IT EXHIBITS TYPICAL PREMATURE SLAVE CYLINDER FAILURE. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AT ANY SPEED OTHER THAN HIGH DIDN'T OPERATE NORMALLY. WHEN THE RAIN WAS HEAVY OR LIGHT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY OPERATED ON HIGHER SPEEDS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116000 ,AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126000. *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 OWNED A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. ON JULY 29, 2005 MY TRUCK WAS IN MY YARD AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. I WAS NOT HOME AT THE TIME. MY INSURANCE PAID A PORTION OF THE LOAN I STILL HAD ON THE VEHICLE. FORD MOTOR HAS NOT RECALLED 1997 EXPLORERS BUT HAVE 1998. THE FIRE REPORT ISSUED CLAIMS IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. MY VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS A SENSOR THAT IS CAUSING VEHICLE TO HEAT UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART. *SLC THE CAMSHAFT WAS REPLACED. THE RADIO GOES OFF AT ANYTIME, THE CONSUMER HAS DIFFICULTY SHUTTING THE RADIO OFF MANUALLY. *JB

I HAVE 2 COMPLAINTS ONE OF WHICH WHILE LOOKING ONLINE SEE THAT MANY OTHER FORD OWNERS ALSO SEEM TO HAVE. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEATER BLEND BOX DOOR NOT WORKING AND BLOWING HOT AIR WHEN IN THE VENT POSITION. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM NOT ONLY ON EXPLORER MODELS BUT RANGES, F150 AND OTHER FORD VEHICLES. THE REPAIR AS STATED ONLINE BY OTHERS AS WELL AS FROM THE DEALER IS OVER $1000.00. IT SEEMS THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS PART WITH SO MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO THE SEAT BELTS GET STUCK ON OUR EXPLORER IT IS THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH SOMETIMES TAKES 10 TO 15 MINUTES BEFORE IT WILL WORK. *JB

SAFETY PROBLEM WITH BACK SEAT BELTS. WHEN ON VACATION WE HAD A SERIOUS PROBLEM THE BACK SEAT BELTS LOCKING UP SEVERAL TIMES EACH DAY. THE SEAT BELTS ON ONE OR BOTH SIDES WOULD NOT RELEASE SO THEY COULD BE APPLY AROUND 2 SMALL CHILDREN AND WE HAD TO PULL & YANK THE BELTS SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE BELTS TO RELEASE. THE SUV WAS OFF AND THE BRAKE WAS NOT APPLY AT THE TIME OF THE PROBLEMS. THIS PROBLEM COULD DISCOURAGE SEAT BELT USEAGE. *NM

1997 FORD EXPLORER TRAVELING EAST BOUND ON I-16 WHEN LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD CAME OFF A COOPER FUTURA TIRE CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL VEHICLE FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES THEN RIGHT FRONT TIRE CAME OFF COMPLETELY CAUSING ANOTHER FLIP THIS TIME TAIL OVER NOSE CAUSE ALL 4 KIDS TO BE THROWN OUT KILLING ONE ON IMPACT AND ANOTHER DIED 2 DAYS LATER FROM INJURIES IN HOSPITAL. *NM

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH SHE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING IN THE VEHICLE. SHE THEN SAW A BIT OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. SHE PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND A PERSON CAME UP TO THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED HER TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. ANOTHER PERSON APPROACHED THE SCENE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, BUT BY THIS TIME THE FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THEY USED UP THE ENTIRE FIRE EXTINGUISHER, BUT COULD NOT PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE TIRES EXPLODED AND ALL OF THE WINDOWS BLEW OUT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME, THEY TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE, BUT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH WATER PRESSURE BY THE TIME THE SECOND FIRE TRUCK CAME OUT THE FIRE WAS VERY CLOSE TO THE GASOLINE TANK. LUCKILY THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT BEFORE IT GOT TO THE GAS TANK, BUT THE THING THAT IS LEFT OF THE VEHICLE IS THE METAL FRAME. SHE HAS NOT YET CALLED FORD, BUT BELIEVES THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE DAMAGES WERE SO SEVERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO TELL WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. ALL SHE KNEW WAS THAT THE FIRE STARTED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TRIGGERED THE FIRE. SHE NEVER RECEIVED ANY SORT OF RECALL NOTICE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. UPDATED 5/18/09 *CN ACCORDING TO THE FIRE INSPECTOR, A FUEL TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE FROM RETURN HOSE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. UPDATED 05/20/09*JB

ON FEBRUARY 16, 2004 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:30 PM I WAS PULLING MY WIFE'S 1997 FORD EXPLORER SPORT INTO A DIAGONAL PARKING STALL. I HAD ALMOST COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO ROAR AND THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AGAINST MY BRAKING. I PRESSED AS HARD AS I COULD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD UNTIL IT STRUCK A CAR OPPOSITE MY PARKING STALL. I PUSHED THE GEAR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I CHECKED MY RIGHT FOOT POSITION AND CONFIRMED THAT I WAS ONLY PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN I RELEASED THE BRAKE PEDAL THE CAR ROLLED BACK A COUPLE OF FEET. I SHIFTED THE CAR INTO PARK AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND BACKED THE CAR UP ANOTHER 3 FEET. THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION HAS NOT RECURRED BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT IT MIGHT AGAIN. *JB

A FRONT SWAY BAR LINK DID FRACTURE CAUSING A NEAR CRASH. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE WHEN IT ROLLED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 148,700.