Owner-reported complaints naming the heating or air-conditioning system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Ford Explorer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
THE DIAL THAT CONTROLS THE HOT/COLD FEATURE OF THE HEATING/AIR-CONDITIONING UNIT IN MY 1997 EXPLORER MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN TAKEN IN TO DEALER THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE BEEN SEEING ALOT OF THIS PROBLEM IN EXPLORERS AND THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID HE WAS CONCERNED WITH IT HAPPENING IN HIS MOTHER'S CAR. *AK
CANNOT ADJUST THE TEMPERATURE OF THE HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM - ALWAYS BLOWS COLD AIR. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE MANUFACTURER INSTALLED THE WRONG PARTS AT TIME OF PRODUCTION. THE PART FAILS AND THEN YOU CANNOT ADJUST THE TEMPERATURE - IT ALWAYS BLOWS COLD AIR. THIS, IT SEEMS TO ME, IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP WINDOWS CLEAR IN COLD CLIMATES. *LA
AIR CONDITIONER DOES NOT COOL AND DRIVER SIDE LOCK DOES NOT WORK. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE CAR DOES NOT PRODUCE HEAT, HAD PANEL REPLACED STILL NO HEAT. TS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
THE AC ACCUMULATOR HAS RUSTED THROUGH. THE ACCUMULATOR HAS A THERMAL WRAP-AROUND BLANKET AND EVIDENTLY EXCESS MOISTURE IS TRAPPED BETWEEN IT AND THE ALL-STEEL ACCUMULATOR. REMOVING IT EASILY EXPOSES THE RUST.*AK
A/C WAS BLOWING WARM AIR. FORD DEALERSHIP SAID ACCUMULATOR WAS RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (QUOTED $895). THIS PART RUSTS BECAUSE IT IS WRAPPED IN FOAM. IT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 1996-1998 EXPLORERS. THE 1999 AND LATER MODELS DO NOT HAVE THE WRAPPING ON THE ACCUMULATOR.*AK
THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL DOES NOT CONTROL THE TEMPERATURE OF THE A/C-HEATER THAT RESULTS IN A FAILURE TO DEFOG/DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD.
A/C QUIT WORKING, WENT TO HAVE IT SERVICED. THE A/C ACCUMULATOR HAS RUST HOLES IN IT .THE FOAM AROUND IT KEPT THE ACCUMULATOR WET AND CAUSED IT TO RUST THROUGH. LETTING OUT THE FREON.WHAT IF ALL EXPLORER'S DO THIS ? IF I HAD KNOWN THE DAY IT WAS BOUGHT. IT WAS GOING TO DO THIS , I WOULD HAVE PULLED THE FOAM OFF. IT RUSTED BECAUSE OF THE WAY FORD WRAPPED IT.THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. JUST LOOK AT ALL THE FREON THAT IS GOING TO BE LOST IN THE AIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND INTREST ; TIM CARGLE. *AK
THE ORIGINAL DRYER UNIT WAS WRAPPED WITH A PIECE OF RUBBER. THIS PART, AS A NORMAL PART OF IT'S OPERATION WILL SWEAT. THIS PIECE OF RUBBER HELD THE CONDENSATION TO THE UNIT AND CAUSED THE DRYER TO RUST. THE REPLACEMENT PART DOES NOT HAVE THIS RUBBER WARPPING. I BELIEVE THAT THE ORIGINAL PART WAS DESIGNED TO FAIL.*AK
AIR CONDITION UNIT IS NOT WORKING. DRYER IS LEAKING AND WILL NEED TO BE REPAIRED AT A COST ESTIMATE OF $450. *AK
AIR CONDITIONER BLOING ONLY COLD AIR DURING WINTER MONTHS HERE IN NY. MECHANIC SAID BLEND DOOR WAS BROKE AND IN CLOSED POSOTION AND THEREFORE ONLY ABLE TO BLOW COLD COLD AIR. NO HEATER, NO DEFROSTER ONLY COLD AIR FROM ALL DUCKS.MECHANIC REPLACED THE COMPLETE HEATER PLENUM BOX ASSEMBLY SHOING ME BROKEN CHEP PLASTIC PART. THE WHOLE DASHBORD CAME OUT AND WAS 2 DAYS OF WORK. COST OF PLENUM BOX ASSEMBLY WAS 160.00 AND BLEND CONTROL UNIT WAS 80.00. THE REST WAS LABOR. FORD GETS 850.00 FOR JOB AS WELL AS 150. TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM.
AIR CONDITIONING SWITCH WAS STUCK AND OWNER COULD NOT DEFROST WINDOWS, RESULTING IN DECREASED VISIBILITY. MECHANIC REPLACED BLENDER UNIT.*AK
A/C SERVICE PLENUM PLASTIC DOOR BROKE, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WITH STRONGER NYLON BLEND DOOR AS PER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. PART NUMBER F87Z-1847-DA. CLEARLY DEFECTIVE PART SHOULD BE REPLACED BY MANUFACTURER. *AK
AIR CONDITIONING SWITCH ASSEMBLY FAILED.
AUTOMATIC WINDOW MOTOR FAILED.
GAS PEDAL STICKS.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .