1997 Ford Explorer Seat belts Problems

THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT WILL NOT ENGAGE TO THE LOCK POSITION.

NHTSA ID

11020608

Incident

Mar 1, 2016

Mileage

285,000 mi

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NO LONGER SECURELY LATCH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10712375

Incident

Apr 1, 2015

Mileage

144,000 mi

1997 FORD EXPLORER DRIVER'S SEAT BELT LATCH RECEIVER FAILURE. AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR 12 TO 13 YEARS, THE LATCH/RECEIVER WOULD NOT ENGAGE THE STRAP. I REPLACED IT WITH ONE FROM A SALVAGE YARD AND AFTER THREE YEARS THIS REPLACEMENT LATCH/RECEIVER HAS FAILED ALSO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10550750

Incident

Jun 10, 2010

Mileage

140,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER 2 DOOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD BECOME UNLATCHED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE SEAT BELT NEEDED REPLACING. THE MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 187,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10488005

Incident

Nov 1, 2012

Mileage

187,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER . THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DISENGAGE THE SEAT BELT WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BUCKLE. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE TO THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT DOES NOT FEEL SAFE HAVING HIS CHILD'S SAFETY RESTRAINT SEAT INSTALLED IN THE REAR SEAT DUE TO THE MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 223,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 224,500.

NHTSA ID

10457678

Incident

Feb 21, 2012

Mileage

223,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF HIS VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED INJURIES TO THE SHOULDER AND NECK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE DRIVER SEAT. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE SEAT WAS DETACHED FROM THE BASE AND CAUSED THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 06/01/11*LJ UPDATED 1/19/2012 *LN *TR

NHTSA ID

10398035

Incident

Dec 8, 2006

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER SIDE WOULD NOT ATTACH. IF IT DID ATTACH, IT WOULD RELEASE WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 160,000.

NHTSA ID

10369738

Incident

Dec 7, 2010

Mileage

160,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKED AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK IT. THE HIGHWAY PATROL HAD TO CUT THE SEAT BELT IN ORDER FOR HER TO GET OUT OF IT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE LIABLE FOR REPLACING THE SEAT BELT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 213,000. UPDATED 10/21/09. *LJ UPDATED 10/20/09*JB

NHTSA ID

10283999

Incident

Sep 13, 2009

Mileage

213,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER AND A 2008 GRACO SNUG RIDE CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT, MODEL NUMBER 7FEMA3, MANUFACTURED ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2008. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 10-15 MPH; THE CHILD WAS PROPERLY SECURED IN AN "INFANT" CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT. THE CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT WAS INSTALLED WITH THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM. WHENEVER MAKING A TURN THE RESTRAINT SEAT AND BASE TILTED TO THE REAR CENTER SEAT WITH THE OCCUPANT IN IT. THE CHILD SEAT WAS TAKEN TO A CHILD SEAT TECHNICIAN FOR INSPECTION AND INSTALLATION. THE FAILURE CONTINUED WITH NO RESOLUTIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. BL

NHTSA ID

10281876

Incident

May 7, 2009

THE SEATBELT ON THE DRIVER SIDE COMES UNDONE BY ITSELF. U CAN BUCKLE ABOUT 2 MINUTES LATER IT COMES UNDONE BY ITSELF. EVEN ACCELERATES WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10278455

Incident

Jul 22, 2009

Mileage

193,000 mi

I OWN A 1997 FORD EXPLORER AWD 5.0 LITER. THE SEAT BELT LATCH ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE NO LONGER HOLDS THE SEAT BELT IN PLACE AFTER I BUCKLE UP. IN ORDER TO DRIVE, I HAVE TO INSERT THE SEAT BELT INTO THE LATCH ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. WHEN I DO THIS THE SEAT BELT NOW CROSSES MY NECK, AND I AM VERY CONCERNED. IT ALSO MEANS I CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE THE AUTO WITH A PASSENGER BECAUSE THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WON'T WORK. ON A NORMAL LATCH, I CAN PUSH DOWN THE RED RELEASE BUTTON AND CAN FEEL THE SPRING ACTION. ON MY DRIVER'S SIDE, THERE IS NO SPRING TENSION ON THE RED RELEASE BUTTON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10207941

Incident

Nov 1, 2007

Mileage

186,000 mi

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE THE 1997 FORD EXPLORER WITH 134800 FAILURE MILEAGE THE DRIVER'S FRONT SEAT BELT FAILED. THE SEAT BELTWAS DIFFICULT TO BUCKLE AND WOULD UNLATCH WHILE DRIVING . THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALER ,AND THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135000.*AK

NHTSA ID

10183982

Incident

Feb 23, 2007

Mileage

134,800 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ALL 5 SEATBELT BUCKLES FAILED TO RELEASE PROPERLY. THE FRONT LEFT AND FRONT RIGHT BUCKLES FAILED TO RELEASE AND THE BELTS HAD TO BE CUT TO RELEASE THE OCCUPANTS. AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE DEALER REPLACED THE SEATBELTS. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT DISENGAGE. UPDATED 12/01/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10171919

Incident

Oct 26, 2006

Mileage

10,000 mi

SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS AUTO, IT SEEMS TO BE FALLING APART. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT NO LONGER LATCHES. WE HAVE TO LOOP THE DRIVER SIDE THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE. IT APPEARS THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH SEVERAL OF THESE MODELS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND SEAT BELTS ARE MANDATORY BY LAW. IS THERE ANYTHING BEING DONE? THE LEFT TURN INDICATOR HAS HAD ELECTRICAL ISSUES FOR YEARS. IT MAKES A ZZZZ SOUND AND NO LONGER WORKS. I AM ALSO DOWN TO ONLY ONE DOOR THAT THE KEY WORKS ON. THAT IS THE BACK LIFT. THE DOOR KEY HAD NOT WORKED ON THE DRIVER SIDE FOR YEARS, THEN THE PASSENGER SIDE WENT. I HAVE THE SAME HEAT PROBLEM THE OTHERS ARE HAVING. YOU EITHER GET FULL ON HEAT AND HAVE TO TURN IT ON AND OFF WHEN IT GETS TOO HOT OR YOU GET PARTIAL AC, ALWAYS A LITTLE WARM. BOTH THE AC AND HEAT HAS BEEN SERVICED, THE PROBLEM IS IN THE SWITCH SOMEWHERE. AND NOW THE REASON I'M WRITING IS I HAVE MAJOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. FUSES AND SOLINOIDS HAVE BEEN LOOKED AT, THERE ARE NO LONGER LIGHTS IN THE DASH AREA. THE LIGHTS ON ALARM (DING DING DING DING) REMAINS ON WHEN THE CAR IS OFF, THE KEYS OUT AND THE DOOR SHUT WHICH HAS DRAINED MY BATTERY COMPLETLY. I HAVE JUMPED STARTED IT TWICE AND NOW IT SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY BECAUSE IT WILL COST A FORTUNE TO HAVE THE ELECTRICAL LOOKED AT. IF THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH ANYONE ELSE IT SHOULD BE REPORTED TO FORD. NOT ONLY CAN I NO LONGER DRIVE THIS CAR, IT WOULD BE TOTALLY UNSAFE TO USE IT. I NEED 4WHEEL DRIVE JUST TO GET OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY IN WINTER AND HAVE NO IDEA HOW I'M GOING TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY FOR ALL THESE REPAIRS. PLEASE ADVISE IF THERE ARE ANY RECALLS THAT ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. THE INCIDENT DATE I LISTED BELOW IS FOR THE TIME THE SEATBELT STARTED TO FAIL COMPLETLY. WE WERE ON A VACATION TRIP!

NHTSA ID

10129981

Incident

Jul 2, 2004

SEAT BELT BUCKLE LATCH MECHANISM HAS FAILED FOR THE DRIVERS SEAT IN MY 1997 FORD 4 DOOR 4X4 EXPLORER

NHTSA ID

10128857

Incident

Jul 2, 2005

Mileage

144,160 mi

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO STAY LATCHED, OR SOMETIMES BECOMES UNLATCHED WITH DRIVERS FORWARD BODY MOTION (EXTEND LINE OF SIGHT, CHANGE RADIO/CLIMATE SETTINGS, TURN ON LIGHTS, ETC.). AS A RESULT, THE SEAT BELT IS NOT A RELIABLE SAFETY RESTRAINT. I AM HAVING PROBLEMS FIND A REPLACEMENT PART.

NHTSA ID

10128435

Incident

Jul 2, 2005

Mileage

161,500 mi

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILS TO LOCK WHEN CLIP IS INSERTED OR SOMETIMES APPEARS TO LOCK BUT COMES UNLOCK IF OCCUPANT TAKES A BREATH. *NM

NHTSA ID

10100450

Incident

Oct 1, 2004

Mileage

137,000 mi

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY MALFUNCTIONED AND FAILED TO LOCK. THE LATCH PLATE DID NOT LOCK IN THE BUCKLE. THIS RENDERED THE SEAT BELT INOPERATIVE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10079290

Incident

Jun 15, 2004

Mileage

140,000 mi

THE DRIVER'S SHOULDER HARNESS WILL NOT UNBUCKLE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE HAVE BEEN SIMILIAR PROBLEMS REPORTED TO NHTSA. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER HAS SPECIAL ORDERED THE PART (FMC F87Z 7861203 AAA).*AK

NHTSA ID

10051048

Incident

Dec 23, 2003

Mileage

97,438 mi

IN A ROLL OVER CRASH CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER WAS KILLED DUE TO REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE DISCONNECTING, AND SHE WAS EJECTED FROM FRONT WINDSHIELD.*AK

NHTSA ID

10042656

Incident

Oct 9, 2003

SEAT BELTS IN BACK SEAT AND SPEED CONTROL WILL NOT CANCEL AFTER BEING SET. A LADY HAD LATCH HER SEAT BELT IN THE RIGHT REAR SEAT,AND IT WOULD NOT RELEASE HAD TO CUT THE BELT TO GET HER OUT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10032716

Incident

Apr 12, 2003

Mileage

86,000 mi

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED TO UNLATCH. THE CONSUMER HAD TO USE A SCREW DRIVER TO PRY IT OPEN. *AK *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10026215

Incident

Jun 6, 2003

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

NHTSA ID

10029354

Incident

Jan 18, 2003

Mileage

120,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HER SON 11 YEARS OLD GOT THE REAR SEAT BELT TANGLE AROUND HIS NECK AND BODY AND STARTING TO TIGHT AROUND HIS NECK. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID

8023144

Incident

Nov 20, 2002

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE MECHANISM FAILED, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO UNHOOK WITH JUST A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF FORCE. PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE, THE BELT WOULD COME LOOSE ON OCCASION, I THOUGHT THIS WAS DO TO MY FAILURE TO PROPERLY HOOK THE BELT INTO THE BUCKLE. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A GRADUAL FAILURE OF A CRITICAL SAFETY ITEM, THAT FOR QUITE SOME TIME WOULD HAVE FAILED TO PROTECT THE DRIVER IN A CRASH AS IT WOULD HAVE FAILED TO HOLD THE SEATBELT. THE DANGER OF THIS IS THAT AFTER IT FAILS, IT SOMETIMES WORKS AND SOMETIMES DOES NOT, WHICH COULD PUT THE DRIVER AT DANGER AS THEY WON'T KNOW THE SEATBELT WON'T STAY CONNECTED IN A CRASH. I HAVE THE DEFECTIVE PART IN MY POSSESSION, I WILL FORWARD IT TO YOU IF YOU REQUEST ME TO. DT

NHTSA ID

769498

Incident

Oct 31, 2002