1997 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

CONSUMER COMPLAINT CONCERNING THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE. *TS THE CONSUMER WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE SPARE TIRE BECAUSE THE TIRE WAS NOT REPLACED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP. *JB

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

ABS MALFUNCTIONED WHILE DRIVING, WHEN ACCELERATING EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT FRONT WHEEL LOCKUP, VEHICLE SKIDDED, RESULTING IN NEAR ACCIDENTS, NO WARNING DLR CAN'T RECREATE INCIDENTS AND CANNOT FIXED IT. *AK

THE BRAKE PEDAL IS TOO CLOSE TO THE GAS PEDAL. CONSUMER DID NOT PURCHASE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THIS DESIGN.

ASHTRAY IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE AT NIGHT, CAUSING DRIVER TO DISTRACT VISION FROM ROADWAY TO FIND ASHTRAY, THUS POSING RISK OF ACCIDENT.

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 55MPH, NOTICED VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UNINTENDEDLY TO 70MPH WITHOUT PRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL, RAN OVER 4000RPM'S, ACTED AS THOUGH IN CRUISE, BUT IT WAS NOT ENGAGED, WHEN APPLIED BRAKES, SEEMED NOT TO SLOW DOWN, TURNED OFF IGNITION. *AK

WHILE RUNNING ENGINE EMITTED AN AWFUL ODOR, DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE SOURCE. *AK

SCREWS THAT HOLD THE CROSS OVER PORTION OF THE LUGGAGE RACK TO THE TRACK BROKE, CAUSING THE LUGGAGE RACK TO DISCONNECT.

BRAKE PEDAL IS LOCATED TOO CLOSELY TO GAS PEDAL, IT IS EASY TO PRESS ON BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. *AK

THE SPARE TIRE IS SMALLER THAN THE ORIGINAL TIRES.

CAR WAS HIT IN THE RIGHT FRONT AT 50MPH AND THEN HIT IN REAR WHEN THE AIRBAGS AND SEATBELTS DID NOT WORK. *AK

ACCELERATOR STUCK, CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION. (ATTORNEY OF CLIENT)

THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

EMISSIONS CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE.

THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED THE THROTTLE STICKING AND THE ENGINE SURGING AFTER THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT).

PASSENGER'S FRONT AND REAR SEAT BELTS GET TIGHT AND DOES NOT RELEASE TO THE POINT THAT THE PASSENGERS CAN'T MOVE. CONSUMER HAS ALMOST HAD TO CUT SEAT BELT TO RELEASE CHILDREN.

REAR VIEW MIRRORS CREATE POOR VISIBILITY.

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE VEHICLE INCREASED ITS SPEED TO 85 MPH AND WOULD NOT DECREASE SPEED, UNTIL AFTER HAVING TO PRESS BRAKES FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE CUT COMPLETELY OFF. DEALER REPLACED ENGINE. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER ENGINE REPLACEMENT, OIL PUMP ASSEMBLY FAILED AND THEN OIL WAS LEAKING AGAIN AFTER THAT WAS REPLACED, DEALER HAS AGREED TO REPLACE CONSUMER'S EXPLORERE WITH A 1998 MODEL. RACK AND STEERING WAS REPLACED, DUE TO LOST FLUID IN FRONT END. SEAT BRACKET FAILED. *SLC

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED MISALIGNMENT. IN ADDITION, REPLACED FUEL GAUGE SENDIN GUNIT/AIR BYPASS VALVE/ WATER PUMP/SEAT RELEASE/PASSENGER'S DOOR AND COMPUTER. *AK

CHILD GOT HAND STUCK IN SEAT WHILE PLAYING WITH THE CONTROL BUTTONS, THE CHILD SUSTAINED INJURIES DUE TO FAILURE.

JACK HANDLE BREAK BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER MADE THE BEND WHERE THE MOST PRESSURE IS WITH WHITE METAL.

WHEN VEHICLE IS PUT IN REVERSE AFTER STARTED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY. *AK

RECALL 97V074000. THE DEALER HAS NO PARTS. *AK

DASH PANEL WILL GO OUT. HEADLIGHTS WILL STAY ON , BUT TAIL LIGHTS WILL NOT. DEALER HAS TRIED 4 TIMES TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. SOMETIMES IT WILL WORK PROPERLY FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS, BUT THEN DEFECT WILL REOCCUR. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *AK *SLC

RACK AND PINION STEERING TOO SENSITIVE AND TOO TIGHT, CAUSING LACK OF STEERING CONTROL (WANDERS).

VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE WHEN GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED. ALSO, THE REAR SEAT BOTTOMS DO NOT LOCK IN POSITION, CAUSING PASSENGERS FALL WHEN ENTERING OR EXITING VEHICLE. SEAT BOTTOM FLIPS FORWARD WHEN WEIGHT IS POSITIONED ON THE FRONT EDGE.

GAS PEDAL STICKS.

WHEN BACKING UP, THE GAS PEDAL MAY STICK. YOU MUST TAP THE PEDAL TO DISENGAGE IT. IF THE TRANSMISSION IS IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE MAY LURTCH FORWARD AND IF YOU'RE ON AN INCLINE IT MAY ROLL BACKWARDS BEFORE ENGAGING.

CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT MAINTAIN SPEED WHEN VEHICLE IS GOING DOWNHILL. IT ACCELERATES.

A WHEEL FELL OFF, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL, RESULTIN GIN A COLLISION/ FATALITY AND SIX INJURIES. *AK

DESIGN OF HEADLIGHTS CAUSING IRRITATION AND POOR VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVER'S, REQUIRED ADJUSTMENT DOWN.

VEHICLE VIBRATES AT IDLE IN DRIVE OR PARK AT 625 RPMS. DEALER REPLACED THE EXHAUST SYSTEM PER FORD, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM REMAINS.

HISSING/WHISTLING NOISE UNDER VEHICLE.

DRIVER BELIEVES THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ARE AIMED TOO HIGH ON ALL FORD TRUCKS CAUSING BLINDNESS PROBLEMS FOR OTHER DRIVERS.

REAR SEATS NOT DESIGNED TO LOCK DOWN.

VEHICLE HAS VERY SENSITIVE STEERING WHEN DRIVING 50 MPH OR MORE.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE MADE A CRACKING NOISE, DRIVESHAFT FAILED, AND THEN BECAME UNABLE TO DRIVE. DEALER HAS FIXED IT. *AK

FORD WAS NEVER ABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF PROBLEM (ENGINE CUT OUT AND OR STALLED UPON MODERATE TO HARD ACCELERATION, ON MOST OCCASIONS FROM A STOP) WITH VEHICLE AFTER 5-6 REPAIR ATTEMPTS ON PARTS LISTED ABOVE. VEHICLE WAS REPLACED BY FORD WITH A 1998 EXPLORER THAT TURNS OUT TO BE EXHIBITING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE 1997 EXPLORER DID.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON FREQUENTLY.

SPARE TIRE SIZE IS INSUFFICIENT FOR VEHICLE.

ENGINE TURNS AND VEHICLE MOVES ON SLIGHT INCLINE WITH ENGINE OFF AND MANUAL TRANSMISSION IN FIRST GEAR. RESULTING IN CRASH.

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTING IN A VEHICLE COLLISION.

POWER DOOR LOCK DESIGN IS POOR, CREATING HAZARDOUS SITUATION, REAR PASSENGERS CAN NOT EXIT VEHICLE UNLESS DEPRESSING RELEASE BUTTON IN FRONT OF VEHICLE.

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH THE REAR WHEELS LOCKED UP. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY DETAILS. *AK

SIDE VIEW MIRRORS VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY RESULTING IN ACCIDENT.

VEHICLE VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING.

RUSTING AND CORROSION OF THE BUMPERS AND WHEELS.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUALLY LIGHTING FOR NO APPARENT REASONS.

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES ONGOING VIBRATION AT HIGH SPEEDS.