1997 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

REAR DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S DOOR HANDLES HAVE BROKEN, CAUSING THE OCCUPANTS NOT TO BE ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE FROM THE REAR DOORS. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

UPPER BALL JOINT FELL APART AT 5MPH, AND DRIVER LOST CONTROL. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE. *AK

1) THROTTLE CABLE BINDS UP. WHEN IT BREAKS FREE IT ADDS 1,000 RPM TO ENGINE SPEED. MOST PRONOUNCED AFTER USING CRUISE CONTROL ON THE FREEWAY AND DEACTIVATING CRUISE WITH BRAKE PEDAL. ALMOST REARENDED CAR IN FRONT OF ME DUE TO SUDDEN ACCELERATION. 2) SEAT BELT RETRACTOR LOCKS UP. RESTRAINS PASSENGER TO THE POINT OF PAIN. VERY DIFFICULT TO RELEASE. RETRACTOR REPLACED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY.

THE BRAKE PEDAL IS TOO CLOSE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. IN A PANIC STOP SITUATION, THE DRIVERS FOOT WILL DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL FULLY AND AT THE SAME TIME OPEN THE THROTTLE OVER HALFWAY, ENGINE REVS TO NEARLY 3,000 RPM. I HAVE NEARLY WRECKED THIS TRUCK ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. IF ONE IS A RIGHT FOOT HEEL AND TOE BRAKE OPERATOR WITH A NORMAL SIZE ADULT SHOE, THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM WILL HAPPEN. THIS HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS BRAND NEW.

NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY CONSUMER

GAS PEDAL GETS STUCK, WILL NOT GO DOWN , CONSUMER HAS TO KEEP STEPPING ON PEDAL WHEN SUDDENLY PEDAL WILL GO DOWN, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE FORWARD, ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.

THE REAR DOOR LOCKS BIND UP WHENEVER A REAR PASSENGER ATTEMPTS TO OPEN A DOOR WITHOUT THE DRIVER DEPRESSING DOOR UNLOCK BUTTON MANUALLY. ONCE LOCKS BIND UP, THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN DOOR IS FROM EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE. REAR PASSENGERS ARE ESSENTIALLY TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE UNTIL DOORS ARE OPENED FROM OUTSIDE. IT APPEARS THAT LOCKS ARE MALFUNCTIONING SOMEWHAT LIKE THE CHILD DOOR LOCK PROTECTION SYSTEM EVEN THOUGH THE CHILD LOCKS ARE NOT ENGAGED. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD WHICH TRAPS A PERSON IN THE REAR SEAT. IF THERE WERE A FIRE, ACCIDENT OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF EMERGENCY, THEY COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE REAR SEAT. DEALER CLAIMS NOT A PROBLEM; THAT THIS HOW LOCKS WERE DESIGNED, BUT REFUSED TO PUT ON REPAIR SLIP STATING ONLY "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE". HELP! HELP! HELP! FORD HAS A PROBLEM HERE AND IT NEEDS A NHTSA DIRECTED RECALL TO GET THEM TO PROPERLY CORRECT IT. IN YOUR DATA BASE THERE ARE NUMEROUS SIMILAR REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH REAR DOOR LOCKS. THIS IS A MAJOR CATASTROPHY JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING GAS THE DRIVER'S SEAT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH. ALSO, WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE SEAT ROCKS FORWARD. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

MAUFACTURES SHOULD ALERT CUSTOMERS THAT USING A FUEL NOT RECOMMENDED FOR CALIFORNIA EMISSION COULD RESULT IN DAMAGE TO VEHICLE.YH

BACK SEAT BELT INOPERABLE. YH

OIL PUMP FAILED. *YC

INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR FAILED CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *YC

BATTERY CABLE MISALIGNED,DEALER MADE LOCATION CORRECTION.MGM

REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED. *YC

VEHICLE DRIFTS OR FLOATS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.MOST NOTICEABLE IN INCLEMENT WEATHER -IT FEELS AS IF THE FRONT END WAS GOING IN TWO DIRECTIONS AT ONCE. THEN IT PULLS TO RIGHT AND IF YOU OVERCORRECT IT, THEN IT WILL PULL TO LEFT DRAMATICALLY. SITUATION IS LIKE A BALANCING ACT BETWEEN OPPOSING POLES.THIS VEHICLE HAS HISTORY OF " FRONT END" PROBLEMS FROM ORIGINAL OWNERS AND MYSELF DATING BACK TO 10-23-1996. TSB # 98-3-11 ISSUED FEB 98, SPEAKS OF DRIFT/PULL WITH TIRE WEAR AS I HAVE NOW. PROBLEM CAN POSSIBLY RESULT IN HIGH SPEED ROLLOVER ON INETRSTATE DUE TO OPERATOR ATTEMPTING TO COMPENSATE FOR DRIFT/PULL. THE CORRECTION MAY BE SUCH AS TO CREATE A CATASTROPHIC SHIFT IN CENTER OF GRAVITY, CAUSING ROLLOVER. *AK

PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE SPORADIC AND INITIALLY, APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN. LAST INCIDENT CAUSED ENGAGING OF PARKING BRAKE, SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL AND TURNING OFF IGNITION.

IN EARLY MARCH OF 1997 THE FORD ASSEMBLY PLANT IN LOUISVILLE, KY FLOODED. THIS PLANT PRODUCES FORD EXPLORERS, MERCURY MOUNTAINEERS, AND FORD RANGER PICKUP TRUCKS. FORD ESTIMATED THAT "APPROXIMATELY 2000 VEHICLES WERE AFFECTED." FORD ALSO STATED THAT "NONE OF THE DAMAGED VEHICLES WILL BE SHIPPED TO DEALERSHIPS." NOT TRUE. I BOUGHT ONE OF THE DAMAGED VEHICLES AT DON REID FORD IN MAITLAND, FLORIDA. DON REID FORD FAILED TO DISCLOSE THE MATERIAL FACT THAT MY TRUCK HAD BEEN FLOODED AND CLEANED AS A RESULT OF THE FLOOD. MY GUESS IS THAT FORD SOLD ALL OR MOST OF THE 2000 DAMAGED VEHICLES. MY TRUCK IS RUSTING, ON THE BUMPER AND THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR. I ALSO HAVE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM: MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON OF THEIR OWN VOLITION. I ASSUME THAT THE OTHER OWNERS OF THESE DAMAGED VEHICLES MIGHT BE HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, OR OTHER UNEXPLAINED PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE FLOOD, WHICH COULD POSE SAFETY PROBLEMS. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THESE OWNERS DON'T KNOW THAT THEIR VEHICLES HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE FLOODWATERS OF KENTUCKY. MY GUESS IS THAT FORD HAS SECRET WARRANTIES FOR THESE CARS.

ACCELERATOR STICKS TO THE POINT WHERE CONSUMER HAS TO PUT FOOT BEHIND THE PEDAL TO RELEASE IT FROM THE FLOOR. EVEN BY APPLYING THE BRAKES, IT WILL NOT DECREASE SPEED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

REAR DOOR LOCKS WON'T UNLOCK UNLESS YOU USE UNLOCK BUTTON ON FRONT DOOR FIRST. CHILD SAFETY DOOR LOCK WON'T DISENGAGE ON LEFT REAR DOOR, SOMEONE HAS TO OPEN LEFT REAR DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. KEYLESS CONTROL WILL NOT UNLOCK EITHER IF RIGHT REAR DOOR LOCK GETS HUNG UP. I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET REPAIRED, BUT HAVE NO DOCUMENTATION EXCEPT ONCE IN 1997. I SELDOM HAVE PASSENGERS IN THE BACK, BUT IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT ANYONE IN THE REAR COULD NOT GET OUT. I JUST WANT THE DOOR LOCKS FIXED. THERE ARE SOME SIMILIAR COMPLAINTS WITH THE NHTSA, IDI ID 702648, 827786, 829733, 537402, 538918, AND 530692. ANY HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ENTIRE SPINDLE ASSEMBLY DISENGAGED, CAUSING A COLLISION TO OCCUR. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE THROTTLE IS STICKING IN THE CLOSED POSITION. CONSUMER MUST PRESS HARD ON PEDAL IN ORDER FOR IT TO UNSTICK WHICH THEN CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION DUE TO FAILURE OF A BROKEN THROTTLE RETURN SPRING. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER). MJS

REPEATED FAILED ATTEMPS TO CORRECT PING/TICK WHEN ENGINE IS BELOW 30 DEGREES F

HAVE HAD A INTERMITTENT VALVE TAP SINCE A RECALL WAS DONE ,IT'S GETTING PROGRESSLY WORSE. DEALER HAS REPLACED TAPPETS ONCE AND THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER THINKING IT WAS THAT .NOW I SEE TWO TSBS' NHTSA #SB051948 AND #SB051128 AND WAS WONDERING IF THEY MIGHT APPLY AND CAN I DO ANYTHING TO GET THE PROBLEM RESOLVED ? THANKYOU FOR ANY HELP ,SHANNON

THE DESIGN OF PEDALS ARE TO CLOSE, CAUSING ACCELERATION, ALMOST RESULTING IN COLLISION. *YC

MULTI-PURPOSE DIRECTIONAL SWITCH, DOES NOT OPERATE THE WINDSHEILD WIPERS PROPERLY, HOWEVER, THE SIGNALS WORK. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED THE SWITCH ONCE BEFORE, AND THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

ON-GOING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE VIBRATING IN FRONT, VIBRATION WOULD COMMENCE WHENEVER TAKING OFF FROM A STOP POSITION OR WHENEVER TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT GEAR. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP ON FIVE OCCASIONS,CONDITION STILL UNRESOLVED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED, HAD DEALER CHECK VEHICLE AND FOUND THE CV SOLENOID, FTP SENSOR AND THE O2 MONITOR WERE BAD. *JG

IN ADDITION TO THE LOCKS UNLOCKING WHILE VEHILE IS UNATTENDED, THE LOCKS SPORATICALLY CLICK WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. ALSO, THE LOCKS DON'T LOCK IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE SUV IS PUT IN GEAR, THEY LOCK SOMETIMES UP TO A COUPLE OF MINUTES OF DRIVING. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE AS OCCUPANT(S) OF VEHICLE ARE NOT SAFE FROM OUTSIDE GOINGS ON UNLESS VEHICLE IS LOCKED. IN ADDITION, THIS PRESENTS A PROBLEM WITH INSURANCE IF VEHICLE IS STOLEN BECAUSE IT IS UNLOCKED. PLEASE RESPOND DIRECTLY.

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 40 MPH AND UPON DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE TO 70 MPH, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND UNWANTED SPEED. CONSUMER THEREFORE HAD TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN PARK TO STOP THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, CONSUMER AWAITING SERVICE FROM MANUFACTURER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

COMING TO STOP, APPLYING FOOT ON BRAKES, VEHICLE WILL LUNGE FOWARD, ENGINE WILL REV UP. CONSUMER MUST REAPPLY THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM. *AK

RECALL NOTICE SENT TO CONSUMER (97V074/98R03), HOWEVER DEALERSHIP REFUSES REPAIR DUE TO STATE IN WHICH CONSUMER LIVES DOES NOT MATCH DESCRIPTION ON RECALL. MJS

ACCELERATOR STICKS AT VARIOUS TIMES. MJS

CONSUMER WAS REMOVING SPARE TIRE FROM BOTTOM OF TRUCK. THE CABLE THAT HOLDS THE TIRE IN PLACE WAS ALMOST BROKE IN TWO, WITH TIRE HANGING UNDERNEATH. *ML

HAVE REPORTED THIS BEFORE. CONSUMER COMPLAINT IDS 538918, 702648, 827786, 829733 ALSO APPLY. VERY DANGEROUS, REAR DOORS LOCK AND CAN'T OPEN WITHOUT EXITING VEHICAL TO OPEN FROM OUTSIDE. ACTING LIKE MALFUNCTION OF CHILDLOCKS, ONLY CHILDLOCKS ARE DISENGAGED. SERIOUS ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. DEALER DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX PROBLEM AND DOESN'T RECOGNIZE IT AS A PROBLEM. NEED TO PUT DEALER IN REAR SEAT TO GET ANY REACTION, AND STILL NO RESOLUTION. RECALL WARRANTED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM!! FORD WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM.

TIMING CHAIN BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO RUN AT ALL. DEALER SAID ITWAS DEFECTIVE, AND THE MANUFACTURER DOESN'T MAKE PART ANYMORE. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN MAKING A QUICK LEFT TURN THE TRUCK LOSES POWER. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER CLEANED SPEED SENSOR AND REPLACED IDLE AIR CONTROL, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *ML

WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND ANOTHER VECHICLE HIT HIM FROM THE RIGHT SIDE. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL BECAUSE THE BRAKES WOULDN'T HOLD. THE CAR TOOK HIM ONTO FRONT STEPS OF SOMEONE'S HOUSE. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY BECOME INOPERABLE IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

DRIVER WAS REARENDED BY SMALLER VEHICLE THAT WAS DRIVING AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED, CAUSING DRIVER'S SEATBACK TO FALL BACK INTO A RECLINING POSITION, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER REGARDING RECALLNUMBER 97V074000/MFR RECALL 98R03 REGARDING THROTTLE LINKAGES AND CONTROL. DEALER STATED PARTS DID NOT NEED REPLACING. *AK

DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE HOOD CABLE, THE CABLE IS PRESSING AGAINST THE BATTERY, CAUSING THE ACID TO EAT THROUGH THE CABLE, CONSUMER IS ALSO UNABLE TO OPEN THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ENGINE IS NOISY.

DOOR LOCK.

BOTH REAR PASSENGER DOORS CONTINUOUSLEY WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE, CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY BECOME INOPERABLE IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

POOR DESIGN OF THROTTLE LINKAGE CABLE STICKS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD OR BACKWARD AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE WHEN FOOT IS REMOVED FROM GAS PEDAL. NLM

NO SUMMARY

SEAT BELT ANCHORS OF REAR SEATS STICK UP. WHEN PASSENGER SAT ON THE ANCHOR WHILE TRYING TO MOVE TO THE MIDDLE SEAT, THE ANCHOR HIT THE PASSENGER'S SPINE TAIL CAUSING SEVERE PAIN. LOWER BACK PROBLEM SINCE INJURY.

CHAIN TENSIONERS HAVE DETERIORATED AND BROKEN UP. ENGINE NOW RATTELS AND GRINDS. I HAVE FEAR OF MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE. AFTER TALKING TO FORD DEALERS IN RENO NV AND ONE IN SUSANVILLE CA I HAVE BEEN TOLD EVERY THING FROM "YOUR ON YOUR OWN " TO " FORD IS WORKING ON A PERMANANT FIX SO BE PATIENT. IS FORD GOING TO FIX MY PROBLEM . I UNDERSTAND THIS TO BE A MAJOR WIDESPREAD PROBLEM.

EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE DOESN'T ENGAGE WHEN PUSHING ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE BRAKES ARE HARD, BUT WILL SLIP OUT. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK