1997 Ford Explorer Lights Problems

Your Explorer has multiple door and lighting issues that affect daily usability. The rear passenger doors don't operate normally (one won't open from inside, the other won't open at all), and your driver's door doesn't lock properly or gets stuck so badly it requires pliers to unlock. Additionally, the interior map light and rear door lights stay on constantly even when switched off and were overheating, requiring you to remove the bulbs. Fixing these issues will likely involve replacing door latch mechanisms, door lock actuators, and interior light switches.

FAR LEFT DASH LIGHTS AND LIGHTS BEHIND INDICATORS ON LEFT SIDE OF STEERING WHEEL WENT OUT SHORTLY AFTER RECEIVING THE VEHICLE IN 1998; THIS WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY; THE LIGHTS WENT OUT AGAIN SOMETIME AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD EXPIRED. THE SOUND SYSTEM AMPLIFIER GOES OUT INTERMITTENTLY WITH NO DISCERNIBLE CAUSE; THIS HAS GONE ON FOR YEARS; THE DEALER SAYS IT WOULD COST OVER $600 TO REPLACE THE AMPLIFIER. *TR

THE HEADLIGHTS/TURN SIGNAL FAILSEDTO WORK INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

DURING A VEHICLE INSPECTION SEVERAL PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR WAS BROKEN AND THE DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT DOESN'T WORK. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.

CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE HEAD LIGHT WENT OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

CONSUMER IS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND STATED HAS HAD TO REPLACE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH 3 TIMES IN 5 YEARS. SWITCH CONTROLS FUNCTIONS OF HEAD LIGHTS, WIPERS, HIGH/LOW BEAMS, ETC. THE MOST RECENT FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING. THE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM SWITCH AND STEERING COLUMN THAT FILLED UP THE ENTIRE CABIN. HAD TO PULL OVER TO AVOID A COLLISION.

WINDSHIELD WASHER COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER TWICE, MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH WAS REPLACED THE FIRST TIME. IT DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. SECOND TIME DEALER COULD NOT FIND CAUSE. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR ONE DAY IN COLD WEATHER OUTSIDE, PROBLEM WAS REPLICATED AND THEY FOUND RELAYS OVERHEATING AND STICKING CAUSED BY SHORTED MALFUNCTION SWITCH ON PRIOR REPAIR AND THEY REPLACED BOTH RELAYS. *YH

THE FAILURE OF THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT WHICH IS AN LED (LIGHT EMITTING DIODE) ASSEMBLY IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. WHEN THE BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE WAS DISCOVERED I WENT TO THE MANUFACTURER'S DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. FIRST I WAS QUOTED A REPAIR PRICE 35 TIMES HIGHER THEN THE AVERAGE BRAKE LIGHT REPLACEMENT OR $350.00. ULTIMATELY, I HAD THE REPAIR DONE FOR $265.00 AFTER SOME SERIOUS DIALOGUE ABOUT THE COST OF THIS PART VERSUS NORMAL BRAKE LIGHT REPLACEMENTS. I EMPHASIED A PART COSTING $35 TIMES THE NORMAL BRAKE LIGHT BULB REPAIR SHOULD BE ENGINEERED TO LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. IF IT DID NOT THEN IT MUST BE AN ENGINEERING OR MANUFACTUREING DEFECT. THE DEALERSHIP SAID FORD WOULD NOT RESPOND POSITIVELY TO MY ARGUEMENTS AND THE BEST THEY COULD DO WAS $265.00. I BELEIVE THE SAFETY ISSUE IS DRIVEN BY THE COST OF THIS ASSEMBLY. THERE MAYBE MANY FORD EXPLORERS ON THE ROAD WITH THIS DEFECTIVE PART, SIMPLY BECAUSE THE COST TO REPAIR IS PROHIBITIVE. IN SOME STATES VEHICLE INSPECTIONS ARE NOT REQUIRED UNTIL THE VECHICLE IS RESOLD AND THEREFORE THE PROBLEM COULD GO UNDECTED CREATING A SERIOUS RISK FOR THE DRIVER OF THE FAILING VEHICLE AND ANYONE FOLLOWING BEHIND. I SUGGEST A SAFETY ALERT BE ISSUED IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY BEEN DONE GIVING CONSIDERATION TO THE NUMBER OF LED ASSEMBLIES, BRAKE LIGHT FAILURES AND THE COST OF THE REPAIR THAT A RECALL ALSO BE CONSIDERED.*AK

ON THE FIRST OCCASION, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO OUT WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL WAS TURNED ON. THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY(OVER 36,000 MILES) SO WE HAD OUR REGULAR MECHANIC REPAIR, BUT WE ASKED TO KEEP THE REPLACED PART. THE MOST RECENT PROBLEM (ONLY 11/2 YEARS& APPROX 8000 MILES LATER)WAS THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT WORK. THIS TIME WE TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER. THE SERVICE MANAGER MENTIONED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THIS PART AND THAT FORD HAD MADE AN UPGRADE, BUT NO RECALL HAD BEEN ENACTED. AGAIN WE ASKED TO KEEP THE REPLACED PART (BOTH ARE FORD PARTS#13K359). IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS CLAIM, PLEASE LEAVE MESSAGE ON HOME PHONE, OR CONTACT DIANE RUTT BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 9-5 AT 717 336-7534.*AK

THE THIRD STOP LIGHT (BALAST) FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FAIL INSPECTION, THE CONSUMER FEEL THIS COMPONENT SHOULD BE REPAIR AT THE MANUFACTURERS EXPENCE SINCE THE VEHICLE HAS SUCH LOW MILEAGE. NLM

THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE I WAS PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE ON AN ICY ROAD AT NIGHT BETWEEN DRIGGS, IDAHO AND VICTOR, IDAHO. I CLICKED THE DIMMER WHEN THEY WENT OUT, AND TRIED TO PUT THE DIMMER LEVER INTO ANY OTHER POSITION AND THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON. I HELD THE DIMMER SWITCH UP AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL IN THE "BRIGHT" FLASHER POSITION AND THEY CAME ON, BUT BLINDING ONCOMING TRAFFIC SO THAT THEY FLASHED THEIR LIGHTS AT ME. I DROVE THIS WAY TO MY HOME ABOUT SEVEN MORE MILES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! BROADWAY FORD (66 MI FROM OUR HOME) CHARGED US $134.41 TO REPLACE THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WHICH THEY THINK CAUSED THE PROBLEM, AND I UNDERSTAND FORD RANGERS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK

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

BRAKE LAMP AND FOG LAMP FAILED. MJS

WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER FAILED, REPLACEMENT OF THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH AND WIPER MOTOR DID NOT RECTIFY FAILURES.

INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF THE HEADLIGHTS.

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

TURN SIGNAL FAILED.

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