1997 Ford Explorer Other Problems

While driving on the highway, the right axle in your differential broke off, causing the wheel to separate from the vehicle along with the brake caliper and hose. This resulted in a loss of control and a crash that totaled the vehicle.

You're requesting information about an accident involving your 1997 Ford Explorer Sport that happened in September 2010.

I HAVE A 1997 FORD EXPLORER XLT. MY AC BLEND DOOR FAILED THIS WINTER. I CAN GET EITHER FULL HEAT OR FULL COLD AND NO IN BETWEEN. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THIS COSTS ABOUT $1000 TO HAVE FIXED. IT IS A RIDICULOUS PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO HAPPEN FAIRLY OFTEN IN FORD VEHICLES. THE AFFECTED MODELS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED. THANK YOU. *JB

I RETURNED FROM A TRIP TO NOTICE THAT THE SPARE ON MY 1997 FORD EXPLORER HAD "DISAPPEARED". SEEMS THAT THE CABLE THAT HOLDS IT HAD RUSTED OUT AND GIVEN WAY DROPPING THE SPARE WHO KNOWS WHERE. I HAD NEVER USED THE SPARE AND HAD ONLY NOTICED THINKING I HAD SEEN FLUID UNDER MY CAR. I HAVE THE CAR INSPECTED FOR STATE PURPOSES AND NOTHING WAS EVER SAID TO ME. I MENTIONED THE OCCURRENCE TO AN ONLINE BUDDY AND HE SAID THE SAME HAD HAPPENED TO HIM. ANOTHER ACQUAINTANCE SAID HE HAD IT HAPPEN WITH HIS PICK UP TRUCK. I CALLED MY FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY HAD A REPLACEMENT "WINCH & CABLE" IN STOCK SO I THOUGHT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME WAS NOT A RARE OCCURRENCE AND WAS RECALL WORTHY. IT CERTAINLY IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT HAVOC MY SPARE MAY HAVE CREATED ON THE HIGHWAY OR WHEREVER IT DROPPED. *JB

I HAVE A 1997 FORD EXPLORER SPORT AND IT IS DOWN FOR THE SECOND TIME WITH A TIMING CHAIN PROBLEM. THE FIRST WAS WHEN I BOUGHT THE USED VEHICLE IN 1999 FROM A CAR LOT IN LYNNWOOD, WA IT HAD 49,000 MILES ON IT AND IT NEED THE TIMING CHAIN ASSEMBLY REPLACED. NOW 4 YEARS LATER IT IS SITTING AT A SHOP NEEDING A SECOND TIMING CHAIN ASSEMBLY REPLACED. IT SEEMS VERY ODD THAT THIS WOULD OCCUR TWICE WITH A VEHICLE IN ITS LIFE TIME. THE VEHICLE ORIGINATED FROM CANADA IN 1996, SO I AM NOT SURE IF IT HAD THE CORRECT MILEAGE WHEN I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE. THE BILL IS MINIMUM $4500.00 AND THE VEHICLE IS ONLY WORTH LIKE $6000.00 IN WORKING ORDER. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN FORD PRODUCTS, THEY ARE NOT BUILT TO LAST. *CB

MY 97 FORD EXPLORERS PAINT IS CHECKING VERY BAD ON ALL HORIZONTAL SURFACES AND REAR GATE, AND IS TRAVELING DOWN THE SIDES GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE.

THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE LOUD NOISE, THE CONSUMER LEARNED THERE WAS A RECALL, BUT THE RECALL NOTICE WAS PROBABLY MAILED TO THE ORIGINAL OWNER. *JB

THE VENTS WHICH RELEASED COLD AND HOT AIR INTO THE VEHICLE WAS BROKE, THE CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO DEFROST THE WINDOWS. *JB

TEMPERATURE BLEND DOOR IS MADE OF WEAK MATERIAL AND IS PRONED TO SHATTER INSIDE THE AIR PLENUM HEAT ASSEMBLY. *TT *NLM

FORD WAS WILLING AND ACTUALLY PAID THE REPAIR BILL OF $800+ DOLLARS FOR THE FIRST REPAIR. 25,000 MILES LATER THE SAME PROBLEM ARISES. I'VE DONE CONSIDERABLE RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM AND THE PROBLEM OCCURS FREQUENTLY. DT

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON DASH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, CAUSE UNKNOWN. ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE DASH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, AND VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WILL COME AND STAY ON. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS, AND COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT HAD CAUSED THE SITUATION. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

TICKING NOISE IN ENGINE SINCE PURCHASE. HAD THE SUV IN A FORD SERVICE CENTER SEVERAL TIMES FOR RECALLS ETC. HAD ONLY 21,000 MILE AT PURCHASE. WENT TO ANOTHER FORD SERVICE CENTER WITH ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT ON AT 36,200. TOLD I NEEDED THE TIMING CHAIN REPLACED AT MY COST. ACCORDING TO YOUR WEB POSTING A SERVICE BUL. HAS GONE OUT ON THIS PROBLEM LONG AGO. FORD SHOULD HAVE HAD A RECALL . IF NOT FIXED IN OTHER ENGINES THIS WILL COUSE MAJOR ENGINE FAILURE AND MAJOR EXPENSE TO OTHERS. FORD SHOULD HAVE COVERED THIS! ACCORDING TO YOUR WEB CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. FORD NEEDS TO BE PUSHED ON THIS PROBLEM BEFORE MAJOR ENGINE FAILURE HAPPES TO OTHERS WITH POSSIBLE INJURIES ETC. *AK

3 WEEKS AFTER HAVING MY VEHICLE INSPECTED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS AND 4 WEEKS AFTER INSPECTION BY FORD DEALERSHIP THE TREAD WAS OFF MY TWO FRONT TIRES. LUCKILY THIS WAS CAUGHT BEFORE IT KILLED SOMEONE. I REPLACED THE TIRES WITH MORE WILDERNESS TIRES THOUGHT THE FIRESTONE DEALERSHIP HAD NO EXPLANATION FOR THE INSTANTANIOUS TREAD LOSS. FORD WAS ALSO NOTIFIED AT THE TIME. AFTER IT CAME TO LIGHT ON THE TIRE PROBLEMS I GOT WITH FORD WHO SAYS IT'S FIRESTONES PROBLEM. FIRESTONE SAYS IT'S MY PROBLEM. I FEEL THE 16 INCH WILDERNESS SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE MORE ARE KILLED. PLEASE DO WHAT YOU CAN !!! (TIRESIZE: P255/70R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )

NEED TO SECURE CUSTODY OF VEHICLE LEFT IN TEXAS - PLEASE CONTACT US( DOT NUMBER: )

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 55MPH WHEN HEARD SLIGHT THUMPING NOISE, FOLLOWED BY HUGE NOISE, WHEN I REALIZED MY RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. THE FORD EXPLORER REMAINED VERY STRAIGHT AND I PULLED OVER. THE TIRE WAS SHREDDED INTO PIECES. AT THE TIME I THOUGHT IT WAS A STRANGE BLOW OUT BECAUSE IT DIDN'T SEEM INSTANTANOUS. I ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE IN GOOD SHAPE. ALWAYS ROTATED, ETC.. SINCE THE TIRES HAD 42,000 MILES I REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES. UNFORTUNATELY WITH THE SAME BRAND!! IT WASN'T UNTIL I HEARD ABOUT THE TIRES ON THE NEWS THAT I REALIZED WHY IT HAPPENED. I WONDER HOW MANY OTHERS THERE ARE THAT NEVER EVEN REPORTED A PROBLEM. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235-75/15 )

BACK ORDER SINCE JANUARY BECAUSE REPLACING BAD ON ALL EXPLORERS AND NO RECALL. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN THE SUMM ARY. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THE VERY FIRST TIME I WENT TO USE THE SPARE TIRE ON THIS 97 EXPLORER THE WINCH FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

NO SUMMARY

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.

ANECDOTAL DESCRIPTION EMAILED TO NHTSA WEBMASTER 5 MINUTES AGO

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

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 15 MPH THE EXPLORER BEGAN TO TRAVEL AT A SPEED OF 80 MPH BECAUSE THE FLOOR MAT GOT STUCK UNDER THE PEDAL. DRIVER SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP THE SUV WHILE USING THE BRAKES. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUALLY LIGHTING FOR NO APPARENT REASONS.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON FREQUENTLY.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON.