1997 Ford Explorer Seat Belts Problems

Your driver's side seat belt won't click into the locked position when you try to fasten it. This means the belt won't properly restrain you in the event of sudden braking or a crash. The seat belt buckle mechanism likely needs adjustment or replacement.

Your driver's side seat belt buckle won't click and lock securely anymore. This means the belt may not hold you in place during sudden stops or crashes. The buckle mechanism will likely need to be replaced with a new seat belt assembly or just the buckle component.

Your driver's seat belt latch receiver (the part that clicks when you buckle in) has failed and won't engage with the seat belt strap. This happened after 12-13 years of use, and when you replaced it with a salvage yard part, that replacement also failed after just 3 years. You'll need to replace the seat belt latch receiver with a new or quality used part to ensure your seat belt functions properly.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

I HAVE 2 COMPLAINTS ONE OF WHICH WHILE LOOKING ONLINE SEE THAT MANY OTHER FORD OWNERS ALSO SEEM TO HAVE. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEATER BLEND BOX DOOR NOT WORKING AND BLOWING HOT AIR WHEN IN THE VENT POSITION. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM NOT ONLY ON EXPLORER MODELS BUT RANGES, F150 AND OTHER FORD VEHICLES. THE REPAIR AS STATED ONLINE BY OTHERS AS WELL AS FROM THE DEALER IS OVER $1000.00. IT SEEMS THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS PART WITH SO MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO THE SEAT BELTS GET STUCK ON OUR EXPLORER IT IS THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH SOMETIMES TAKES 10 TO 15 MINUTES BEFORE IT WILL WORK. *JB

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

SAFETY PROBLEM WITH BACK SEAT BELTS. WHEN ON VACATION WE HAD A SERIOUS PROBLEM THE BACK SEAT BELTS LOCKING UP SEVERAL TIMES EACH DAY. THE SEAT BELTS ON ONE OR BOTH SIDES WOULD NOT RELEASE SO THEY COULD BE APPLY AROUND 2 SMALL CHILDREN AND WE HAD TO PULL & YANK THE BELTS SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE BELTS TO RELEASE. THE SUV WAS OFF AND THE BRAKE WAS NOT APPLY AT THE TIME OF THE PROBLEMS. THIS PROBLEM COULD DISCOURAGE SEAT BELT USEAGE. *NM

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

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.

I DRIVE A 1997 FORD EXPLORER XLT. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT TODAY BECAME UNLATCHED WHEN I HIT THE BREAKS HARD. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. HAD I HIT ANOTHER CAR, I WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. FORD WANTS TO CHARGE ME $100 FOR THE REPAIR. *JB

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

REAR SEATBELT WILL NOT STAY LOCKED. IT TO WOULD BE HARD TO KEEP CHILD SEAT LOCKED IN PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

SEAT BELT LOCKED UP ON PASSENGER'S SIDE,HAD TO CUT BELT TO REMOVE INFANT. CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING.*AIK

AFTER PARKING VEHICLE CONSUMER COULD NOT UNBUCKLE SEAT BELT. CONSUMER HAD TO CUT SEAT BELT TO FINALLY GET OUT OF VEHICLE.*AK

PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT DOES NOT RELEASE WHEN SEAT BELT BUTTON IS PUSHED TO DISENGAGE.*AK

PASSENGER RESTRAINT DID NOT RELEASE AT THE BUCKLE OR RESTRAINT. OWNER HAD TO CUT RESTRAINT TO RELEASE PASSENGER. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED AND NEITHER ACCEPTS FAULT OR LIABILITY OF FAILED PART. *AK

I WAS UNABLE TO RELEASE MY CHILD FROM HIS SEAT BELT. WHEN EVERYONE ELSE FAILED TO BE ABLE TO RELEASE THE CHILD, I CARRIED THE VEHICLE (WITH THE CHILD STILL CONSTRAINED) TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER'S BODY SHOP HAD TO REMOVE THE BOLTS FROM THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE TO RELEASE THE CHILD. IF THERE HAD BEEN AS ACCIDENT AND A FIRE, THE CHILD WOULD HAVE PERISHED BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT WAS JAMMED AND WOULD NOT ALLOW FOR RELEASE.*AK

CONSUMER HAS A CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN THE REAR MIDDLE, WHEN A PERSON SITS NEXT TO THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT AND BUCKLES THEIR SEAT BELT, THE RELEASE IS ON THE SIDE OF THE RESTRAINT AND THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT PREVENTS ACCESS TO THE RELEASE, IN AN EMERGENCY THE RELEASE WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TO AND THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE THE DESIGN OF THE SEAT BELT RELEASES CHANGED. *SLC

SEAT BELT RETRACTOR, ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT FULLY RETRACT SEAT BELT, AS A RESULT, A LOOP OF ABOUT 18 INCHES HANGS OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. *CJ

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RELEASE/RETRACT TO BE USED. ALSO, WILL NOT RETRACT IF ABLE TO RELEASE THEM. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC INDICATED PROBLEM WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. *AK

SEAT BELT CATCH RELEASED WHEN EXTREME SIDE IMPACT ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. *AK

CONSUMER WAS STUCK IN THE CAR BECAUSE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT UNLATCH ENROUTE TO DEALER. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

REAR RESTRAINTS ARE INOPERAPLE. THE RESTRAINTS WILL NOT RETRACT. DEALER HAS BENE NOTIFIED. *AK

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.

I WAS RECENTLY IN AN ACCIDENT, BOTH AIRBAGS DID DEPLOY BUT NOT THE FULL EXTENT THAT AN AIRBAG SHOULD DEPLOY TO. THAT THEN CAUSED ME FALL FORWARD UPON IMPACT, WHICH THEN CAUSED MY HEAD TO STRIKE THE WINDSHIELD OF MY CAR. THERE IS A MARK I BELIEVE ON THE WINDOW PROVING THIS, AND ALSO I HAD A HEADACHE FOR 3 DAYS FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT HARDER, MY HEAD COULD HAVE POSSIBLY GONE THREW THE WINDOW. I HOPE THAT YOU CAN BE ABLE TO CONTACT ME AGAIN INVOLVING THIS MATTER!! SINCERLY, HOLLY K HENDRICKSON

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

BACK SEAT BELT INOPERABLE. YH

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.

AN UNUSUAL PROBLEM THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME PROBABLY OVER 100 TIMES IN 2 YEARS. AFTER UNBUCKLING THE SEATBELT, THE SEATBELT STARTS TO RETRACT AS IT'S SUPPOSED TO. HOWEVER, JUST BEFORE FULLY RETRACTING, WITH ABOUT 7-8 INCHES TO GO, THE BELT GETS TWISTED JUST BEFORE IT ENTERS THE BELT SHOULDER GUIDE/SUPPORT/SLIDE (EXACT NAME UNKNOWN--MOUNTED ON FRAME, ABOUT EAR LEVEL WHEN SEATED IN CAR, CHANGES THE DIRECTION OF THE BELT POSITION TO VERTICAL). IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE WEIGHT OF THE BUCKLE (MALE END) IS OFF CENTER IN RELATION TO THE BELT AND CAUSES THE BELT TO TWIST. THIS TWIST PREVENTS THE BELT FROM SLIDING THROUGHT THE SHOULDER BELT SUPPORT/GUIDE/SLIDE. THE 7-8 INCHES OF SLACK GETS CAUGHT IN THE DOOR AFTER EXITING AND CLOSING THE DOOR. AFTER RE-ENTERING THE CAR AND CLOSING THE DOOR, THE SLACK IN THE BELT IS STILL THERE (NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE EXITING THE CAR). THE SEAT BELT CAN BE EASILY BUCKLED (IT JUST TAKES ADDITIONAL BELT OFF THE RETRACTION ROLLER) BUT THE BELT IS STILL STUCK IN THE DOOR AND THE DRIVER WOULD NEVER KNOW IT. A SLIGHT TUG ON THE BELT FREES IT FROM THE DOOR AND THE EXCESS BELT IS RETRACTED. THIS IS A PROBLEM SHOULD THE BELT BE CALLED UPON TO WORK WITH THE SLACK CAUGHT IN THE DOOR. IN A HEAD-ON, THE BODY MOVING FORWARD WOULD NOT BE RESTRAINED UNTIL THE SLACK PART OF THE BELT IS NO LONGER STUCK IN THE DOOR. (THE BODY MOVING FORWARD FREES THE BELT FROM THE DOOR). I'M SORRY FOR THE LENGTHY DESCRIPTION.

REAR LAP BELTS DO NOT COME OUT ALL THE WAY. SOMETIMES THEY DON'T RETRACT, INCIDENT OCCURRED THREE TIMES. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER CANNOT PUT A CAR SEAT IN THE MEDDLE OF THE BACK SEAT BECAUSE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A MIDDLE SEAT BELT. *MJS

PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACT AND LOCKS RESTRAINING NORMAL PASSENGER MOVEMENT.

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.

SEAT BELT WHEN WORN CUTS ACROSS DRIVER'S NECK AND RUBS SIDEWAYS. *AK

SEAT BELTS: DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30MPH ,VEHICLE AHEAD OF US SLOWED DOWN TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP I HIT BRAKES AND MY NEPHEW CAME FORWARD INTO THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEAT. THERE IS NO CLIP TO LOCK THE BELT INTO.