1997 Ford Explorer Seats Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BOLTS FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE SEATS TO SEPARATE FROM THE FRAME. THE BOLTS WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES; HOWEVER THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V281000 (SEATS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE AS 330,000.

1997 FORD EXPLORER AND BEGAN TO BACK OUT OF MY PARENTS DRIVEWAY ON THE WAY TO WORK. I USED THE ELECTRICAL SEAT MOVER BUTTON TO MOVE MY SEAT BACK A FEW INCHES AND WITHIN ONLY 10 SECONDS SMOKE WAS IN MY FACE. I JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR, TURNED THE CAR OFF, AND RAN IN MY HOUSE. I GOT WATER TO TRY AND EXTINGUISH THE SMOKE AND OPENED MY BACK DOOR AND LOOKED UNDER THE SEAT AND THERE WAS INTENSE SPARKING WHICH TURNED INTO FLAMES AND WITHIN MINUTES MY ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. FIRE AND POLICE CAME AND EXTINGUISHED IT AFTER FLAMES REACHED ABOUT 20 FEET. THERE WAS PROPERTY DAMAGE, WITH ALONG LOSING THE ENTIRE VEHICLE (ENGINE WAS SOMEHOW IN FINE SHAPE), BUT LUCKILY, IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY AS I AM ALIVE. I SENT FORD 40 PICTURES, POLICE REPORT, VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT THAT WE CAUGHT, TITLE OF VEHICLE, ETC. IT HAS CAUSED ME AN INCREDIBLE INCONVENIENCE IN MY LIFE, I NOW WALK A MILE TO A SUBWAY STATION WHICH TAKES ME TO A TRAIN STATION WHICH THEN GETS ME TO WORK. KNOWING IT WAS AN OLDER CAR, BUT A POPULAR ONE AT THAT, I FIGURED THAT FORD WOULD REIMBURSE ME WITH A USED CAR AND THE PROPERTY DAMAGE, ESPECIALLY GIVEN HOW LUCKY THAT NO DEATH OR INJURIES RESULTED. THEY INFORMED TODAY THEY WOULDN'T GIVE ME A DIME BECAUSE THEY DON'T DEEM THAT A DEFECT THROUGH THEIR ANALYSIS (THOUGH THE CAR SITS LIKE A TOXIC WASTELAND IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH NO ONE FROM FORD EVEN INSPECTING IT). THEY CAME TO THEIR DECISION WITHIN ONE DAY OF HAVING MY MATERIALS. *KB

FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEAT TILT LEVER BROKE OFF, PASSENGER SIDE BENT. THERE ARE OTHER REPORTS OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO OTHER OWNERS.

BOTH SEAT TILT LEVERS BEND AND THEN BREAK OFF AFTER ATTEMPTING TO STRAIGHTEN THEM ONCE TOO MANY TIMES. NEW DESIGN STRENGTHENS THE BRACKETS. IF THE BRACKETS BREAK OFF AND THERE IS A SMALL CHILD IN THE BACK, ADULTS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REMOVE SMALL CHILDREN QUICKLY DURING AN EMERGENCY SINCE THEY CAN'T TILT THE SEATS FORWARD OUT OF THE WAY. *TR

MY 1997 FORD EXPLORER WAS PARKED OUTSIDE A LOCAL RESTAURANT WHEN I WAS ALERTED THAT THE INTERIOR OF MY VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE AND THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN CALLED. BLACK SMOKE WAS POURING OUT OF THE SLIGHTLY OPENED WINDOWS WHEN I APPROACHED THE SUV AND ULTIMATELY PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. CLOSER EXAMINATION INDICATED THAT THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE CAME FROM UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT. ONE OF THE FIREMEN ON THE SCENE SPECULATED THAT THE MOTOR THAT CONTROLS THE POWER SEAT OVERHEATED AND STARTED THE FIRE. MY FIRST CALL WAS TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY WOULD SEND ME A LETTER IN THE MAIL. THIS LETTER CAME A WEEK LATER AND EXPLAINED THAT ALTHOUGH THEY WOULD REALLY LIKE TO ASSIST ME WITH MY LOSS , THERE WAS NOT A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE, SO THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ASSIST ME. MY INSURANCE COMPANY TOOK CARE OF ME AND HOPEFULLY THEY WILL ALSO "TAKE CARE OF FORD" TO RECOUP THEIR LOSS . I AM FORTUNATE THAT A YOUNG CHILD OR ONE OF OUR FAMILY PETS WERE NOT IN THE CAR. ANY THOUGHTS I MAY HAVE HAD ABOUT BUYING ANOTHER FORD HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH THOUGHTS ABOUT THERE CUSTOMER DIS-SERVICE AND THE LACK OF CONCERN OVER A POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEM WITH ONE OF THEIR BEST SELLING SUV'S. *JB

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO RECLINE/ADJUST THE SEAT. THE SEAT RECLINING HANDLE SNAPPED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BACK RECLINED BACKWARDS AFTER OPENING THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, THE CONSUMER HAD INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE SEAT WAS LOOSE AND ROCKED. THE DEALER PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. RECALL 03V281000 WAS ISSUED FOR THE HIGH BACK SEAT, HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER. *AK *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER'S SEAT BACK FELL, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER ACROSS THE ROAD. *AK

NHTSA# 03-V-281-000 ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HIGH BACK SEATS, THE UPPER BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HIGH BACK SEAT, THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM TO THE SEAT BACK FRAME, COULD FRACTURE. THE CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. *PH

BROKEN FRONT SEAT LATCH ON 1997 EXPLORER SPORT FROD MOTOR CO ACKNOWLEDEGES PART DEFECT (REFER TECHINACAL SERVICE BULLETIN 98-25-15) BUT DOES NOT FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD REPLACE PART BECUSE A RECALL WAS NOT ORDERED.*AK I HAVE SEEN ARTICLES ON THE WEB ABOUT THIS BEING A WARRANTY REPAIR BUT FORD WILL NOT HONOR ON VEHICLE

SEAT RECLINER LEVERS BREAK OFF. BACK SEAT PASSENGER(S) MUST CLIMB OVER SEAT TO ENTER OR EXIT. IF THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY REAR SEAT PASSENGERS WOULD HAVE DIFFICULTY EXITING VEHICLE. THE CHEAP METAL PART THAT FRACTURED IS ATTACHED TO A $70.00 PART THAT WITH LABOR WOULD BE $240.00 FOR BOTH DRIVER AND PASSEENGER REPAIR. THIS IS MORE THAN INCONVENIENCE.

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE CAR DOES NOT PRODUCE HEAT, HAD PANEL REPLACED STILL NO HEAT. TS

WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT LEANS FROM SIDE TO SIDE. TOOK TO FORD, AND THEY WELDED DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. *AK CONSUMER IS ASKING FOR REFUND. *YH

WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT,VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER SUV GOING APPROXIMATELY 60MPH. THE BACK SUPPORT FOR THE DRIVERS SEAT APPARENTLY BROKE AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT AND WENT TO A FULLY RECLINED POSITION,PROVIDING NO SUPPORT. AS A RESULT, MY WIFE SUSTAINED NECK AND LOWER BACK INJURIES (HERNIATED DISKS) AMONG OTHER INJURIES. HAVE ANY OTHER PROBLEMS BEEN REPORTED REGARDING THE SEAT FAILING TO HOLD UP AND PROVIDE PROPER SUPPORT DURING A SEVERE REAR END COLLISION?*AK

CONSUMER STATED AS HE LEANED BACK IN THE DRIVERS SEAT, THE BACK OF THE SEAT FELL ONTO THE REAR SEAT, CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THE SEAT BACK UP BY USING THE SEAT HANDLE, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE LATCH HOLDING THE SEAT BACK IN PLACE HAD LET GO AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.*JB

CONSUMER STATED AS HE LEANED BACK IN THE DRIVERS SEAT, THE BACK OF THE SEAT FELL ONTO THE REAR SEAT, CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THE SEAT BACK UP BY USING THE SEAT HANDLE, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE LATCH HOLDING THE SEAT BACK IN PLACE HAD LET GO AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.*JB

THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBACK LEVER WAS BROKE. *YH

THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBACK LEVER WAS BROKE. *YH

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT HANDLE KEEPS BREAKING OFF. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFOMATION.*AK

HOLES IN THE SEAT AND THE LEVER IS BROKEN. *SLC

THIS BROKEN LEVER IS A DESIGN PROBLEM, NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AT 70MPH, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK COLLAPSED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

SEAT RECLINER HANDLE BROKE WHILE DRIVING AND READJUSTING SEAT. NLM

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

FRONT SEAT TRACK FAILED.

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

ADJUSTMENT HANDLE SNAPPED OFF OF SEAT.

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH SEAT TRACKS AND ANCHORS. WHEN THE DRIVER SLAMMED ON BRAKES, BACK SEAT TILTED UP AND THE PASSENGER WAS EJECTED INTO THE AIR. AS A RESULT, THE PASSENGER JAMMED HER HEAD AGAINST THE CEILING. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. ON 2-DOOR MODEL. *AK

REAR SEAT LOOSE DUE TO DESIGN.

SEAT LATCH METAL BROKE OFF FROM THE SEAT, AND THE SEAT IS UNUSUABLE. INCIDENT OCCURRED TWO TIMES. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

REAR SEAT FAILS TO STAY IN A DOWNRIGHT POSITION. KEEPS FLIPPING UP FOR NO REASON. DOES NOT STAY LOCKED IN PLACE. CHILD SAFETY SEAT CAN NOT BE PLACED ON THAT REAR SEAT. *AK

REAR SEATS NOT DESIGNED TO LOCK DOWN.

FLAW IN SEAT COVER.

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

BACK SPLIT BENCH SEAT: BOTTOM OF THE SEAT DOES NOT LOCK IN PLACE, WHEN SITTING ON FRONT OF SEAT, THE BACK POPS UP, CAUSE UNKNOWN. TOOK TO DEALER AND DID NOT REPAIR IT, IS TAKING TO A DEALER ON MONDAY FOR REPAIR. *AK