1997 FORD EXPLORER SPORT

44 complaints filed with NHTSA.

44
Complaints
4
Crashes
6
Fires
4
Injuries
2
Deaths

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING4
POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)3
SEATS3
TIRES2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE2
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS2
TIRES:TREAD/BELT1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER1
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS1

Recent Complaints

20150106CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER

1997 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE INFORMATION REGARDING AN ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED IN SEPT 2010. *TA

20120405CrashPOWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE WHEN IT ROLLED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 148,700.

Mileage: 148,600

20110718FireSEATS

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 POL

Mileage: 175,000

20110718FireSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

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 POL

Mileage: 175,000

20090424FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH SHE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING IN THE VEHICLE. SHE THEN SAW A BIT OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. SHE PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND A PERSON CAME UP TO THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED HER TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. ANOTHER PERSON APPROACHED THE SCENE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, BUT BY THIS TIME THE FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THEY USED UP THE ENTIRE FIRE EXTINGUISHER, B

Mileage: 95,000

20071102FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

DRIVING ALONG EVERYTHING IS FINE, LOSE POWER PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE I SEE BLACK SMOKE AND THEN FLAMES, COULDN'T GET OUT BECAUSE OF POWER WINDOWS AND LOCKS. WENT TO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE AND KICKED MY WAY OUT AND THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES IN MINUTES AND BURNED TO THE GROUND. *TR

20060804FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I OWNED A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. ON JULY 29, 2005 MY TRUCK WAS IN MY YARD AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. I WAS NOT HOME AT THE TIME. MY INSURANCE PAID A PORTION OF THE LOAN I STILL HAD ON THE VEHICLE. FORD MOTOR HAS NOT RECALLED 1997 EXPLORERS BUT HAVE 1998. THE FIRE REPORT ISSUED CLAIMS IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. MY VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *JB

Mileage: 100,000

20060804FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THE ENGINE ON MY 1997 FORD EXPLORER CAUGHT ON FIRE AND DESTROYED MY VEHICLE. *NM

20060802CrashFatalEQUIPMENT

1997 FORD EXPLORER TRAVELING EAST BOUND ON I-16 WHEN LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD CAME OFF A COOPER FUTURA TIRE CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL VEHICLE FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES THEN RIGHT FRONT TIRE CAME OFF COMPLETELY CAUSING ANOTHER FLIP THIS TIME TAIL OVER NOSE CAUSE ALL 4 KIDS TO BE THROWN OUT KILLING ONE ON IMPACT AND ANOTHER DIED 2 DAYS LATER FROM INJURIES IN HOSPITAL. *NM

20040217CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

ON FEBRUARY 16, 2004 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:30 PM I WAS PULLING MY WIFE'S 1997 FORD EXPLORER SPORT INTO A DIAGONAL PARKING STALL. I HAD ALMOST COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO ROAR AND THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AGAINST MY BRAKING. I PRESSED AS HARD AS I COULD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD UNTIL IT STRUCK A CAR OPPOSITE MY PARKING STALL. I PUSHED THE GEAR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I CHECKED MY RIGHT FOOT POSITION AND CONFIRMED THAT I WA

Mileage: 69,650

20040106ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TO BEST DESCRIBE MY PROBLEM IS THAT THE CAMSHAFT BROKE OFF RIGHT AT TIMING PULLEY.THIS BREAK CAUSE THE SERPENTINE BELT TO WRAP AROUND ALL THE OTHER COMPONENTS. I WAS TRAVELING ALONG THE EXPRESS WAY AT 65 MPH, WHEN I LOSS OF POWER STEERING, AND A LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME UNTIL I REGAIN CONTROL. *AK

Mileage: 13,000