1997 Ford Explorer Equipment Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE CHANGING THE TIRE, THE BOTTOM METAL PLATE FOR THE JACK POPPED OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN LIFTED FOR TEN MINUTES. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE JACK WAS USED. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT MAKE A REPLACEMENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 186,000.

BLEND DOOR FAILURE ON AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE. REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $700. THIS IS A KNOWN AND COMMON FAILURE ON THIS CAR AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY A RECALL BUT IS NOT. *JB

THE DIAL THAT CONTROLS THE HOT/COLD FEATURE OF THE HEATING/AIR-CONDITIONING UNIT IN MY 1997 EXPLORER MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN TAKEN IN TO DEALER THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE BEEN SEEING ALOT OF THIS PROBLEM IN EXPLORERS AND THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID HE WAS CONCERNED WITH IT HAPPENING IN HIS MOTHER'S CAR. *AK

CANNOT ADJUST THE TEMPERATURE OF THE HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM - ALWAYS BLOWS COLD AIR. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE MANUFACTURER INSTALLED THE WRONG PARTS AT TIME OF PRODUCTION. THE PART FAILS AND THEN YOU CANNOT ADJUST THE TEMPERATURE - IT ALWAYS BLOWS COLD AIR. THIS, IT SEEMS TO ME, IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP WINDOWS CLEAR IN COLD CLIMATES. *LA

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

THE RADIO TURNS ON AND OFF WITHOUT ANY PHYSICAL RESPONSE. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY AND CONSUMER CANNOT MANUALLY TURN THE RADIO OFF. *JG

THE AC ACCUMULATOR HAS RUSTED THROUGH. THE ACCUMULATOR HAS A THERMAL WRAP-AROUND BLANKET AND EVIDENTLY EXCESS MOISTURE IS TRAPPED BETWEEN IT AND THE ALL-STEEL ACCUMULATOR. REMOVING IT EASILY EXPOSES THE RUST.*AK

A/C QUIT WORKING, WENT TO HAVE IT SERVICED. THE A/C ACCUMULATOR HAS RUST HOLES IN IT .THE FOAM AROUND IT KEPT THE ACCUMULATOR WET AND CAUSED IT TO RUST THROUGH. LETTING OUT THE FREON.WHAT IF ALL EXPLORER'S DO THIS ? IF I HAD KNOWN THE DAY IT WAS BOUGHT. IT WAS GOING TO DO THIS , I WOULD HAVE PULLED THE FOAM OFF. IT RUSTED BECAUSE OF THE WAY FORD WRAPPED IT.THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. JUST LOOK AT ALL THE FREON THAT IS GOING TO BE LOST IN THE AIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND INTREST ; TIM CARGLE. *AK

MECHANISM WHICH HOLDS SPARE TIRE HAD TO BE CUT BEFORE CONSUMER COULD USE TIRE. ALSO ,WRONG JACK WAS WITH THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, AND IDENTIFICATION NUMBER. *AK

THE ORIGINAL DRYER UNIT WAS WRAPPED WITH A PIECE OF RUBBER. THIS PART, AS A NORMAL PART OF IT'S OPERATION WILL SWEAT. THIS PIECE OF RUBBER HELD THE CONDENSATION TO THE UNIT AND CAUSED THE DRYER TO RUST. THE REPLACEMENT PART DOES NOT HAVE THIS RUBBER WARPPING. I BELIEVE THAT THE ORIGINAL PART WAS DESIGNED TO FAIL.*AK

AIR CONDITION UNIT IS NOT WORKING. DRYER IS LEAKING AND WILL NEED TO BE REPAIRED AT A COST ESTIMATE OF $450. *AK

AIR CONDITIONER BLOING ONLY COLD AIR DURING WINTER MONTHS HERE IN NY. MECHANIC SAID BLEND DOOR WAS BROKE AND IN CLOSED POSOTION AND THEREFORE ONLY ABLE TO BLOW COLD COLD AIR. NO HEATER, NO DEFROSTER ONLY COLD AIR FROM ALL DUCKS.MECHANIC REPLACED THE COMPLETE HEATER PLENUM BOX ASSEMBLY SHOING ME BROKEN CHEP PLASTIC PART. THE WHOLE DASHBORD CAME OUT AND WAS 2 DAYS OF WORK. COST OF PLENUM BOX ASSEMBLY WAS 160.00 AND BLEND CONTROL UNIT WAS 80.00. THE REST WAS LABOR. FORD GETS 850.00 FOR JOB AS WELL AS 150. TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM.

AIR CONDITIONING SWITCH WAS STUCK AND OWNER COULD NOT DEFROST WINDOWS, RESULTING IN DECREASED VISIBILITY. MECHANIC REPLACED BLENDER UNIT.*AK

TIRE PLACARD IS NOT REQUIRED IN SUV'S, OWNERS ARE ADVISED TO TAKE SUV TO A SHIPPING COMPANY OR AN INSPECTION STATION TO GET THE VEHICLE'S CORRECT WEIGHT. *CJ

BOTH RUNNING BOARDS ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE HAVE A SERIOUS RUST PROBLEM. BOTH SIDES ARE RUSTING THROUGH IN THE EXACT SAME WAY, IN THE SAME AREA. THIS AREA IS ON TOP MAINLY NEAR THE PLASTIC TREAD. IN THE PAST 4 MONTHS I HAVE SEEN NEARLY 12 OTHER EXPLORERS WITH THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM. THIS IS ON THE IDENTICAL MODEL, THE IDENTICAL PART. IN SOME CASES, THE PROBLEM ON THE OTHERS IS MORE ADVANCED AND SEVERE. I HAVE TOLD LOCAL FORD DEALER AS WELL AS FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, THERE RESPONSE IS NOT COVERED OUTSIDE 3YR./36 MONTH WARRANTY. MAINLY CONTACTING YOU TO SEE IF THIS SIMULAR PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED BY OTHERS.

HOT CIGARATTE LIGHTER EJECTED FULLY FROM THE ASSEMBLY. AFTER TESTING, OCCURS EVERY TIME .*AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN SPARE TIRE CABLE SHEARED OFF, CAUSING SPARE TIRE TO FALL OFF WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE CABLE WAS SWINGING BACK AND FORTH AND RUBBING AGAINST METAL. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. *AK *ML

A/C SERVICE PLENUM PLASTIC DOOR BROKE, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WITH STRONGER NYLON BLEND DOOR AS PER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. PART NUMBER F87Z-1847-DA. CLEARLY DEFECTIVE PART SHOULD BE REPLACED BY MANUFACTURER. *AK

THE ROOF RACK RIPPED OFF WHILE DRIVING, THE THUMB SCREWS DESIGNED TO LOOSEN THE CROSSBAR VIBRATED LOOSE COMPLETELY. *MJS

JACK HANDLE SHATTERED IN JACK BASE WHILE LOWERING VEHICLE AFTER CHANGING TIRE. WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO LOWER JACK USING SCREWDRIVER. HOWEVER, JACK HANDLE IS ALSO REQUIRED TO RETRACT THE SPARE-TIRE HOLDING CABLE, SO THAT HAD TO BE LEFT LOOSE UNTIL WE GOT TO A TIRE STORE. HANDLE IS MADE OF VERY WEAK METAL, AND IT IS THINNEST AT THE POINT OF MOST STRESS, WHERE IT IS INSERTED INTO THE JACK.

CONSUMER WAS REMOVING SPARE TIRE FROM BOTTOM OF TRUCK. THE CABLE THAT HOLDS THE TIRE IN PLACE WAS ALMOST BROKE IN TWO, WITH TIRE HANGING UNDERNEATH. *ML

THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN TO THE SHOP OVER 4 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS FOR THE PROBLEM AND IT IS NOT FIXED YET. THEY TOLD ME THAT MY TRUCK IS NOT THE ONLY ONE AND THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON IT. THEY WERE TO CALL LAST WEEK FOR THE FLIGHT RECORDER BOX TO BE USED I CALLED THEM TODAY THEY STATE IT WILL BE NEXT WEEK. I AM VERY TIRED OF TAKING MY TRUCK IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP. *AK

RADIO SDPEAKER AND WIRING ASSEMBLY FAILED.

CROSS BARS ON LUGGAGED RACK CAME LOOSE AND THE FRONT FASTENERS FELL OUT, CAUSING OBJECTS TO FALL ONTO ROADWAY.

AIR CONDITIONING SWITCH ASSEMBLY FAILED.

AIR COMPRESSOR PROBLEMS.

AIR CONDITIONER FLY WHEEL STOPS AS BELT CONTNUES TO TURN, REPLACED.

JACK HANDLE BREAK BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER MADE THE BEND WHERE THE MOST PRESSURE IS WITH WHITE METAL.

JACK HANDLE BROKE.

THE BUMPER HOLE IS TOO LARGE TO ACCOMMODATE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDATION ON SHANK DIAMETER. *AK

SCREWS THAT HOLD THE CROSS OVER PORTION OF THE LUGGAGE RACK TO THE TRACK BROKE, CAUSING THE LUGGAGE RACK TO DISCONNECT.

SCREWS THAT HOLD THE CROSS OVER PORTION OF THE LUGGAGE RACK TO THE RIVET MOUNTED TRACK BROKE OFF, CAUSING THE LUGGAGE RACK TO COME OFF OF VEHICLE INTO TRAFFIC.

ASHTRAY IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE AT NIGHT, CAUSING DRIVER TO DISTRACT VISION FROM ROADWAY TO FIND ASHTRAY, THUS POSING RISK OF ACCIDENT.