TroubleCAR
75
Trouble

1997 Ford Explorer

Complaints: 1730Avg mileage: 104,369 miSince: Oct 1996
34 deathsCrashFire214 injured

Problem Areas

Tires:Tread/Belt
361
Tires
280
Vehicle Speed Control
115
Engine and Engine Cooling:Engine
77
Engine: Gasoline
71
Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal
60
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
43
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
38
Suspension
37
Unknown or Other
36

Complaints Over Time

Recent Complaints

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
45,590 miJul 29, 2006LOUISVILLE, KY
1 deathCrash1 injured

TURNED INTO PARKING SPACE AT LOW SPEED. WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND STRUCK BUILDING TRAPPING A LADY BETWEEN VEHICLE AND BUILDING, KILLING HER. GAS WAS NOT APPLIED AT ANYTIME, YOU COULD FEEL THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES TRYING TO ENGAGE AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STOPPED. *JB

TIRES
Sep 1, 2000SAN ANTONIO, TX
1 deathCrash3 injured

TIRE SEPARATION AND ROLLOVER( DOT NUMBER: W2CU 1PX TIRE SIZE: P2557016 )

TIRES:TREAD/BELT
Aug 16, 2000CARMEL VALLEY, CA
1 deathCrash1 injured

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON HIGHWAY AND LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. IT VEERED INTO MEDIUM STRIP BARRIER AND ROLLED MORE THAN ONCE. SHE WAS EJECTED FROM VEHICLE AND DIED. REAR TIRE EXPLODED AND DETACHED FROM RIMS. TIRES WERE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS #AT, SIZE P23575 R15. *AK MJS

TIRES
Jul 17, 2000LAKEWORTH, FL
2 deathsCrash3 injured

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING BETWEEN 70-80 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A POPPING NOISE. RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPLODED, AND DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND VEERED INTO THE GUARDRAIL. THEN, VEHICLE FLIPPED NUMEROUS TIME. VEHICLE CRASHED WHEN IT HIT THE CONCRETE WALL.*AK DUE TO THE TIRE FAILURE, THERE WERE 3 INJURIES AND 2 FATALITIES. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *SLC

WHEELS
Feb 4, 1998AMERICUS, GA
1 deathCrash6 injured

A WHEEL FELL OFF, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL, RESULTIN GIN A COLLISION/ FATALITY AND SIX INJURIES. *AK

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Feb 2, 2007LOGAN, OH
1 deathCrash

TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED REGARDING A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING AROUND A CURVE, AND THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE ICY AND SNOWY. THE DRIVER HIT AN EMBANKMENT HEAD ON AND THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THERE WERE TWO OTHER PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE THAT WERE NOT INJURED. IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER THE DRIVER WAS WEARING THE SEAT BELT. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS REMOVED THE SEAT BELT AND THE OTHER PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT WAS NOT ON SO THAT THEY COULD GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS UNCLEAR WHETHER THE PASSENGER REMOVED THE SEAT BELT FROM THE DRIVER AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW SHOP WHERE IT REMAINED. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. THE TOW SHOP PLANNED TO SELL PARTS OF THE VEHICLE. ITWAS UNKNOWN WHETHER THERE WERE PICTURES TAKEN OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD A POLICE REPORT THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER SAID THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A RECALL FOR THE AIRBAGS IN THE PAST. *AK

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
90,000 miJul 30, 2004COLONIAL BEACH, VA
CrashFire1 injured

WHILE DRIVING THE ABS ENGAGED, WHICH CAUSED THE TRUCK TO FLIP OVER. AS A RESULT THE DRIVER WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE, THEN TWO SECONDS LATER, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. *JB THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE FAILURE BUT THE RESPONDED WITH A LETTER WHICH SAID " SORRY THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO FOR YOU AT THIS TIME." *NM

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
Oct 9, 2003SOUTH GATE, CA
1 deathCrash

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

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Mar 8, 2010EUGENE, OR
1 deathFire

A 1997 FORD EXPLORER CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH CAUSED A FIRE RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF THE DRIVER. *TR

TIRES:TREAD/BELT
Sep 25, 2001MIAMI, FL
3 deaths2 injured

THE TREAD OF THE LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER OFF THE ROADWAY, THE DRIVER OVERCORRECTED TO RETURN TO THE ROAD WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROTATE CLOCKWISE, UPON THE VEHICLE SLIDING THE LEFT REAR TIRE BECAME DEFLATED AND THE WHEEL BEGAN TO GOUGE INTO THE ROADWAY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERTURN SEVERAL TIMES, THE DRIVER SUSTAINED CONTUSIONS AND ABRASIONS TO HIS ARMS AND UPPER TORSO AREA, THE LEFT REAR OCCUPANT WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE ANS SUSTAINED CONTUSIONS AND ABRASIONS TO HIS HEAD, NECK, ARMS AND LEGS, THE OTHER THREE OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENTS, FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL INVESTIGATION, FIRESTONE, NO OTHER TIRE INFO GIVEN)

TIRES
Sep 30, 2000MIAMI, FL
1 death1 injured

THE RIGHT REAR TIRE CAME APART CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER TO THE LEFT SPINNING AROUND ONTO THE MEDIAN AND STRUCK THE CONCRETE BARRIER WITH THE RIGHT FRONT, THEN CONTINUED TO SPIN AND STRUCK THE BARRIER WITH THE RIGHT REAR, THE VEHICLE THEN OVERTURNED SEVERAL TIMES AND CAME TO REST, ONE PERSON WAS KILLED AND THE OTHER SUFFERED NON-INCAPACITATING INJURIES (FLORIDA TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE P235/75R15 WILDERNESS M/S W2HL1PY416 RIGHT REAR). NLM

TIRES:TREAD/BELT
Sep 30, 2000SAN ANTONIO, TX
1 death3 injured

THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL AND TRAVEL TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER, THE RIM ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE DUG INTO THE GRASS AND SOIL CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL PASSENGER SIDE DOWN FIRST, THE DRIVER WAS KILLED, THE THREE OTHER OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED NON-INCAPACITATING INJURIES(TEXAS PEACE OFFICERS ACCIDENT REPORT, P255/70R16, WILDERNESS AT M/S, W2CU1PX106, LEFT REAR). NLM

TIRES
Sep 30, 2000AUSTIN, TX
1 death3 injured

THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED RIGHT REAR TIRE FAILURE AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE ENTERED THE MEDIAN AND ROLLED OVER MULTIPLE TIMES EJECTING THE LEFT REAR OCCUPANT,THE EJECTED OCCUPANT WAS KILLED ALL OTHER OCCUPANTS WERE INJURED(ARIZONA TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, RADIAL ATX M/S, W2HL1PM316, RIGHT REAR). NLM

TIRES
Sep 25, 2000AUSTIN, TX
1 death4 injured

THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED RIGHT REAR TIRE FAILURE AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE ENTERED THE MEDIAN AND ROLLED OVER MULTIPLE TIMES, EJECTING THE VICTIM WHO DIED ON THE SCENE (FIRESTONE ATX TIRE SIZE P235/75R15). NLM

TIRES:TREAD/BELT
Sep 25, 2000TULARE, CA
2 deaths3 injured

DRIVER EXPERIENCED BRIEF VIBRATION, TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AND WRAPPED AROUND AXLE CAUSING IT TO BREAK, VEHICLE ROLLED OVER 5 TIME, FRONT AND RIGHT REAR PASSENGER KILLED ON IMPACT, DRIVER SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES (1 MOS. HOSPITAL STAY), ONE PERSOND HAD MINOR INJURIES (BRUISING-SCRAPING), ONE PERSON HAD LACERATIONS AND NECK INJURY (FIRESTONE FIREHAWK SIZE 10.5X33.15). NLM

TIRES:TREAD/BELT
Sep 12, 2000MOBILE, AL
1 death1 injured

TIRE BLEW OUT...FIRESTONE WILDRNESS 235/75R15, VEHICLE THEN FLIPPED KILLING THE DRIVER PARTIAL EJECTION FROM THE VEHICLE. (CLAIM# 01-6191-016) *MW

TIRES
Sep 12, 2000PHOENIX, AZ
1 death3 injured

POSSIBLE (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT DOT #VDHL1PX057) FAILURE RESULTED IN VEHICLE ROLLOVER CAUSING 1 DEATH AND 3 INJURIES. (ATTORNEY WRITING IN REPRESENTING SEVERAL CASES) (CLIENT-FARINAS) *MJS

TIRES
Sep 11, 2000AUSTIN, TX
1 death4 injured

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE FIRESTONE ATX TIRE CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND VEHICLE ROLLOVER, EJECTING THE CONSUMER AND RESULTED IN DEATH. *MJS

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Sep 3, 1997SANTA MONICA, CA
CrashFire

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, AND THE NEXT DAY THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE BY THE HEAD LIGHTS OF THE PASSENGER SIDE. DEALER LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD, AND SAID THAT THE FUEL PUMP CAUSED THE FIRE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS REASON DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE. *AK

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
175,000 miApr 12, 2019BEND, OR
Crash1 injured

MY LIGHTS DON'T WORK STABILIZING BAR IS BAD,SPEED CONTROL DOSE NOT WORK SECURITY KEY CODE NOT WORKING,DOOR CONTROLS DO NOT WORK.WIPER WORK SOMETIMES.BALL JOINT ARE BAD, TIRES WEARING BAD,,BUSHINGS ARE VERY BAD.TRANSMISSION IS STARTING TO SLIP,ALL WHEEL DRIVE DOES NOT WORK, IT GRINDING SOUND.HEAF LIGHT ONLY BRIGHTS WORK.

Other Explorer Years

Other Ford Models