10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
26,869 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #15

Dec 292010

Explorer

  • 118,304 miles
The contact owns a 1997 Ford Explorer. The contact smelled gasoline in the vehicle and after looking underneath the hood he noticed that the fuel line was leaking from a bracket behind the motor. The contact spoke to the manufacturer about recall campaign 98V060000, fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings, but the manufacturer stated that the recall had closed. The current and failure mileages were 118,034.

- Anthony, FL, USA

problem #14

Mar 122006

Explorer

  • miles
1997 Ford Explorer caught fire under the hood. Fire chief stated that the vehicle was on recall and the fire was due to a fuel leak.

- Chesilhurst, NJ, USA

problem #13

Aug 052006

Explorer 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 0 miles
I see all of the recalls on the Ford Explorer date 1997 but I own a Ford Explorer 1997 and the only recall notice that I received is the one for the tires back in 2000. I never received the others and I know the Ford company is aware of me owning this vehicle for I get notices in the mail constantly about selling it back to Ford. Why are not my suspension lines or gas lines being repaired like the other Ford with the 4.0 liter engine?

- Memphis, TN, USA

problem #12

Jun 082006

Explorer 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 103,000 miles
I jumped a car and grounded the cables on the bracket at the top of the engine. Immediately after jumping the car, a strong fuel odor was noted. The lake bluff police witnessed the entire event. Later that night after driving the car, I noted a fuel leak from the lines adjacent to the bracket. I brought the car into my local shop for repairs. The coincidence of the car jump and fuel leak made me suspicious and I found that my car should have been recalled under id no. 98V060000 for a warning label and new grounding bolt. I called ed mateo at highland park Ford in il and gave him my VIN, [xxx]. he agreed that the car was subject to the recall and they would replace the fuel line(s) and install the warning and new grounding bolt. I picked up me car from my local repairman this morning and dropped it off with ed at highland park Ford. He said that they would take care of everything under the Ford recall no. 98S09. He called me a half hour later and said that his manager would not let him repair the car under the recall since it didn't come up in their system under my VIN - even though we had already cleared this earlier. I called jessie Ford customer service, 800-392-Ford, and they told me that the reason it didn't come up under my VIN was because the recall work (warning and new bolt) was already performed on my car, but she couldn't tell me who did it. This work was never performed on my car and now Ford is refusing to honor the recall. Updated 0716/2012 information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Lake Bluff, IL, USA

problem #11

Jan 242005

Explorer 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 104,735 miles
The contact state vehicle had been repair under NHTSA recall 98V060000/ manufacturer's recall 98S09 before by the previous owner. When she contacted the dealership they said the recall repairs were done on January 9, 2001. She was having the same problem as stated in the recall. The contact's husband had to jump start the vehicle on January 24, 2005. Immediately after he had done so he smelled fuel inside the vehicle. When he took vehicle to a dealership they found two holes in the fuel line. They had the fuel line replaced at their expense. The problem happened again on October 15, 2005. The contact's husband had to jump start the vehicle again. After examining the fuel line he found there were two holes in the exact same spots. She took it to a Ford dealer, and they told her that there had been a recall on the vehicle.

- Mahomet, IL, USA

problem #10

Jul 052005

Explorer 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While driving on the I15 interstate freeway and making a merge onto California state hiighway 78 in heavy traffic the accelerator peddle bracket broke away from the engine firewall where it had been spot welded. After several near collisions, I managed to pull off of the freeway. Upon close inspection I saw that the spot welds holding the bracket to the engine firewall had failed, allowing the bracket to pull away from support rendering the accelerator peddle useless. As of today, 7/25/2005, I have not yet reported the incident to Ford Motor Company as I wanted to find out if similar incidents on the 1997 Ford Explorer have been reported.

- Escondido, CA, USA

problem #9

Dec 022003

Explorer

  • 77,000 miles
Consumer received recall 98060000 concerning fuel line rupture; however, this vehicle was not included in the recall due to VIN. While attempting to charge the battery, the consumer connected the cable to the fuel line bracket. This caused the fuel braid to overheat, causing the fuel line to rupture.

- Windsor, CT, USA

problem #8

Mar 312003

Explorer

  • miles
The vehicle experienced the same problem as stated in recall#98V06000- fuel system, however the vehicle identification number was not included in the recall.

- Newport Beach, CA, USA

problem #7

Mar 252001

Explorer

  • miles
Fuel line was leaking fuel. Dealership has replaced fuel line, and charged consumer approximately $300. Please provide any additional information/attachments.

- Plain City, OH, USA

problem #6

Jan 252001

Explorer

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Same problem as in recall 98V060000, jump starting. Consumer jumped started vehicle, and fuel lines blewout.

- Elyrya, OH, USA

problem #5

Jun 262000

(reported on)

Explorer

  • miles
Vehicle can not be repaired due to lack of parts, O-rings, (99V-060).

- Neshanic S, NJ, USA

problem #4

Feb 022000

(reported on)

Explorer

  • miles
Recall repair denied due to mileage of the vehicle. (98S09)

- Mishawaka, IN, USA

problem #3

May 121998

Explorer

  • miles
While driving at 25 to 30 mph stopped at a stop sign and noticed smoke coming from under the hood due to a leak from the fuel line. A spark touched some of the wires, causing a fire. Fire department came out to put out the fire, and they disconnected the wires.

- Stanton Island, NY, USA

problem #2

Jun 031998

Explorer

  • miles
Consumer is concerned that the dealer will not repair vehicle under manufacturer's recall 98-S-09 and NHTSA recall 98V-60, fuel line, within a reasonable time frame.

- Knoxville, TN, USA

problem #1

Mar 311997

Explorer 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
After vehicle was in frontal crash, fuel cut-off system did not shut off. Vehicle/engine continued to run for 10-15 minutes after frontal crash. Engine had to be manually turned off.

- Fairfax, VA, USA