5.1
fairly significant- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 19,543 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.
: the contact stated due to the heater being inoperable, the defroster did not operate. The vehicle was driven to the dealer, who determined the blend door needed to be replaced.
- Murfreesboro, TN, USA
: the contact stated in an attempt to defrost the windshield, no heat was produced. The vehicle was driven to the dealer, who determined the blend door needed to be replaced.
- Conway, SC, USA
Bought Explorer in the summer of 2006, went to turn on the heat only blows cold air unable to defrost windows. This is a 1997 Explorer that after talking to three different dealerships told me that they all do break and that Ford has made a stronger blend door to replace the defective one and they would be happy to replace for a cost of $1200. After speaking to five or six different repair shops and finding the article by larry hammer of mighty auto parts I believe that Ford has a responsibility for its admitted factory design flaw.
- Canton, OH, USA
The blend door on my 1997 Ford Explorer failed. This failure did not allow proper de-fogging of the windshield.
- Albuquerque, NM, USA
Temperature out of control, defogging/defrosting challenged on a 1997 Ford Explorer. Was told it will it is due to defect in the air blend door. I can't defrost the windows which could be an accident waiting to happen.
- Anchorage, AK, USA
Contact stated while using the defroster system the windshield cracked from the outside to the inside. Vehicle had not been to a service dealer, but was scheduled to be taken in this week.
- Grahamsville, NY, USA
I own a 1997 Ford Explorer that since its been purchased the air conditioning and the heat were always giving me problems, I have since found out that its a problem with almost every Ford Explorer out on the roads today. This is a major concern to me due to window defrosting during the winter months, the blend door has a mind of its own and will open and close at any time. Please advise me on how I can get this looked into. I believe that Ford should be responsible for this and they believe that they dont. Thank you for your time
- Schaumburg, IL, USA
The blend door is broken on my heater...ever try to defrost a window when it is minus 5 with the air conditioner on..? this needs to be addressed in a recall campaign it is poorly designed and dangerous!
- Rochester, NY, USA
Heater/ac temperature control. Temperature control door is stuck in the position for heat. Have talked to dealer they say inexpensive part, labor for repair is about 7 hours to be charged for. This dealer has had other complaints and fixed some. Checked with other dealers in area, they gave same answer as to cost and complaints. I am told this is a plastic bracket on door assembly that breaks when servo moves door to control hot or cool air flow.
- Mattoon, IL, USA
Temperature control blend door does not work properly. Stuck on cold. Unable to defrost and defog windows.
- Lincoln, NE, USA
Invalid design of plenum door leads to part failure resulting in inability to control temperature setting. Condition causes inability to control inside air temperature and possibly failure of defrost/defogging system (safety issue). Cost to repair is prohibitive ($500 to $1000) due to the need to remove the dashboard and the replacement of the entire air channel (because plenum door itself cannot be purchased/installed alone).
- Brainard, NY, USA
My Explorer only produces warm air for heat and defogging when the temperature outside is too hot to want or need warm air. The dealership service center says it is the blend door & actuator assembly that has failed. I say it defective by design and should be repaired at their expense, they disagree. Not being able to properly defogg a windshield is a serious safety issue.
- Hickory, NC, USA
1997 Ford Explorer equipped with an electronic automatic temperature control system. The plastic air blend door in the heater plenum has broken, preventing the system from regulating the temperature.
- Dublin, OH, USA
The lend door is broken...Ford knows that they put faulty blend doors in and will not replace them! how do I defrost my winshield with A/C"??? is a frosted winshield not a hazard???" this happens every day!
- Atlanta, GA, USA
With heater failure frost builds up on the windshield causing serious driving hazard.
- Huntsville, AL, USA
From what I have read this is a common problem that Ford should have to fix via recall. This failure could be quite dangerous during winter conditions. It is apparent that Ford knows of this and has made changes in the way this door is constructed.
- Upper Darby, PA, USA
I have discovered many Ford Explorer owners have this failure--due to a manufacturing defect. When defroster does not work can result in serious accident.
- Sunnyvale, CA, USA
The failure of the heater blend door causes uncontrolled windshield fogging and icing. Visibility is often reduced to zero.
- Cresco, PA, USA
The temperature control failed to regulate temperature I researched and found the blend door to be broken leaving me without the ability to defrost the winshield or regulate heat /cool this is a safety issue since I live in a climate that has snow /ice and cold as well as hot temperatures. This is a known problem and is dangerous and requires a nearly $1000 fix to replace the blend door it was explained to me they had to remove the dash etc. This appears to be a Ford design issue and a known safety issue. Nlm
- Green Wood, NE, USA
- Hephzibah, GA, USA