Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | ||||||||||||||||
| 00V402000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | from 08/11/1994 to 10/31/1996 | V (Vehicle) | 810000 | 12/15/2000 | ODI | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 11/28/2000 | 11/29/2000 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. under certain conditions, a front sway bar link can fracture. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | Vehicle handling could be affected, increasing the risk of a crash. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dealers will replace both the left and right front sway bar links. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Owner notification began december 15, 2000. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236). | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||||
| 15692 | 03/01/2002 | 636326 | Some vehicles may exhibit a squeak, snap, rattle, or clunk in the front end when turning or going over bumps. *tt | 11/07/2002 | |
| 14371 | 09/01/2000 | 618639 | Subject regarding pop / creak noise from the rear underbody while driving. *jb | 04/18/2001 | |
| 5249 | 12/01/1998 | 615366 | Information on vehicles exhibiting steering wheel shimmy, vibration or grunt on slow speed turns. *tt | 01/13/2001 | |
| 4634 | 08/01/1998 | 615172 | Steering wheel shimmy, vibration or grunt on slow speed turns. *tt | 01/03/2001 | |
| 13426 | 10/01/1999 | 609691 | Exhibiting very light steering vibration / shimmy / nibble at engine idle or low speeds. *tt | 04/06/2000 | |
| 97050110613 | 05/01/1997 | 52892 | When performing tsb 97-4-9, do not use a baffle to correct hte issue, use the revised axle cover plate. *tw | 10/30/1997 | |
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||||
| 98-4732 | 09/01/1998 | 607144 | Steering wheel shimmies, vibration or grunt on slow speed turns.. | 11/02/2000 | |
| 985045 | 11/01/1998 | 613097 | Revised message regarding steering wheel shimmy, vibration or grunt on slow speed turns action on sohc equipped vehicles, perform tsb 98-21-01. *tt | 06/16/2000 | |
| 98021698311 | 05/27/1998 | 600596 | Some vehicles may exhibit a drift/pull, show signs of tire wear, or exhibit poor ride quality. *yc | 05/27/1998 | |
| BC1019197230 | 01/23/1997 | 51550 | Exhibiting a pulsating, cyclical type of noise coming from the front axle tube area from 0 to 45 mph. *jd | 06/27/1997 | |
| BC3493972301 | 01/23/1997 | 51486 | Vehicles exhibiting a pulsating, cyclical type of noise coming from the front axle tube area from 0 to 45 mph. *jd | 06/27/1997 | |
| BC5231961101 | 11/01/1996 | 50842 | Vehicle lean. *tw | 06/17/1997 | |
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM | |||||
| 16385 | 11/01/2002 | 10008322 | Air ride control lamp on after shock absorber replacement / contact request. *tt | 07/27/2004 | |
| BC1019497230 | 01/23/1997 | 51553 | Vehicles may exhibit reverse operating characteristics when switching the air suspension switch from normal to off road. *jd | 06/27/1997 | |
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - TORSION BAR | |||||
| 00M11 | 09/01/2000 | 625866 | Information regarding front sway bar link . *yh | 12/10/2001 | |
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - STABILIZER BAR | |||||
| 7360 | 11/01/1999 | 610786 | Some vehicles may exhibit a squeak noise from the rear while driving, especially when going bumps. *tt | 05/15/2000 | |
| SUSPENSION - REAR | |||||
| 16735 | 04/01/2003 | 10002643 | Various noise issues from the rear leaf springs while driving. *tt | 09/09/2003 | |
| 00M11 | 10/01/2000 | 618536 | Subject regarding additional coverage program for sway bar links. *jb | 04/16/2001 | |
| 0083 | 04/17/2000 | 613577 | Some vehicles equipped with a 5.0l engine may exhibit a rubbing noise during right hand turns from the rear of the vehicle. **mr | 07/21/2000 | |
| BC1025297230 | 01/23/1997 | 51625 | Front axle vent leaks on 1997 exsplorers built before 11/1/06. *jd | 06/27/1997 | |
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SPRINGS - COIL SPRINGS | |||||
| 13415 | 10/01/1999 | 609679 | Exhibiting a squeak type noise from the rear stabilizer bar while driving, especially when going over bumps. *tt | 04/06/2000 | |
| BC0881961004 | 10/04/1996 | 50438 | Thump/clunk noise in turns or over bumps may be caused by the kevlar patch wearing through on the torsion bar adjusters. *tt | 04/24/1997 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||
| 02/03/2010 | 42000 | ||
| Since the explorer was 5 years old the driver side of the truck was starting to settle/ be lower than the passenger side. until it was so bad the shop stated we needed to replace the rear springs, shocks and stabilizer and *** the rear was also lower than the front. so we had to replace the front shocks and several suspension parts to try to level the vehicle back to normal. now with the engine blown the truck again was settling to the passenger side and toward the rear!!!!! | |||
| 06/01/2010 | 196000 | ||
| Multiple issues with vehicle when turning either right or left vehicle comes to a complete stops then a very loud bang is heard, told it was hub but replaced hub and still happens, was also told it was u-joint on drive shaft have yet to replace it have not notified dealer as of yet | |||
| 11/10/2009 | 126000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1997 ford explorer. when she started the vehicle there was a clicking sound and the vehicle begin swaying from back and forth. the contact stated that the right front sway bar link was broken and sheared. a mechanic looked under the vehicle and observed that the bar was broken. the dealer was contacted and confirmed that recall# 00v402000 component: suspension is related; however, the vin does not apply to the recall. the failure mileage was 126,000. | |||
| 06/01/2009 | 1 | ||
| Letter on behalf of constituent seeking information identifying recalled of defective sway bars in certain 1997 ford explorer vehicles. *nj the consumer was informed his vehicle was not included in recall 00v40200, however the right and left sway bar links failed exactly as described in the recall. *jb | |||
| 05/20/2007 | 730000 | 1 | |
| The right rear leaf spring is bad and this causes the tires to ware which has caused us several dollars to replace tires. i've been told that leaf springs don't go bad but mine has. *tr | |||
| 01/21/2008 | 98000 | 2 | 10/14/1997 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 1997 ford explorer. while driving various speeds, the steering vibrated and the contact lost control of the steering wheel on two separate occasions. the vehicle was taken to a dealer and they discovered that the sway bar link failed. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 00v402000 (suspension). the current mileage was 100,000 and failure mileage was 98,000. updated 03-04-08 *bf | |||
| 12/22/2006 | 12000 | 1 | |
| Tl*- the contact stated was driving 25 mph when the vehicle started making a loud popping sound each time she made a right turn, the sound seemed as if it was coming from under the driver's seat area. the road and weather conditions were great. the contact stated that while driving if she hit a bump in the road the vehicle would make the same loud popping sound. the contact took the vehicle to a repair shop on 12/28/06, and told the mechanic of the problem she was having, and the mechanic told the contact about the recall campaign # 00v402000 for suspension. the mechanic told the contact that she needed sway bar link replaced because it broke. the contact did pay $92.67 for this repair. the contact feltthat since there was nothing else wrong with vehicle, the manufacturer should reimburse her for the repair amount. *ak updated 01/30/07. *jb | |||
| 10/31/2006 | 167000 | 1 | 03/10/2000 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds with the cruise control activated a burning smell came from the steering wheel. also, while driving 55 mph the vehicle jerked to the left. furthermore, the vehicle surged forward without warning. the vehicle was driven to an independent repair shop to diagnosed the problems. there were no repairs made except on the throttle body. there were recalls on all three components. there was a nhtsa recall, #99v062000 regarding the vehicle speed control. a nhtsa recall, #00v402000 concerning the suspension. also, a nhtsa recall #00v422000 concerning the vehicle speed control. the vin was not included in any of the recalls. | |||
| 03/01/2006 | 176000 | 120 | 08/26/2003 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 50 mph on any road condition, the vehicle swayed violently from side to side. the sway bar was replaced in 2003. a few months later, the contact noticed there was a nhtsa recall, #00v402000, regarding the suspension. the service dealer was contacted and determined that a diagnostics test needed to be performed before any work was to be done. the test showed the upper and lower ball joints along with the camber castor kit were damaged. also the passenger and both rear doors did not open. the front driver's door had difficulties closing on two occasions. the contact received a letter from the manufacturer which offered $6000 for a trade in. the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin. the locks were inoperative, the headlamp switch was broken. the vehicle needed upper and lower ball joints, however the consumer declined all repairs. updated 10/11/06. *jb | |||
| 08/05/2006 | 0 | 1 | 05/19/1999 |
| 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 fords with the 4.0 liter engine? *jb | |||
| 02/14/2006 | 1 | ||
| Regarding recall 00v402000 on sway bar problems i also was told my vehicle was beyond the recall date however the same parts have broken just as the recall states. *jb | |||
| 07/14/2004 | 80000 | 1 | |
| The vehicle stabilizer bolt snapped without warning. as a result, when turning in either direction the vehicle rolls. a recall(00v-402000) was issued, however the vehicle's vin number is outside of the remedy scope. *la *sc | |||
| 12/30/2002 | 68000 | 1 | |
| Nhtsa#00-v-402-000 sway bar link can fracture. the vehicle handling could be affected increasing the risks of a crash. consumer states while wife was driving the vehicle at 65mph, the sway bar link bolts were broken, forcing the driver to pull off the road. the dealer has been notified. mr ford stated that the vehicle wasn't covered, in reference to the recall, due to the vehicle year. the link bolts on the left and the right sides were replaced. the passenger side bolts were in bad shape. scc | |||
| 07/01/2002 | |||
| While driving 20mph heard grinding noise, sounded as if it was coming from bottom of vehicle. *ak | |||
| 07/01/2002 | |||
| While driving 10mph heard grinding noise, said it soundes is if it wascoming from under vehicle. *ak | |||
| 02/28/2002 | 3 | ||
| Grinding noise coming from the steering while driving. vehicle been to the dealer on three occasions, and problem reoccurring. feel free to provide any further information.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| The vehicle pulled to the right and the consumer noticed a major shimmy which caused the steering wheel to shake resulting in front tires making noise. the cause was discovered to be a missing part called a camber kit. the consumer wants a refund from the manufacturer of the vehicle for fixing this problem. *yh | |||
| 06/15/2001 | 0 | ||
| Vehicle was traveling at 40 to 50mph, when it was rearended by another vehicle. vehicle completely rolled over, and landed upside down. consumer has yet to contact dealer. none of airbags deployed. there were four injuries.*ak | |||
| 05/05/2001 | 1 | 05/01/1997 | |
| Consumer went to dealer because when making turns vehicle felt shaky, like it would roll over. consumer had to make turns at crawling speed. dealer found sway bar missing from vehicle. there is a recall on sway bar, but this vehicle not affected. *ak recall number is 00v402, consumer states sway bar blew out from vehicle causing a huge bang and vehicle to sway to the right almost causing an accident. *slc | |||
| 05/11/2001 | |||
| While driving at highway speeds driver changed lanes, and streering wheel went to the right, resulting in a collision/ minor injuries. vehicle was totalled. dealer has been notified. *ak | |||
| 03/04/2001 | 0 | ||
| While driving straight vehicle is making a humming. when making a turn feels like vehicle is going to turn over. when taking off consumer can feel a hard bang on drivers side. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Vehicle leans to the left, vehicle taken to dealership, adjustment to torsion bar made, did not appear to correct problem, vehicle taken back to dealership, owner was told bar or underlying springs need to be replaced. cj | |||
| 01/18/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving could hear popping noise coming from bottom of vehicle. had taken vehicle to repair shop, and they said it was a problem with suspension.*ak | |||
| 2 | 06/01/1997 | ||
| Firestone wilderness at tires (p235 75 r15) experienced abnormal wear, consumer replaced two of the tires, even with the replacements the firestone tires were wearing prematurely, the consumer replaced all tires with a different brand and has had no further problems, consumer is requesting reimbursement for the replacement tires, the front and rear bearings also had to be replaced at 35000 miles. *slc | |||
| 02/01/2000 | 1 | 03/01/1999 | |
| Suspension problem. *slc | |||
| 04/30/1999 | |||
| While driving about 50 mph explorer began to sway back and forth, became air borne and flipped over 4 times. driver did not go into any other lane, and did not hit other vehicle. driver and one other passenger were in the explorer. both were injured. tires were firestone, wilderness at. please provide tire size and dot # and any other information.*ak | |||
| 06/10/2000 | 1 | 08/01/1999 | |
| My wife and i were traveling west on the interstate in the right lane at app. 75 mph when we heard a strange sound coming from the rear right tire. at that moment, i could feel the back end of the vehicle sliding out from under us to the right, turning the vehicle to the left toward the center median. we went into the median and the vehicle began to roll. after rolling app. 3 complete times, we ended up facing east in the right lane of eastbound traffic - right side up. miraculously, no other vehicles were involved in the accident. my wife escaped with several bumps and bruises and i had cuts and scrapes which required stitches. both of us were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident, which is the primary reason we were not more severely injured or killed. we were both taken to the hospital via ambulance for x-rays, bandages, and stitches and released on the same day. *ak( dot number: ) | |||
| 05/13/2000 | 1 | 09/01/1999 | |
| I was driving about 60 mph, when the i heard a pop, i lost control of the vehicle and rolled over once and i landed upsided down. there was 2 other people besides me in the vehicle. we were all wearing are seatbelts and nothing happen to us. everyday i thank god i did not have my two girls with me at the time of the accident. we were not hurt, but we were sure terrified. *ak( dot number: ) | |||
| 06/16/2000 | 0 | 08/01/1999 | |
| While consumer was coming back from the airport she heard vibrating noises coming from inside of vehicle . she got out of vehicle to check the tires. got back into vehicle, decreased speed, and noticed more trembling and vibrating noises. she proceeded to pull over to the shoulder, and noticed that tread came off passenger's tire. also, the tire tread damaged metal part of the bumper. *ak | |||
| 01/01/2000 | |||
| Car makes a rattling noise when driven. also, vehicle has scratches/cuts on its body. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Vehicle vibrates while driving. | |||
| 06/09/1997 | |||
| Vehicle experiences ongoing vibration at high speeds. | |||
| 1 | 03/31/1997 | ||
| Hissing/whistling noise under vehicle. | |||
| 06/27/1997 | |||
| Driving 35 mph on gravel road, turning corner when vehicle flipped over twice. air bags did not deploy. driver wearing seat belt. vehicle then flipped back onto 4 wheels. vehicle towed to rental agency due to being totaled. driver has broken ribs. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - AUTOMATIC STABILITY CONTROL (ASC) | |||
| 01/15/2004 | 88000 | 1 | |
| It is hard to keep the vehicle in the lane when on the freeway. the front end has been done and the tires replaced. manufacturer stated this vehicle was not included in the recall.*ak | |||
| 06/04/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving 65 mph vehicle started swaying uncontrollably. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and drove it to a dealership for inspection. mechanic determined that the sway bar sheared off while driving, and needed replacement. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||
| 08/01/2011 | 189000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1997 ford explorer. the contact stated that when driving approximately 35 to 40 mph over a road bump, the vehicle would seem to shift to the left. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and they advised her that the front stabilizer bar needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. the failure mileage was approximately 189,000. kmj | |||
| 08/01/2011 | 189000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1997 ford explorer. the contact stated that when driving approximately 35 to 40 mph and then hitting a speed bump the vehicle would seem to shift to the left. the vehicle was taken to a independent mechanic and they advised her that the front stabilizer bar needed to be replaced. the vehicle has not been repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. the failure mileage was approximately 189,000. tb | |||
| 04/15/1997 | 130000 | 1 | |
| The front suspension bar links are broken, the fog lights of the exterior does not work. *tr | |||
| 12/01/2004 | 46000 | 1 | 03/15/2003 |
| Vehicle lost steering control while driving 35-40 mph. this almost caused vehicle to run down an embankment. vehicle taken to the dealer, who informed the consumer that the problem was caused by the sway bar links which needed to be replaced.*ak | |||
| 12/08/2004 | 144000 | 1 | 11/01/1999 |
| The front passenger side sway bar fractured. recall 00v402000 was issued, however, this vehicle was not covered under the recall due to vin. *ak.....sway bar broke in july 2004. car felt like boat when driving. vehicle was repaired in january 2005. *ak | |||
| 08/02/2004 | 115000 | 1 | 02/27/1997 |
| Sway bar link failure.*ak | |||
| 04/30/2000 | 3 | 08/04/1999 | |
| Front tire wear and alignment. *jb | |||
| 09/15/2002 | 2 | 09/01/2097 | |
| Tires were cupping at 29,000 miles in sept. 01. dealer replaced both lower ball joints. new tires were installed and vehicle aligned. cupping has returned 12 mo and 8,000 miles later. ford refuses to address problem without me having to pay a non-refundable diagnostic charge. ts | |||
| 11/01/2001 | |||
| While driving steering was stiff, and consumer could hear a grinding noise in front end of vehicle. when making a turn felt like wheels were going to lock up. vehicle was towed to a ford dealer, and they stated that front and rear sensor in transfer case had gone bad. consumer stated that on may 4th problem reoccurred. please provide any further information.*ak | |||
| 02/28/2001 | 3 | ||
| Squeaking noise would come from front suspension system while driving. vehicle been to the dealer on three occasions, and the problem still reoccurring. feel free to provide any further information.*ak | |||
| 01/01/2000 | |||
| Vehicle never taken off road/dealer has no idea why all front end parts failed/dealer states it never should have happened with 1997 vehicle/ other expoloer owners i have talked with have similar front end problems / i feel there is something wrong with design or parts used in front end and abs system | |||
| 05/19/2001 | 1 | 10/01/1997 | |
| While traveling at 25 mph or less i hit a slight bump and heard a very load bang. the front left drivers side of the vehicle abruptly dropped, the vehicle swerved into the opposing lane and tend to roll. luckily there was no oncoming traffic and i quickly stopped. the ford dealer replaced the torsion bar and acknowledged that this was a very dangerous failure. however they refused to cover the repair cost. the repair cost me $171.67. due to their refusal to cover a significant safety issue and other media coverage of explorer problems, i sold the vehicle this week. *ak | |||
| 12/07/1999 | 1 | 08/01/1997 | |
| The problem persist and de dealers never fixes the problem in my vehicle what i've to do to resolve that delicate prblem. no safety defect listed. *ak | |||
| 254 | 11/01/1998 | ||
| Call red hickey for important cause finding of tire wear in suspension 828 253 4311 he has investigated it on many explorers. as soon as you rotate your tires the trouble starts. the wear on our vehicle at both front is not the air preasure. hickey says it is a ford design flaw known and ignored for years and overlooked by most shops. he is in the allignment business the last 40 years and known as an expert in the area for problems others can't fix.*ak (dot number: w2hlipy tiresize: p235/75r15) | |||
| 07/25/2000 | 12/01/1999 | ||
| Vehicle leans to the left front. left front of vehickle is lower than the right side. makes turning to the right tricky.*ak | |||
| 07/22/1999 | 2 | 07/19/1999 | |
| Vehicle experienced several engine problems, consumer stated that the engine sounded like no oil was in it when started, dealer has replaced gaskets, upper intake cam tensioner three times, and there was a coolant leak. left front door hinge replaced, it was making noise. power steering pump was replaced, it was noisy when turning the wheel. vanity mirror on driver's side would not close all the way and popped when opened, dealer replaced it. the right front of the vehicle was lower than the left front. brakes were squeaky, dealer replaced front brake pads and turned rotors. a tap noise was heard while playing cd's. vehicle experienced several transmission problems, while going over bumps and railroad tracks, transmission jumped out of gear, dealer intalled overhaul kit because the clutch had burned. 4 wheel drive was inoperable and made a rubbing/groan noise, when reversing and putting intor drive, consumer heard popping noise, dealer replaced rear transfer case flange and removed driveshaft. vehicle would not start, it would turn over, dealer found the pcm was not wiring, dealer replaced pcm. *slc | |||
| 09/01/2000 | 06/01/1997 | ||
| Serious noise problem at right front end during any movement of the vehicle. unsure if this is a safety issue and currently concerned to travel any lengthy distance.*ak | |||
| 12/01/1996 | |||
| No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak | |||
| 11/27/2000 | 06/01/2000 | ||
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 2 | 03/20/1997 | ||
| Consumer is complaining of the vibration that is occurring when steering, problems could be due to the firestone wilderness ht tires (p225 70 r15) or the suspension. *slc | |||
| 05/18/1998 | 4 | 12/01/1997 | |
| I brought this vehicle to the dealer four separate times because i thought the front end was out of alignment. they charged me all four times and it turns out the tires were defective. they are not the recall tires but i have since replaced them (at my own cost) and the vehicle seems to be running fine now (last two weeks). i would like to know why all the wilderness brand tires were not recalled? they clearly are defective! if it was a design problem then would'nt every plant have the same design problem? if it is a quality control issue than would'nt that also be the same problem at other plants, companies like firestone write one set of procedures for safety and inspections of tires. they don't have different inspection procedures for each plant! they certainly don't have separate procedures for the same brand of tires. you guys drop the ball, and now we are paying for it!!!!*ak( dot number: w2hlipy426 tire size: p235/75r15 ) | |||
| 3 | |||
| Pe00020; tire tread separation: while driving at any speed, truck pulled severely to the right. tire on the driver's right front side continued to shear on the inside. tires were firestone wilderness, size p23575r15, original equipment sold with explorer. tires were aligned and switched around, but continued to pull to right, and sheared the tires. *ak *ml | |||
| 07/05/2000 | 1 | 02/01/1997 | |
| Consumer was traveling about 75mph on highway and vehicle was vibrating.also, rear right passenger side tire separated from wheel, and driver lost control, and vehicle rolled over and landed in the middle of highway. *ak | |||
| 04/09/2000 | 02/01/2000 | ||
| I have a situation with my 1997 ford explorer 4x4. i recently took it in to have an alignment done. i have just purchased this vehicle from the dealer above. when i took it to get aligned the mechanic told me i needed to buy a caster adjuster kit. this amazes me that ford wouldn't have good enough engineers to put the correct size caster adjusters on my vehicle. there has been no aftermarket work done to it .. it is all ford factory suspension, so it is not my fault, it is theirs. this seems like an injustice that i have to buy a $100 kit because ford didn't get it right the first time. i have talked to 3 other dealers, and they don't act surprised, actually i was told by 2 of the other dealer service departments that this is a common problem. i want my complaint on the books, in case ther eare more. *ak | |||
| 01/01/1998 | 06/01/1997 | ||
| When traveling and upon idling, consumer noticed a high pitch sound coming from the front end of vehicle. consumer has contacted dealer, dealer unable to determine the cause, but has noticed a similar problem on several other explorers. *ak *ml | |||
| 03/27/1999 | 09/23/1999 | ||
| Vehicle experienced front end vibration . problem occurred at take off or slow down speed. been inspected by three different dealers, and informed that nothing could be found. also resurfaced front brake rotors and pads. *ak | |||
| 07/20/1999 | |||
| Excessive wear of michelin tires. vehicle would make a loud of noise. took to dealer & was informed the wheel, left front, was out of alignment real bad & needed replacing. the inside of tire was worn through to the steel belting, while the outside showed no wear. the front end was not aligned properly at the factory. *ak | |||
| 6 | |||
| On-going problem with vehicle vibrating in front, vibration would commence whenever taking off from a stop position or whenever transmission would shift gear. vehicle has been in and out of the shop on five occasions,condition still unresolved. the check engine light also illuminated, had dealer check vehicle and found the cv solenoid, ftp sensor and the o2 monitor were bad. *jg | |||
| 03/27/1999 | 1 | 03/01/1998 | |
| No summary listed for this vehicle. *ak | |||
| 09/01/1998 | |||
| Vehicle drifts or floats at highway speeds.most noticeable in inclement weather -it feels as if the front end was going in two directions at once. then it pulls to right and if you overcorrect it, then it will pull to left dramatically. situation is like a balancing act between opposing poles.this vehicle has history of front end problems from original owners and myself dating back to 10-23-1996. tsb # 98-3-11 issued feb 98, speaks of drift/pull with tire wear as i have now. problem can possibly result in high speed rollover on inetrstate due to operator attempting to compensate for drift/pull. the correction may be such as to create a catastrophic shift in center of gravity, causing rollover. *ak | |||
| 10/10/1998 | 1 | ||
| Heard a bang & wheel was on its side. left front suspension caused wheel to tilt while driving about 5mph. vehicle towed to dealer. mechanic said bolt was left off or was missing from the suspension. *ak | |||
| 7 | 01/08/1997 | ||
| Vehicle experienced misalignment. in addition, replaced fuel gauge sendin gunit/air bypass valve/ water pump/seat release/passenger's door and computer. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Front end noise. | |||
| 12/20/1996 | 0 | ||
| When vehicle is idling or at a stop light it vibrates. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM | |||
| 08/01/2000 | 2 | 06/01/1999 | |
| Ball joints again on 3/15/02. *ak | |||
| 01/12/2001 | |||
| Front ball joints are wearing excessively due to a lack of lubricant. new ball joints do not require lubrication. mechanic refuses to replace old ball joints with newer ball joints.*ak | |||
| 08/31/2000 | 1 | 04/01/1997 | |
| Ball joints should last for 100,000 miles this along with the tires in question should make you look at ford for the current tire failures . if i had not went to firestone to get the tires checked i would have had a blowout on the front and blamed it on the tires. i took the car to a ford dealer and they told me that it was not there problem that the ball joints are bad but at this time i am dealing with ford motor co. to get the situation resolved. *ak( dot number: tire size: p235/75/15 ) | |||
| 01/13/2000 | |||
| While driving at 35 mph front right passenger's wheel collasped, causing loss of vehicle control. dealer replaced ball joints and tie rods. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER BALL JOINT | |||
| 04/02/1997 | 03/25/1997 | ||
| 1997 ford explorer lower ball joints on explorer, both sides, left and right, had a clunk when going over dips in road. ford did not find the problem. the problem was there from new, i have 57,000 miles on the explorer. the problem was found at firestone when rotating the tires and getting ready for a front end alinement. i was told that the ball joints were bad on both sides . nothing has been done. i talked to ford, they say the warranty is gone and will do nothing, but will turn it over to the engineers | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 78132 | 1 | |
| Consumer is a victim of odometer fraud, encountering problems with the vehicle that's uncharacteristic for the mileage on the vehicle. (nar) *ph exhaust system, ball joint, and instrument panel had to be replaced. *cb | |||
| 04/14/2004 | 50077 | 1 | 10/22/2003 |
| While having the tires rotated dealership noticed that the upper and lower ball joints wore out prematurely, and needed to be replaced. *ak *la | |||
| 06/19/2000 | 4 | ||
| When turning steering wheel,would hear a rubbing noise, like metal against metal. every time a bump is hit, would have same noise problem. took to dealer & mechanic indicated it was the lower ball joints that were causing the problem & they were bad. will be ordering replacement parts.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER ARM | |||
| 10/16/1998 | 1 | 08/01/1997 | |
| Bolt holding upper control arm failed causing extensive damage when the control arm separated from ball joint. | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER BALL JOINT | |||
| 04/14/2004 | 50077 | 1 | 10/22/2003 |
| While having the tires rotated dealership noticed that the upper and lower ball joints wore out prematurely, and needed to be replaced. *ak *la | |||
| Upper ball joint fell apart at 5mph, and driver lost control. dealer has repaired vehicle. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SHOCK ABSORBER | |||
| Front shock absorber was defective from the dealership. when consumer drives she can feel every bump in the road. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - TORSION BAR | |||
| 04/03/2003 | 1 | ||
| When the vehicle was parked, the torsion bar snapped. *jb | |||
| 1 | |||
| The sway bar broke, which caused a noise.*jb | |||
| 07/03/2000 | 1 | ||
| The sway bar links broke prior to the recall notice, consumer was sent a check for the repairs of the front sway bar links, however the left front drive shaft was also replaced due to the links breaking which caused damage to the drive shaft, consumer is requesting reimbursement for the drive shaft as well.*yh | |||
| Front sway bar broke, could puncture tire. manufacturer will be notified. please provide further information*ak | |||
| 10/01/1999 | |||
| Alldata.com and other sites show a safety recall for this vehicle year/model for the front sway bar. however, upon numerous requests to the service dept. at said dealer, they say it doesn't affect our particular vehicle. but, our vehicle's sway bar has been making a popping/squeeking noise almost since it was purchased. we want ford to cover the replacement, before a serious accident occurs. *ak | |||
| 07/03/2000 | 1 | ||
| The sway bar links broke prior to the recall notice, consumer was sent a check for the repairs of the front sway bar links, however the left front drive shaft was also replaced due to the links breaking which caused damage to the drive shaft, consumer is requesting reimbursement for the drive shaft as well.*yh | |||
| 01/30/1999 | |||
| Front torsion bar broke while consumer was driving at 20 mph, and almost lost control of the vehicle. failure not related to road conditions. *ak *ml | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - STABILIZER BAR | |||
| 08/05/2005 | 133000 | 1 | 05/15/1997 |
| Over rough pavement or entering ramped driveways at an angle, vehicle rocked side-to-side more than normal, with an occasional clunk. inspection revealed a bolt holding the anti-roll bar to the upper control arm had rusted and failed, rendering the anti-roll bar non-functional. given the propensity of this type of vehicle to roll over if driven improperly, this failure increases the risk / decreases the rollover threshold. *nm | |||
| 04/02/2005 | 85500 | 1 | 12/05/1996 |
| Consumer heard noise on driver's side wheel and front stabilizer bar broke. consumer called the dealer, and ford was told consumer's vehicle was not included in recall due to vin number. other vehicles of same year were recalled. contact felt this vehicle should have been recalled.*ak at low speed vehicle was responding normally but at increased speed vehicle becomes unstable for a short instance. consumer could not continue to drive unsafely, so consumer purchased two new stabilizer links from ford dealership for $22. mechanic replaced both of them for an additional $40. consumer feels that this incident is unfortunate for the ford company not to stand behind their vehicles because the links are not moving parts of the vehicle and should last a lifetime. *sb *nm | |||
| 03/31/2005 | 120000 | 02/13/2000 | |
| After pulling off the interstate i noticed my 1997 ford explorer was making awful noises and didn't handle well. when i got home i realized the sway bar link had snapped. after looking at your website i saw that the 1997 ford explorer was recalled for sway bar links breaking. after bringing my explorer to the dealership to get the item fixed i was told my vehicle wasn't part of the recall and that they go by vin #'s. so my question is why are only certain 1997 explorers recalled. just because my vehicle's vin # doesn't qualify does that mean that i should loose control on the interstate going 75 mph. only certain color explorers get recalled? maybe only explorers built on wednesdays in 1997 qualify. do i have to crash and die until my vin # qualifies? it will be too late then but maybe my parents can sue ford and get rich. ford already tried to kill me with their firestone tires and now this. i'm glad the nhtsa has the knowledge to know exactly which 1997 explorers had faulty parts, seems like a coincidence that i had the same problem that resulted in a recall for the 1997 explorer but yet i am refused service by ford. could you please tell me how this can happen. i am furious with ford but i guess i should be more angry with the nhtsa since they issue the recalls. please let me know how you determine which lives to save and which ones aren't as important. thanks for your time, joe | |||
| 09/13/2004 | 65000 | 1 | |
| Consumer stated front stabilizer bar broke. as a result, while driving 40 mph vehicle swerved to avoid another vehicle, and almost rolled over with the front passenger side wheel off the ground.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - WHEEL BEARING | |||
| 11/12/2003 | 1 | ||
| While driving driver heard a loud noise coming from the front of the vehicle. consumer had the vehicle towed to a dealership. mechanic informed consumer that wheel bearings failed. *ak | |||
| 1 | 01/03/2000 | ||
| The front wheel bearings are leaking grease causing the abs system to engage. *slc | |||
| 04/26/1998 | 3 | ||
| Pulling into parking space when wheels made a thumping noise. this would happen when turning wheels. had to have front wheel bearings replaced. took vehicle to dealer. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - MULTIPLE AXLE | |||
| 09/23/2003 | 110300 | 1 | 10/12/2001 |
| Last fall we noticed that there was a burning rubber smell coming from the rear right wheel well. it only seemd to manifests itself when we drove on the highway at an approximate speed of 60 mph. when we drove on the city streets at the posted rate of speed, we found there was no smell whatsoever. we had our mechanic check things out and later our local tires plus, in both instances nothing was found. today we went to our local ford dealer and had them check it out and they found nothing. this worries us, for recently on the local news there have been reports of car fires and i just happened to view one of the videos that showed one of the vehicles on fire. it was a ford explorer and the source of the fire was coming from the right rear wheel well. i hope this information helps you find exactly what's going on with this right rear wheel well. p.s. the wheel is fine.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR | |||
| 11/09/2009 | 59000 | 1 | |
| Weak rear springs on left rear of ford explorer, making vehicle lean to the left. *tr | |||
| 1 | 07/01/1999 | ||
| The left rear axle broke causing the wheel to become disconnected from the vehicle, as a result the vehicle crashed into a wall then flipped onto its side and slid about 400 feet, the vehicle was totaled. nlm | |||
| Consumer took vehicle to tri-lake ford to have recall 00v402000 repairs performed. but, dealer refused to perform repairs because consumer did not buy vehicle from that dealer. *ak | |||
| 06/13/2000 | 0 | ||
| While driving about any mph and when making a turn could hear a clicking noise. consumer said it is just like recall 00 v 402 000 sway bar. please provide more information. *ak | |||
| 05/05/2001 | 1 | 05/01/1997 | |
| Consumer went to dealer because when making turns vehicle felt shaky, like it would roll over. consumer had to make turns at crawling speed. dealer found sway bar missing from vehicle. there is a recall on sway bar, but this vehicle not affected. *ak recall number is 00v402, consumer states sway bar blew out from vehicle causing a huge bang and vehicle to sway to the right almost causing an accident. *slc | |||
| 1 | |||
| When making a right turn steering wheel would pull and pop. a recall has been issued on vehicle for sway bar;however, this vehicle was not included due to vin.*ak the problem was solved after 21/2 years. *yh | |||
| 11/01/2000 | 1 | 01/01/1999 | |
| I was driveway down highway at approx 65 mph. car started shifting left to right excessively. i had also hear a piece of metal hit the underside of my ruck. when i reached home i checked suspension and foudn stabilizer bar hanging loose. on right side. i checked drivers side and found that stabilizer bar loose with missing components and slightly rusted. had probably been loose for some time. both are currentlycompletely disconnected. | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SHOCK ABSORBER | |||
| 02/25/1997 | 1 | 02/12/1997 | |
| Shock reel came loose causing noise. | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SPRINGS - AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM | |||
| 10 | |||
| Automatic leveling system malfunctioned, causing rear of vehicle to rise about 10-12 inches high without warning, and without pushing any buttons. dealer could not determine the cause. *ak | |||
| 03/20/1998 | 20 | 08/01/1997 | |
| The air ride will raise the backend 10-12 from the top of the tire to the top of the wheelwell. this has happened while driving 70+mph and makes the vehicle buck violently and is difficult to control. it has been to the shop 8+times for repair and they've replaced everything possible. they replaced the master control panel last month and it's gone up 5 times since then. i have not taken it in each time it happens because my servicing dealer, john markel ford, said it must still be running for them to get codes from the computer and sometimes it raises up after i turn the key off. they are unable to document the problem and can't reproduce it so the zone rep won't replace it. he's offered $1500 toward the purchase of a new vehicle but that's it. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SPRINGS - LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY | |||
| 09/27/1997 | |||
| While driving 45 mph and making a right curve the defective suspension leaf spring broke, causing the vehicle to flip in the air. had a rollover and landed on the side of the vehicle. dealer said the leaf spring broke due to the occupant's driving. *ak | |||