1997 Ford Explorer problems & reliability
1,731 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Ford Explorer, alongside 4 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
125 complaints report injuries (214 injured, 34 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1997 Ford Explorer vehicles were involved in 56 fatal crashes with 45 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Tires | 669 | 39% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 202 | 12% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 198 | 11% |
| Suspension | 105 | 6% |
| Power Train | 104 | 6% |
| Visibility | 90 | 5% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 83 | 5% |
| Electrical System | 80 | 5% |
| Seat Belts | 54 | 3% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 53 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 100,000 miles (middle 50% between 69,526 and 131,500 miles), based on 228 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 ford explorer. The contact stated while driving 50 mph, the vehicle started to shake abnormally, the contact was unable to drive in 4 wheel drive. The contact stated the check gauge warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with…”
Service Brakes · filed May 3, 2021
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 ford explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle caught on fire while parked in his driveway. The contact stated that an independent mechanic diagnosed that the hydraulic fluid was leaking due to the faulty cruise control switch causing the fire. The contact mentioned that the hydraulic…”
Engine · filed Jun 8, 2020
“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…”
Electronic Stability Control (esc) · filed Apr 12, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
Defect Petition DP05005 · opened Sep 22, 2005 · closed Jan 4, 2006
- WINDSHIELD WIPER MALFUNCTION
Preliminary Evaluation PE99049 · opened Jul 28, 1999 · closed Apr 24, 2000 · led to recall 00V072000
- STEERING KNUCKLE SEPARATIONS
Preliminary Evaluation PE99045 · opened Jul 6, 1999 · closed Oct 29, 1999
- THROTTLE STICKING
Engineering Analysis EA99001 · opened Jan 7, 1999 · closed Feb 9, 2001 · led to recall 00V422000
- FUEL LINE DAMAGE FROM JUMP STARTING
Recall Query RQ98020 · opened Nov 3, 1998 · closed Nov 15, 2000 · led to recall 98V060000
- THROTTLE STICKING
Investigation SQ98014 · opened Jul 31, 1998 · closed Jan 7, 1999
Technical service bulletins
369 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Ford Explorer. The 10 most recent:
Front axle leaks fluid from vent tube - vehicles equipped with 4x4 or awd. *tt
030508 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2005
General (pcm) power train control module programming procedures. *tt
042107 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 13, 2004
Low line pressure reading at wide open throttle (wot), slipping shifts and / or delayed engagements with possible diagnostic trouble codes p0732, p0733, p1762 set on vehicles built before 12/1/2001. *tt
02138 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 10, 2003
Remote keyless entry (rke) - service tips. *tt
03181 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2003
New transmission cooler flusher - service tips. 2003 escort and super duty f series included. *tt
03148 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2003
An uncommanded shift to 4x4 low. *tt
16935 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 2003
Malfunction indicator lamp (mil) illumination with diagnostic trouble codes p0442, p0455, p0456, p0457, p1442 or check fuel cap lamp illuminated with diagnostic trouble code p0457. *tt
0398 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 12, 2003
Various noise issues from the rear leaf springs while driving. *tt
16735 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2003
Fluid may leak out of the front axle vent tube. *tt *jb
0358 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 17, 2003
New service part - number 5 needle bearing and race kit - 4r70w transmission - service tip. *tt
03261 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 5, 2003
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 1997 Ford Explorer has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1997 Ford Explorer?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 100,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.