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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
0 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1997 Ford Explorer seat belts / air bags problems

seat belts / air bags problem

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1997 Ford Explorer Owner Comments

problem #9

Oct 312002

Explorer 4WD

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The driver's side seat belt buckle mechanism failed, causing the seat belt to unhook with just a slight amount of force. Prior to this failure, the belt would come loose on occasion, I thought this was do to my failure to properly hook the belt into the buckle. It appears that this is a gradual failure of a critical safety item, that for quite some time would have failed to protect the driver in a crash as it would have failed to hold the seatbelt. The danger of this is that after it fails, it sometimes works and sometimes does not, which could put the driver at danger as they won't know the seatbelt won't stay connected in a crash. I have the defective part in my possession, I will forward it to you if you request me to.

- Simsbury, CT, USA

problem #8

Apr 062002

Explorer

  • miles
No summary listed for above vehicle.

- San Francisco, CA, USA

problem #7

Oct 012001

Explorer 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
When it's cold outside vehicle hesitates to start. Consumer adds that the seat belt locked in place on passenger side, consumer's child was locked in and could not get out, seat belt had to be cut in order to release child; ignition locked up and would not crank for 2 hours.

- Evergreen, AL, USA

problem #6

Dec 142000

(reported on)

Explorer

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Consumer has a child safety seat in the rear middle, when a person sits next to the child safety seat and buckles their seat belt, the release is on the side of the restraint and the child safety seat prevents access to the release, in an emergency the release would be impossible to get to and the consumer would like the design of the seat belt releases changed.

- Olney, MD, USA

problem #5

Oct 081999

(reported on)

Explorer 4WD

  • miles
Seat belt anchors of rear seats stick up. When passenger sat on the anchor while trying to move to the middle seat, the anchor hit the passenger's spine tail causing severe pain. Lower back problem since injury.

- Unionvilleont. Canada, AK, USA

problem #4

Apr 011997

Explorer

  • miles
No summary listed for this vehicle.

- Laguna Beach, CA, USA

problem #3

Dec 231998

(reported on)

Explorer

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

1) throttle cable binds up. When it breaks free it adds 1,000 RPM to engine speed. Most pronounced after using cruise control on the freeway and deactivating cruise with brake pedal. Almost rearended car in front of me due to sudden acceleration. 2) seat belt retractor locks up. Restrains passenger to the point of pain. Very difficult to release. Retractor replaced once under warranty.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #2

Oct 041997

(reported on)

Explorer 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Passenger's front and rear seat belts get tight and does not release to the point that the passengers can't move. Consumer has almost had to cut seat belt to release children.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #1

Aug 011997

Explorer 4WD

  • miles
Seat belt when worn cuts across driver's neck and rubs sideways.

- Coloma, MI, USA

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