1997 Ford Explorer Suspension

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH OVER A ROAD BUMP, THE VEHICLE WOULD SWAY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO ADVISED THAT THE FRONT STABILIZER BAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THREE TIMES HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER EACH REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE AND OFFERED NO OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 135,000.

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.

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.

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

WEAK REAR SPRINGS ON LEFT REAR OF FORD EXPLORER, MAKING VEHICLE LEAN TO THE LEFT. *TR

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

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

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

BROKEN FRONT SWAY BAR LINK ON 1997 FORD EXPLORT XLT. REPLACE PARTS. *NM

A FRONT SWAY BAR LINK DID FRACTURE CAUSING A NEAR CRASH. *JB

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WHILE HAVING THE TIRES ROTATED DEALERSHIP NOTICED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WORE OUT PREMATURELY, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *LA

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

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

SWAY BAR LINK FAILURE.*AK

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

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

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE TORSION BAR SNAPPED. *JB

FRONT TIRE WEAR AND ALIGNMENT. *JB