Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Ford Expedition owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Paint and finish on roof of vehicle peeling, cracking, flaking off - oxidation from rust, ruining entire outer car surface - have been advised that primer coat was either missed or skimped during the production process... Ford will not address this issue - one male rep from Ford stated: "the paint job is only supposed to last 2 years" not an acceptable answer...also, child safety locks engage themselves, thus preventing occupants in rear seats to exit vehicle, can cause injury or death in an emergency situation... Also, vehicle rear wheels and or axels "chatter" at low speed turns... …
The rear passenger door child safet locks engage automatically. The switch will drop into child safet lock position on its own. I have read through many other complaints posted to this web site of similar story. The passenger either has to put the window down to open door from grabbing outside handle or wait for another passenger to open the door from the outside. This can be cause for concern to passengers locked in the vehicle during accidents. Child safety locking mechanism should be replaced. Had this replaced once under extended warranty to only have it fail again. Currently lodging the switch in place to keep it in from falling into place automatically.
Door ajar light comes on and stays on intermently. I had this same issue with my 1995 Ford ranger. On both vehicles the door latch mechanism was replaced and fix the problem temporarily. The issue returns with OEM replace part. Mechanic mentioned that the Ford motor company uses a very thick lubricant on the mechanism causing the issue. I now just live with the issue as I am not going to keep spending my money on latch mechanism that keeps going bad. The only issue is the interior lights stay on until the delay out 45 seconds later. This seems to be a recurring issue with Ford vehicles across multiple makes of vehicles. I have complained to Ford directly.
There is a safety defect with the child safety locks on the rear drivers side and passenger side doors of my 1997 Ford Expedition. The child safety locks will gradually move themselves from the off position to the on position as vehicle is driven and doors are opened and closed. The passenger(s) occupying the rear seat will be unable to open their doors without help from someone outside the vehicle. The problem started about 5 years ago and is usually noticed more often while we are traveling and our teenage sons are getting in and out of the vehicle for rest stops, etc.
Tl*- the contact stated that the 1997 Ford Expedition xlt had a number of problems with the child safety locks. When he put someone in the back seat the safety locks engaged and the passenger could not open the door. The contact spoke to the dealership, and stated that they he should have the locks replaced at his own cost. The contact felt this was safety problem, if a crash occurred the back passengers could notb get out of the vehicle on his own. The current mileage was 10500, and the failure mileage was 105000. Updated 03/19/07.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the child safety lock was defective. His children are at the age where they should be able to unlock the door from inside the passenger compartment, without the contact having to open the door from the outside. The manufacturer took a compliant; however, they stated that they did not have enough complaints to issue a recall. The vehicle will be taken to the dealer for a diagnosis. The failure mileage was 90,000 and current mileage was 197,000.
While in the vehicle the consumer could not open the rear doors from the inside although the child safety locks were not engaged. The dealership had been notified. Both of the rear doors could be locked from the inside without the child lock being manually engaged. The rear doors were opened with normal use and was an intermittent problem.
Child safety locks engage locking passenger into vehicle. Passenger is not able to exit vehicle without someone opening the door. Locks are set manually however even if they are set to off, once the door is closed it locks itself. It happened on both doors equipted with child safety locks. First on one side, then on the other.
The child safety door locks on the rear doors of our 1997 Ford Expedition will gradually move themselves from the off to the on position, preventing the rear passengers from being able to exit without someone opening the door from the outside. Have attempted to tape the locks in the off position, but this has not worked.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Ford Expedition. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the rear passenger side door child safety lock activated independently. The failure occurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.
Door Lock & Latch complaints in other Expedition years
Frequently asked questions
How common are door lock & latch problems on the 1997 Ford Expedition?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the locks & latches of the 1997 Ford Expedition, 3% of the model year's 853 complaints. The component named most often is doors › latch (18 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Ford Expedition door lock & latch problems?
No. NHTSA lists no locks & latches recall for the 1997 Ford Expedition, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1997 Ford Expedition door lock & latch problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 65,000 miles, and 9% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to locks & latches problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.