Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (air conditioning, heater, defroster, HVAC controls).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Ford Explorer heater plenum/actuator stopped working this past winter. Climate control is stuck on cold and defrost does not work in cold weather. During a road trip to a nearby city early this spring I was barley able to see out the windshield because of the ice and fog on my windshield. I believe this is a known mechanical defect by Ford and dealers. This is a very dangerous problem. In contacting several seattle-area dealers, all refused to fix as a safety problem, said no recall had been issued, said I was out of warranty, this is absurd for a problem they caused with faulty design and parts that causes serious visibility problems in many older explorers.
I own a 1997 Ford Explorer that since its been purchased the air conditioning and the heat were always giving me problems, I have since found out that its a problem with almost every Ford Explorer out on the roads today. This is a major concern to me due to window defrosting during the winter months, the blend door has a mind of its own and will open and close at any time. Please advise me on how I can get this looked into. I believe that Ford should be responsible for this and they believe that they dont. Thank you for your time
Heater blend door on my 1997 Ford Explorer does not change positions. It is stuck in the position only giving me air conditioning full time. No matter where the dial on the dash is turned the heat refuses to activate. Through a quick series of odd weather occurrences I found my windshield covered in a layer of ice that could not be removed since the heat did not work on the defroster. This almost caused a near fatal head-on collision. I have no option now but to have the heater plenum replaced at a cost $1010.
Heater/ac temperature control. Temperature control door is stuck in the position for heat. Have talked to dealer they say inexpensive part, labor for repair is about 7 hours to be charged for. This dealer has had other complaints and fixed some. Checked with other dealers in area, they gave same answer as to cost and complaints. I am told this is a plastic bracket on door assembly that breaks when servo moves door to control hot or cool air flow.
Cannot adjust the temperature of the heating and cooling system - always blows cold air. I have been told the manufacturer installed the wrong parts at time of production. The part fails and then you cannot adjust the temperature - it always blows cold air. This, it seems to me, is a serious safety issue as it is impossible to keep windows clear in cold climates.
The dial that controls the hot/cold feature of the heating/air-conditioning unit in my 1997 Explorer malfunctioned. When taken in to dealer the service manager told me that they have been seeing alot of this problem in explorers and the service technician said he was concerned with it happening in his mother's car.
Heater in vehicle became inoperative during a sleet and ice storm. Heater blend door failed causing only cold air to blow out of heater and defroster, windshield and windows fogged up and I could not see the road. Heater box and blend door replaced that cost me $700.00. 8nm
Temperature out of control, defogging/defrosting challenged on a 1997 Ford Explorer. Was told it will it is due to defect in the air blend door. I can't defrost the windows which could be an accident waiting to happen.
The blend door is broken on my heater...ever try to defrost a window when it is minus 5 with the air conditioner on..? This needs to be addressed in a recall campaign it is poorly designed and dangerous!
1997 Ford Explorer equipped with an electronic automatic temperature control system. The plastic air blend door in the heater plenum has broken, preventing the system from regulating the temperature.
AC & Heater complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are ac & heater problems on the 1997 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 67 complaints about the a/c & heater of the 1997 Ford Explorer, 4% of the model year's 1,731 complaints. The component named most often is defroster/defogger/hvac system (35 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Ford Explorer ac & heater problems?
No. NHTSA lists no a/c & heater recall for the 1997 Ford Explorer, 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 Explorer ac & heater problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 77,000 miles.
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.