Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
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).
The driver side interior door handle return spring unseated resulting in interior door handle that does not return to the fully stowed position after actuation. If the interior door handle return spring is unseated, could the door unlatch in the event of a side impact crash, increasing the risk of personal injury?
The rear lift gate door is tearing away from the where it attaches to the lift gate door hinge on the left side (dirvers side). The door has always been a problem to close and was ajar from when I bought the car new. The door ajar light would come on all the time, and of couse the numberous time I took it to the dealer they could never "duplicate the problem". Now it is beyond the point of ajustment. The whole liftgate has to be replaced at a cost of approxiametly $1,200. It is a safety hazzard as I have to pull out the fuseto get the lights to go out, in order to drive it at night. The lights won't go off when the door is ajar. When it rains I have to stop to put the fuse back in and drive witht the interior lights on, which is very hard to see. Also fumes come in from the exhaust so I can't go for long trips n it. …
I own a Ford Explorer xlt 1997 and the rear passenger door on the drivers side only opens from the inside while the other rear passenger door will not open from the inside or out (child lock not activated). The drivers door doesn't lock and when it does lock, it doesn't unlock or sticks so bad it has be unlocked with pliers, causing the driver to have to get in and out of the car through the front passenger side door. The interior map light and rear interior door light above the backseats stay on constantly even when switched off and the lightbulbs had to be removed because they wouldn't turn off and were overheating.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the driver side door could not be opened from the interior or exterior of the vehicle, causing the contact to have to enter and exit the vehicle from the passenger side. The contact also stated that the rear passenger door could not be opened from the exterior or interior of the vehicle as well. The contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic to have the doors repaired. The contact had the doors repaired three times for the recurring failure. The failure mileage was 200,100.
Consumer is a victim of odometer fraud, encountering problems with the vehicle that's uncharacteristic for the mileage on the vehicle. (nar) exhaust system, ball joint, and instrument panel had to be replaced.
I have seen several Ford explorers ranging from years 1995-2001 that the frames are rusting through and breaking. I feel this is a serious safety issue. There is a severe rust problem with these frames and they appear to be manufactured quite thin to begin with. From what I have seen on over a dozen of these cars in my area, the frame is rusting through and breaking on the left rear corner anywhere from the front mount on the lr leaf spring to where the bumper mounts at the back of the frame. The cross member holding the body mounts is also rusting through in this area and coming into contact with the gas tank and also making the spare tire loose and at risk of falling out of the vehicle and becoming a hazard for following motorists. There is no good way to fix this problem and I feel that these vehicles should be recalled to get them off of the road. …
Vehicle experienced several engine problems, consumer stated that the engine sounded like no oil was in it when started, dealer has replaced gaskets, upper intake cam tensioner three times, and there was a coolant leak. Left front door hinge replaced, it was making noise. Power steering pump was replaced, it was noisy when turning the wheel. Vanity mirror on driver's side would not close all the way and popped when opened, dealer replaced it. The right front of the vehicle was lower than the left front. Brakes were squeaky, dealer replaced front brake pads and turned rotors. A tap noise was heard while playing cd's. Vehicle experienced several transmission problems, while going over bumps and railroad tracks, transmission jumped out of gear, dealer intalled overhaul kit because the clutch had burned. …
There is metal fatigue of door panel at hinge at the upper right hand corner of the rear lift gate. The company says the door has to be replaced, that it cannot be fixed as a fix would further fatigue the metal. The bending of the metal is taking place where the hinge attaches and is bending the panel up so that when the door is closed, the bent body work acts as a scoop, drawing rain water, air and, I assume, exhaust fumes into the passenger compartment. I complained to Ford and they have said they will cover approx. $1,000 of the $1300 estimate to fix the problem. However generous that May be, I feel this is a problem than is a design problem and that it May affect many more than just my unit. I have not yet taken the car in for the repair....the earliest I can get an appt. Is 12/11. …
Summer 1999- trip to florida, ran into rain storm around decatur, alabama. We had slowed to 35 - 45 MPH maximum after feeling what felt like the vehicle trying to hydraplane. Then we heard a slapping sound like the rubber was loose. Stopped and check it and tires appeared okay. Continued carefully. To date, we still hear a sound similiar to a ball bouncing while driving it. Local dealership's service mgr. Said the tires were cupping. We have had the tires balanced and rotated every 10,000 miles max. And the alignment checked numerous times; all have been okay. I run approx. 32 lbs. In the tires. Door locks - left rear had to have 2 motor replacements before it operated properly. Now left front control lock is not unlocking properly without numberous attempts.( dot number: w2hl1py49 tire size: p235/75r15 )
The door handle machanism has failed on each of the rear doors. A plastic piece broke off the mechanism. This resulted in not being able to open the door from the inside, inhibiting egress of any passengers during an emergency. Both failed mechanisms have been replace by the selling dealership at our expense. Representatives at the dealership indicated to us both times that this is a common problem with our type of vehicle. We believe that this is a safety issue that needs to be addressed. It is not always possible to get the vehicle in to the dealership in a timely manner to get this door opening replaced. We had our broken part replaced today. Ford part # f77z-7821818-aaj is the one that was most recently replaced.
Body complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 1997 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 50 complaints about the body & structure of the 1997 Ford Explorer, 3% of the model year's 1,731 complaints. The component named most often is body › door (21 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Ford Explorer body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure 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 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 84,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries to body & structure 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.