Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
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).
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Ford Explorer. The contact was driving approximately 45 MPH when he was informed that a fire had erupted from under the vehicle. The contact was able to move the vehicle off the roadway and exit the vehicle just as it burst into flames. The police arrived to assist and a police report was available. The fire was extinguished and the vehicle was towed to an undisclosed location. The manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact to take pictures of the failure and damages. The contact was also informed that the vehicle was under recall under NHTSA campaign id number: 98V060000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings), which could possibly have been the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was approximately 234,000.
Ford did not apply NHTSA recall 98V060 properly to my 1997 Ford Explorer VIN [redacted]. The do not ground warning was applied to the incorrect bracket. When I attempted to jump start the vehicle, I used the fuel line bracket since there was no warning label. The braided fuel line covers overheated and melted the fuel line resulting in a significant leakage of fuel when the engine was running. The vehicle had to be towed. Ford claims the recall was done properly. I have photographs which show it was not done properly. I believe that this poses a serious risk to the 300, 000+ vehicles that had this recall done. …
I jumped a car and grounded the cables on the bracket at the top of the engine. Immediately after jumping the car, a strong fuel odor was noted. The lake bluff police witnessed the entire event. Later that night after driving the car, I noted a fuel leak from the lines adjacent to the bracket. I brought the car into my local shop for repairs. The coincidence of the car jump and fuel leak made me suspicious and I found that my car should have been recalled under id no. 98V060000 for a warning label and new grounding bolt. I called ed mateo at highland park Ford in il and gave him my VIN, [redacted]. He agreed that the car was subject to the recall and they would replace the fuel line(s) and install the warning and new grounding bolt. I picked up me car from my local repairman this morning and dropped it off with ed at highland park Ford. …
Stuck accelerator on 1997 Ford Explorer with 58,000 miles. While driving on interstate 287/78 in nj I tried to turn off the cruise control but instead the car accelerated uncontrollably to over 85 MPH. I gained control by turning the engine on and off until reaching a safe place to stop. An njdot truck helped me and later that day I emailed what happened to Ford's customer assistance. I wanted them to have a dealer examine my Explorer to see if this was caused by a material defect of normal wear and tear, in which case I would repair it. They refused to help so I wrote a letter to dearborn and received a response saying the matter was closed (case # 1510510480). My wife said (and I believe her) that if she were driving it would have resulted in a crash. I noted that there was a recall on the 2002 escape that sounds like the same problem. …
Dt: the contact state vehicle had been repair under NHTSA recall 98V060000/ manufacturer's recall 98s09 before by the previous owner. When she contacted the dealership they said the recall repairs were done on January 9, 2001. She was having the same problem as stated in the recall. The contact's husband had to jump start the vehicle on January 24, 2005. Immediately after he had done so he smelled fuel inside the vehicle. When he took vehicle to a dealership they found two holes in the fuel line. They had the fuel line replaced at their expense. The problem happened again on October 15, 2005. The contact's husband had to jump start the vehicle again. After examining the fuel line he found there were two holes in the exact same spots. She took it to a Ford dealer, and they told her that there had been a recall on the vehicle.
Consumer was driving on highway at 55 MPH under normal road conditions, consumer heard something popping. Then noticed a gas smell. Within a few seconds later other motorist was signaling for consumer to pull over. Pulled over and found engine on fire. Dealer notified and informed consumer that they do not do fire repairs and the vehicle was not under warranty. *akthe vehicle was under warranty but the warranty did not cover fire related failure.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Ford Explorer. The contact smelled gasoline in the vehicle and after looking underneath the hood he noticed that the fuel line was leaking from a bracket behind the motor. The contact spoke to the manufacturer about recall campaign 98V060000, fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings, but the manufacturer stated that the recall had closed. The current and failure mileages were 118,034.
Consumer received recall 98060000 concerning fuel line rupture; however, this vehicle was not included in the recall due to VIN. While attempting to charge the battery, the consumer connected the cable to the fuel line bracket. This caused the fuel braid to overheat, causing the fuel line to rupture.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that there was a recall on his vehicle (number 98s09) regarding the warning label that was to be installed on the fuel bracket; however, his was installed on the fuel line itself. The failure and current mileages were less than 102,266.
Vehicle was involved in a collision, and the next day the vehicle caught on fire on the right hand side by the head lights of the passenger side. Dealer looked under the hood, and said that the fuel pump caused the fire. Consumer states that this reason does not make any sense.
Related recalls
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicles equipped with 4.0l single overhead cam engines. The engine fuel lines can be damaged if the vehicle is jump started and the ground cable is attached to the fuel line bracket that is located near the battery.
Remedy: Dealers will install a warning label on the fuel line bracket advising owners not to use it for a jump start ground. Also a revised bolt will be installed in the alternator bracket to provide a convenient jump start…
NHTSA investigations
Fuel line damage from jump starting
There is no summary currently available
Fuel System complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 1997 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 56 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 1997 Ford Explorer, 3% of the model year's 1,731 complaints. The component named most often is delivery › hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (16 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Ford Explorer fuel system problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 98V-060 (hoses, lines/piping, and fittings, Mar 19, 1998). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1997 Ford Explorer fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 102,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 7 fires and 2 injuries to fuel & propulsion system 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.