1997 Ford Explorer seats problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BOLTS FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE SEATS TO SEPARATE FROM THE FRAME. THE BOLTS WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES; HOWEVER THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V281000 (SEATS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE AS 330,000.”

“1997 FORD EXPLORER AND BEGAN TO BACK OUT OF MY PARENTS DRIVEWAY ON THE WAY TO WORK. I USED THE ELECTRICAL SEAT MOVER BUTTON TO MOVE MY SEAT BACK A FEW INCHES AND WITHIN ONLY 10 SECONDS SMOKE WAS IN MY FACE. I JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR, TURNED THE CAR OFF, AND RAN IN MY HOUSE. I GOT WATER TO TRY AND EXTINGUISH THE SMOKE AND OPENED MY BACK DOOR AND LOOKED UNDER THE SEAT AND THERE WAS INTENSE SPARKING WHICH TURNED INTO FLAMES AND WITHIN MINUTES MY ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. FIRE AND POLICE CAME AND EXTINGUISHED IT AFTER FLAMES REACHED ABOUT 20 FEET. THERE WAS PROPERTY DAMAGE, WITH ALONG LOSING THE ENTIRE VEHICLE (ENGINE WAS SOMEHOW IN FINE SHAPE), BUT LUCKILY, IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY AS I AM ALIVE. I SENT FORD 40 PICTURES, POLICE REPORT, VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT THAT WE CAUGHT, TITLE OF VEHICLE, ETC. IT HAS CAUSED ME AN INCREDIBLE INCONVENIENCE IN MY LIFE, I NOW WALK A MILE TO A SUBWAY STATION WHICH TAKES ME TO A TRAIN STATION WHICH THEN GETS ME TO WORK. KNOWING IT WAS AN OLDER CAR, BUT A POPULAR ONE AT THAT, I FIGURED THAT FORD WOULD REIMBURSE ME WITH A USED CAR AND THE PROPERTY DAMAGE, ESPECIALLY GIVEN HOW LUCKY THAT NO…”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF HIS VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED INJURIES TO THE SHOULDER AND NECK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE DRIVER SEAT. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE SEAT WAS DETACHED FROM THE BASE AND CAUSED THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 06/01/11*LJ UPDATED 1/19/2012 *LN *TR”

“BOTH SEAT TILT LEVERS BEND AND THEN BREAK OFF AFTER ATTEMPTING TO STRAIGHTEN THEM ONCE TOO MANY TIMES. NEW DESIGN STRENGTHENS THE BRACKETS. IF THE BRACKETS BREAK OFF AND THERE IS A SMALL CHILD IN THE BACK, ADULTS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REMOVE SMALL CHILDREN QUICKLY DURING AN EMERGENCY SINCE THEY CAN'T TILT THE SEATS FORWARD OUT OF THE WAY. *TR”

“MY 1997 FORD EXPLORER WAS PARKED OUTSIDE A LOCAL RESTAURANT WHEN I WAS ALERTED THAT THE INTERIOR OF MY VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE AND THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN CALLED. BLACK SMOKE WAS POURING OUT OF THE SLIGHTLY OPENED WINDOWS WHEN I APPROACHED THE SUV AND ULTIMATELY PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. CLOSER EXAMINATION INDICATED THAT THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE CAME FROM UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT. ONE OF THE FIREMEN ON THE SCENE SPECULATED THAT THE MOTOR THAT CONTROLS THE POWER SEAT OVERHEATED AND STARTED THE FIRE. MY FIRST CALL WAS TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY WOULD SEND ME A LETTER IN THE MAIL. THIS LETTER CAME A WEEK LATER AND EXPLAINED THAT ALTHOUGH THEY WOULD REALLY LIKE TO ASSIST ME WITH MY LOSS , THERE WAS NOT A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE, SO THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ASSIST ME. MY INSURANCE COMPANY TOOK CARE OF ME AND HOPEFULLY THEY WILL ALSO "TAKE CARE OF FORD" TO RECOUP THEIR LOSS . I AM FORTUNATE THAT A YOUNG CHILD OR ONE OF OUR FAMILY PETS WERE NOT IN THE CAR. ANY THOUGHTS I MAY HAVE HAD ABOUT BUYING ANOTHER FORD HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH THOUGHTS ABOUT THERE CUSTOMER DIS-SERVICE AND THE LACK OF CONCERN OVER A POTENTIALLY…”

“WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO RECLINE/ADJUST THE SEAT. THE SEAT RECLINING HANDLE SNAPPED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK”