1997 Explorer Van Ford Explorer Recalls
No NHTSA recalls on record for the 1997 Explorer Van Ford Explorer. That means NHTSA has no open safety campaign for this vehicle — it does not guarantee the absence of problems. Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Complaints by component
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“1997 ford explorer, bought as a program vehicle (returned) with 40,000 miles.ehicle now has 103,000 easy miles. Mostly sits in carport. Not driven daily. Vechicle has had the following problems 1. Check engine light has been on since we bought the vehicle, have replaced )2 sensor twice. Came back…”
“Rear end collision- at 35-40mph the driver seat went all the way back & the back of the seat went to a reclining position. I received a contusion on the back of my head and was knocked unconsious for about 50 ft. This happened when the person behind me hit a speed bump I had just gone over.”
“There is a problem with the door blend on my vehicle. Ford states that they never heard of this problem, however, any website you go to that has ford owners on it have multiple complaints. I have changed the thermostat, traced all vacuum lines, checked the heater cor etc. The blower throws out…”
“The spare tire on my 1997 ford explorer fell off while driving down the road. This could have killed someone if I had been going down a busy street or highway. The spare is stored under the vehicle with a cable which snapped, dropping the tire into the road. Ford does not think I should worry…”
“It has been brought to my attention after 5 trips to the service dept. That my 1997 ford explorer needs a catalytic converter. This was after sensors were replaced the first 4 times. The check engine light has been on almost constantly since the purchase in june. I was told that this was an…”
“When the temperature drops below zero the anti lock brakes on our 1997 ford explorer do not work properly. My wife was returning from work one morning and she was not able to stop at a light and ended up running it. We took it to a mechanic who could not find any problems but said this was a…”
“Heater and defroster on my low mileage ford explorer no longer blows warm air. This is a safety issue as my windshield fogs up while I am driving at highway speeds and I have no way of defogging my windshield. I feel this vehicle is no longer safe to take my family on extended trips. I feel…”
“I have a awd with appx 75,000/mi and the entire differential went out on the vehicle. Replacement cost $4,700.00. I do not or have been rough with this vehicle. Normal highway driving only... And my gas gauge went out on my vehicle also.”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1997 Explorer Van Ford Explorer as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.