1997 FORD EXPLORER Seat Belts Problems

14 NHTSA complaints on file

Check any vehicle history by VIN - Free vehicle history report

Seat Belts Issues in the 1997 FORD EXPLORER

14 seat belts complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1997 FORD EXPLORER. Of these, 2 involved a crash, 0 involved a fire, and 2 resulted in injury.

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

All Seat Belts Complaints

#11020608 | August 30, 2017

THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT WILL NOT ENGAGE TO THE LOCK POSITION.

#10712375 | April 23, 2015

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NO LONGER SECURELY LATCH. *TR

#10550750 | November 4, 2013

1997 FORD EXPLORER DRIVER'S SEAT BELT LATCH RECEIVER FAILURE. AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR 12 TO 13 YEARS, THE LATCH/RECEIVER WOULD NOT ENGAGE THE STRAP. I REPLACED IT WITH ONE FROM A SALVAGE YARD AND AFTER THREE YEARS THIS REPLACEMENT LATCH/RECEIVER HAS FAILED ALSO. *TR

#10488005 | December 11, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER 2 DOOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD BECOME UNLATCHED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE SEAT BELT NEEDED REPLACING. THE MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 187,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

#10457678 | May 7, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER . THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DISENGAGE THE SEAT BELT WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BUCKLE. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE TO THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT DOES NOT FEEL SAFE HAVING HIS CHILD'S SAFETY RESTRAINT SEAT INSTALLED IN THE REAR SEAT DUE TO THE MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 223,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 224,500.

#10398035 | April 27, 2011 Crash

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

#10369738 | December 9, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER SIDE WOULD NOT ATTACH. IF IT DID ATTACH, IT WOULD RELEASE WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 160,000.

#10278455 | July 27, 2009

THE SEATBELT ON THE DRIVER SIDE COMES UNDONE BY ITSELF. U CAN BUCKLE ABOUT 2 MINUTES LATER IT COMES UNDONE BY ITSELF. EVEN ACCELERATES WHILE DRIVING. *TR

#10171919 | October 26, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ALL 5 SEATBELT BUCKLES FAILED TO RELEASE PROPERLY. THE FRONT LEFT AND FRONT RIGHT BUCKLES FAILED TO RELEASE AND THE BELTS HAD TO BE CUT TO RELEASE THE OCCUPANTS. AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE DEALER REPLACED THE SEATBELTS. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT DISENGAGE. UPDATED 12/01/06. *JB

#10128435 | July 12, 2005

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO STAY LATCHED, OR SOMETIMES BECOMES UNLATCHED WITH DRIVERS FORWARD BODY MOTION (EXTEND LINE OF SIGHT, CHANGE RADIO/CLIMATE SETTINGS, TURN ON LIGHTS, ETC.). AS A RESULT, THE SEAT BELT IS NOT A RELIABLE SAFETY RESTRAINT. I AM HAVING PROBLEMS FIND A REPLACEMENT PART.

#753883 | November 6, 2001

WELL, THE FIRST THING THAT STOPPED WORKING WAS THE THERMOSTAT, THEN THE WINDOW REGULATOR AND SEAT BEALT, I WENT TO THE DEALER AND JUST TO SEE THE PROBLEM I WAS CHARGED 160USD . I THINK IT'S UNFAIR BUT THEY SAID I HAD TO PAY AND NOTHING WAS DONE TO THE CAR. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED AT SEARS BECAUSE I WAS SCARED AND SIMPLY REPLACED THEM 4 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR. I CALLED THE DEALER AND FIRESTONE RECALL BUT THEY ARE NOW ASKING FOR A DOT CODE IN WHICH SEARS DID NOT GIVE ME. NOW I AM ONLY ASKING TO PLEASE TRY TO REFUND SOMETHING. I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY GIVE TOO MANY PROBLEMS AND THE DEALER GETS AWAY WITH PROBLEMS IN WHICH THEY NEED TO FIX BECAUSE THEY ARE FACTORY PROBLEMS. *AK (TIRESIZE: 15INCHES)

#712874 | October 6, 1999 Crash

I WAS RECENTLY IN AN ACCIDENT, BOTH AIRBAGS DID DEPLOY BUT NOT THE FULL EXTENT THAT AN AIRBAG SHOULD DEPLOY TO. THAT THEN CAUSED ME FALL FORWARD UPON IMPACT, WHICH THEN CAUSED MY HEAD TO STRIKE THE WINDSHIELD OF MY CAR. THERE IS A MARK I BELIEVE ON THE WINDOW PROVING THIS, AND ALSO I HAD A HEADACHE FOR 3 DAYS FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT HARDER, MY HEAD COULD HAVE POSSIBLY GONE THREW THE WINDOW. I HOPE THAT YOU CAN BE ABLE TO CONTACT ME AGAIN INVOLVING THIS MATTER!! SINCERLY, HOLLY K HENDRICKSON

#608775 | September 30, 1999

BACK SEAT BELT INOPERABLE. YH

#813579 | June 27, 1997

SEAT BELTS: DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30MPH ,VEHICLE AHEAD OF US SLOWED DOWN TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP I HIT BRAKES AND MY NEPHEW CAME FORWARD INTO THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEAT. THERE IS NO CLIP TO LOCK THE BELT INTO.

Other 1997 FORD EXPLORER Problem Areas

← Back to 1997 FORD EXPLORER overview