AI Damage1997 Ford Explorer Sport: common problems
Owners of the 1997 Ford Explorer Sport filed 37 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 37
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 22% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 22% of all complaints
- 3 Seats 11% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 5 Tires 11% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 8% of all complaints
- 7 Electrical system 5% of all complaints
- 8 Equipment 5% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 8 complaints (22% of all).
- Powertrain: 8 complaints (22% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seats: 4 complaints (11% of all).
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (11% of all).
- Tires: 4 complaints (11% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 37 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The contact stated that the vehicle was parked on an incline when it rolled forward and crashed into another vehicle. The vehicle was not destroyed. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop and the repair shop stated that the transfer case needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified.
1997 ford explorer traveling east bound on I-16 when left rear tire tread came off a cooper futura tire causing driver to lose control vehicle flipped several times then right front tire came off completely causing another flip this time tail over nose cause all 4 kids to be thrown out killing one on impact and…
On february 16, 2004 at approximately 2:30 pm I was pulling my wife's 1997 ford explorer sport into a diagonal parking stall. I had almost come to a complete stop when the engine began to roar and the car began to accelerate against my braking.
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.
While driving approximately 45 mph she heard a ticking noise. She was unable to identify where the noise was located. She stated that no warning lights illuminated on the dashboard of the vehicle. She continued to drive home and parked the vehicle.
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…
She then saw a bit of smoke coming from under the hood of the vehicle. She pulled the vehicle over and a person came up to the vehicle and advised her to get out of the vehicle because the vehicle was on fire.
Driving along everything is fine, lose power pull off the side of the road and the vehicle I see black smoke and then flames, couldn't get out because of power windows and locks. Went to the back of the vehicle and kicked my way out and the vehicle was engulfed in flames in minutes and burned to the ground.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,176 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 17% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Explorer Sport has 74 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 37, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Ford Explorer Sport?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, powertrain, seats. Total complaints: 37. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (14%), windows, sunroof (8%), A/C or heater (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Ford Explorer Sport?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1997 Ford Explorer Sport from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1997 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.