1997 Ford Explorer fuel system problems

Filed Jan 28, 2011 · Fuel system · 234,000 miles · VA · fire

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 the federal safety agency 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.

Filed Jan 13, 2011 · Fuel system · 118,304 miles · FL

Tl*the 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.

Filed Mar 15, 2010 · Acceleration, Fuel system · 58,000 miles · NJ

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. I just want to prevent potential loss of life due to this, in my opinion, faulty design or manufacturer glitch. Njdot documented the case since I sent them a "thank you" and they responded. The vehicle put me and others on the highway in a life-threatening situation (viz a viz toyota) but ford is unwilling to consider the case. They want to treat this as an "out of warranty" condition but I believe it is potentially a product liability that if not corrected will cost lives and damage.

Filed Oct 8, 2008 · Fuel system · 102,266 miles · VA

I bought a 1997 ford explorer on february 23, 2008. On october 3, 2008 I used my explorer to jump another vehicle. I had the negative cable grounded to a bracket right next to the battery (the most obvious place to ground to). While trying to jump the other vehicle fuel started leaking from the fuel lines that are attached to that bracket. The fuel lines were melted because of jumping on that bracket and there was fuel running over the jumper cables and down the side of the engine. I could have been seriously injured but most likely killed if the jumper cables sparked. I was looking on the internet to see how much it would cost to have the fuel lines replaced and I stumbled across a recall stating that on my specific explorer " 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. Since the bracket is not grounded, the stainless steel fuel line braid could act as a ground potentially overheating the ptfe inner liner of the fuel line resulting in damage to the fuel line. Consequence: the fuel lines can leak, and in the presence of an ignition source, a fire could potentially result. Remedy: dealers will install a warning label on the fuel line bracket advising owners not to use it for a jump start ground." I went and checked to see if there was any kind of warning and there was, but it was not on the fuel line bracket like the recall said the dealership should do, it was on the fuel lines and tucked up behind that bracket where it was in no way visible unless you knew it was there. So now im going to have to pay $608.05 for fuel lines because faulkner-ciacco ford dealership did not service my explorer correctly. I called ford motor company asking if they would pay for it and they said that they cant do anything about it. I believe ford, or the dealer should have to pay since the warning label was not correctly placed on my vehicle. The ford recall # is 98s09.

Filed Oct 8, 2008 · Fuel system · 102,266 miles · VA

Tl*the 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.

Filed May 8, 2008 · Fuel system, Suspension · 130,000 miles · IL

The front suspension bar links are broken, the fog lights of the exterior does not work.

Filed Dec 21, 2007 · Fuel system · NJ · fire

1997 ford explorer caught fire under the hood. Fire chief stated that the vehicle was on recall and the fire was due to a fuel leak.

Filed Aug 5, 2006 · Fuel system, Suspension · TN

I see all of the recalls on the ford explorer date 1997 but I own a ford explorer 1997 and the only recall notice that I received is the one for the tires back in 2000. I never received the others and I know the ford company is aware of me owning this vehicle for I get notices in the mail constantly about selling it back to ford. Why are not my suspension lines or gas lines being repaired like the other fords with the 4.0 liter engine?

Filed Jun 15, 2006 · Fuel system · 103,000 miles · IL

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, [xxx]. 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. He said that they would take care of everything under the ford recall no. 98s09. He called me a half hour later and said that his manager would not let him repair the car under the recall since it didn't come up in their system under my VIN - even though we had already cleared this earlier. I called jessie ford customer service, 800-392-ford, and they told me that the reason it didn't come up under my VIN was because the recall work (warning and new bolt) was already performed on my car, but she couldn't tell me who did it. This work was never performed on my car and now ford is refusing to honor the recall. *nm updated 0716/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Filed Oct 21, 2005 · Fuel system · 104,735 miles · IL

Dt: the contact state vehicle had been repair under the federal safety agency 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.