Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 1997 Ford Explorer
NHTSA data on file today
The 1997 Ford Explorer has 12 NHTSA recall campaigns on file as of . try.vin has no NHTSA owner complaints on file for the 1997 Ford Explorer. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #09V399000 SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH/OVERHEATS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09E025000 FMVSS 108/REPLACEMENT HEADLAMPS/AMBER REFLECTOR NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09E012000 FMVSS 108/AFTERMARKET COMBINATION LAMPS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #06E026000 FMVSS 108/AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #01X001000 Tires — Tread/Belt NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #00V422000 FORD/THROTTLE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #00V402000 FORD/SWAY BAR NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #00T005000 FIRESTONE/TREAD SEPARATION NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #00V168000 FORD/FMVSS 108/DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #99V062001 FORD/CRUISE/SPEED CONTROL CABLE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #98V060000 FORD/JUMP STARTING NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #97V074000 FORD/THROTTLE NHTSA notice
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$10,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 1997 Ford Explorer has 12 reported recall campaigns but lacks specific owner complaint data, which provides limited insight into its reliability. Recalls primarily involve vehicle speed control and exterior lighting issues, but the absence of complaint data makes it difficult to assess the frequency of specific part failures.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | Unknown | $200–$500 | rare |
| Exterior lighting | Unknown | $100–$300 | rare |
| Suspension system | Unknown | $300–$700 | rare |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake inspections and servicing
- Tire rotation and balancing
- Transmission fluid change
- Coolant flushes
- Inspect and replace spark plugs
- Replace air filters
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Unresponsive speed control
- Dim headlights
- Unusual tire wear
- Fuel smell near engine
- Sagging suspension
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 1997 Ford Explorer at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.