1977 Ford Explorer problems
The Ford Explorer is a range of SUVs manufactured by Ford Motor Company since the 1991 model year. As the first four-door SUV produced by Ford, the Explorer was introduced as a replacement for the two-door Bronco II. Within the current Ford SUV range in North America, the Explorer is slotted between the Ford Edge and Ford Expedition. As with the Ford Ranger, the Explorer derives its name from a trim package previously offered on the Ford F-Series pickup trucks.
The Explorer has been offered in multiple chassis and powertrain layouts. The first two generations were directly derived from the Ford Ranger, switching to a model-specific chassis for the third and fourth generations. The fifth generation was repackaged as a crossover SUV, adopting a variant of the Ford Taurus chassis architecture.
Alongside the five-door Explorer wagon, a three-door Explorer wagon was offered from 1991 to 2003, officially referred to as the Explorer Sport after 1999, serving as the direct replacement of the Bronco II; the 2001–2010 Ford Explorer Sport Trac was a crew-cab pickup derived from the model line. For police use, the Ford Police Interceptor Utility has been derived from the fifth and sixth-generation Explorer to replace the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (and the later Taurus-based Police Interceptor Sedan). Through rebranding, Mazda, Mercury, and Lincoln have sold versions of the Explorer; Lincoln currently markets the sixth-generation model line as the Lincoln Aviator.
For the North American market, the first four generations of the Explorer were produced by Ford at its Louisville Assembly Plant (Louisville, Kentucky) and at its now-closed St. Louis Assembly Plant (Hazelwood, Missouri); the model line is currently produced at Chicago Assembly Plant (Chicago, Illinois).
In 2020, CNBC reported the Ford Explorer range as the best-selling SUV of all time in America.
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Common 1977 Ford Explorer problems
The Ford Explorer, introduced in 1991, has been a popular SUV despite recurring problems throughout the years. These issues span across various components such as the engine, transmission, steering, wheels, body paint, and interior accessories.
One common problem with the Ford Explorer is transmission solenoid issues. Transmission solenoids are metal wire cylindrical coils that carry electric currents. The shift interlock solenoid ensures the car cannot shift from Park to Drive unless the brakes are applied. When the brake pedal is pressed, the solenoid receives a signal, releasing a mechanical lock on the car's shifter, allowing it to move. If the shift interlock is not working properly, shifting out of Park or past Neutral while in Drive becomes impossible.
Transmission slipping is a common symptom of a failed solenoid, which can occur in various ways, such as interruption in acceleration, difficulty shifting gears, failure or delay in reversing, high RPMs, a check engine light, strange sounds during shifting, or burned smells. Other causes of transmission problems include difficulty with the torque converter, faulty clutch, low or burned transmission fluid, or worn-out transmission bands or gears.
Ford Explorers from 2004 have been梦幻西游app particularly affected by transmission solenoid problems, with symptoms such as lackluster gear shifting, dashboard lights notifying the driver, the transmission being stuck in neutral, or the car entering limp mode. The typical cost to fix or replace the Ford Explorer Shift Interlock Solenoid is $143, with $48 for parts and $95 for labor, although prices may vary by location.
Another common problem with the Ford Explorer is tailgate issues, specifically with the panel below the rear window. This panel can easily become cracked, requiring an average repair cost of around $460 for installing a new panel and painting it to match the rest of the car.
The Ford Explorer's radiator has also been a weak spot, generating numerous complaints from owners. Replacing the radiator is not a cheap job, with an average cost of $720.
Paint problems have been reported for the 2013 Ford Explorer, with the paint on the leading edge of the hood bubbling up and flaking off, potentially leading to rust if not attended to. This issue tends to happen at a young age, with an average repair cost of $1220.
The 2004 Ford F-150 has experienced failures in the electric window system, with the average cost to fix the issue at $320.
The 2012 Ford Focus has a notable problem with its power-steering system, which can fail suddenly, rendering the steering unusably heavy to operate and making the car difficult to drive safely. Many owners have been forced to replace the steering rack, with an average repair cost of $1900.
The 2005 Ford Escape may face PCM failure as it approaches 100,000 miles, causing the car to run rough or not run at all. This issue is not cheap to diagnose and repair, with an average cost of $2050.
The Ford Windstar, built around the turn of the century, has a fragile rear axle that can fail suddenly, making control of the vehicle more difficult. The average cost to repair the issue is $690.
The Ford Edge has experienced electrical problems, with the interior light remaining on even after the door is closed, causing the car to believe the door is still ajar and sounding a warning bell when the owner tries to pull away. This issue costs around $420 to fix.
Wheel bearing problems have been a concern for Ford Explorer owners, with bearings failing on a regular basis. The only way to fix them is to replace them, with an average cost of $820.
1977 Ford Explorer car problems categorized by type of issue
After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Ford Explorer problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:
- Tires problems
The graph below shows statistics for all 1977 Ford Explorer vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
1977 Ford Explorer complaints
The NHTSA has received 2 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 1977 Ford Explorer.
TIRES PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1999-08-01
- Components: TIRES
- Summary: FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE, NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL, EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION AND CRACKING.
TIRES PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-11-24
- Components: TIRES
- Summary: TIRES DID NOT FAIL BUT AN VIBRATION SURFACED AT 60-65 MPH. TIRES CHECKED NO APPARENT PROBLEMS. WHEN THE NEWS OF THE TIRE FAILURES MADE THE NEWS I CHANGED THE TIRES TO A COOPER TIRE. FEEL FIRESTONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF TIRES AND THAT RUNNING AT MANUFACTURER 26PSI IS CAUSE OF PROBLEM.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255X70R16 )
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