1997 Ford Explorer Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 198 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1997 Ford Explorer, 11% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 98,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “timing chain” (14% of reports).
- 198engine and engine cooling complaints
- 98,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $6,400typical repair cost reported by owners
- 34%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Timing chain: mentioned in 27 of 198 complaints (14%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the 1997 Ford Explorer at $6,400, and half of them between $2,800 and $8,200.
Based on 16 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (1999–2008), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 31 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 198 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 9 a fire.
Ford Explorer engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Explorer | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2023 Explorer | 1 | 1% | 35,682 |
| 2022 Explorer | 2 | 1% | 88,689 |
| 2021 Explorer | 10 | 2% | 60,000 |
| 2020 Explorer | 21 | 2% | 51,250 |
| 2019 Explorer | 6 | 2% | 63,000 |
| 2018 Explorer | 29 | 4% | 71,699 |
| 2017 Explorer | 77 | 5% | 89,600 |
| 2016 Explorer | 114 | 5% | 75,650 |
| 2015 Explorer | 66 | 4% | 59,220 |
| 2014 Explorer | 67 | 4% | 27,950 |
| 2013 Explorer | 67 | 3% | 61,151 |
| 2012 Explorer | 14 | 2% | 56,734 |
| 2011 Explorer | 21 | 2% | 85,000 |
| 2010 Explorer | 3 | 3% | 14,000 |
| 2009 Explorer | 1 | 3% | 88,350 |
| 2008 Explorer | 4 | 3% | 67,000 |
| 2007 Explorer | 10 | 5% | 53,000 |
| 2006 Explorer | 164 | 26% | 45,776 |
| 2005 Explorer | 29 | 6% | 44,113 |
| 2004 Explorer | 71 | 5% | 55,000 |
| 2003 Explorer | 69 | 6% | 50,000 |
| 2002 Explorer | 163 | 5% | 74,000 |
| 2001 Explorer | 39 | 10% | 86,000 |
| 2000 Explorer | 90 | 9% | 56,700 |
| 1999 Explorer | 100 | 7% | 64,000 |
| 1998 Explorer | 189 | 10% | 100,000 |
| 1997 Explorer | 198 | 11% | 98,000 |
| 1996 Explorer | 81 | 6% | 78,000 |
| 1995 Explorer | 45 | 5% | 139,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the 1997 Ford Explorer. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Since the explorer was 5 years old the driver side of the truck was starting to settle/ be lower than the passenger side. Until it was so bad the shop stated we needed to replace the rear springs, shocks and stabilizer and *** the rear was also lower than the front. So we had to replace the front…
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 ford explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20-30 mph, the vehicle would misfire and seem as if it would stall. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer who informed the contact that she needed to replace the engine. The manufacturer was then contacted…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 ford explorer. The contact was driving approximately between 35-40 mph when he smelled a burning odor. The vehicle was immediately taken to a local repair facility. While exiting the vehicle, the contact noticed flames erupting from under the hood. There was no prior…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Ford Explorers have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 198 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 1997 Ford Explorer (11% of the 1,731 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Ford Explorer engine and engine cooling?
No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 98,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the 1997 Ford Explorer?
Owners report a typical cost of $6,400 (half paid between $2,800 and $8,200), from 16 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1997 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “timing chain”, in 27 of 198 complaints.
Other 1997 Ford Explorer problems
See all 1997 Ford Explorer problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Explorer years.