1997 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Problems
- Complaints
- 6filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 107,500miles, 6 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1997 Ford Explorer Sport Trac (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error
NHTSA recorded 6 consumer complaints for the 1997 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The part named most often is other or unknown, with 1 complaints (17% of the total), followed by seat belts (1) and body and structure (1). 6 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 107,500 miles. Of all complaints, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 0 technical service bulletins for this model year.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Other or unknown1 17%
- Seat belts1 17%
- Body and structure1 17%
- Suspension1 17%
Example complaints
Other or unknown: “I have a 1997 Ford explorer sport and it is down for the second time with a timing chain problem. The first was when I bought the used vehicle in 1999 from a car lot in lynnwood, wa it had 49,000 miles on it and it need the timing chain assembly replaced. Now 4 years later it is sitting at a shop needing a second timing chain assembly replaced. It seems very odd that this would occur twice with a vehicle in its life time. The vehicle originated from canada in 1996, so I am not sure if it had the correct mileage when I purchased this vehicle. …”
NHTSA complaint #10054248, filed 2004-01, 108,000 milesSeat belts: “I drive a 1997 Ford explorer xlt. The driver's side seat belt today became unlatched when I hit the breaks hard. This is the second time that this has happened. Had I hit another car, I would have gone through the windshield. Ford wants to charge me $100 for the repair.”
NHTSA complaint #10110173, filed 2005-02, 107,000 milesBody and structure: “I think the rear door of Ford explorers should be investigated. I have a 1997 Ford explorer xlt. The weld that holds the rear door at the top is starting to come apart. I was informed that this is an engineering defect on Ford explorers by a Ford body shop. Why has there not been a recall on this issue? I have also seen this on several other explorers. I was told that this occurs because the sheet metal used on the door is so thin that it does not support the weight of the rear door that good.”
NHTSA complaint #10138501, filed 2005-10, 138,124 milesMileage when problems were reported
0% of the 6 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 100,060 and 138,124 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 1997 Ford Explorer Sport Trac in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Technical service bulletins
No technical service bulletins are on record for the 1997 Ford Explorer Sport Trac.
Other model years of the Ford Explorer Sport Trac
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 31 | 30,000 | 1 | — | 17 | Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years) | Falling |
| 2009 | 6 | 20,000 | 0 | — | 17 | — | Not enough data |
| 2008 | 23 | 65,265 | 1 | — | 16 | — | Rising |
| 2007 | 100 | 39,275 | 1 | — | 16 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2006 | 5 | 74,000 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2005 | 66 | 68,000 | 0 | — | 15 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2004 | 86 | 43,768 | 0 | — | 16 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2003 | 78 | 58,500 | 0 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 144 | 48,104 | 2 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2001 | 167 | 71,760 | 4 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1998 | 5 | 51,700 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1997 | 6 | 107,500 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All Ford Explorer Sport Trac model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1997 Ford Explorer Sport Trac have?
NHTSA recorded 6 consumer complaints for the 1997 Ford Explorer Sport Trac as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1997 Ford Explorer Sport Trac is reported most often?
Other or unknown is named most often, in 1 complaints (17% of the total), followed by seat belts with 1.
Has the 1997 Ford Explorer Sport Trac been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 1997 Ford Explorer Sport Trac reported?
Among the 6 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 107,500 miles and the middle half falls between 100,060 and 138,124 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.