1997 Ford Explorer Tires Problems

NHTSA component category: TIRES · data through 07/12/2026

332Tires complaints

19.2%Of all 1,731 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How tires ranks on this vehicle

TIRES:TREAD/BELT396 · 22.9%

TIRES332 · 19.2%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL121 · 7%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE77 · 4.4%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE74 · 4.3%

Share of the 1,731 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Ford Explorer overview page.

What owners report

“WHILE TRAVELING AT 55MPH THERE WAS A LOUD POP, THE DRIVER PULLED OVER AND LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT.”NHTSA complaint 539853 — filed 08/14/1998

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Tires complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Ford Explorer have tires problems?

Tires is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 1997 Ford Explorer: 332 of 1,731 complaints on file (19.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1997 Ford Explorer have in total?

1,731 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 155 involved a crash, 53 involved a fire, 214 reported injuries, and 34 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's tires category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the TIRES category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.