Front Seat Recliner problems of the 1997 Ford Explorer

While vehicle was parked consumer was trying to recline/adjust the seat. The seat reclining handle snapped. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.

The consumer noticed the driver side seat back reclined backwards after opening the driver's side door. Prior to this incident, the consumer had informed the dealership that the seat was loose and rocked. The dealer provided no assistance. Recall 03v281000 was issued for the high back seat, however, this vehicle was not included in recall due to the vehicle identification number.

Seat recliner levers break off. Back seat passenger(s) must climb over seat to enter or exit. If there was an emergency rear seat passengers would have difficulty exiting vehicle. The cheap metal part that fractured is attached to a $70. 00 part that with labor would be $240. 00 for both driver and passeenger repair. This is more than inconvenience.

Consumer stated as he leaned back in the drivers seat, the back of the seat fell onto the rear seat, consumer was not able to get the seat back up by using the seat handle, vehicle was taken into the dealership and consumer was informed that the latch holding the seat back in place had let go and had to be replaced.

This broken lever is a design problem, not a safety issue.

Consumer has been experiencing problems with seat tracks and anchors. When the driver slammed on brakes, back seat tilted up and the passenger was ejected into the air. As a result, the passenger jammed her head against the ceiling. The manufacturer has been contacted. On 2-door model.

Seat latch metal broke off from the seat, and the seat is unusuable. Incident occurred two times. Dealer cannot duplicate the problem.

Front passenger seat handle keeps breaking off. Consumer has yet to contact dealer. Please provide any further infomation.

Back split bench seat: bottom of the seat does not lock in place, when sitting on front of seat, the back pops up, cause unknown. Took to dealer and did not repair it, is taking to a dealer on Monday for repair.

The drivers side seatback lever was broke.

While driving driver's seat back fell, causing the vehicle to veer across the road.

Rear brakes are shot and the seat handle is broken. My dealer says that vehicle is not cover under my extended warranty. But, there is a TSB # 98-25-15 for the seat handle, and I can't believe that my brakes or rear rotors are warped. Already they did replacethe front ones and they should have done the rear at the same time but they did not. Now I am the one who has to suffer because of them. This should be a warranty item taht all there is to it. Hope I here from some one but I dought it.

Vehicle was rear ended at 70mph, and the driver's side seatback collapsed. Dealer has not seen vehicle.

Driver was rearended by smaller vehicle that was driving at high rate of speed, causing driver's seatback to fall back into a reclining position, resulting in loss of control. Vehicle was totaled.