Your vehicle report
1993 Ford Explorer
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 939
- Received Jan 1995 to Oct 2020
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Tires blow out or tread separates222 complaints · 24% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up114 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Vehicle catches fire from wiring55 complaints · 5.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #99V310001Vehicle description: on certain sport utility vehicles, the hydraulic lift cylinder bracket welds could fracture.
- Recall #97V235001Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicles equipped with factory installed sunroof. The sunroof glass panel assembly can separate while the vehicle is moving due to incorrect hinge engagement. This was caused by improper sunroof installation of the glass panel.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 86 crashes, 48 fires, 141 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
- Rear door latch fails to open or close
- Tailgate or trunk latch fails
- Glass shatters or cracks without impact
1 more problem
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 132 |
| 1996 | 159 |
| 1997 | 86 |
| 1998 | 64 |
| 1999 | 75 |
| 2000 | 271 |
| 2001 | 65 |
| 2002 | 20 |
| 2003 | 23 |
| 2004 | 16 |
| 2005 | 10 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 939 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 222 | 24% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 114 | 12% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 55 | 5.9% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 34 | 3.6% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 32 | 3.4% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 31 | 3.3% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 31 | 3.3% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 22 | 2.3% | – | |
| Tailgate or trunk latch fails | 21 | 2.2% | – | NHTSA recall #95V164001 |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 21 | 2.2% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 20 | 2.1% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 18 | 1.9% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 17 | 1.8% | – | NHTSA recall #97V235001 |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 15 | 1.6% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 15 | 1.6% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 13 | 1.4% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 12 | 1.3% | – | |
| Parking brake fails to hold or release | 12 | 1.3% | – | NHTSA recall #94V169001 |
| Axle breaks while driving, wheel detaches | 10 | 1.1% | – | |
| Side mirrors give poor rear visibility | 8 | 0.9% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #99V310001November 3, 1999470,582 vehicles affected
structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: support device/strut
Vehicle description: on certain sport utility vehicles, the hydraulic lift cylinder bracket welds could fracture.
With a broken bracket weld, there is a potential for the liftgate bracket to gradually bend inward allowing the lift cylinder ball stud to disengage, unexpectedly allowing the liftgate to fall from an open position.
Remedy
Dealers will install liftgate reinforcement brackets. Depending upon the condition of the liftgate sheet metal in the area of the bracket, dealers may also install a larger reinforcement.
NHTSA recall #97V235001December 18, 1997185,000 vehicles affected
structure: body: roof and pillars
Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicles equipped with factory installed sunroof. The sunroof glass panel assembly Can separate while the vehicle is moving due to incorrect hinge engagement. This was caused by improper sunroof installation of the glass panel.
Unexpected separation of the sunroof glass panel could possibly distract the driver increasing the risk of a vehicle crash or loss of vehicle control.
Remedy
Owners will be provided with an instruction booklet which thoroughly outlines, with illustrations, the proper procedures for the removal, storage, and reinstallation of the sunroof's glass panel. A warning label for attachment to the sunroof's latch knob will also be provided to the owners.
NHTSA recall #97V083000May 5, 1997610,000 vehicles affected
visibility: rearview mirrors/devices
A short circuit condition Can occur in the remote power mirror control switch circuit board as a result of a separated part of the contact assembly bridging the switch positive battery pad and adjacent chassis ground pad.
The current Can overheat the printed circuit board and other plastic and elastomeric components of the switch assembly resulting in smoke or fire.
Remedy
Dealers will install an in-line 10 amp fuse in the positive battery feed to the remote power mirror control switch assembly.
NHTSA recall #96V024001February 5, 1996108,000 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: hydraulic
The studs which attach the brake master cylinder to the power brake vacuum booster assembly Can develop stress corrosion cracking after being operated for an extended period of time in the southern california location.
If a crack occurs, it could result in one or both studs fracturing. The master cylinder could then separate from the vacuum booster, when the brakes are applied, preventing the service brakes from activating increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the power brake vacuum booster assembly.
NHTSA recall #95V164001August 25, 1995364,784 vehicles affected
structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: support device/strut
The hydraulic lift cylinders are attached to brackets that are welded to the liftgate. The bracket welds Can fracture.
With a broken bracket weld, there is a potential for the liftgate bracket to gradually bend inward allowing the lift cylinderball stud to disengage.
Remedy
Dealers will install reinforcement brackets.
NHTSA recall #94V169001September 7, 1994835,791 vehicles affected
parking brake: conventional
The parking brake control self-adjust pawl does not line up properly with the self-adjust rachet causing the pawl to slip over one or more teeth in the rachet.
When the above occurs, it Can result in parking brake system ineffectiveness. The parking brake will not hold the vehicle, causing the vehicle to roll freely, if the transmission is not left in gear.
Remedy
A wedge will be installed which will serve to lock the parking brake self-adjust mechanism pawl into engagement with the rachet. Also, owners will be advised to release and reapply the parking brake whenever tooth skip occurs and will be reminded to always turn off the engine and leave the vehicle in gear when the vehicle is parked.
Other model years
- 1991 609
- 1992 633
- 1993
- 1994 1,207
- 1995 843
- 1996 1,450
- 1997 1,731
- 1998 1,959
- 1999 1,348
- 2000 952
- 2001 375
- 2002 3,295
- 2003 1,131
- 2004 1,304
- 2005 497
- 2006 630
- 2007 208
- 2008 148
- 2009 33
- 2010 115
- 2011 1,197
- 2012 830
- 2013 2,237
- 2014 1,684
- 2015 1,813
- 2016 2,465
- 2017 1,704
- 2018 734
- 2019 300
- 2020 1,249
- 2021 451
- 2022 271
- 2023 113
- 2025 107
- 2026 42
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1993 Ford Explorer.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN