Is This A Lemon?

Year · Make · Model

1993 Ford Explorer

What the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration knows about this vehicle: every recall, every consumer complaint, every defect investigation, every NCAP crash test. Sourced directly from NHTSA data feeds.

9
Open recalls
939
NHTSA complaints
14
Defect investigations
83
Service bulletins

NCAP safety

Overall
Not rated
Frontal
Not rated
Side
Not rated
Rollover
Not rated

Consumer complaints

939 filed
86
Crashes
48
Fires
141
Injuries reported
1
Fatalities reported

What people complain about

  • TIRES:TREAD/BELT
    150
  • Service BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC Limited Slip
    140
  • Tires
    80
  • Power TRAIN:AUTOMATIC Transmission
    41
  • STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
    41
  • Vehicle Speed Control
    25
  • Engine AND Engine COOLING:ENGINE
    25
  • Service BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION Components
    25

Recalls

9 campaigns
01X001000·TIRES:TREAD/BELT2001-05-22

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: FORD IS REPLACING ALL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 15, 16, AND 17 INCH TIRES MOUNTED ON FORD TRUCKS AND SUVS. FORD REPORTS TREAD SEPARATION CAN OCCUR DUE TO A COMBINATION OF THE SENSITIVITY OF THE TIRE DESIGN TO STRESS, AGING, AND MANUFACTURING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PLANTS. FORD IS REPLACING THESE TIRES TO PREVENT POSSIBLE PREMATURE TIRE FAILURE. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: THE VEHICLES LISTED BELOW MAY HAVE BEEN ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES OR MAY HAVE HAD WILDERNESS AT TIRES INSTALLED DURING THE FIRESTONE RECALL LAUNCHED IN AUGUST 2000. CERTAIN 1991 THROUGHT 2002 FORD EXPLORER CERTAIN 2001 THROUGHT 2002 EXPLORER SPORT, AND SPORT TRAC CERTAIN 1997 THROUGH 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER CERTAIN 1991 THROUGH 2001 RANGER CERTAIN 1999 THROUGH 2001 EXPEDITION CERTAIN 1991 THROUGH 1994, AND 1997 MODEL YEAR F-SERIES CERTAIN 1991 THROUGH 1994 BRONCO NOTE: BOTH ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND REPLACEMENT TIRES ARE AFFECTED.

RiskSHOULD THE TREAD SEPARATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH.

FixTHE REPLACEMENT/REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS CAMPAIGN EXPIRED ON MARCH 31, 2002. HOWEVER, CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT FORD AT 1-877-917-3673 OR GO ON-LINE TO WWW.FORD.COM FOR POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE.

00T005000·TIRES:TREAD/BELT2000-08-21

TIRE DESCRIPTION: FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT, SIZE P235/75R15, PRODUCED AT THE DECATUR, ILLINOIS TIRE PLANT AND ALL FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX AND RADIAL ATX II TIRES, SIZE P235/75R15. OPERATION OF THESE TIRES AT LOW INFLATION PRESSURES, HIGH SPEED, AND IN HOT WEATHER, CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SEPARATION OF THE TIRE TREAD.

RiskIF THE TREAD SEPARATES FROM THE TIRE, THE DRIVER CAN LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH.

FixTHE REPLACEMENT/REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS CAMPAIGN EXPIRED ON AUGUST 29, 2001. HOWEVER, CUSTOMERS SHOULD CONTACT FIRESTONE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-465-1904 FOR POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE.

99V310001·STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT1999-11-03

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE HYDRAULIC LIFT CYLINDER BRACKET WELDS COULD FRACTURE.

Risk 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.

FixDEALERS 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.

97V235001·STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS1997-12-18

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.

RiskUNEXPECTED SEPARATION OF THE SUNROOF GLASS PANEL COULD POSSIBLY DISTRACT THE DRIVER INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH OR LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

FixOWNERS 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.

97V083000·VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES1997-05-05

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.

RiskTHE CURRENT CAN OVERHEAT THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD AND OTHER PLASTIC AND ELASTOMERIC COMPONENTS OF THE SWITCH ASSEMBLY RESULTING IN SMOKE OR FIRE.

FixDEALERS WILL INSTALL AN IN-LINE 10 AMP FUSE IN THE POSITIVE BATTERY FEED TO THE REMOTE POWER MIRROR CONTROL SWITCH ASSEMBLY.

96V024001·SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:HYDRAULIC1996-02-05

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.

RiskIF 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.

FixDEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER ASSEMBLY.

95I007000·STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT1996-01-31

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATION 573. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. THE CAMPAIGN WILL REINFORCE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENTS OF THE REAR LIFTGATE GAS ASSIST CYLINDERS WHICH COULD PULL AWAY FROM THE INSIDE OF THE LIFTGATE.

RiskIF A BRACKET AND GAS ASSIST CYLINDER WERE TO DETACH COMPLETELY FROM THE LIFTGATE AND NO LONGER BEAR AGAINST THE LIFTGATE AS INTENDED, THE REMAINING ASSIST CYLINDER WOULD NOT HOLD THE LIFTGATE IN AN OPEN POSITION. PERSONAL INJURY COULD OCCUR.

FixFORD DEALERS WILL REINFORCE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENTS.

95V164001·STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT1995-08-25

THE HYDRAULIC LIFT CYLINDERS ARE ATTACHED TO BRACKETS THAT ARE WELDED TO THE LIFTGATE. THE BRACKET WELDS CAN FRACTURE.

RiskWITH A BROKEN BRACKET WELD, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR THE LIFTGATE BRACKET TO GRADUALLY BEND INWARD ALLOWING THE LIFT CYLINDERBALL STUD TO DISENGAGE.

FixDEALERS WILL INSTALL REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS.

+ 1 more recalls. Pagination is on the roadmap.

NHTSA investigations

14 actions
EA00012·STRUCTURE2000-04-14 → 2000-10-20

SPARE TIRE WINCH CABLE

PE99072·STRUCTURE1999-11-30 → 2000-04-14

SPARE TIRE WINCH CABLE

RQ99016·STRUCTURE1999-07-29

LIFTGATE SUPPORT BRACKET FAILURE

Led to recall99V310001

EA99004·VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM1999-01-15 → 2000-04-18

BLOWER ASSEMBLY FIRES

PE98048·VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM1998-09-04 → 1999-01-15

BLOWER ASSEMBLY FIRES

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