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1994 Ford ExplorerProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1,207 owner complaints about the 1994 Ford Explorer, most often about the tires. It is covered by 4 safety recalls.

42
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.4× the Explorer median · #12 of 34 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Free fix at dealersOwner complaints1,207290 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage94kTires, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 2, 2020. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1994 Ford Explorer has problems

1,207 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Tires33163
Service brakes, hydraulic23830
Structure15826
Power train869
Electrical system7530
Engine and engine cooling7413
Visibility7128
Suspension651
Vehicle speed control5117
14 other systems21240

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

4 recalls

1994 Ford Explorer recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Hatchback/liftgate: support device/strut

Recall 99V-310 · Nov 3, 1999 · 470,582 vehicles

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,…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Visibility: rearview mirrors/devices

Recall 97V-083 · May 5, 1997 · 610,000 vehicles

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

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Tires

12 owners mentioned a cost

$750median

Middle half: $263 – $1,500

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

1994 vs. every other Explorer year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Explorer median. How we score

'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

1994 Ford Explorer safety ratings

1994 Ford Explorer 4-DR 4x4 in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
13 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1994 Ford Explorer, and the recalls they led to.

  1. HEAVY LATERAL VIBRATIONDP98001 · closed Feb 4, 1998
    No recall
  2. HEATER BLOWER ASSEMBLY FIREDP98008 · closed Sep 11, 1998
    No recall
  3. SPARE TIRE WINCH CABLEEA00012 · closed Oct 20, 2000
    No recall
  4. SEPARATION OF MASTER CYLINDEREA95018 · closed Apr 2, 1996
    Led to recall 96V-024
  5. BRAKE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONEA96017 · closed Oct 29, 1999
    No recall
  6. SUNROOF SHATTERING AND SEPARATIONEA97011 · closed Jan 20, 1998
    Led to recall 97V-235
  7. BLOWER ASSEMBLY FIRESEA99004 · closed Apr 18, 2000
    No recall
  8. BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER/BOOSTER SEPARATIONPE95001 · closed Jun 19, 1995
    No recall
  9. WHEEL LOCKUP WITH ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEMPE96016 · closed Jul 24, 1996
    No recall
  10. DRIVER DOOR ELECTRICAL FIREPE96066 · closed May 15, 1997
    Led to recall 97V-083
  11. BLOWER ASSEMBLY FIRESPE98048 · closed Jan 15, 1999
    No recall
  12. SPARE TIRE WINCH CABLEPE99072 · closed Apr 14, 2000
    No recall
  13. LIFTGATE SUPPORT BRACKET FAILURERQ99016 · still open
    Led to recall 99V-310
In owners' words

What Explorer owners report

Recent tires complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

APRIL, 1996 I, MY EX WIFE, AND MY DAUGHTER WERE COMING BACK FROM PALMDALE, LA COUNTY, TRAVELING EAST ON 138 HIGHWAY BACK TO ONTARIO, SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, WHERE I USED TO RESIDE. WHILE I WAS PASSING SLOW TRUCK IN TWO HIGHWAY TRYING TO GET BACK IN THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK ONE OF THE FRONT TIRES…
Complaint 10551694 · Nov 10, 2013 · 24,000 miles
WHILE DRIVING I TURNED ON AIR CONDITIONER AND IMMEDIATELY LIGHT SMOKE BEGAN OUT OF AIR CONDITIONING VENTS AND THEN THE NEXT MOMENT THE SMOKE WAS EXTREMELY HEAVY OUT OF THE VENTS AND THEN VISIBLE FIRE UNDERNEATH FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE VEHICLE OFF THE SIDE OF THE…
Complaint 10379515 · Jan 29, 2011 · 286,000 miles
RECALLED FIRESTONE ATX AND WILDERNESS TIRES. **NAR** *NJ THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MPH WHEN THE LEFT REAR TIRE SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC TREAD BELT SEPARATION. THE VEHICLE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE AND SUBSEQUENTLY ROLLED WHICH CAUSED A FATAL HEAD INJURY TO A RESTRAINED 12 YEAR OLD OCCUPANT. IT…
Complaint 10260108 · Feb 25, 2009

Own a 1994 Explorer?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.