1991 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

ON DEC 23, 2004, MY 1991 FORD EXPLORER CAUGHT FIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE HAD 208,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAD BEEN PROFESSIONALY SERVICED A WEEK PRIOR TO THE FIRE. WHILE I WAS DRIVING, I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL. I LOOKED IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR & SAW SOME WHITE SMOKE BEHIND ME. WITHIN SECONDS THE ENGINE DIED. BY THE TIME I GOT IT PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER, SMOKE WAS STREAMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE BURNED THROUGH THE FIREWALL AND CAUGHT THE INTERIOR ON FIRE VERY QUICKLY.*AK

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. THE BRAKE LIGHTS ON MY 1991 FORD EXPLORER CANNOT BE MADE TO WORK CONSISTENTLY. THIS PRESENTS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD TO THE DRIVERS FOLLOWING MY VEHICLE. WHEN I HIT MY BRAKES THEY CAN'T TELL. I HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED TWICE ALREADY, AND I AM TIRED OF IT. BUT FORTUNATELY THE REAR BUMPER IS VERY STRONG, AND ONLY IS BENT IN A LITTLE SO FAR, SINCE THE VEHICLE BEHIND HITS THE TOW HITCH, WHICH IS CAPABLE OF TOWING 3,500 POUNDS. RACEWAY FORD IN RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM BY REPLACING THE SWITCH AT LEAST TWICE SINCE 1997. I HAVE NOT YET GONE THROUGH THE PAPER WORK BEFORE 1997 TO SEE HOW MANY ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO CORRECT THE DESIGN DEFECT. I REPLACED THE SWITCH AGAIN, AND STILL CANNOT GET THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO WORK PROPERLY.*AK

I WAS DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE TRASMISSION SLIPPED AND I WOUDNT GO FORWARD TEN SMOKED POURED OUT AND PEOPLE IN THE STREETS STARTED YELLING SAYING "THERE'S FIRE COMING OUT THE HOOD!!" I PULLED OVER AND JUMPED OUT AND THE WHOLE ENGINE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES!!! VEHICLE TOTALLED. *AK

TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, THEN THE FRONT MAIN SEAL. IT HASN'T BEEN TWO MONTHS AND THEN MY HEATER CORE WENT OUT AND AT THE SAME TIME MY HEATER FAN. ALSO, BEFORE THE FRONT MAIN SEAL WENT OUT THE ROTORS WENT BAD AND I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THIS HAS ALL HAPPENED WITHIN A YEARS TIME. I AM THOROUGHLY DISGUSTED AND BROKE. I PRAISED FORD BEFORE THIS, NOW I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND FORD TO ANYONE I KNOW. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND NOW I HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE I CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO FIX THIS TRUCK. I HAVE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, FRONT MAIN SEAL, WATER PUMP, STARTER, ROTORS, ALTERNATOR, AND THE LOW WHEEL DRIVE ON MY TRUCK BUT NOW ITS THE HEATER CORE AND I HAVE BEEN QUOTED OVER 600-800 TO FIX THIS! THAT IS IF I CAN FIND ANYONE WHO WANTS TO DO IT WHICH BY THE WAY NO ONE DOES. WHAT DO I DO NOW? *NM

THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ENGINE REPAIRS. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS READY TO BE DRIVEN. THE CONSUMER WENT TO THE GAS STATION BECAUSE THERE WAS NO FUEL IN IT. WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS LEAVING THE GAS STATION, THE VEHICLE LOST ITS FRONT WHEEL. IT WAS THEN DISCOVERED THAT NO LUGS; BOLTS WERE PUT BACK ON THE FRONT WHEEL. THE CONSUMER WAS HAVING ENGINE WORK DONE TO THE VEHICLE. WHY WOULD THEY TAKE THE WHEELS OFF TO SERVICE THE ENGINE, AND THEN NOT PUT THE BOLTS BACK ON. *AK THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THIS WAS AN ACT OF VANDALISM. *SC *JB

TRAVELING 40 MPH IN NORMAL WEATHER IN MODERATE TRAFFIC. HOOD LATCH FAILED CAUSING HOOD TO FLY OPEN AND BLOCK VISIBILITY. WAS ABLE TO COME TO A SAFE STOP AND CLOSE THE HOOD. RESULTED DAMAGE TO THE HOOD, HINGES AND COWLING,(IN ADDITION TO SCARING ME BADLY). PRESENTLY BEING INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. *NM

VEHICLE IS A 1991 FORD EXPLORER XLT EDDIE BAUER EDITION, 4X4 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSAXLE, 4.0L V6. VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH REAR-WHEEL ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. BOTH REAR WHEELS PERFORM UNCOMMANDED FULL LOCKUP AFTER MEDIUM APPLICATION OF BRAKE PEDAL. CONDITION PERSISTS EVEN WHEN PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IS REMOVED. VEHICLE SKIDS TO A STOP. FULL APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES FOR SEVERAL SECONDS IS REQUIRED TO RELEASE THE REAR WHEEL BRAKE DRUMS AND RESTORE NORMAL CONTROL TO THE DRIVER. THIS COULD EASILY RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. SYMPTOMS PRESENT REGARDLESS OF WEATHER/ROAD CONDITIONS, VEHICLE SPEED, OR MANEUVER TYPE.*AK

IN 2001 THE RIGHT SIDE BRACKET ATTACHMENT OF THE REAR LIFTGATE GAS ASSIST CYLINDER CAME OFF FROM THE INSIDE OF THE LIFTGATE OF MY 1991 FORD EXPLORER. THE REMAINING ASSIST CYLINDER DOES NOT HOLD THE LIFTGATE IN AN OPEN POSITION. AS I UNDERSTAND FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NO 95I007000 OVER A MILLION VEHICLES HAD THE BRACKETS REINFORCED, BUT MY EXPLORER WASN'T INCLUDED ALTHOUGH IN MY OPINION IT CLEARLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN. I HAVEN'T PRICED THE REPAIRS.*AK

I HAVE A FIRESTONE ATX SPARE TIRE AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON MY 1991 FORD EXPLORER. BOTH FORD AND FIRESTONE PARTICIPATED IN A RECALL OF THESE TIRES. I WAS NEVER CONTACTED ABOUT THE RECALL. I HAVE CONTACTED BOTH FORD AND FIRESTONE CUSTOMER SERVICE TO GET THIS TIRE REPLACED AND THEY SAY THEY CAN NO LONGER REPLACE MY TIRE. *JB

THE RIGHT SUPPORT GAS ASSIST CYLINDER ON THE LIFTGATE FAILED AND PULLED AWAY AND BROKE OFF COMPLETELY, THEREFORE THE LIFTGATE WILL NOT HOLD ON ITS OWN. *AK