U.S. public vehicle records

1995 Ford EXPLORER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

647 owner complaints analyzed

5 distinct recall campaigns

121,585 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1995 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 96 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Tires:Tread/Belt is the most frequently named component, appearing in 101 of 647 complaints (15.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	87	13.4%
Transmission and shifting	58	9.0%
Steering behavior	26	4.0%
Engine operation	22	3.4%
Electrical and battery issues	19	2.9%
Fuel system concerns	5	0.8%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Tires:Tread/Belt

101

Tires

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Vehicle Speed Control

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly

Suspension

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Tires:Tread/Belt	101
Tires	89
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	52
Vehicle Speed Control	37
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	32
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	24
Suspension	24
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	18

Tires:Tread/Belt: 101; Tires: 89; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 52; Vehicle Speed Control: 37; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 32; Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 24; Suspension: 24; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 18

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 16; 100,000 to 149,999: 43; 150,000 and above: 25

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (43). 551 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1995

1996

2000

247

2001

116

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2018

2019

1995: 52; 1996: 37; 2000: 247; 2001: 116; 2002: 50; 2003: 38; 2004: 22; 2005: 21; 2006: 10; 2007: 6; 2008: 7; 2009: 8; 2010: 7; 2011: 6; 2012: 9; 2013: 2; 2014: 3; 2015: 3; 2016: 1; 2018: 1; 2019: 1

Pattern summary

Tires:Tread/Belt leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 87 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 58 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10004153 · 2003-01-17 (January 17, 2003)

THE ABS SYSTEM WAS PROBLEMATIC. TS SCC

Owner-reported narrative. 99,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004153 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10004875 · 2003-01-29 (January 29, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING ON I-95 IN ROUTE FROM NC TO FL THE ACCELERATOR STUCK. VEHICLE WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHILE BRAKING AND TRYING TO GET OVER TO SHOULDER. INCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO FORD VIA THEIR WEB SITE ON 1/10/03, CASE ID 681115, NO RESPONSE TO DATE.

Owner-reported narrative. 140,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004875 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10005206 · 2003-02-03 (February 3, 2003)

FOR THE THIRD TIME, MY '95 FORD EXPLORER DURING NORMAL OPERATION HAS HAD THE THROTTLE STUCK OPEN AND ACCELERATE TO THE POINT WHERE THE TRUCK WILL NOT SLOW DOWN EVEN WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES. EVEN WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN PUT INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION THE ENGINE CONTINUES TO REV. I HAVE TO THROW THE TRUCK INTO PARK AND TURN THE TRUCK OFF BEFORE THE ENGINE WILL SLOW DOWN. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED A FEW YEARS AGO- I HAD A NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN. THE SECOND TIME THIS OCCURRED MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS BUILD-UP WHICH CAUSED THE THROTTLE …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005206 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10007956 · 2003-02-21 (February 21, 2003)

TRANSMISSION FAILED. FROM PARK TO REVERSE OR DRIVE TOOK 8-10 SEC'S FOR IT'S POSITION. DEALER SAYS NOTHING WRONG. TRANS. SPECIALISTS CHARGED $2500.00 FOR REBUILT FORD TRANS.

Owner-reported narrative. 63,957 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007956 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10015550 · 2003-04-09 (April 9, 2003)

THE VEHICLES POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED AND CAUSED LOSS OF POWER STEERING. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10015550 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10037943 · 2003-08-29 (August 29, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10037943 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10030790 · 2003-08-04 (August 4, 2003)

1995 FORD EXPLORER STALLS WITHOUT WARING AT ANY GIVEN TIME,WHETHER AT IDLE OR DURING ACCELERATION. HAS BEEN CHECKED OUT BY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE NO PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN FOUND.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 91,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030790 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10016046 · 2003-04-17 (April 17, 2003)

THE ELECTRICAL MODULE FAILED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016046 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10107721 · 2005-01-22 (January 22, 2005)

AFTER OPERATING THE HEATER A FIRE OCCURRED UNDER THE HOOD. IT BURNED THE PLASTIC CASE AROUND THE HEATER CORE AREA. I WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT NO RECALLS HAD BEEN ISSUED ON MY VEHICLE (1995 FORD EXPLORER VIN# [XXX]). THE SERVICE TECH AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE HEATER CORE COULD NOT HAVE CAUSED THE FIRE AND THAT PERHAPS A MOUSE HAD BUILT A NEST INSIDE AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE. HE DID NOT MENTION ANY SERVICE BULLETINS REGARDING ELECTRICAL PROBL…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10107721 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10470395 · 2012-08-13 (August 13, 2012)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 56,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10470395 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10511821 · 2013-05-13 (May 13, 2013)

THE VEHICLE DOESN'T SHIFT SINCE ITS MISSING THE TRANSMISSION WIRING HARNESS O/D SENSOR CANT LOCATE A REPLACEMENT PART THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON ALL THE TIME IT USES A LOT OF ANTIFREEZE SPEED CONTROL DON'T WORK FUEL PUMP KEEPS GOING OUT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10511821 at NHTSA ↗