1991 Ford EXPLORER: complaints, problems and recalls

DEFECTIVE FIRESTONE TIRES. FORD REFUSED REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE BEYOND THE PARAMETERS OF FIRESTONE TIRE REFUND SINCE VEHICLE WAS MORE THAN SIX YEARS OLD. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002330 at NHTSA ↗

GAS FEEDER LINE TO REGULATOR STARTED LEAKING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING OUTSIDE TO WARM UP. UPON COMING OUT TO THE VEHICLE I FOUND A POOL OF GAS CIRCUMFERENCING MY VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY JUMPED INTO IT AN D MOVED IT AWAY FROM MY HOME. AFTER DOING SO SHUT IT OFF. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. MY HOME ,MY CAR AND LOSS OF LIFE COULD HAVE RESULTED FORM THIS. I FEEL IT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN OCTOBER 1990. ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED ON PREVIOUSLY, II HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FINGD ANYTHING ON I…

Owner-reported narrative. 130,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002892 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER COMPLAINIED ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TIRES. STATED THAT TWO BACK TIRES BLEWOUT. TIRE SIZE P235/75R15 FROM FIRESTONE WHICH WERE REPLACEMENTS FROM THE FIRESTONE TIRES THAT WERE RECALLED.MANUFACTURE WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD ABOUT IT.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004674 at NHTSA ↗

FUEL TANK-VAPOR VENT VALVE CARRIER WELD FAILED. DEALER FAILED TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM. INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY FOUND FUEL LEAK, REPLACED FUEL TANK AT MY EXPENSE. I RECENTLY LEARNED OF RECALL NO. 91V025000. FORD STATES THAT THIS IS ADVISORY BULLETIN ONLY AND NOT A RECALL, AND IN ANY CASE, DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE. I ORDERED MY VEHICLE IN MAY 1990 AND TOOK DELIVERY IN SEPTEMBER 1990. I BELIEVE THAT MY VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN RECALL, AND THAT DEALER THE SHOULD HAVE DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM CONSIDERING RECALL BULLETIN. *JB *NLM …

Owner-reported narrative. 79,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007047 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS GOING HOME AND I NOTICED THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING. FROM 10 MPH TO 45, 50, 60 AND I COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE THE ONLY THING THAT I COULD DO AT THE TIME WAS TO PLACE THE GEAR ON NEUTRAL. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008467 at NHTSA ↗

THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL BROKE OFF THE AXLE, WHICH CAUSED CONSUMER TO LOSE SLIGHT CONTROL. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008750 at NHTSA ↗

THE FRONT WHEEL BROKE OFF, WHICH CAUSED CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008921 at NHTSA ↗

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 154,233 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010411 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 1990-05-21 (May 21, 1990)

IF SUNROOF GLASS IS REMOVED AND REINSTALLED BY VEHICLE OPERATOR, HINGE ASSEMBLIES CAN BE ACCIDENTALLY IMPROPERLY MATED.

Consequence: SUNROOF COULD DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE BEING DRIVEN,CREATING A RISK TO FOLLOWING VEHICLES OR PEOPLE IN THE VICINITY, OR TO VEHICLEOCCUPANTS IF THE GLASS SHOULD FALL INTO THE CABIN.

Remedy: INSTALL REVISED SUNROOF HINGES THAT WILL ADEQUATELY RETAIN SUNROOF ASSEMBLY.

Reported: 1991-02-11 (February 11, 1991)

THE FRONT HEAT SHIELD MAY CONTACT THE FRONT OF THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK, CAUSING CUTS OR OTHER DAMAGE TO THE EXTENT OF PENETRATION.

Consequence: THIS PENETRATION OF THE FUEL TANK CAUSES VAPORS TO ESCAPEAND POSSIBLY FUEL TO SPILL, WHICH COULD CATCH FIRE IN THE PRESENCE OF ANIGNITION SOURCE.

Remedy: RELOCATE THE HEAT SHIELD; INSPECT AND REPLACE DAMAGED FUEL FUEL TANKS.

Reported: 1991-02-11 (February 11, 1991)

THE HOT PLATE WELD WHICH ATTACHES THE VAPOR VENT VALVE CARRIER TO THE TOP OF THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK MAY PARTIALLY FRACTURE, ALLOWING VAPOR OF FUEL TO ESCAPE FROM THE TOP OF THE TANK.

Consequence: THE ESCAPED VAPOR OR LEAKED FUEL COULD CAUSE A FIRE INTHE PRESENCE OF A SOURCE OF IGNITION.

Remedy: FUEL TANK WILL BE REMOVED AND INSPECTED FOR WELD INTEGRITY. FUEL TANKS WITH INADEQUATE WELDS WILL BE REPLACED.

Reported: 1991-02-12 (February 12, 1991)

REAR BUMPER REINFORCEMENT MAY BE SUBJECT TO FATIGUE CRACKING UNDER EXTENDED TRAILER TOW SERVICE WHEN USING A BUMPER-MOUNTED TRAILER HITCH BALL.

Consequence: UNDER EXTREME CONDITIONS, BUMPER COULD SEPARATE FROM THEVEHICLE WHEN USING A BUMPER MOUNTED TRAILER HITCH BALL.

Remedy: INSTALL TWO BRACKETS TO REINFORCE THE BUMPER.

Reported: 1991-11-04 (November 4, 1991)

WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION, THE PARK PAWL DOES NOT ALWAYS ABUT OR ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR.

Consequence: DRIVER MAY BELIEVE THE VEHICLE IS SAFELY ENGAGED IN PARKWHEN THE GEAR IS NOT TRULY ENGAGED. THIS CAN LEAD TO THE VEHICLE JUMPING OUT OFGEAR UNINTENTIONALLY, VEHICLE ROLLAWAY WHEN PARKED ON A SLOPED SURFACE, ANDINADVERTENT MOTION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. ALL OF THESE CONDITIONS CANRESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION WITH A NEW PARK PAWL.

Reported: 1992-08-17 (August 17, 1992)

THE RIGID MOUNTED SAFETY BELT BUCKLES ARE DEFECTIVE IN THREE WAYS. FIRST, A FASTENED SAFETY BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT UNLATCH WHEN THE RELEASE BUTTON IS DEPRESSED. THIS RESULTS FROM INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE BUCKLE EJECTOR FINGER AND THE BUCKLE TONGUE WINDOW. THE SECOND DEFECT IS THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE MAY NOT LATCH. THE THIRD POSSIBLE DEFECT IS THAT THE TONGUE MAY BE RETAINED BY THE BUCKLE, BUT IT MAY NOT BE LATCHED SUFFICIENTLY TO PROVIDE OCCUPANT PROTECTION.

Consequence: AN INSUFFICIENTLY LATCHED OR UNLATCHED SAFETY BELTINCREASES THE RISK OF INJURY TO SEAT OCCUPANTS IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP ORACCIDENT. IF THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT UNLATCH, IT WILL NOT ALLOW THEOCCUPANT TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.

Remedy: FORD WILL REPLACE THE RIGID MOUNTED SAFETY BELT BUCKLES WITH END RELEASE SAFETY BELT BUCKLES DESIGNED TO PREVENT LATCH PROBLEMS.

Reported: 1996-02-05 (February 5, 1996)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Reported: 1997-12-18 (December 18, 1997)

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.

Consequence: 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.