1994 Ford Explorer Problems and Recalls (988 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1994 Ford Explorer is Brakes (22% of 988 owner reports). There are 6 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Brakes — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 988 complaints · 6 recalls

What problems show up on the 1994 Ford Explorer?

219 of 988 filings named Brakes (22% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Body / frame (144 reports).

There are 6 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Tires, Parking brake, Body / frame, Brakes, and Glass / wipers / cameras. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1993 has 801 reports on file; this year has 988. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 1994 Ford Explorer

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 6 campaigns on file below.
  2. Brakes. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm.
  3. Body / frame. Look for rust, collision repair and body gaps that do not match a clean truck.
  4. Tires. Check age, tread depth and uneven wear. Uneven wear often points back to alignment.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Brakes. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Brakes 219 complaints · 22.2% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 77
  • Fires 83
  • Injuries 108
  • Deaths 11
Compare with 1993 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) appears in 219 of 988 owner complaints (22.2%) in this vehicle snapshot. Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 219 complaints, 22.2% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 26 crash reports 219 · 22.2% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 144 complaints, 14.6% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 7 fire reports 144 · 14.6% Tires (TIRES): 116 complaints, 11.7% of reports Tires (TIRES) 13 crash reports 116 · 11.7% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 70 complaints, 7.1% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 8 crash reports 70 · 7.1% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 62 complaints, 6.3% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 24 fire reports 62 · 6.3% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 61 complaints, 6.2% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 28 fire reports 61 · 6.2% Engine (ENGINE): 55 complaints, 5.6% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 13 fire reports 55 · 5.6% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 46 complaints, 4.7% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 crash reports 46 · 4.7% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 36 complaints, 3.6% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 5 crash reports 3 fire reports 36 · 3.6% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 844 complaints, 85.4% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 68 crash reports 69 fire reports 844 · 85.4% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 219 22.2% 26 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 144 14.6% 0 crashes · 7 fires
Tires (TIRES) 116 11.7% 13 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 70 7.1% 8 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 62 6.3% 0 crashes · 24 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 61 6.2% 0 crashes · 28 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 55 5.6% 0 crashes · 13 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 46 4.7% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 36 3.6% 5 crashes · 3 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 844 85.4% 68 crashes · 69 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 1995; the first recall shown was reported in Sep 1994. 1995-Q1: 29 owner reports 29 1995-Q2: 33 owner reports 33 1995-Q3: 31 owner reports 31 1995-Q4: 19 owner reports 19 1996-Q1: 27 owner reports 27 1996-Q2: 24 owner reports 24 1996-Q3: 60 owner reports 60 1996-Q4: 27 owner reports 27 1997-Q1: 21 owner reports 21 1997-Q2: 16 owner reports 16 1997-Q3: 40 owner reports 40 1997-Q4: 24 owner reports 24 1998-Q1: 23 owner reports 23 1998-Q2: 22 owner reports 22 1998-Q3: 25 owner reports 25 1998-Q4: 29 owner reports 29 1999-Q1: 32 owner reports 32 1999-Q2: 22 owner reports 22 1999-Q3: 37 owner reports 37 1999-Q4: 24 owner reports 24 2000-Q1: 31 owner reports 31 2000-Q2: 24 owner reports 24 2000-Q3: 91 owner reports 91 2000-Q4: 56 owner reports 56 2001-Q1: 27 owner reports 27 2001-Q2: 23 owner reports 23 2001-Q3: 23 owner reports 23 2001-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2002-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2002-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2002-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2002-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2003-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2003-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2003-Q3: 10 owner reports 10 2003-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2004-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2004-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2004-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2004-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2005-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2005-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2005-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2005-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2007-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2007-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Sep 1994 Jul 2020 Recall campaign 94V169001 ◆ Recall campaign 94V169001 Recall campaign 95I007000 ◆ Recall campaign 95I007000 Recall campaign 96V024001 ◆ Recall campaign 96V024001 Recall campaign 97V083000 ◆ Recall campaign 97V083000 Recall campaign 99V310001 ◆ Recall campaign 99V310001 Recall campaign 00T005000 ◆ Recall campaign 00T005000 Investigation PE95001 ● Investigation PE95001 Investigation EA95018 ● Investigation EA95018 Investigation PE96016 ● Investigation PE96016 Investigation EA96017 ● Investigation EA96017 Investigation PE96066 ● Investigation PE96066 Investigation EA97011 ● Investigation EA97011 Investigation DP98001 ● Investigation DP98001 Investigation DP98008 ● Investigation DP98008 Investigation PE98048 ● Investigation PE98048 Investigation EA99004 ● Investigation EA99004 Investigation RQ99016 ● Investigation RQ99016 Investigation PE99072 ● Investigation PE99072 Investigation EA00012 ● Investigation EA00012
  • Campaign 95I007000 was reported 302 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 96V024001 was reported 395 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 97V083000 was reported 641 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 99V310001 was reported 1,674 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 00T005000 was reported 1,286 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1995-Q1 Owner reports 29
1995-Q2 Owner reports 33
1995-Q3 Owner reports 31
1995-Q4 Owner reports 19
1996-Q1 Owner reports 27
1996-Q2 Owner reports 24
1996-Q3 Owner reports 60
1996-Q4 Owner reports 27
1997-Q1 Owner reports 21
1997-Q2 Owner reports 16
1997-Q3 Owner reports 40
1997-Q4 Owner reports 24
1998-Q1 Owner reports 23
1998-Q2 Owner reports 22
1998-Q3 Owner reports 25
1998-Q4 Owner reports 29
1999-Q1 Owner reports 32
1999-Q2 Owner reports 22
1999-Q3 Owner reports 37
1999-Q4 Owner reports 24
2000-Q1 Owner reports 31
2000-Q2 Owner reports 24
2000-Q3 Owner reports 91
2000-Q4 Owner reports 56
2001-Q1 Owner reports 27
2001-Q2 Owner reports 23
2001-Q3 Owner reports 23
2001-Q4 Owner reports 7
2002-Q1 Owner reports 13
2002-Q2 Owner reports 7
2002-Q3 Owner reports 13
2002-Q4 Owner reports 6
2003-Q1 Owner reports 7
2003-Q2 Owner reports 11
2003-Q3 Owner reports 10
2003-Q4 Owner reports 7
2004-Q1 Owner reports 5
2004-Q2 Owner reports 7
2004-Q3 Owner reports 4
2004-Q4 Owner reports 4
2005-Q1 Owner reports 6
2005-Q2 Owner reports 3
2005-Q3 Owner reports 2
2005-Q4 Owner reports 2
2006-Q1 Owner reports 2
2006-Q3 Owner reports 2
2006-Q4 Owner reports 3
2007-Q1 Owner reports 1
2007-Q2 Owner reports 4
2007-Q4 Owner reports 2
2008-Q2 Owner reports 2
2009-Q1 Owner reports 2
2009-Q2 Owner reports 1
2009-Q4 Owner reports 3
2010-Q1 Owner reports 1
2010-Q2 Owner reports 2
2011-Q1 Owner reports 2
2011-Q3 Owner reports 1
2011-Q4 Owner reports 1
2012-Q1 Owner reports 1
2014-Q3 Owner reports 2
2018-Q3 Owner reports 1
2020-Q3 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 94V169001
Recall campaign 1 95I007000
Recall campaign 1 96V024001
Recall campaign 1 97V083000
Recall campaign 1 99V310001
Recall campaign 1 00T005000
Defect investigation 1 PE95001
Defect investigation 1 EA95018
Defect investigation 1 PE96016
Defect investigation 1 EA96017
Defect investigation 1 PE96066
Defect investigation 1 EA97011
Defect investigation 1 DP98001
Defect investigation 1 DP98008
Defect investigation 1 PE98048
Defect investigation 1 EA99004
Defect investigation 1 RQ99016
Defect investigation 1 PE99072
Defect investigation 1 EA00012
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (6)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Tires, Parking brake, Body / frame, Brakes, and Glass / wipers / cameras.

  1. Recall campaign 00T005000

    Tires

    Report date
    Component:
    Tires (TIRES)
    Consequence:
    IF THE TREAD SEPARATES FROM THE TIRE, THE DRIVER CAN LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH.
    Remedy:
    THE 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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 94V169001

    Parking brake

    Report date
    Component:
    Parking brake (PARKING BRAKE)
    Consequence:
    WHEN THE ABOVE OCCURS, IT CAN RESULT IN PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM INEFFECTIVENESS. THE PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL FREELY, IF THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT LEFT IN GEAR.
    Remedy:
    A WEDGE WILL BE INSTALLED WHICH WILL SERVE TO LOCK THE PARKING BRAKE SELF-ADJUST MECHANISM PAWL INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RACHET. ALSO, OWNERS WILL BE ADVISED TO RELEASE AND REAPPLY THE PARKING BRAKE WHENEVER TOOTH SKIP OCCURS AND WILL BE REMINDED TO ALWAYS TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND LEAVE THE VEHICLE IN GEAR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 95I007000

    Body / frame

    Report date
    Component:
    Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
    Consequence:
    IF 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.
    Remedy:
    FORD DEALERS WILL REINFORCE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENTS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 96V024001

    Brakes

    Report date
    Component:
    Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 97V083000

    Glass / wipers / cameras

    Report date
    Component:
    Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)
    Consequence:
    THE CURRENT CAN OVERHEAT THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD AND OTHER PLASTIC AND ELASTOMERIC COMPONENTS OF THE SWITCH ASSEMBLY RESULTING IN SMOKE OR FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN IN-LINE 10 AMP FUSE IN THE POSITIVE BATTERY FEED TO THE REMOTE POWER MIRROR CONTROL SWITCH ASSEMBLY.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Recall campaign 99V310001

    Body / frame

    Report date
    Component:
    Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
    Consequence:
    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.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS 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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 8 of 988 complaints · page 1 of 40
2020-07-02Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11337134
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I LOOKED UP MY VEHICLE AND IT HAS A RECALL AND I WANT IT FIXED. *TR
2018-07-01Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11104957
CrashFireInjuryDeath
PURCHASED VEHICLE TRANSMISSION OUT,CAME WITH REBUILT TRANSMISSION,INSTALLED,LASTED ABOUT 1 YEAR.KEPT BLOWING FRONT SEALS.ALWAYS HEATED UP GOING UPHILL.NEXT TRANSMISSION,SAME STORY.SERVICED REGULAR,WITH FILTER CHANGE.CURRENT TRANSMISSION IN TRANS. SHOP,BURNT UP,NEW CLUTCHES,BANDS,SEALS,YOU NAME IT.IT STILL WILL NOT SHIFT CORRECTY DUE TO SERVO PISTON FAILURE,THAT ALSO NEEDS FIXED.A4LD TRANSMISSION IN TOO SMALL FOR THE EXPLORER VEHICLE.I LIKE THE VEHICLE IN GENERAL,EVEN INSTALLED MANUAL LOCKOUTS TO HELP THIS SIDUATION.THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD GOOD CARE,BUT TO NO AVAIL.I BELIEVE THAT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR PRESENTING THE AMERICAN CONSUMER WITH SUCH BAD DRIVETRAIN SIDUATIION,THAT I AM SURE THAT THEY BOTH KNEW ABOUT,AND JUST DID NOT CARE.IT LEFT ME,A SERVICE CONNECTED DISABLED VETERAN,ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY,MANY TIMES.EVEN ON MY WAY TO THE VA HOSPITAL.REGUARDS
2014-08-23EXTERIOR LIGHTING
NHTSA ODI 10627689
CrashFireInjuryDeath
HIGH BEAMS ACT AS LOW BEAMS ALL THE TIME, UNLESS YOU PULL THE BRIGHTS TOWARDS YOU AND HOLD WHICH IS ALSO A FATALITY. *TR
2014-07-18FUEL SYSTEMUnclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10614481
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, AN ODOR OF GASOLINE FUMES EMITTED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED BRONCHIAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION AS A RESULT FROM INHALING THE FUMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
2012-02-13Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 10447825
CrashFireInjuryDeath
MY TENANT'S VEHICLE - A 1994 FORD EXPLORER - SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN MY PROPERTY'S GARAGE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES AND DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS THE CAR ITSELF - LIKELY A FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL VALVE ACCORDING TO THEM. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WILL CONDUCT ITS OWN INVESTIGATION. *TR
2011-11-16Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 10436124
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I WAS SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT ALL OF A SUDDEN THE TRUCK ACCELERATED FORWARD. THE NEXT EVENT I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR AND THE TRUCK ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND I WAS UNABLE TO STOP IT, THE BRAKES WOULDN'T STOP IT, FINALLY I TURNED THE KEY OFF AND IT SHUT DOWN. IT'S BEEN HAPPENING ON AND OFF SINCE THEN. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, BUT, I NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. I CONTACTED FORD SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY TOLD ME IT COULD BE ALOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS, THEY NAMED OFF SOME PARTS AND I REPLACED ALOT OF THEM AND AM STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY DID SAY THEY HAVE HEARD OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS, BUT THEY WERE NOT ALL FOR THE SAME REASONS. *TR
2011-09-28FUEL SYSTEMUnclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10427754
CrashFireInjuryDeath
INVESTIGATION OF A MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC COLLISION REVEALED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ON 1994 FORD EXPLORER (UNKNOWN MILES) MAY BECOME STUCK IN THE "FULL OPEN THROTTLE" POSITION. CONDITION OCCURS WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM WEARS A SLIT IN THE RUBBER SOUND/HEAT INSLUATION ON THE FLOOR BOARD. AFTER THAT OCCURS, WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS FULLY DEPRESSED, THE ARM CAN BECOME STUCK IN THE RUBBER. CONDITION WAS DISCOVERED DURING INVESTIGATION OF A FATAL CRASH. AFTER THE CONDITION WAS DISCOVERED, IT COULD BE EASILY AND REPEATEDLY REPLICATED. NOTE: FATALITY OCCURRED WHEN THE DRIVER, FOR UNKNOWN REASONS, EXITED THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS STILL IN MOTION AT UNKNOWN SPEED. DRIVER DIED UPON IMPACT WITH ROAD. VEHICLE CONTINUED OFF ROAD AND CAME TO REST, MOSTLY UNDAMAGED, IN A FIELD WELL OFF ROAD SURFACE. *TT
2011-01-29Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10379515
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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 ROAD AND EXITED, 10 MINUTES LATER IT WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *LN

Ford Explorer Complaints by Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1994 Ford Explorer?

Owners named Brakes most often — 219 of 988 reports (22%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1994 Ford Explorer?

NHTSA lists 6 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Tires, Parking brake, Body / frame, Brakes, and Glass / wipers / cameras. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 1994 Ford Explorer?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources