1989 Ford Explorer Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1989 Ford Explorer, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Fuel system1100.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
FUEL SPILL UNDER ENGINE ON GARAGE FLOOR DETERMINED FUEL LINE LEAKING ON ENGINE. DROVE CAR TO MARK MOTORCARS. 178 KINGS HWY CUTOFF FFLD,CT 06824 REPAIR WORK WAS DONE AT THIS SITE. I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOWED. A FIRE COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT WHILE DRIVING THIS CAR. IMPORTANT NO DEALER WARNING LABEL WAS INSTALLED. CONTACTED MILLER FORD/NISSAN 930-970 KINGS HWY. FFLD,CT. 06825 FOR PART REPLACEMENT OF FUEL LINE SUPPLY&RETURN LINE ASSEMBLY. PART COST $543.23 AND LABOR$126.00 TAXES $41.36 &SHOP PARTS 20.08 TOTAL REPAIR ORDER $730.67 FORD DEALER REFUSED FOR TOTAL REIMBURSEMENT CONTACTED THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. INFORMED OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER #[XXX] THIS IS A 1998 FOR EXPLORER LTD VEHICLE ID#[XXX] THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO AWARD ME A TOTAL REFUND. *NM UPDATED 07/11/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .