1991 Ford Explorer Engine Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH ON A DRIVEWAY INCLINE, THE ENGINE IDLED EXCESSIVELY HIGH AND THE VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY. THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE CONTACT DETECTED SMOKE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND MASSIVE FLAMES ERUPTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND HAS NOT BEEN TOWED AWAY FROM THE SCENE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO HER HANDS. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10267328

Incident

Apr 28, 2009

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

NHTSA ID

10099632

Incident

Nov 8, 2004

Mileage

74,096 mi

I HAVE A 1991 FORD EXPLORER AND AT 91026.8 MILES IT BLEW THE HEAD GASKETS . I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THIS TRUCK IS BAD FOR DOING THIS . IT HAS A 4.0 - V6I DON'T KNOW WHY FORD IS NOT HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS . *NLM

NHTSA ID

10014376

Incident

Apr 6, 2003

Mileage

91,250 mi

TRUCK LEAKING ANTIFREEZE AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF HEAD GASKET AND MANIFOLD GASKET. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10014297

Incident

Mar 1, 2002

Mileage

60,000 mi

WHILE CONSUMER WAS PAYING A TOLL AT THE TOLL BOOTH, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE TOLL BOOTH AND THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY CONSUMED BY THE FIRE, OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT. *SLC

NHTSA ID

566987

Incident

May 10, 2002

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FIRE IN THE ENGINE AREA/RUNNING GEAR/WHEEL AREA.*JG (FIRE INCIDENT REPORT)

NHTSA ID

567003

Incident

May 28, 2002

WHILE CONSUMER'S DAUGTHER WAS DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED. THEN, DRIVER RESTARTED ENGINE WHEN SHE SAW FIRE COMING FROM DRIVER'S SIDE. JUMPED OUT, AND VEHICLE BURNED DOWN. FIRE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT DETERMINE WHERE FIRE HAD STARTED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

8004615

Incident

Feb 25, 2002

I HAVE QUESTIONS TO WHY THERE ARE THESE FAILURES IN THESE 4 IMPORTANT AREAS OF MY VEHICLE, AND WOULD LIKE SOME ANSWERS! THANK YOU, I. E. STOWELL. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: LT1018-D5 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

NHTSA ID

754538

Incident

Nov 14, 2001

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS AN OIL LEAK.*JB

NHTSA ID

785769

BLACK GOO OOZES OUT FROM AROUND THE LACING OF STEERING WHEEL. CONSTANTLY HAVE THE WIPE WHEEL & HANDS. DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE AND WENT BACKWARDS WHILE DRIVING. I ONLY WEIGHT 185 LBS. SO WEIGHT SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM. THERE HAD BEEN NO REAR-END COLLISION EITHER. FRONT WHEEL HUBS FAILED DUE TO ENGINEERING DEFECT. DEALER TRIED TO MAKE ME PAY THE FIRST $55. I REFUSED AND WON. THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS A SHAFT THAT SNAPPED. VALVE GASKETS ARE INFERIOR MATERIAL. HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED, BUT STILL LEAK.*AK

NHTSA ID

752295

THE FAULTY ALUMINIUM HEADS CRACKED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT RESULTING IN THE NUMBER ONE PISTON MELTING AND DAMAGE TO THE CYLINDERS. *YH

NHTSA ID

561444

Incident

Oct 30, 2000

THE THERMOSTAT FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. NLM

NHTSA ID

560209

KNOCKS WHEN PRESS BRAKES, NO HEAT. *AK

NHTSA ID

741681

STARTER FAILED. *SLC RADIUS ARM NEEDED REPLACED. AIR CONDITIONER NEEDED REPLACED. HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT NEEDED REPLACED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

559986

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE WOULD SUDDENLY STALL OUT. WOULD HAVE NO WARNING. WOULD HAPPEN AT ANY SPEED. ENGINE LIGHT WOULD FLASH ON/OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC IT WAS MASS AIR FLOW WAS CAUSING A SHORT IN ENGINE LIGHT. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

875372

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, CONSUMER LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND THOUGHT IT WAS OKAY TO DRIVE, ABOUT 4 OR 5 HOUSES DOWN, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 49-3238-941. *SLC

NHTSA ID

6900646

Incident

Oct 30, 2000

FAN THAT COOLS ENGINE IS MADE OF NYLON, IF IT FAILS IT COULD COME THROUGH FAN BLADES AND THROUGH RADIATOR. CONSUMER FEELS ITS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT.*AK FAILURE OF NYLON FAN COULD CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE TO RADIATOR, HOSES AND THE HOOD. *YH

NHTSA ID

874620

Incident

Oct 31, 2000

WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF, CAUSING THE WHEEL AND BRAKES TO LOCK UP, THE VEHICLE HIT A HILL AND ROLLED ONTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE. *SLC

NHTSA ID

556826

Incident

Jan 1, 1996

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *AK THE BRAKES AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. MAF SENSOR FAILED. THROTTLE BODY AND GASKET FAILED. RADIATOR IS LEAKING. THERMOSTAT FAILED. *YH

NHTSA ID

871873

Incident

Aug 2, 2000

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH FRONT END, UPPER STRUT MOUNTS REPLACED TWICE, STABILIZER AND BUSHINGS REPLACED, AND FRONT END ALIGNMENT, DUE TO FRONT END PROBLEMS THE TIRES WERE ALSO REPLACED, CONSUMER WANTS REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

NHTSA ID

554720

Incident

Nov 17, 1999

1991 FORD EXPLORER COOLING SYSTEM WAS INADEQUATE TO COOL THE 4.0L V-6 ENGINE ADAPTED FROM THE FORD F100 SERIES TRUCK. I HAVE TALKED TO NUMEROUS OWNERS WHO EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THE ENGINE COOKS THERMOSTATS ABOUT EVERY 2 YEARS OR 30000 MILES. A AM A MARINE AND WHILE I WAS DEPLOYED OVERSEAS FOR 6 MONTHS, MY WIFE NOTICED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS FLUCTUATING SIGNIFICANTLY. SHE REPORTED THIS TO SANDERS FORD IN JACKSONVILLE, NC AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NORMAL. SHE EXPLAINED THAT THE TEMP GAUGE HAD NEVER MOVED BEFORE BUT THEY INSISTED THAT IT NORMALLY FLUCTUATES. ABOUT 2 WKS LATER, MY WIFE NOTICED THAT IT WAS LOOSING COOLANT CONSTANTLY. SHE TOOK THE TRUCK BACK TO SANDER FORD, IN JACKSONVILLE, NC AND AFTER FORFEITING $1478.32 AND 2 DAYS LOSS OF THE VEHICLE, HER SUSPICION WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD HAD WARPED. THIS COMMON PROBLEM TO THE EARLY MODEL FORD EXPLORERS HAS NEVER BEEN RECALLED BY FORD. MORE ALARMING IS THE PROPENSITY OF FORD DEALERSHIPS TO BE DISHONEST AND MONOPOLIZING IN OVERPRICING PARTS AND SERVICE. WE HAVE OBSERVED THIS IN CA, VA, NC, AND HI. FORD MOTOR CO APPEARS UNABLE TO CONTROL QUALITY OF SERVICE IN ITS FRANCHISE DEALERSHIPS.*AK

NHTSA ID

725151

Incident

Sep 9, 1996

ENGINE FIRE. MJS

NHTSA ID

549194

POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTED IN VEHICLE FIRE, ON TWO OCCASIONS. NLM

NHTSA ID

548068

Incident

Jul 29, 1999

I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE MISSING WHEN GOING UP HILLS AND ALSO ROUGH IDLE AT START UP. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO NAPA, A AAA APPROVED SHOP, WITH ASE MECHANICS. THERE WAS A LEAKING HEAD GASKET WHICH ALLOWED ANTIFREEZE TO GET IN THE NUMBER 3 CYCLINDER AND PLUG. WHEN THEY TOOK THE HEAD OFF TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T CRACKED THEY FOUND THE ROCKER ARM ASSEMBLIES AND PUSH RODS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE PUSH ROD ENDS WERE WORN TO THE SHAPE OF FOOTBALLS AND HAD WORN INDENTATIONS IN THE ASSEMBLIES. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER USED OIL. I CHANGE THE OIL/FILTER EVERY 3 MONTHS. IT HAS NEVER BEEN LOW ON OIL OR OVERHEATED. THE SHOP OWNER AND THE MECHANIC BOTH SAID THEY THINK IT IS A DESIGN FLAW AND I SHOULD REPORT IT. PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED FROM CHICAGO BECAUSE THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANY IN WA OR OR. THE REASON THEY WERE GIVEN WAS THAT THESE PARTS COULDN'T BE KEPT IN STOCK BECAUSE OF THE HIGH DEMAND FOR THEM. I BABY MY VEHICLES AND REQUIRED SERVICE WORK IS DONE ON TIME. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS PROBLEM IS ONE OF NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THIS COST ME $1,493.41 TO REPAIR SOMETHING WHICH I DON'T THINK SHOULD HAVE GONE WRONG. IN THIS CASE AN ACCIDENT DID NOT HAPPEN BUT COULD HAVE IF THE RODS HAD GONE THROUGH THE HEAD WHILE I WAS DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

705501

Incident

Mar 30, 1999

ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. BY THE TIME I PULLED OVER STEAM AND SMOKE WAS POURING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WITHIN 2 MINUTES IT CAUGHT FIRE. WE WERE UNABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE TRUCK WAS A TOTAL LOSS. FORD WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY INFORMATION ABOUT A REASON.

NHTSA ID

703675

Incident

Jun 27, 1998