RoadVitals

1993 Ford Explorer Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
246
Latest Jul 22, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
26%
of 939 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
20
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
15

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1993 Ford Explorer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 246 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

The 25 most recent of 246, in the owner's own words

Brakes
Filed Jul 22, 2020
Crash reported2 injuries reported

THE ABS MODULE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A CITY STREET AT ABOUT 20 MPH.

NHTSA ID
11340975
Incident
Jul 20, 2020
Mileage
68,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 22, 2020
2 injuries reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ABS MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE MANUFACTURER FOR ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 68,000. *BF *AS

NHTSA ID
11340967
Incident
Jul 20, 2020
Mileage
68,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 30, 2006

DURING NORMAL OPERATION LEFT REAR BRAKE LINE CRACKED, LOST ALL BRAKE FLUID, MANAGED TO STOP VEHICLE ON IN MEDIAN, HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP, AFTER LEFT REAR BRAKE LINE WAS REPLACED MECHANIC WAS BLEEDING BRAKE SYSTEM, DURING THE PROCESS THE MAIN BRAKE LINE LEADING TO THE REAR BRAKE LINES CRACKED AND DEVELOPED A LEAK, LOST ALL BRAKE FLUID AGAIN!FORTUNATELY THIS TIME IT HAPPENED AT SHOP, HAD ALL BRAKE LINES REPLACED, ADVISED SHOP TO HOLD ON TO OLD (ORIGINAL) BRAKE LINES. *JB

NHTSA ID
10163894
Incident
Jul 27, 2006
Mileage
143,231 mi
Brakes
Filed Oct 26, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE PARKING BRAKE STAYING IN PLACE. THE PARKING BRAKE GOES TO THE FLOOR AND DOES NOT HOLD. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A YEAR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN CHECKED BY A DEALER. *AK UPDATED 01/23/06. *JB

NHTSA ID
10140830
Incident
Jan 1, 1901
Mileage
163,000 mi
Brakes
Filed May 31, 2005
Crash reported

DT: VECHICLE WAS IN PARK WITH THE PARKING BRAKE ON AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN A HILL.*AK

NHTSA ID
10122527
Incident
May 27, 2005
Mileage
250,000 mi
BrakesHeating & air conditioningEngine+2 more
Filed Nov 30, 2004

MULTIPLE FAILURES, CONTINUALLY BRAKE PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE ALSO OVERHEATED, THERMOSTAT REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. A/C COMPRESSOR MALFUNCTION, ETC. *BF A BLOWOUT RIPPED THE RUNNING BOARD ASSEMBLY, THE ABS LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENT AND THE MECHANIC COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP ON THE VEHICLE AND VIOLENTLY SKIDDED TO A STOP, THE EXHAUST WAS REPLACED TWICE, THERE WAS A NOISE THAT LINGERED ON IN THE FRONT END AND A LOUD CREAKING SOUND. *SC

NHTSA ID
10101884
Incident
Nov 1, 2004
Brakes
Filed Jul 11, 2004

INTERMITENT - ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILURE. PEDAL DROPS DOWN AND NOISE (GROWL) OCCURS, FOLLOWED BY VEHICAL PULLING TO ONE SIDE WITH LONG STOPPING DISTANCE. RECENT INCIDENT REQUIRED EXTREME BRAKING AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND THE VEHICLE SLID OUT OF CONTROL.*AK

NHTSA ID
10080808
Incident
Jul 1, 2004
Mileage
180,300 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 18, 2004

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL GOT STUCK. THIS CAUSED THE ABS LIGHT TO APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAIN ON. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10079503
Incident
Jun 10, 2003
Brakes
Filed Dec 2, 2003

CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE TRAVELING, THE BRAKES WERE SMOKING DUE TO OVER HEATING. DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS REPLACED. THE BRAKES CONTINUED TO WEAR OUT ONCE A MONTH, THE BRAKES HAD BEEN RESURFACED, ADJUSTED AND REPLACED 5 TIMES. *AK *TT *JB

NHTSA ID
10041865
Incident
Mar 20, 2003
Mileage
135,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Oct 17, 2003

CRUISE CONTROL:1993 FORD EXPLORER- WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, I HAD MY CRUISE CONTROL ON. AS I APPROACHED ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM BEHIND, I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE CONTROL DID NOT DEACTIVATE, AND I HAD TO PUSH THE "OFF" BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO GAIN CONTROL. THIS ISN'T AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME ON 3 OTHER OCCASIONS. ALSO WHEN THIS SWITCH GOES BAD, IT IS APPARENTLY TIED INTO THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS, AS THEY DON'T WORK WHEN IT GOES OUT. ON ALL OCCASIONS WHEN THIS SWITCH GOES OUT, I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A FORD DEALER(ROSS FORD- PIEDMONT, MO.) TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, SO IT SHOULD BE DOCUMENTED. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. *LA

NHTSA ID
10043088
Incident
Oct 16, 2003
BrakesSteeringSuspension
Filed Sep 25, 2002

THE VEHICLE HAD SEVERELY RUSTED POWER STEERING HOSES WHICH WERE REPLACED WHEN CONSUMER NOTICED SEEPAGE OF FLUID THROUGH THE STEEL LINES.*JB

NHTSA ID
786464
Brakes
Filed Sep 9, 2002

VENT HOSE IS ON REAR AXLE HOUSING AND RUBBING ON REAR BRAKE LINE.*AK

NHTSA ID
8018254
Incident
Sep 9, 2002
Brakes
Filed Aug 15, 2002

WHILE DRIVING NEEDS EXCESSIVE EFFORT TO PROPERLY APPLY BRAKES. CONSUMER HEARS SQUEAKING NOISE.*AK

NHTSA ID
8016462
Incident
Aug 8, 2002
Brakes
Filed Jun 28, 2001

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN EMERGENCY BRAKE IS APPLIED IT SLIPS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL FORWARD SLIGHTLY. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE'S MAKE AND MODEL. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
891530
Incident
Jun 5, 2000
Brakes
Filed Jun 20, 2001
Crash reported

INSUFFICIENT BRAKING RESULTED IN REAR END COLLISION. 2ND ACCIDENT OF SAME NATURE AFTER FORD SERVICE INSPECTION. INDEPENDENT BRAKE SHOP REPLACED REAR BRAKES AND PROBLEM IS OK. FORD ARGUES THAT BRAKES AND VEHICLE WERE OK. *AK

NHTSA ID
747123
Incident
May 14, 2001
Brakes
Filed May 18, 2001

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH BRAKE CALIPER STICKING AND CAUSING ROTORS TO BE CUT AND WARPED. VEHICLE BEEN TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID
888618
Incident
Jun 18, 1997
Brakes
Filed Mar 20, 2001

WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE PEDAL IS ENGAGED IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE TEETH ON THE RACHET MECHANISM DO NOT ENGAGE AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE PEDAL ENDS UP ON THE FLOOR, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS DEFECT IS THE SAME AS RECALL 94V-169 BUT THE VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. NLM

NHTSA ID
560429
Brakes
Filed Mar 15, 2001

PARKING BRAKE CONTROL SELF ADJUSTING PAWL DOES NOT LINE UP PROPERLY WITH SELF-ADJUSTED RACHET, CAUSING PAWL TO SLIP OVER ONE OR MORE TEETH IN RACHED. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE'S MAKE AND MODEL; HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN.*AK

NHTSA ID
883126
Brakes
Filed Mar 6, 2001

WHEN DEPRESSING PARKING BRAKE TO FLOORBOARD CONSUMER NOTICED BRAKE SKIPING TEETH. *AK

NHTSA ID
882173
BrakesTires & wheels
Filed Jan 30, 2001

THE VEHICLES RIGHT AND LEFT REAR WHEEL BRAKE DRUM BECOMES EXTREMELY HOT AND CONSUMER CAN SMELL AN ODOR OF HOT OIL EMANATING FROM THE WHEEL ONCE PARKED IN GARAGE. NLM

NHTSA ID
559243
Incident
Jan 5, 1999
Brakes
Filed Nov 21, 2000
Crash reported

WHILE DRIVING BRAKING PEDAL LINKAGE BROKE WHICH CAUSED NO BRAKING ABILTIY AT ALL, AND RESULTED IN A CRASH. WILL BE TAKING TO DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
875304
Incident
Nov 20, 2000
BrakesSuspension
Filed Nov 20, 2000

FAULTY SUSPENSION CAUSED SHIMMY/VIBRATION IN VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER HAS BALANCED AND ROTATED THE TIRES 4 TIMES, REPLACED RADIUS ARM BUSHING, ALIGNMENT, REPLACED INNER AND OUTER BEARINGS, REPLACED SHOCKS AND REPLACED THE GOODYEAR TIRES, THE CONSUMER LATER FOUND OUT ABOUT TSB 960415A, THE DEALER REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM AT THEIR EXPENSE. *SLC

NHTSA ID
557741
Brakes
Filed Oct 14, 2000

THIS SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. I DO ALL MY OWN SERVICING AND AS INDICATED THIS IS THE 5 FAILURE. INDICATIONS ARE SPEED CONTROL DOES NOT SUSPEND AND THE EXTERIOR BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE. IN EVERY CASE I HAVE DISASSEMBLED THE DEVICE AND THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS ARE PITTED AND DEFORMED FROM USAGE. ALSO APPEARS TO BE INDICATIONS THAT THE INTERNAL WORKINGS OF THE SWITCH HAS BEEN EVOLVING, I SUSPECT DUE TO USAGE RELATED FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
734283
Incident
Oct 2, 2000
Brakes
Filed Oct 5, 2000

WHILE DRIVING AND COMING TO STOP WOULD STEP ON BRAKE PEDAL BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP UNLESS PUT INTO A LOWER GEAR. THEN, VEHICLE WILL STOP SLOWLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
872372
Incident
Oct 5, 2000
BrakesTires & wheels
Filed Sep 28, 2000
2 injuries reported

FIRESTONE ATX TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASH, BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER WERE INJURED IN ACCIDENT, PREVIOUSLY 2 OTHER TIRES EXPERIENCED CRACKING AND TREAD SEPARATION. *SLC

NHTSA ID
555619
Incident
Jun 10, 1998

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .