Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. 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. 41 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.
The 25 most recent of 41, in the owner's own words
IGNITION SWITCH TURNS WITHOUT A KEY AND THEN IT IS HARD TO INSERT THE KEY. ENGINE STALLED POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF THE SWITCH WHILE WAITING FOR TRAFFIC LIGHT TO CHANGE TO GREEN.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CONTACT NOTICED DARK SMOKE COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTED IT WHEN THE SMOKE CEASED. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE SMOKE REAPPEARED. THE CONTACT LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD, BUT COULD NOT LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD THE HEATER FUSE REMOVED, WHICH STOPPED THE VEHICLE FROM SMOKING. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT YET BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 89,000. UPDATED 05/27/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE AC ONLY WORKED ON HIGH AND THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER DID NOT WORK. UPDATED
1993 FORD EXPLORER SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED IN DRIVEWAY, DAMAGE ORIGINATED IN THE DRIVER SIDE DASHBOARD AREA. VEHICLE WASN'T DRIVEN 24 HOURS PRIOR TO FIRE. NO RECALL FOUND FOR YEAR/MODEL, BUT COUNTLESS FIRES REPORTED FOR BASE FORDS OF ALL MODELS AND YEARS. *NM
I OWNED A FORD 1992 EXPLORER AND ONE MORNING IT JUST CACTH FIRE FOR NO REASON AT ALL. WE LET IT RUN BEFORE TAKING MY KIDS TO SCHOOL AS WE DO EVERY COLD MORNING AND IF A LITTLE GIRL HAD BEEN WALKING TO THE BUS STOP AND SAW THE CAR ON FIRE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN BURN UP IN THE HOUSE SO LUCKLY SHE SAW AND LET US NO BEFORE IT GOT TO THE PORCH WE CALL THE FIRE DEPT. *NM
DT: THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE STARTED SPUTTERING LIKE IT NEEDED A TUNE UP. TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND SMOKE CAME FROM THE HEATING AND COOLING VENTS. AS SOON AS THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER SMOKED STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE VEHICLE WAS IN FLAMES. CONTACTED FORD, THEY SAID THEY WERE NOT RECALLING THIS VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT BUT WERE NOT SURE WHERE THE FIRE STARTED FROM. THIS HAPPENED ON OCTOBER 1, 2004. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE. *AK
TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. *MR THIS PROBLEM HAD BEEN PRESENT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST PURCHASED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 5 OCCASIONS WITH NO SUCCESS UNTIL ANOTHER CHEVY DEALER FOUND THAT THERE WAS A BAD BATTERY CABLE. *SC *JB
WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE INSPECTOR INDICATED THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR PANEL. *JB JAMIE CONADAY WAS THE OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. SCC
CONSUMER LEFT THE VEHICLE AT THE SERVICE GAS STATION FOR SERVICE. TWO DAYS LATER VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO A FAULTY SHORT CIRCUIT. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PH. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE GETS WARMED UP IT WILL STALL BECAUSE IGNITION MODULE WILL MALFUNCTION, AND VEHICLE WILL CUT OFFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
UNDER THE HOOD FIRE WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKE. ; DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
VEHICLE WAS PARKED, HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN IN 4.5 HRS AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE BURNED TO GROUND, AND SET VEHICLE PARKED NEXT TO IT ON FIRE TOO. TOTAL LOSS TO CONSUMER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 10 MPH WHEN VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING . IT HAPPENED THREE TIMES, AND CONSUMER HAD CONTACTED DEALER ABOUT THE SITUATION.*AK
IGNITION HAS BEEN CHECKED, REPLACED, AS WELL AS ENDLESS OTHER POTENTIAL CAUSES, BY TWO MECHANICS, NEITHER BEING ABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM. FORD DENIES ANY KNOWLEDGE.
MY FUSE BLEW, WHEN WE LOOK TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS WE SAW THAT THE SIDE VIEW MIRROR (ELECTRIC) HAD EVIDENTLY GOT ON FIRE BECAUSE THE UNDERNEATH WAS MELTED. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT TO DO. I NEED TO HAVE THIS REPLACED AND I DO NOT FEEL THAT I WAS AT FAULT AND WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT IF THE FORD PLACE SHOULD REPLACE THIS FREE OF CHARGE DO TO THE SWITCH BEING FAULTY. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. ENGINE WAS ON FIRE, AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE IN THE SERVICE BULLETIN (94-8-14), HOWEVER REPAIRED PRIOR TO BULLETIN, REPAIRED STARTER, BATTERY AND CABLES, BATTERY ACID LEAKAGE CAUSED DAMAGE. *MJS
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, DRIVER TURNED ON DEFROSTER AND FLAMES STARTED SHOOTING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. DRIVER THEN TURNED OFF VEHICLE AND TOOK FIRE OUT. CONSUMER RESTARTED VEHICLE AND FIRE STARTED AGAIN.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
STARTER ASSEMBLY FAILED. YH
SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED BY H&L ON 4/19/99 PART # AWSF-4C, MILEAGE WAS 74,497. FAILURE OF PLUGS WAS DURING TRIP, AT ANOTHER DEALER RHINEBECK FORD, 914-876-4440, THEY REPLACED THEM WITH AWSF-42P- STATING WRONG PLUGS INSTALLED BY H&L. H&L RESPONDED INITIALLY THAT THESE WERE THE CORRECT PLUGS, BUT LATER AGREED THAT THE 42P WERE THE RIGHT ONES. SUBSEQUENT, THE VEHICLE RAN ROUGH AND HAD POOR PERFORMANCE. H&L CONTACTED REGARDING THIS, NOTED TO MONITOR FLUID LEVELS, TUNE UP WOULD NOT CURE PROBLEM. MANAGER STATED IT COULD BE A CRACKED HEAD. WITHIN 7 DAYS SINCE 10/11/99, ENGINE IS IN SHOP, WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT OF EXHAUST AND FLUIDS INDICATE A LEAK. MANAGER ALSO STATED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE EXPLORER FOR THAT YEAR. CAR NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, EXPIRED AT 89,830. FEEL FORD IS RESPONSIBLE!
EA99004, WHILE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IS ON AND IN VENT MODE, SMOKE CAME FROM THE VENTS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL WIRE MELTING. THIS MAY STARTED A FIRE IF VEHICLE DID NOT SHUT OFF. *AK
MY 93 FORD EXPLORER HAD APPROXIMATELY 3 DIAGNOSTIC TESTS WITH RESULTS THAT SHOW THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE VEHICAL CONSISTENTLY OVER 7 MONTHS HAS BEEN STALLING, DIEING, AND SURGING. IT USUALLY STALLS AT STOP SIGNS OR WHILE WAITING IN A LINES OF CARS. IT DIES AT STOP SIGNS OR WHEN TRYING TO START IT UP. IT SURGES WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND FEELS LIKE A TUGGING MOTION. THE RPMS AND AMPS GO WAY DOWN AND FEELS LIKE IT MAY STALL THEN IT SURGES AND GETS POWER. WHEN IT GETS POWER IT ALMOST JUMPS FORWARD AND HITS THE CAR IN FRONT WHILE MY FOOT IS STILL ON THE BREAK. IT ALSO JUMPS AROUND AT STOP SIGNS WITH THE RPMS AND AMPS GOING UP AND DOWN. MOSSEY FORD IN SAN DIEGO, CA HAS REPLACED THE OIL AND FILTER AND THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. THEY SAID IT WOULD TAKE CAR OF THE PROBLEM AND IT DID NOT. THE PROBLEM BECAME MORE DOMINANT, PERSISTENT, AND DANGEROUS. THIS WORK COST APPROXIMATELY $300.00, SO DUE TO HIGH COST AT FORD. I TOOK THE VEHICAL TO GREG'S AUTOMOTIVE IN EL CAJON, CA. I THEN REPLACED THE BATTERY AND WAS CHARGED USELESSLY FOR FINDING NO PROBLEMS. AT THIS POINT, I SPEND ABOUT $400.00 MORE DOLLARS FOR NOTHING. THEY HAD A HUNCH THAT IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE TIMING BELT, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $600.00 JUST FOR THEM TO CHECK. I HAVE BEEN SPENDING HARD EARNED MONEY USELESSLY AND DISREGARDING MY BILLS FOR MY VEHICAL NOT BEING FIXED. I AM SCARED FOR MY SAFETY AND OTHER'S SAFETY WHILE DRIVING THE EXPLORER UNDER THESE UNFIXABLE CONDITIONS. I NEED HELP AND HIGH QUALITY SERVICE TO PIN POINT THE EXACT PROBLEM. I DEPEND ON MY VEHICAL AND MUST USE IT TO GET ME PLACES I HAVE TO GO. MY FORD VEHICAL IS STALLING, DIEING, AND SURGING. THIS IS NOT SAFE AND FORD SHOULD DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM BY RECALLING VEHICALS WITH THESE TYPE OF COMPLAINTS.
WHEN GETTING INTO VEHICLE AND STARTING IT UP EVERYTHING WILL GO OUT, SUCH AS THE HEADLIGHTS REMAINING ON, AND CONSUMER SMELLING SMOKE COMING FROM VEHICLE. CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK
VENTILATION SYSTEM HAS CAUGHT ON FIRE 3 TIMES WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. IT MELTED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. DEALER HAS REPAIRED 3 TIMES. *AK
BATTERY EXPLODED.
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.
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