1994 Ford Explorer Brakes Problems

I DRIVE A 1994 FORD EXPLORER 4X4. MY COMPLAINT IS WITH THE FRONT BRAKES. WHEN THE INNER BRAKE PADS WEAR TO A CERTAIN POINT, THEY FALL OUT OF THE CHANNELS THAT THEY SLIDE IN CAUSING BRAKE FAILURE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, ALL THAT IS LEFT TO STOP THE VEHICLE IS THE PISTON OF THE BRAKE CALIPER. THERE IS NO WEAR INDICATOR TO WARN THE DRIVER THAT DISC PADS ARE WORN OUT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10287088

Incident

Sep 28, 1999

Mileage

150,000 mi

THE BRAKES WERE MAKING NOISE AND LOCKING UP WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED. TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR CHECK UP, AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THEY WERE WORN OUT AND LEAKING FLUID. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY CONSUMER.*AK ABS SYSTEM WAS CONTAMINATED. FOUR TIMES IN FEB., 2005 THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MIDAS. THE CONSUMER ASKED THE MIDAS MANAGER TO CHECK THE BRAKED BECAUSE HE FELT THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THEM. EACH TIME THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKES WERE FINE. MIDAS AUTO CORP WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE IS PARKED IN HIS DRIVEWAY AND IN NOT DRIVABLE. *BF *NM

NHTSA ID

10114971

Incident

Jan 24, 2005

THE BRAKES ARE MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AND LOCKING UP WHEN THEY ARE APPLIED. TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR A CHECK UP, AND RESULTS SHOW THAT THERE IS FLUID LEAKAGE AND BRAKES ARE WORN OUT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10114987

Incident

Jan 24, 2005

THE BRAKES WERE MAKING NOISE AND LOCKING UP WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED. TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR CHECK UP, AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THEY WERE WORN OUT AND LEAKING FLUID. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY CONSUMER.*AK

NHTSA ID

10114972

Incident

Jan 24, 2005

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE AT 10-20 MPH VEHICLE VIBRATED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND DEALER REPLACED BOTH FRONT ROTORS/ REAR DRUMS AND FRONT PADS TWICE, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10092567

Incident

Aug 24, 2004

Mileage

100,000 mi

WHILE APPLYING THE PARKING BRAKE ON A INCLINE OR FLAT SURFACE. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THE BRAKE MECHANISM NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC ABOUT RECALL(94V169001). THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE RECALL WAS NOT FOR THIS VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10083480

Incident

Jul 22, 2004

Mileage

78,000 mi

I BOUGHT MY 1994 FORD EXPLORER (4WD) IN MAY OF 1999 AND HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS SINCE. THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 50900 MILES WHEN I BOUGHT IT. IT NOW HAS 89000 MILES. I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKE ROTORS TWICE AND REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS THREE TIMES. THE LAST TIME I COMPLETED BRAKE WORK WAS BECAUSE THE LEFT FRONT CALIPER OVERHEATED AND FAILED. I THEN REPLACED BOTH FRONT CALIPERS. THERE IS A BAD VIBRATION PROBLEM AT SPEEDS OF 55-67 MPH. I RECENTLY PURCHASED FOUR NEW TIRES, HAD THEM BALANCED, HAD THE FRONT END ALIGNED, AND REPLACED THE SHOCKS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. IT STILL VIBRATES AT THE ABOVE MENTIONED SPEEDS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE PCM (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT). I REPLACED THE PCM AS A LAST RESORT BECAUSE I HAD ALREADY REPLACED ALL THE SENSORS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSING THE PROBLEM. REPLACING THE PCM CORRECTED THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT A YEAR, BUT NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN DURING INITIAL STARTING AND THEN GOES OUT AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 2-3 MILES. I ALSO HAVE A SOUND COMING FROM MY AIR VENTS WHEN THE A/C IS TURNED ON. NOW FOR MY MOST RECENT PROBLEM. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS READING HOTTER THAN NORMAL SO I OVERHAULED THE COOLING SYSTEM INCLUDING: NEW THERMOSTAT, NEW COOLING FAN (OLD ONE WAS CRACKED ALL AROUND THE HUB), NEW FAN CLUTCH, NEW RADIATOR, NEW ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR, AND NEW FLUID FLUSH AND REFILL. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE STILL READS THE SAME. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO NOW. ANY RECALL INFORMATION YOU COULD PROVIDE WOULD HELP. I HAVE ALL RECEIPTS FOR PARTS PURCHASED AND WORK PERFORMED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10086453

Incident

Aug 6, 2004

Mileage

88,500 mi

ABS LIGHT ON. BRAKES FAILED DURING SUDDEN STOP. USING EXCESSIVE COOLANT. PROBLEMS STARTING. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10023356

Incident

Mar 1, 2003

Mileage

86,000 mi

MY TRUCK JUST SHUT OFF BY THE PARKING TO MY HOME. I CAN'T AFFORD BUY $7,000.00 FOR REPAIR AUTO AT FIRESTONE BECAUSE THEY WANT SO MORE MONEY. THEY DID TOOK OFF BY ITSELF THEN MY TRUCK DIDN'T FINISH AND NEED TO WORK MORE FOR ENGINE MOTOR AND BRAKE. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10019112

Incident

Jan 22, 2003

Mileage

99 mi

LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID DUE TO LIINE RUBBING AGAINST CHASSIS OF 1994 EXPLORER, LEFT REAR AREA, LINE REPAIRED AND FIXED SO NO RUBBING WOULD OCCUR. ALL FLUID WAS LOST DROVE HOME NO BRAKES, REPAIRED NEXT DAY.

NHTSA ID

10005049

Incident

May 9, 2002

Mileage

120,000 mi

REFER TO RECALL #'S 96V024001, 951007000, AND 00T005000. SCC PH

NHTSA ID

10003784

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE MAKES A LOT OF NOISE AROUND THE WHEEL AREA, THE TIRES WERE ROTATED BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST, BUT ONE DAY WHILE DRIVING THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL LOCKED UP, THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT CALIPER WAS STUCK, THE DEALER REPLACED THE PADS, BOTH CALIPERS AND THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A REFUND OF THE MONIES SPENT ON REPAIR. *SCC

NHTSA ID

568142

Mileage

500 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON THE VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENLY WORK. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

NHTSA ID

8020773

Incident

Jan 2, 2002

WHEN SETTING PARKING BRAKE IT WILL GIVE MORE RESISTANCE THE FURTHER PEDAL IS PRESSED DOWN. SOMETIMES WHEN THE PEDAL IS APPLIED IT WILL GO DOWN ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY THEN GIVE WAY AND GO TO THE FLOOR. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE PARKING BRAKE HAS TO BE RELEASED AND RESET. NLM

NHTSA ID

767211

WHILE BRAKING PEDAL FELT SPONGY AND STEERING WHEEL TURNED TO LEFT, THEN LOCKED UP. VEHICLE IS AT DEALERSHIP AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8017192

Incident

Aug 24, 2002

THE FRONT TIRES HAVE SLITS IN THE SIDEWALLS OF THE TIRES. WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WE HAD TEST DROVE IT AND WHEN WE GOT IT ON THE HIGHWAY WE NOTICED A SHAKING IN THE FRONT END. WE TOLD THE DEALER OF THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD CHECK INTO IT. THEY SAID THEY HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED. THE TIRES LOOKED BRAND NEW WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. WE CONTINUED WITH THE PURCHASE AND LATER WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN ON THE HIGHWAY IT DONE THE SAME THING. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE ONLY TIME THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE WAS WHEN YOU WERE DRIVING BETWEEN 55 AND 65 MPH OTHER THAN THAT IT DROVE FINE. THEN MY DRIVER SIDE TIRE DEVELOPED A LEAK THAT GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE UNTIL I WOULD HAVE TO PUT AIR IN IT EVERY DAY. MY HUSBAND PUT SOME OTHER TIRES ON AND WHEN THE TIRES WERE REMOVED ONE OF THEM HAD 6 WEIGHTS ON IT. THE 2 FRONT TIRES BOTH HAD LARGE CRACKS. ONCE THE NEWER TIRES WERE PUT ON THE SHAKING ON THE HIGHWAY HAS STOPPED. I SEE SO MUCH ABOUT THE BAD TIRES ON THE FORD EXPLORER, THAT IT LEADS ME TO WONDER, IS IT THE TIRES OR IS IT THE EXPLORER? I DO NOT SEE HOW THERE COULD BE SO MANY DIFFERENT TIRES THAT WOULD HAVE DEFECTS. I AM LEAD TO BELIEVE THE PROBLEM LIES WITH FORD AND NOT WITH FIRESTONE OR THE OTHER TIRE COMPANIES WHO HAVE PAID TO REPLACE THESE TIRES. THE TRED ON THE TIRES IS STILL GOOD BUT THEY ARE NOT USABLE BECAUSE OF THE CRACKS.*AK

NHTSA ID

766157

Incident

Aug 1, 2002

TEXAS "SALVAGE TRUCK" HOW DID IT GET "RESOLD" IN ARIZONA!. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

764922

Incident

Oct 29, 2001

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD GEAR SHIFT PROBLEMS. *YH

NHTSA ID

566429

Incident

Aug 30, 2000

BRAKE SWITCH LIGHT HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES ALREADY, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WA SNOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

NHTSA ID

8008633

Incident

Jul 1, 1996

SAME PROBLEM AS RECALL, NHTSA ID # 94V169000. FORD CLAIMS THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE (PER THEIR COMPUTER RECORDS, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER PREVIOUS OWNERSHIP IN 1996), ALTHOUGH A FORD (DEALER) MECHANIC REPORTS THAT THERE IS NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF THE WORK BEING DONE. I AM CONCLUDING THAT EITHER IT WAS NEVER FIXED, OR IT WAS NOT REPAIRED CORRECTLY. FORD (BOTH LOCAL DEALER AND CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE) REFUSES TO FIX THIS AT NO COST. *AK

NHTSA ID

756663

Incident

Jan 10, 2001

I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH TWICE. THE CURRENT SWITCH IS MALFUNCTIONING. THE ORIGINAL SWUTCH WAS REPLACED ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO. THE BRAKE LIGHTS DID NOT COME ON WHEN THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE SECOND INCIDENT ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO THE LIGHTS DID NOT GO OFF WHEN THE PEDAL WAS RELEASED. CURRENTLY THE LIGHTS ARE STAYING ON AFTER THE PEDAL IS RELEASED. ALL THREE INCIDENTS THE BRAKES PERFORMED NORMALLY. THERE IS A SIDE EFFECT THAT OCCURS, THE BROADCAST RADIO WILL CUT OFF INTERMITTANTLY. THIS IS THE WAY I HAVE LEARNED OF THE SWITCH MALFUNCTION. NOTE, BOTH REPLACEMENT SWITCHES WERE PURCHASED AT A REPUTABLE AUTO PARTS STORE AND WERE MANUFACTURED FOR THIS VEHICLE. BOTH SWITCES WERE INSTALLED BY A TRAINED SEVICE TECHNICIAN.

NHTSA ID

754990

ENGINE LIGHTS HAS COME ON SEVERAL TIMES, ENGINE RUNS ROUGH IN GEAR AT IDLE, DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, ALSO SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACED, AS WELL AS THE EGR PRESSURE SENSOR WHICH WAS STICKING, ALSO THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED.*JB

NHTSA ID

562545

Incident

Dec 11, 2000

IGNITION TURNS OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING ON I-95. ALSO OCCURS AT SLOW SPEEDS. POWER STEERING AND BRAKES STOP WORKING WITHOUT POWER, MAKING MANEUVERING DIFFICULT. AFTER 10 MINUTES, WILL RESTART. FORD CORP. OFFICE HAS NO RECORD OF PROBLEM, YET IS SETTLING 5 STATE LAWSUIT ACCORDING TO TODAYS NEWSPAPER.*AK

NHTSA ID

750291

Incident

Aug 10, 2001

BRAKES ARE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, AND HAD TO REPLACE MASTER CYCLINDER. ALSO, THERE IS MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 96S35 CONCERNING PRIMARY ASSISTANCE BOOSTER FOR 1994 FORD, EXPLORER. HOWEVER, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. CONSUMER FEELS AS THOUGH FORD NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING IN NEAR FUTURE.*AK 4 WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WOULD NOT GO OFF, DEALER REPLACED SHIFT MOTOR AND SHIFT RELAY. DEALER REPLACED RADIUS ARM BUSHINGS AND CALIPER SLIDE PINS. *SLC

NHTSA ID

893934

Incident

Jul 31, 2001

LEFT FRONT BRAKE CALIPER LOCKED UP ON DISC WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'V EXPERIENCED THIS WITH THIS BRAKE SYSTEM. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN 10/98 WITH ONLY 1825 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. AT THAT TIME, THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE CALIPER LOCKED UP ON THE DISC, BURNING OUT THE PADS, DESTROYING THE DISC AND CALIPER. THE CALIPERS SHOULD NOT BE LOCKING UP LIKE THIS! ON THE CURRENT FAILURE OF THE LEFT CALIPER, THE BRAKES HAD BEEN CHECKED JUST THAT WEEK, AND THE CALIPER SLIDE RAILS CHECKED AND LUBED, WHICH SHOULD HAVE PREVENTEED THE LOCKUP. THERE'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM (IT'S ANTI-LOCK) TO BE EXPERIENCING THESE FAILURES ON A CAREFULLY MAINTAINED, EXTREMELY LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

748860

Incident

Jun 27, 2001