1991 Ford Explorer Engine

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.

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

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

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

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

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

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS AN OIL LEAK.*JB

THE THERMOSTAT FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. NLM

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

KNOCKS WHEN PRESS BRAKES, NO HEAT. *AK

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

ENGINE FAILED. *SLC

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

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

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED IN THE ENGINE. THE REPAIR BILL WAS $627.69. I TALKED TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY'S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT. THEY DECLINED TO PAY FOR REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THE FAILURE IS A KNOWN DESIGN DEFECT. *AK

ENGINE FIRE. MJS

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.

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

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.

A FEW MONTHS AGO I HAD A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHICH BLEW SMOKE INTO THE CAB. THE DEALER SAID TREE LEAVES HAD ACCUMULATED ON THE AIR INTAKE DUCTS AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE BURNED THROUGH THE DUCT, WHICH CAUSED THE SMOKE TO BE SUCKED INTO THE CAB. IN THE NOVEMBER 2, 1998 ISSUE OF AUTOMOTIVE NEWS, ON PAGE 15, THERE IS A REPORT OF A NHTSA INVESTIGATION ON 1992-1994 EXPLORERS FOR THIS VERY REASON! THE REPORT STATES THAT 14 COMPLAINTS HAD BEEN RECEIVED. MAKE THAT 15. MINE IS A 1991, HOWEVER. THE FIRE CAUSED ABOUT $300 IN DAMAGE TO THE DUCT SYSTEM. *MJS

THREE LARGE CRACKS IN FLYWHEEL CAUSED BINDING NOISE. (QCAW)

REAR CRANKSHAFT MAIN SEAL FAILED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK

ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM: ALUMINUM HEAD CRACKED BLOCK WHICH FORCED ANTI-FREEZE TO GET SUCKED INTO ENGINE. TOOK IN FOR DEALER TO LOOK AT AND THEY SAID THEY THE GET THEM ALL THE TIME. *AK

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN DRIVEWAY. MOTOR WAS NOT ON. DEALER IS CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION. *AK