1st generation · UN46 · 4,294 complaints, 224 with mileage
Owners filed 4,294 complaints with NHTSA about the 1991–1994 Ford Explorer, and 224 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
56% of failures occur beyond 100,000 miles — a wear pattern. The car generally reaches substantial mileage before trouble starts.
The most-reported areas are the tyres (21.2% of complaints, typically around 97,100 miles), the hydraulic brake circuit (18.9% of complaints, typically around 100,000 miles), body structure (8.3% of complaints, typically around 153,000 miles).
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tires | 912 | 21.2% | 97,100 | 68,940–140,000 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 810 | 18.9% | 100,000 | 88,500–135,000 |
| Structure | 357 | 8.3% | 153,000 | 88,000–198,000 |
| Power Train | 335 | 7.8% | 99,999 | 30,000–154,233 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 303 | 7.1% | 91,250 | 86,000–124,000 |
| Electrical System | 250 | 5.8% | 114,000 | 89,000–138,000 |
| Suspension | 239 | 5.6% | — | — |
| Visibility | 212 | 4.9% | 93,500 | 75,000–101,000 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 140 | 3.3% | 106,300 | 80,000–195,000 |
| Equipment | 114 | 2.7% | — | — |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 764 | 37 |
| 1992 | 848 | 37 |
| 1993 | 1,151 | 46 |
| 1994 | 1,531 | 104 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 101,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The tyres account for 21.2% of complaints (912 reports, 24 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 97,100 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 68,940 and 140,000 miles.
The hydraulic brake circuit accounts for 18.9% of complaints (810 reports, 21 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 100,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 88,500 and 135,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 8.3% of complaints (357 reports, 10 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 153,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 88,000 and 198,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 7.8% of complaints (335 reports, 15 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 99,999 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 30,000 and 154,233 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 7.1% of complaints (303 reports, 17 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 91,250 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 86,000 and 124,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 5.8% of complaints (250 reports, 42 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 114,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 89,000 and 138,000 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 1994 model year drew the most — 1,531 complaints — while 1991 drew the fewest at 764. The median year sits at 999.
No recall campaigns covering this generation appear in NHTSA's post-2010 recall file. That is not the same as an absence of problems — recalls address safety defects specifically, and many of the complaints above concern faults that are expensive or annoying without meeting that threshold.
Of the 4,294 complaints filed against this generation, 346 reported a crash; 303 reported a fire; 484 reported an injury; 35 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 8.1% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, a late-failure pattern shifts the question from whether to when. 56% of reported failures occur beyond 100,000 miles, so an example approaching that figure is approaching the range where other owners started reporting problems. The middle half of all failures falls between 79,600 and 145,000 miles.
On inspection, the tyres and the hydraulic brake circuit are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The tyres in particular shows a median failure mileage of 97,100, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Early expression of the rollover/tire-separation pattern that later became the Firestone crisis; low recommended tire pressure (26 psi) combined with a high center of gravity.