There are 26 owner-reported fuel system complaints for the 1991 Ford Explorerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
ON JUNE 4TH MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE DRIVING EAST BOUND ON 62ND AND OVER-HILL IN LOS ANGELES CA. SHORTLY AFTER 12:00PM. WHEN SUDDENLY THE FORD EXPLORER WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE ORDERED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF A RECALL. DUE TO INVESTIGATION ON MY OWN I HAVE RECEIVED A RECALL NUMBER. IT IS 96S35. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER WITH FORD HOWEVER I JUST RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THEM REFUSING TO ASSIST ME. MY DAUGHTER AND I COULD HAVE BEEN BURNED ALIVE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU COULD ASSIST ME. THE VEHICLE HAS SINCE BEEN DESTROYED. I ONLY HAVE IN MY POSSESSION THE PICTURE, AND A FIRE REPORT. *TR
GAS FEEDER LINE TO REGULATOR STARTED LEAKING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING OUTSIDE TO WARM UP. UPON COMING OUT TO THE VEHICLE I FOUND A POOL OF GAS CIRCUMFERENCING MY VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY JUMPED INTO IT AN D MOVED IT AWAY FROM MY HOME. AFTER DOING SO SHUT IT OFF. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. MY HOME ,MY CAR AND LOSS OF LIFE COULD HAVE RESULTED FORM THIS. I FEEL IT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN OCTOBER 1990. ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED ON PREVIOUSLY, II HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FINGD ANYTHING ON IT. THANK YOU
PASSENGER'S SIDE SEATBELT IN NOT OPERABLE. SEATBELT ITSELF, WHOLE COMPONENT IS DEFECTED. RETRACTOR IS OKAY. ALSO, WHEN FILLING UP FUEL TANK GAS NOZZLE CAN SMELL GASOLINE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEMS. *SLC
FUEL TANK-VAPOR VENT VALVE CARRIER WELD FAILED. DEALER FAILED TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM. INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY FOUND FUEL LEAK, REPLACED FUEL TANK AT MY EXPENSE. I RECENTLY LEARNED OF RECALL NO. 91V025000. FORD STATES THAT THIS IS ADVISORY BULLETIN ONLY AND NOT A RECALL, AND IN ANY CASE, DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE. I ORDERED MY VEHICLE IN MAY 1990 AND TOOK DELIVERY IN SEPTEMBER 1990. I BELIEVE THAT MY VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN RECALL, AND THAT DEALER THE SHOULD HAVE DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM CONSIDERING RECALL BULLETIN. *JB *NLM ****DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****746208
SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAUSED ACCIDENT.
AFTER TRYING TO FIGURE WHERE THE FUEL SMELL AT TIMES WAS COMING FROM THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE . GAS WAS LEAKING OUT RAPIDLY FROM TOP OF GAS TANK. UPON INSPECTION THE FUEL SENDING UNIT CORRODED OUT AT THE TUBES THAT PROTRUDE FRON SENDING UNIT COVER. THE COVER AND THE RETAINER ARE ALSO VERY ROTTED ALONG WITH THE TABS THAT THE RETAINER(LOCK RING) SLIDES UNDER TO HOLD THE SENDING UNIT IN THE TANK. WHILE I HAVE BEEN IN THE AUTO BUSINESS MANY YEARS I HAVE MADE SOME CALLS AND HAVE TALKED TO SOME OTHER MECHANICS ,AND CUSTOMERS, THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR EXPLORERS TOO. I FEEL THAT A PART THAT IS TRANSPORTING GAS UNDER PRESSURE, SUCH AS THIS SHOULD BE MADE OF BETTER MATERIAL SO AS NOT TO RUST AWAY AT ALL. *AK
SMELL GASOLINE FUMES WHEN GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE, DISCOVERED GAS DRIPPING ONTO THE GROUND FROM THE METAL COVER AROUND THE POLYETHYLENE GAS TANK, ONLY DRIP WHEN ENGINE RUNNING, METAL TOP THAT CONNECTS THE GAS LINES TO TANK AND TO WHICH THE FUEL PUMP IS WELDED WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT.
FUEL PUMP FAILED.
GAS TANK LEAKS.
FUEL SENDING UNIT FUEL PUMP NECK ROTTED, CAUSING LEAK.
VEHICLE WAS PARKED, CAUGHT ON FIRE, FAILURE OF FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR GOT STUCK, CAUSING ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, *AK
FUEL LINE FAILURE, THE FUEL LINE IS LEAKING, MANUFACTURER NO LONG MAKES FUEL LINE BECAUSE OF BEING A FIRE HAZARD. TT
FUEL LINE LEAKED, CAUSING FIRE. *SD
FUEL LINE LEAK, SMALL RUBBER HOSE ALUMINUM CONNECT THAT KEPT TIGHT, ALUMINUM CLAMP CORRODED AND CAUSE THE HOSE THE LEAK, THAT GOES TO THE LINE. TT
INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKED.*SD
FUEL SPILLS FROM FUEL TANK AFTER HALF FILLED WITH FUEL; LEAKAGE INSIDE CASING THAT CONTAINS FUEL TANK; COULD CAUSE MAJOR EXPLOSION. TT
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND EXPLODED DUE TO PLASTIC FUEL TANK DESIGN, BEING PUNCTURED BY STEEL GRATING AND IGNITING, RESULTING IN FATALITY. *SKD
FUEL PUMP CUT OFF SWITCH IS LOCATED IN FRONT PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. PASSENGERS FEET MAKES IT SHUT OFF. *AK
VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CONSUMERS HOME GARAGE BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT START, CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AND NOTICED GASOLINE SMELL, CONSUMER WENT TO TURN VEHICLE OFF AND IT EXPLODED, BURNING THE CONSUMER, VEHICLE AND THE GARAGE. *MJS
FUEL TANK IS LEAKING FUEL. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE'S MAKE AND MODEL. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
Showing 1–20 of 26 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026