There are 17 owner-reported fuel system complaints for the 1992 Ford Explorerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE REVERSING, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 444,980. UPDATED 5/18/15*CN THE REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE FUEL VAPOR CANISTER. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO IN REVERSE. UPDATED 06/02/15*JB
HELLO, MY WIFE HAS A 1992 FORD EXPLORER THAT LOST POWER GOING UP A HILL TO OUR DRIVE THEN SHE MADE THE TURN THEN SHE NOTICED FLAMES COMING OUT FROM AROUND THE HOOD THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSE IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP US OUT? THANKS RICK. *NM
WITHIN 24 HOURS OF BUYING MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC, I EXPERIENCED MY FIRST PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE HOME ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2002, SATURDAY AFTERNOON AFTER BUYING IT AND ON SUNDAY (9/15) WITH MY WIFE IN THE CAR, THE VEHICLE STARTED HESITATING/JERKING AND FINALLY STALLED OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN A COUNTRY ROAD. IT SEEMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT GETTING ANY GAS. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE STARTED AGAIN AND I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO BE CHECKED AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE FIXED. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM FUTURE FORD TELLING ME THAT I SHOULD ONLY FILL THE GAS TANK FULL TO AVOID PROBLEMS. I INFORMED THE FUTURE FORD REPRESENTATIVE THAT THIS WAS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE OPTION FOR A BRAND NEW VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE BACK TO FUTURE FORD 6+ TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND IN EACH CASE IT WAS NOT FIXED, OR IT CANNOT BE FIXED. ONE TIME THIS LAST SUMMER IN 100+ DEGREE HEAT, MY WIFE AND I STOPPED AT A SHOPPING MALL. WHEN WE STARTED TO LEAVE THE MALL, THE VEHICLES AIR-CONDITIONING WOULD NOT WORK, AS WE STARTED DRIVING IT STARTED HESITATING AND THEN BLACK SMOKE WAS COMING OUT THE TAIL PIPE AND IT WAS JERKING VIOLENTLY. I WAS CLOSE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I IMMEDIATELY DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. FUTURE FORD DEALERSHIP STATES THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG, BUT THEY HAVE REPLACED PARTS THEY THOUGHT WERE CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND OTHER ITEMS THEY FOUND WRONG. WHY OR HOW THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE IS BEYOND ME. THIS VEHICLE HAS STALLED OUT OR HESITATED NUMEROUS TIMES BESIDES THOSE I HAVE TAKEN IT IN FOR. I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO THIS POINT THAT WHEN IT HESITATES AND/OR STALLS OUT THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF TURNING RIGHT OR LEFT OR HEAVY COMMUTER TRAFFIC. BECAUSE WHEN IT DIES THERE IS NOT ANY POWER STEERING. I WILL NOT TAKE IT ON ANY LONG TRIPS BECAUSE I FEEL THAT IT IS NOT SAFE OR DEPENDABLE. *AK
FUEL LINE LEAK. REPAIRS WERE DONE BY CONSUME. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PART WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
FUEL REGULATOR DIAPHRAM BLEW CAUSING THE VACCUM RETURN LINE TO DETERIATE AND COME OFF. WHILE THE KEY WAS ON IT WAS BLOWING GAS EVERYWHERE. THANKFULLY THE MOTOR WASN'T HOT BECAUSE IT WAS RUNNING RIGHT OVER THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR FIRE POSSIBLY HURTING PASSENGERS IF THE VEHICLE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. BEING A FIREFIGHTER MYSELF I FEEL THAT IF IT WAS HOT AND THE CONSTANT FLOW OF GAS WITH NO WAY OF KNOWING WHAT WAS GOING ON IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN INSTANT BALL OF FLAMES. MY MAJOR CONCERN IS MAKING THEM AWARE OF THIS TO PREVENT ANY PROBLEMS OR POSSIBLY EVEN DEATHS. THIS IS MY FAMILY VEHICLE ALONG WITH MANY OTHER PEOPLES WHAT IF THERE WAS KIDS IN IT? THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT I FEEL AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
ON-GOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATING. WHENEVER RPMS REACHED 3500, THEY CAUSED ACCELERATION. ALSO, VAPOR LOCK FAILURE. CONTACTED.
FORD MOTOR COMPANY FAILED TO HELP ME EVEN THOUGH IT WAS CLEARLY A MECHANICAL DEFECT. THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE, AND I HAD NO WARNING, SUCH AS ENGINE LIGHT, PRIOR TO THE ENGINE CATCHING ON FIRE
FUEL TANK LEAKAGE, CAUSE BELIEVED TO BE A POORLY DESIGNED TANK MOUNTING, WHICH ALLOWED MUD AND SNOW TO ACCUMULATE ON THE TOP OF TANK, TANK ROTTED FROM THE OUTSIDE, FUEL TANK, FUEL PUMP SENDING UNIT AND RETAINING RING REPLACED, NOW FUEL GAUGE NOT AS ACCURATE. CJ
THERE WAS A SMELL OF GAS IN THE VEHICLE AND THAT THE FUEL TANK LEAKED. THE FUEL SENDING UNIT HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A MECHANIC. THE FILLER NECK WAS BEGINNING TO RUST. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE IS BEING PARKED, IT WOULD ROCK & CAN SMELL GASOLINE FUMES; HAVE LESS THAN 1/2 TANK, BUT STILL STRONG ODOR; IS AN ITERMITTENT PROBLEM, ONLY HAPPENS IF VEHICLE ROCKS. CALLED MANUFACTURER ABOUT 4 TIMES BUT TOLD WAS NORMAL. *AK
FUEL PUMP FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *SD
INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKS. *SD
THE TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE WHEN IT WAS TURNED OFF.PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
WHILE INSTALLING A PRESSURE METER, FUEL LEAKED OUT OF FUEL LINE AND IGNITED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A FIRE. *AK
FUEL PUMP SHUT OFF SWICTH ACCIDENTALLY GETS PUSHED WHILE DRIVING DUE TO LOCATION, CAUSING PUMP TO SHUT OFF/VEHICLE TO STALL. *SKD
FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING GASOLINE. DEALER DID NOT FIND WHAT CAUSED THE LEAK, BUT INDICATED TO THE CONSUMER THAT THE FUEL TANK SHOULD BE REPLACED. *AK CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED WHEN SHE STARTED SMELLING GAS. THE MECHANIC LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD BUT COULDN'T FIND THE SOURCE. AFTER A MONTH, THE GAS TANK WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS IS A COMPONENT THAT SHOULD NEVER BE REPLACED. *PH *NM
THE FIRE STARTED IN THE FRONT DASHBOARD, THE CAR WAS PARKED THE FIRE STARED FOR NO REASON. *AK
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