There are 50 owner-reported engine complaints for the 1994 Ford Explorerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
MY TENANT'S VEHICLE - A 1994 FORD EXPLORER - SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN MY PROPERTY'S GARAGE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES AND DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS THE CAR ITSELF - LIKELY A FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL VALVE ACCORDING TO THEM. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WILL CONDUCT ITS OWN INVESTIGATION. *TR
I WAS SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT ALL OF A SUDDEN THE TRUCK ACCELERATED FORWARD. THE NEXT EVENT I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR AND THE TRUCK ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND I WAS UNABLE TO STOP IT, THE BRAKES WOULDN'T STOP IT, FINALLY I TURNED THE KEY OFF AND IT SHUT DOWN. IT'S BEEN HAPPENING ON AND OFF SINCE THEN. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, BUT, I NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. I CONTACTED FORD SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY TOLD ME IT COULD BE ALOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS, THEY NAMED OFF SOME PARTS AND I REPLACED ALOT OF THEM AND AM STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY DID SAY THEY HAVE HEARD OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS, BUT THEY WERE NOT ALL FOR THE SAME REASONS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD EXPLORER. WHEN THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, DARK SMOKE BEGAN EMITTING FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF WHICH IMMEDIATELY BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE NOTIFIED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 200,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE FIRE INSPECTOR WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 175,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD EXPLORER. AFTER MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLOWLY GAINED SPEED AND THEN UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN MOMENTARILY, BUT DID NOT STOP COMPLETELY. THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYED 80 MPH AND THE REAR WHEELS BEGAN TO SMOKE, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL ACCELERATING. HE MANAGED TO TURN THE KEY AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT THE RPM DIAL WAS IN THE RED ZONE. HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BACK TO HIS RESIDENCE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE THROTTLE PLATE WAS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. HE REPAIRED THE FAILURE ON HIS OWN, WITHOUT THE DEALER'S ASSISTANCE. HE BELIEVES THAT HAD HE NOT BEEN KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE FAILURE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE SEVERE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 90,000. UPDATED 07/15/08
1994 EXPLORER 4.0 V6 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION REBIULT 3 TIMES IN PAST YEAR .COUNTLESS TIMES VEHICLE HAS STALLED ACTING AS IF THE FUEL PUMP QUIT, FUEL PUMP REPLACED, COIL PACKS REPLACED, RELAYS REPLACED. ONCE ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, ANOTHER TIME WHILE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. USUALLY UPON START UP. AIR CONDITIONER SWITCH SHORTED OUT, SAW BURNED WIRES ON SWITCH UPON REPLACEMENT. ANTIFREEZE SPEWED OUT FROM SIDE OF MOTOR, ASSUMED TO BE AROUND HEADS BUT HAS NOT BEEN TO SHOP YET.*AK
I HAD THE FUEL SYSTEM ON MY 1994 FORD EXPLORER REPLACED BY PEP BOYS IN CRESTWOOD, ILLINOIS. TODAY I LEARNED THAT THEY HAD BOTCHED THE JOB TO THE POINT THAT GASOLINE WAS BEING SPRAYED ONTO THE MANIFOLD OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A FIRE OR AND EXPLOSION. WHY IT DIDN'T HAPPEN IS SERENDIPITY FOR ME. WHEN I CALLED PEP BOYS THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY DON'T INSPECT THEIR WORK. NEITHER THE TECHNICIAN, THE SUPERVISOR, OR ANY KIND OF QUALITY CONTROL MECHANISM CHECKS FOR DEFECTIVE WORK. SUCH A LACK OF CONTROL, PARTICULARLY WHEN DEALING WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM, REPRESENTS A SUBSTANTIAL THREAT TO ANYONE WHO HAS WORK DONE AT PEP BOYS.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE IN HIS REAR VIEW MIRROR. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER, EXITED THE VEHICLE, LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE. A PASSER BY AND A SAFETY CREW ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CONSUMER REMOVED PERSONAL BELONGINGS FROM THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT BECAME TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *PH *NM
WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN . DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STARTED LOSING POWER AND FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM OVERFLOW RADIATOR CONTAINER DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH ENGINE HEAD GASKETS. THE HEADS WERE CRACKED, YOU COULD SEE WHERE THE GASKET SEPARATED FROM THE HEAD. *JG *AK
ON APRIL 18, 2001, MY 1994 FORD EXPLORER, VIN 1FMDU32X4RUB88752, LICENSE PLATE 214 ARA, OHIO, BLEW A HEAD GASKET WHILE PROCEEDING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 71 FROM DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND, OHIO. THE TIME WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 4:30 P.M. IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR.*AK( DOT NUMBER: )
CRACKED HEAD GASKET CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL OUT WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER FELT HER VEHILCE SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER SIMILAR RECALL BUT WAS DENIED, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR DAMAGE TO VEHICLE CAUSED BY CRACKED HEAD GASKET. NLM
THERE WAS A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE DISTRUBUTION WIRING AT THE RIGHT REAR CORNER OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT THE FIREWALL RESULTING IN A FIRE THAT QUICKLY ENGULFED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE, NO ONE WAS INJURED DURING THE FIRE. INVESTIGATION REPORT PROVIDED IN THE INFORMATION REGARDING FIRE INCIDENT. NLM
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
RADIATOR FAILED, HEAD GASKETS CRACKED. *SLC
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
EGR VALVE HAS HEAT RUST AND THE AIR TUBE FROM THE VALVE CRACKED, BOTH HAVE TO BE REPLACED
ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPS WHILE IN OPERATION. WHEN THIS OCCURS, IT IS TYPICALLY DURING LOW SPEEDS OR WHILE TURNING ONTO ANOTHER STREET. ALSO, DURING HIGH SPEEDS, IT FEELS AS IF THE ENGINE WILL LOSE POWER, BUT WILL NOT SHUT OFF. A PRIVATE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO REPRODUCE DEFECT, AND THEY REPLACED FUEL FLOW VALVE/CONTROL IN AN ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE DEFECT. APPROXIMATELY 2-3 WEEKS LATER, ENGINE WOULD BEGIN STALLING AGAIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK
TRUCK HAS A HISTORY OF NOT STARTING AFTER BEING TURNED OFF AND SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING.
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE DIES AND VEHICLE STALLS OUT.*AK
Showing 1–20 of 50 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