1991 FORD EXPLORER Electrical System Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 1991 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. SHE MANAGED TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER AND LEFT TO CALL FOR HELP. UPON RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE, IT WAS CONSUMED IN FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE OVER 100,000.

Mileage: 100,000

DT: THE CONSUMER SMELL SMOKE, AND THEN SOME SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HOOD. ALL OF THE GAUGES LOOKED OKAY AND THE CONSUMER THOUGHT IT WAS OVERHEATING. THEN THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE FAST WITH SMOKE ON THE LEFT AND FIRE ON THE RIGHT OF THE HOOD AND BURNED ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK OF MY CAR, AND THE TWO CARS ON EITHER SIDE. THIS HAPPENED IN A DENNY'S PARKING LOT IN FAIRBANKS ON 6/30/05. FIRE DEPARTMENT CASE NUMBER: 051947. TOWED VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC. *NM *NM

Mileage: 138,000

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS A TOTAL LOSS

Mileage: 43,000

AFTER FILLING THE FUEL TANK VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. *AK

Mileage: 100,000

ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS INSIDE THE DASHBOARD IGNITED, AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THIS OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. *AK

Mileage: 141,000

GENERATOR FAILED PREMATURELY, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, BLACK SMOKE AND FLAMES CAME UNDER THE HOOD. THE DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

HEADLIGHTS & DASH LIGHTS BLINK. THEY WILL BE FINE FOR A WHILE BUT THEN JUST START BLINKING. TURNING THEM OFF, THEN ON AGAIN, MAKES THEM STAY ON FOR A FEW MINUTES UNTIL THEY START BLINKING AGAIN. SOMETIMES THEY DON'T BLINK. SOMETIMES THEY WON'T GO ON AT ALL AND I HAVE TO HOLD THE BRIGHTS SWITCH BACK IF I WANT TO HAVE LIGHT. MY SISTER HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM ON HER 1993 FORD THUNDERBIRD.*AK

Mileage: 229,000

AIR CONDITIONER CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE STARTED INSIDE THE AIR CONDITIONER PROBABLY THE FAN SPEED RESISTORS. MELTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HOUSING WHERE THE RESISTORS AND FAN ARE HOUSED LETTING SMOKE AND FUMES IN THE CAR. IN FEELING AROUND INSIDE THE BLOWER HOLE YOU CAN REACH UP AND FEEL THE SHEET METAL WHERE THE WIPER ARMS ARE AND I THINK PROBABLY LEAVES GOT IN AND WERE BLOWN ON TO THE RESISTORS WHEN THEY WERE HOT STARTING THE FIRE. DAMAGE INCLUDED AIR CONDITIONER HOUSING, BLOWER AND MOTOR, BLOWER RESISTORS, EVAPORATOR, SHEET METAL ABOVE THE AIR CONDITIONER HOUSING AND ALSO MELTED THE INNER FENDER WELL. NOT TO MENTION THE SMOKE AND FUMES THAT WERE BLOWN INTO THE CAR. TO ME THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FAULT AND IT SURPRISING THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS REPORTED IT. LUCKILY I WAS SITTING STILL WHEN IT HAPPENED OR IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH DUE TO THE SMOKE AND FUMES. *JB

Mileage: 133,302

ERRORS WERE MADE IN THE INSTALLATION OF THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR. MR. *AK. THE VEHICLE STALLED AFTER THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE REPAIRS WERE MADE, CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *JB

ERRORS WERE MADE IN THE INSTALLATION OF THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR. MR. *AK. THE VEHICLE STALLED AFTER THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE REPAIRS WERE MADE, CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *JB

CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE VEHICLE IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AREA. THIS HAPPENED AFTER THE CONSUMER HAD PARKED THE VEHICLE FOR THE NIGHT. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. *NLM PHOTOS ATTACHED. *TT

Mileage: 159,000

A FIRE HAS STARTED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHAY SPEED OF 60 MPH. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE STALLS OUT AND DIES. MECHANIC HAS REPLACED CFI MODULE TWICE, AND THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT AFTER DRIVING ONLY 2 MILES CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD, SHE PULLED OVER AND SAW FLAMES FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON LEFT SIDE. FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT OUT FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. ALSO DASH BURNED. *AK THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS MADE CONTACT WITH THE ENGINE BLOCK MAKING A SPARK IGNITE. *YD

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 10 MPH THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE STEERING COLUMN NEAR PEDALS. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT. BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED AND FIRE PUT OUT. DEALER REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH AND WIRING.*AK

FUSE BOX WIRES ARE CORRODED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STOP WITHOUT WARNING. NLM

STARTER FAILED. *SLC RADIUS ARM NEEDED REPLACED. AIR CONDITIONER NEEDED REPLACED. HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT NEEDED REPLACED. *SLC

I CALLED THE FORD DEALER, AND HE JUST LEFT ME ON HOLD, I CALLED BACK, SOME KIND OF WAY WE WERE DISCONNECTED, I CALLED BACK AND WAS LEFT ON HOLD AGAIN.

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *AK THE BRAKES AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. MAF SENSOR FAILED. THROTTLE BODY AND GASKET FAILED. RADIATOR IS LEAKING. THERMOSTAT FAILED. *YH

ENGINE HESITATES THEN FAILS PARTICULARLY AT 90 DEGREES PLUS OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE AND ENGINE UNDER LOAD. CONSEQUENT LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, BRAKES ETC AND DANGER OF NEGOTIATING TRAFFIC WHILE ATTEMPTING CONTROLLED STOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. DATE GIVEN ON PREVIOUS PAGE OF REPORT IS MOST RECENT INCIDENT. PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR IN COLDER CLIMATE. PROBLEM IS WORSE WHEN OPERATING AIR CONDITIONING. ENGINE MUST BE OFF FOR 10 TO 30 MINUTES BEFORE IT WILL RESTART. DEPENDING UPON CONDITIONS, VEHICLE CAN THEN BE DRIVEN ANYWHERE FROM LESS THAN A MILE TO IDEFINITELY WITHOUT INCIDENT REPEATING. HAVE REPLACED EDIS AT A COST OF OVER $200 AND PROBLEM NOW APPEARS FIXED. SAW REFERENCE TO IGNITION FAILURE IN TSB LISTING BUT APPARENTLY DID NOT RESULT IN RECALL OR VOLUNTARY REPAIR BY FORD. NOW SEE ARTICLES IN NEWSPAPER REPORTING NHTSA INVESTIGATION OF MILLIONS OF VEHICLES (INCLUDING EXPLORER) OVER SEVERAL MODEL YEARS. WHAT RECOURSE, IF ANY, DO I HAVE AT THIS POINT? HAS DECISON BEEN MADE TO MANDATE RECALL? ENCOURAGE YOU TO PURSUE VIGOROUSLY. JUDGING BY THE NUMBER OF PROBLEMS AND REPETITIVE REPAIRS ON THIS VEHICLE (INCLUDING FRONT BRAKE PADS/CALIPERS THAT MUST BE REPLACED FREQUENTLY), I BELIEVE THERE WERE DESIGN FLAWS IN THIS MODEL THAT HAVE SAFETY RAMIFICATIONS AND FOR WHICH FORD HAS NOT PROACTIVELY TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY. HOW WILL I KNOW IF/WHEN A RECALL IS INITIATED? *AK

CONFIRMATION INFO...COLUMES DOESN'T MY INFO....BUT TO ADD TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACE, WAS INFORMED VEHICLE WAS REPAINTED BY AAA, BRAKES WENT OUT, REPLACED CABLE WIRES TO BATTRERY- WIRED COAT HANGER PIECES IN WITH CABLE WIRES...

CONSUMER SHUT ENGINE OFF AND WENT INSIDE A BUSINESS FOR A SHORT PERIOD. THEN WAS NOTIFIED THAT BLACK SMOKE WAS COMING FROM WINDOW. GOT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. BUT, BY THIS TIME THERE WERE FLAMES SHOOTING FROM BEHIND THE DASHBOARD. *AK

I HAVE GENTLY DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE NEVER WENT OFF ROAD WITH IT,CHANGED THE OIL EVERY 2500 MILES,LEASED ANOTHER CAR TO PRESERVE MY SUV,WHAT I HAVE NOW IS AN UNSAFE VEHICLE THAT IS LITERRLY FALLING APART,EVERYTHING FROM THE PAINT TO THE FASTENERS THAT HOLD THE INTERIOR TRIM ON IS FAILING.I PAID A LOT OF MONEY FOR MY SUV AND THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY.DO I SOUND MAD WELL WOULDN'T YOU BE? *AK

I OWN A 1991 FORD EXPLORER LTX 4WD WITH A 4.0L ENGINE. OVER THE PAST 6 YEARS I'VE HAD A REOCCURRING PROBLEM OF THE LIGHTS (HEADLIGHTS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, ETC.) TWINKLING ESPECIALLY WHEN IDLING. I'M IN THE MILITARY SO I'M CONSTANTLY MOVING THUS DEALING WITH DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS THROUGHOUT THIS ORDEAL. I'VE HAD AT LEAST 6 NEW ALTERNATORS AND 3 NEW BATTERIES INSTALLED AND EACH TIME THE PROBLEM REOCCURS, USUALLY JUST WHEN THE DEALER'S 12,000 MILE WARRANTY RUNS OUT OR I MOVE. I THEN TAKE UP THE PROBLEM WITH THE NEXT DEALERSHIP AND SPEND ANOTHER $200 FOR THEM TO TROUBLESHOOT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THEY IMMEDIATELY TELL ME IT'S A BAD ALTERNATOR AND $150 LATER THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. THEY THEN SAY WELL IT MUST BE THE BATTERY. SURE ENOUGH $90 LATER THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. THIS WHOLE TIME THOUGH I'VE STATED THAT NEITHER COULD BE THE CAUSE AND THEY CERTAINLY DO NOT REFUND MY MONEY FOR NEEDLESSLY BUYING AN ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY. TODAY WHILE I WAS IN AN AUTOPARTS STORE A GENTLEMAN INFORMED ME THAT HE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS 91 EXPLORER AND THAT THE DEFECT WAS A RECALL ITEM BUT I WAS UNABLE TO FIND IT ON YOUR WEB SIGHT.

PUT KEY IN THE IGNITION AND IT WOULD NOT TURN. COULD NOT TURN THE OUTER RING WITHOUT A KEY.CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED MANUFACTURER WHO TOLD THEM TO CONTACT THE DEALER*AK.

WHEN PLACING THE KEY IN THE INGITION AND UPON STARTING VEHICLE, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING FROM THE INGNITION DUE TO VEHICLE CATCHING ON FIRE WITHIN THE IGNITION SWITCH. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED, AND WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH LOST ALL POWER. VEHICLE DIDN'T HAVE ANY LIGHTS. VEHICLE STALLED AND THEN SHUT DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THEN THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT THE FIRE OUT. *AK

VEHICLE STALLS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR AND WIRING. QCAW

VEHICLE STALLS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR AND WIRING. QCAW

VEHICLE STALLS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR AND WIRING. QCAW

WHILE DRIVING SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM AIR CONDITIONING VENTS, STOPPED VEHICLE, FIRE UNDER DASH, FIRE EXTINGUISHED BY FIRE DEPARMENT. WHOLE INSTRUMENT PANEL/WIRING HARNESS/RADIO/DUCTS BURNED, RELACED BY AUTO REPAIR SHOP. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER PARKING AND TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN UNDER THE DASH, CAUSE UNKOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ELECTRICAL SHORT IN STARTER CAUSED FIRE.

VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED IN FLAMES AND BURNED UP. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WHOLE DASHBOARD WAS ON FIRE, THE DASHBOARD HAD TO BE RIPPED OUT TO GET THE FIRE OUT. *SLC

VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED IN FLAMES AND BURNED UP. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WHOLE DASHBOARD WAS ON FIRE, THE DASHBOARD HAD TO BE RIPPED OUT TO GET THE FIRE OUT. *SLC

PARKED VEHICLE STARTED UP BY ITSELF AND CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE FLAMES CAME FROM DASHBOARD AREA POSSIBLY DUE TO DEFECTIVE IGNITION.*AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE IGNITION SWITCH STARTED TO SMOKE, NO FIRE, TOOK TO DEALER AND THE IGNITION SWITCH BURNED OUT. *AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR PERIOD 36 HRS, UNDER THE HOOD ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE/FIRE DEPT INDICATED THAT IT WAS ELECTRICAL . *AK

COMPUTER REPLACED. *SD

DROVE VEHICLE TO WORK, MADE 3/4 STOPS, ARRIVED AT WORK, PARKED VEHICLE, WITHIN THREE MINUTES VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES, FLAMES NOTICED BY HUSBAND. *AK

IGNITION FIRE. *SD

WIRING HARNESS UNDER DASH SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE. *DSH

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE DASH. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE IGNITION. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE DASH. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE IGNITION. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK

ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE CAUSED BY IGNITION. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING THE WIRING HARNESS TO BURN, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. *AK IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED AND THE CONNECTOR.*JB

WHILE DRIVING, NOTICED SMOKE COMING DEFROSTER VENTS; SHIFTED TO PARK, SHUT OFF IGNITION, SMOKE DID NOT STOP; FIRE UNDER DASH ON DRIVER'S SIDE. *AK

VEHICLE PARKED ON DEALERSHIPS LOT AND CAUGHT ON FIRE, PROBLEM AREA IGNITON SWITCH. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE IGNITION SWITCH STARTED TO SMOKEED, NO FIRE, TOOK TO DEALER AND THE IGNITION SWITCH BURNED OUT .PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

VEHICLE PARKED ON DEALERSHIPS LOT AND CAUGHT ON FIRE, PROBLEM AREA IGNITON SWITCH. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH: WHERE HARNESS PLUGS INTO STEERING HOSE TO ACTIVATE OR DEACTIVATE RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE. POSSIBLY ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH: WHERE HARNESS PLUGS INTO STEERING HOSE TO ACTIVATE OR DEACTIVATE RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE. POSSIBLY ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK

STARTED VEHICLE SMELT SMOKE TURNED OFF VEHICLE AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE STARTED IN IGNITION SWITCH. TT

STARTED VEHICLE SMELT SMOKE TURNED OFF VEHICLE AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE STARTED IN IGNITION SWITCH. TT

WHILE DRIVING DOWN FREEWAY THE AUTO DIED LEAVING CONSUMER W/NO POWER IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. TT

860-529-4022: UNDERDASH FIRE OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE PARKED OVERNIGHT; IGNITION TURNED OFF; VEHICLE TOTALED; REPORTED BY WITNESS, NOT VEHICLE OWNER. TT FIRE HAPPENED AT USED CAR DEALERSHIP, OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE. *SLC

THE ENGINE COMPLETELY QUITE RUNNING AND LOSS OF POWER WAS EXPERIENCED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

THE TRUCK JUST CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. TT

STARTER SHORTED OUT SENDING SPARKS/FLAMES AND TOXIC FUMES FROM UNDER ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *SKD