Ford Explorer 1995–2001
2nd generation · UN105/UN150
NHTSA data through 12 August 202610,833 complaints, 1,867 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 60,034 and 135,000 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 73 complaints (3.9%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 37,100
- 25%
- 60,034
- Median
- 94,000
- 75%
- 135,000
- 90%
- 170,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 32 | 1.7% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 18 | 1.0% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 16 | 0.9% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 18 | 1.0% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 19 | 1.0% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 17 | 0.9% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 40 | 2.1% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 52 | 2.8% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 51 | 2.7% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 46 | 2.5% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 73 | 3.9% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 61 | 3.3% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 65 | 3.5% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 65 | 3.5% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 77 | 4.1% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 81 | 4.3% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 76 | 4.1% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 68 | 3.6% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 62 | 3.3% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 77 | 4.1% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 89 | 4.8% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 49 | 2.6% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 55 | 2.9% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 54 | 2.9% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 52 | 2.8% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 30 | 1.6% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 53 | 2.8% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 36 | 1.9% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 53 | 2.8% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 37 | 2.0% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 44 | 2.4% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 30 | 1.6% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 36 | 1.9% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 30 | 1.6% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 35 | 1.9% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 24 | 1.3% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 22 | 1.2% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 20 | 1.1% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 24 | 1.3% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 7 | 0.4% |
| 200,000+ | 73 | 3.9% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 10,833 complaints with NHTSA about the 1995–2001 Ford Explorer, and 1,867 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 60,034 and 135,000 miles. The median is 94,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the tyres (28.5% of complaints, typically around 90,000 miles), throttle and speed control (9.6% of complaints, typically around 102,000 miles), the engine and its cooling system (7.6% of complaints, typically around 82,000 miles).
What fails, and when
- Tyres90,000median 90,000 miles, middle half 60,000 to 130,000
- Throttle and speed control102,000median 102,000 miles, middle half 77,000 to 145,000
- Engine and its cooling system82,000median 82,006 miles, middle half 52,000 to 115,000
- Transmission and driveline92,000median 92,000 miles, middle half 61,000 to 123,000
- Suspension90,000median 90,000 miles, middle half 53,000 to 134,000
- Hydraulic brake circuit69,000median 68,890 miles, middle half 45,000 to 100,000
- Visibility equipment77,000median 77,075 miles, middle half 56,000 to 107,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 3,088 | 28.5% | 90,000 | 60,000–130,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 1,045 | 9.6% | 102,000 | 77,000–145,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 818 | 7.6% | 82,000 | 52,000–115,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 798 | 7.4% | 92,000 | 61,000–123,000 |
| Suspension | 624 | 5.8% | 90,000 | 53,000–134,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 588 | 5.4% | 69,000 | 45,000–100,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 573 | 5.3% | 77,000 | 56,000–107,000 |
| Electrical system | 512 | 4.7% | 98,000 | 66,000–143,000 |
| Airbag system | 343 | 3.2% | 71,000 | 52,000–130,000 |
| Body structure | 333 | 3.1% | 102,000 | 72,000–135,000 |
Which systems, and when
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 94,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The tyres account for 28.5% of complaints (3,088 reports, 76 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 90,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 60,034 and 130,000 miles.
A single system taking 28.5% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 9.6% of complaints (1,045 reports, 268 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 102,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 77,317 and 145,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 7.6% of complaints (818 reports, 161 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 82,006 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 52,000 and 115,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 7.4% of complaints (798 reports, 217 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 92,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 61,000 and 123,345 miles.
The suspension accounts for 5.8% of complaints (624 reports, 101 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 90,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 53,200 and 133,700 miles.
The hydraulic brake circuit accounts for 5.4% of complaints (588 reports, 94 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 68,890 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 45,000 and 100,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 1998 model year drew the most — 2,374 complaints — while 2001 drew the fewest at 503. The median year sits at 1,737.
Recalls and what they cover
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.
Reported severity
Of the 10,833 complaints filed against this generation, 1,094 reported a crash; 435 reported a fire; 1,473 reported an injury; 177 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 10.1% 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.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 60,034 and 135,000 miles, with a median of 94,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the tyres and throttle and speed control 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 90,000, 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.
Documented problems
Tires/Rollover 1995–2001
Firestone ATX/Wilderness AT tread-separation failures leading to rollover; 6.5 million tires recalled in 2000 and Ford replaced a further 13 million in 2001. This is the dominant complaint cluster in ODI for these model years and it is a tire/vehicle-dynamics interaction, not a single component fault.
Engine 1997–2001
4.0L SOHC V6 timing chain cassette (plastic guide) and tensioner wear on the rear-mounted chain, producing a cold-start rattle and eventual chain jump; repair requires engine removal because the rear cassette is behind the block.
Body/Electrical
Door lock actuator failure and door-ajar switch corrosion causing interior lights and chime to stay on and battery drain.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 1,048 | 121 |
| 1996 | 1,818 | 181 |
| 1997 | 2,150 | 283 |
| 1998 | 2,374 | 364 |
| 1999 | 1,737 | 368 |
| 2000 | 1,203 | 400 |
| 2001 | 503 | 150 |
What owners reported
I own a 1995 Ford Explorer 4x4. I purchased it new and did not have any problems with the transmission until last year when i had it flushed. I started to work the next morning and the transmission began to slip coming out of first gear. I took it into aamco and they told me the transmission needed to be replaced.…
1995 · 200 miles · Transmission and driveline
Tl* the contact owns a 1995 Ford Explorer. While driving the over-drive warning light will illuminate on the instrument control panel, and then the vehicle will hesitate before decelerating. He contacted the dealer, and a technician stated that this was a common failure for this model type. He then added that the…
1995 · 55,000 miles · Transmission and driveline
I have a 1995 Ford Explorer and the dealer refuses to honor some of the recalls that have been ordered for my vehicle the recalls are listed below recall date: mar 15, 1995 model affected: 1995 Ford Explorer summary: the inner tie rod assemblies were improperly manufactured and can fracture causing shaking or…
1995 · 65,000 miles · Suspension
Tl*the contact owns a 1995 Ford Explorer. While driving approximately 25 MPH the front drivers side seat belt became unbuckled. The failure recurred intermittently while driving at any speed. He also mentioned that it sometimes takes repeated attempts to get the seat belt to initially buckle. The vehicle was not…
1995 · 80,000 miles · Seat belts
Built from 1,867 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page