1995 Ford Explorer problems & reliability
843 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1995 Ford Explorer, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
69 complaints report injuries (110 injured, 8 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1995 Ford Explorer vehicles were involved in 17 fatal crashes with 11 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Tires | 205 | 24% |
| Power Train | 119 | 14% |
| Suspension | 93 | 11% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 81 | 10% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 75 | 9% |
| Seat Belts | 59 | 7% |
| Electrical System | 55 | 7% |
| Steering | 52 | 6% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 45 | 5% |
| Structure | 39 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 122,000 miles (middle 50% between 93,500 and 150,000 miles), based on 95 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The steering column and all the parts associated with the steering of the vehicle were affected when the bolts that hold the clamps that secure the bushings to the steering column began to loosen. I examined the area carefully and noticed that because the bolts loosened, the clamps were given too much play. Within a…”
Steering · filed May 22, 2019
“I got in my car a battery less than 2 weeks old was almost dead nothing was plugged in or on I drove got on the freeway about 20 min on freeway car stops won't move makes rev noise eventually starts long enough to stop again at bottom of freeway exit starts again get in into gas station I sit in gas station for about…”
Electrical System · filed May 5, 2018
“95 ford explorer parked in carport with engine shut off for 5 min while carried groceries up stairs - I had left dog in crate til finished unloading but when I came down noticed electrical smell, got out looked around car but did not notice any burning, got dog out and returned in three minutes to find key no longer…”
Seats · filed Apr 12, 2015
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLY FAILURE
Engineering Analysis EA02011 · opened Jul 2, 2002 · closed May 21, 2003
- SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLY
Preliminary Evaluation PE02007 · opened Jan 23, 2002 · closed Jul 2, 2002
- FRONT SUSPENSION STABILIZER BAR LINK
Preliminary Evaluation PE00039 · opened Sep 20, 2000 · closed Nov 30, 2000 · led to recall 00V402000
- ACCELERATOR PEDAL
Preliminary Evaluation PE99068 · opened Nov 1, 1999 · closed Mar 9, 2000
- LIFTGATE SUPPORT BRACKET FAILURE
Recall Query RQ99016 · opened Jul 29, 1999 · open · led to recall 99V310002
- ELECTRICAL FIRE IN CENTER CONSOLE
Preliminary Evaluation PE97010 · opened Mar 13, 1997 · closed Sep 4, 1997
Technical service bulletins
191 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1995 Ford Explorer. The 10 most recent:
Front axle leaks fluid from vent tube - vehicles equipped with 4x4 or awd. *tt
030508 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2005
Low line pressure reading at wide open throttle (wot), slipping shifts and / or delayed engagements with possible diagnostic trouble codes p0732, p0733, p1762 set on vehicles built before 12/1/2001. *tt
02138 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 10, 2003
Remote keyless entry (rke) - service tips. *tt
03181 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2003
New transmission cooler flusher - service tips. 2003 escort and super duty f series included. *tt
03148 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2003
Various noise issues from the rear leaf springs while driving. *tt
16735 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2003
Fluid may leak out of the front axle vent tube. *tt *jb
0358 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 17, 2003
Air ride control lamp on after shock absorber replacement / contact request. *tt
16385 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 2002
Lamp-brake-invadvertent disabling of brake shift interlock. *mj
02176 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 2, 2002
Some vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission and a 4.0l ohv engine may exhibit a noise / vibration, no drive, unusual noise during cranking or a no crank condition. *tt
02142 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 22, 2002
Experiencing a clicking / popping noise from the upper steering column area when turning the steering wheel. *tt
16040 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 2002
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 1995 Ford Explorer has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1995 Ford Explorer?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 122,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.