1992 Ford Explorer Problems, Recalls & Reliability
848 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1992 Ford Explorer, alongside 7 recall campaigns and 14 defect investigations. It scores 26/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Wheels & tires leads the reports.
Typical
Where 1992 sits among all Explorer years
What owners report
“Consumer purchased 2 new tire because of defective firestone atx tires, firestone refuses refund because consumer did not get them replaced by firestone dealer. Nlm”— owner report to NHTSA, 1992 Explorer
“The front brake pads has been replace about three ,two rotor and one caliper . Tt”— owner report to NHTSA, 1992 Explorer
“Weld holding 5 speed manual transmission 5th gear broke, causing 5th gear assembly to malfunction.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1992 Explorer
“Motor mounts, muffler tailpipe assembly and rear axle shock absorbers need replacment due to vibration problems, service bulletin issued.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1992 Explorer
“The rear door was warped out of shape so the door would not close properly. Please describe. Tt”— owner report to NHTSA, 1992 Explorer
“While driving at speed of 65 mph experience vibration in the front of vehicle, in for repair no problem found. Tt”— owner report to NHTSA, 1992 Explorer
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 33 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 120,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 94,000 and 145,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (7)
THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: FORD IS REPLACING ALL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 15, 16, AND 17 INCH TIRES MOUNTED ON FORD TRUCKS AND…
Fix: THE REPLACEMENT/REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS CAMPAIGN EXPIRED ON MARCH 31, 2002. HOWEVER, CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT FORD AT 1-877-917-3673 OR GO ON-LINE TO WWW.FORD.COM FOR POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE.
TIRE DESCRIPTION: FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT, SIZE P235/75R15, PRODUCED AT THE DECATUR, ILLINOIS TIRE PLANT AND ALL FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX AND RADIAL ATX II TIRES, SIZE P235/75R15. OPERATION OF THESE TIRES AT LOW INFLATION PRESSURES, HIGH SPEED, AND IN HOT…
Fix: THE REPLACEMENT/REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS CAMPAIGN EXPIRED ON AUGUST 29, 2001. HOWEVER, CUSTOMERS SHOULD CONTACT FIRESTONE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-465-1904 FOR POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FACTORY INSTALLED SUNROOF. THE SUNROOF GLASS PANEL ASSEMBLY CAN SEPARATE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING DUE TO INCORRECT HINGE ENGAGEMENT. THIS WAS CAUSED BY IMPROPER SUNROOF INSTALLATION OF…
Fix: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH AN INSTRUCTION BOOKLET WHICH THOROUGHLY OUTLINES, WITH ILLUSTRATIONS, THE PROPER PROCEDURES FOR THE REMOVAL, STORAGE, AND REINSTALLATION OF THE SUNROOF'S GLASS PANEL. A…
A SHORT CIRCUIT CONDITION CAN OCCUR IN THE REMOTE POWER MIRROR CONTROL SWITCH CIRCUIT BOARD AS A RESULT OF A SEPARATED PART OF THE CONTACT ASSEMBLY BRIDGING THE SWITCH POSITIVE BATTERY PAD AND ADJACENT CHASSIS GROUND PAD.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN IN-LINE 10 AMP FUSE IN THE POSITIVE BATTERY FEED TO THE REMOTE POWER MIRROR CONTROL SWITCH ASSEMBLY.
THE STUDS WHICH ATTACH THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE POWER BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER ASSEMBLY CAN DEVELOP STRESS CORROSION CRACKING AFTER BEING OPERATED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LOCATION.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER ASSEMBLY.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATION 573. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. THE CAMPAIGN WILL REINFORCE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENTS OF THE…
Fix: FORD DEALERS WILL REINFORCE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENTS.
THE HYDRAULIC LIFT CYLINDERS ARE ATTACHED TO BRACKETS THAT ARE WELDED TO THE LIFTGATE. THE BRACKET WELDS CAN FRACTURE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 99V310001.
Led to recall campaign 97V235001.
Led to recall campaign 96V024001.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1992 Ford Explorer reliable?
The 1992 Ford Explorer drew 848 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 26/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).
What are the most common 1992 Ford Explorer problems?
The top reported problems for the 1992 Ford Explorer are wheels & tires (152 complaints), brakes & stability (143), and transmission & drivetrain (91).
At what mileage do 1992 Ford Explorer problems show up?
Owners most often report 1992 Ford Explorer problems around 120,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 94,000 and 145,000 miles.
Does the 1992 Ford Explorer have recalls?
7 recall campaigns apply to the 1992 Ford Explorer. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.