Recalls (4)
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 1994 Ford Explorer. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗FORD/HYDRAULIC LIFT CYLINDERS
- Summary
- VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE HYDRAULIC LIFT CYLINDER BRACKET WELDS COULD FRACTURE.
- Consequence
- WITH A BROKEN BRACKET WELD, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR THE LIFTGATE BRACKET TO GRADUALLY BEND INWARD ALLOWING THE LIFT CYLINDER BALL STUD TO DISENGAGE, UNEXPECTEDLY ALLOWING THE LIFTGATE TO FALL FROM AN OPEN POSITION.
- Remedy
- DEALERS WILL INSTALL LIFTGATE REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS. DEPENDING UPON THE CONDITION OF THE LIFTGATE SHEET METAL IN THE AREA OF THE BRACKET, DEALERS MAY ALSO INSTALL A LARGER REINFORCEMENT.
FORD/REMOTE POWER MIRROR SWITCH
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- THE CURRENT CAN OVERHEAT THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD AND OTHER PLASTIC AND ELASTOMERIC COMPONENTS OF THE SWITCH ASSEMBLY RESULTING IN SMOKE OR FIRE.
- Remedy
- DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN IN-LINE 10 AMP FUSE IN THE POSITIVE BATTERY FEED TO THE REMOTE POWER MIRROR CONTROL SWITCH ASSEMBLY.
FORD/BRAKES:POWER ASSIST:PRIMARY:BOOSTER
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- IF A CRACK OCCURS, IT COULD RESULT IN ONE OR BOTH STUDS FRACTURING. THE MASTER CYLINDER COULD THEN SEPARATE FROM THE VACUUM BOOSTER, WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, PREVENTING THE SERVICE BRAKES FROM ACTIVATING INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
- Remedy
- DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER ASSEMBLY.
EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE:MECHANICAL
- Summary
- THE PARKING BRAKE CONTROL SELF-ADJUST PAWL DOES NOT LINE UP PROPERLY WITH THE SELF-ADJUST RACHET CAUSING THE PAWL TO SLIP OVER ONE OR MORE TEETH IN THE RACHET.
- Consequence
- WHEN THE ABOVE OCCURS, IT CAN RESULT IN PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM INEFFECTIVENESS. THE PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL FREELY, IF THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT LEFT IN GEAR.
- Remedy
- A WEDGE WILL BE INSTALLED WHICH WILL SERVE TO LOCK THE PARKING BRAKE SELF-ADJUST MECHANISM PAWL INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RACHET. ALSO, OWNERS WILL BE ADVISED TO RELEASE AND REAPPLY THE PARKING BRAKE WHENEVER TOOTH SKIP OCCURS AND WILL BE REMINDED TO ALWAYS TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND LEAVE THE VEHICLE IN GEAR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (1,207)
1,207 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The tires is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 1,207 |
|---|---|---|
| Tires | 331 | 27.4% |
| Service brakes | 244 | 20.2% |
| Structure | 158 | 13.1% |
| Power train | 86 | 7.1% |
| Electrical system | 75 | 6.2% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 74 | 6.1% |
| Visibility | 71 | 5.9% |
| Suspension | 65 | 5.4% |
| Vehicle speed control | 51 | 4.2% |
| Fuel system | 33 | 2.7% |
How 1994 compares with other Explorer years
Best and worst Explorer years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 12 | 0 |
| 1991 | 609 | 8 |
| 1992 | 633 | 4 |
| 1993 | 939 | 6 |
| 1994 | 1,207 | 4 |
| 1995 | 843 | 5 |
| 1996 | 1,450 | 6 |
| 1997 | 1,731 | 7 |
| 1998 | 1,959 | 9 |
| 1999 | 1,348 | 9 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 18 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,700
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 494 g/mi
- EPA class
- Special Purpose Vehicles
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 18 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 L 6-cyl · 5-speed manual | Rear-Wheel Drive | 16 / 20 / 18 | $3,700 | 494 |
| 4 L 6-cyl · 5-speed manual | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 15 / 20 / 17 | $3,950 | 523 |
| 4 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automatic | Rear-Wheel Drive | 14 / 19 / 16 | $4,200 | 555 |
| 4 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automatic | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 14 / 18 / 15 | $4,450 | 593 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 1994 Explorer for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
1994 Ford Explorer FAQ
How many recalls does the 1994 Ford Explorer have?
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns: 99V310001 (structure), 97V083000 (visibility), 96V024001 (brake), 94V169001 (brake). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 1994 Ford Explorer problems?
Owners filed 1,207 complaints with NHTSA. Tires (331), Service brakes (244), Structure (158) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 1994 Ford Explorer get?
EPA rates the 4 L 6-cyl · 5-speed manual version at 16 city, 20 highway and 18 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
How does the 1994 Explorer compare with other years?
Among the 1990–1999 Ford Explorer model years at least five years old, the 1990 drew the fewest complaints (12) and the 1998 the most (1,959). The 1994 drew 1,207. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.