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1988 Ford Explorer

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
4Owner complaints

Model-year median: 609

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
1
19853
19863
19874
19881
198912
1990609
1991
Compare all Explorer years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System
2Exterior Lighting
1Service Brakes, Hydraulic
1Steering
1Suspension
1
All reported categories
Tires
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 0 of 4 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Suspension complaints

1 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · May 25, 2000
Suspension

VISITED DEALER WITH COMPLAINT OF NOISE(GROWL) IN STEERING COLUMN. WAS ADVISED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. ALSO, FRONT SUSPENSION HAS NUMEROUS SQUEAKS AS YOU WOULD EXPERIENCE IN AN OLDER VEHICLE THAT HAS NOT HAD PROPER LUBRICATION. DEALER ADVISED THIS WAS NORMAL. DOES NOT SEEM NORMAL. I INTEND TO TAKE VEHICLE TO SPECIALIZED SUSPEN…

Read full complaint

VISITED DEALER WITH COMPLAINT OF NOISE(GROWL) IN STEERING COLUMN. WAS ADVISED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. ALSO, FRONT SUSPENSION HAS NUMEROUS SQUEAKS AS YOU WOULD EXPERIENCE IN AN OLDER VEHICLE THAT HAS NOT HAD PROPER LUBRICATION. DEALER ADVISED THIS WAS NORMAL. DOES NOT SEEM NORMAL. I INTEND TO TAKE VEHICLE TO SPECIALIZED SUSPENSION REPAIR SHOP FOR EVALUATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #723175

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE92029 · Whl Separation/torque Loss

Opened Mar 16, 1992 · Closed Aug 31, 1992

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension

There is no summary currently available

Go deeper into Ford Explorer problems

Ford Explorer electrical problems →Ford Explorer transmission problems →