1984 Ford Explorer problems

General information about Ford-Explorer
Overview of popular issues
Analysis of common problems
Сomplaints list

The Ford Explorer is a range of SUVs manufactured by Ford Motor Company since the 1991 model year. As the first four-door SUV produced by Ford, the Explorer was introduced as a replacement for the two-door Bronco II. Within the current Ford SUV range in North America, the Explorer is slotted between the Ford Edge and Ford Expedition. As with the Ford Ranger, the Explorer derives its name from a trim package previously offered on the Ford F-Series pickup trucks.

The Explorer has been offered in multiple chassis and powertrain layouts. The first two generations were directly derived from the Ford Ranger, switching to a model-specific chassis for the third and fourth generations. The fifth generation was repackaged as a crossover SUV, adopting a variant of the Ford Taurus chassis architecture.

Alongside the five-door Explorer wagon, a three-door Explorer wagon was offered from 1991 to 2003, officially referred to as the Explorer Sport after 1999, serving as the direct replacement of the Bronco II; the 2001–2010 Ford Explorer Sport Trac was a crew-cab pickup derived from the model line. For police use, the Ford Police Interceptor Utility has been derived from the fifth and sixth-generation Explorer to replace the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (and the later Taurus-based Police Interceptor Sedan). Through rebranding, Mazda, Mercury, and Lincoln have sold versions of the Explorer; Lincoln currently markets the sixth-generation model line as the Lincoln Aviator.

For the North American market, the first four generations of the Explorer were produced by Ford at its Louisville Assembly Plant (Louisville, Kentucky) and at its now-closed St. Louis Assembly Plant (Hazelwood, Missouri); the model line is currently produced at Chicago Assembly Plant (Chicago, Illinois).

In 2020, CNBC reported the Ford Explorer range as the best-selling SUV of all time in America.

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Common 1984 Ford Explorer problems

The Ford Explorer 1984 has been known to have several common problems, primarily related to its suspension, ventilation system, and rattling issues.

One of the most significant problems with the 1984 Ford Explorer is its suspension system, which has been reported to provide an unacceptably bouncy ride quality, particularly along the freeway. This issue is primarily caused by worn-out shock absorbers, which need to be replaced to restore the vehicle's ride quality.

Another common problem with the 1984 Ford Explorer is its ventilation system. Some owners have reported that their vehicles do not send enough air to the floor area when defrosting the windshield, resulting in exceptionally chilly feet. This problem is caused by excessive air bleed to the defroster caused by a faulty floor/defroster door. The solution to this problem is to install a new door, which requires removing the affected section of the ventilation system from the vehicle, fitting the new door, and reinstalling the ventilation set-up in the Explorer.

The 1984 Ford Explorer is also known to have rattling problems, primarily caused by a dislocated spring in the tilt lever of the steering column. This issue can be resolved by repositioning the spring to its original location.

The 1984 Ford Explorer's power door locks can also cause a few issues, most notably when the actuator disengages from the bracket, preventing the vehicle's owner from getting into the vehicle. This problem can be resolved by reattaching the actuator to the bracket.

Rear wipers on the 1984 Ford Explorer are also known to be prone to the odd glitch, in which they either work erratically or fail to work at all. This problem is most likely caused by a faulty wiper motor or wiring issues, which can be resolved by replacing the faulty components.

In summary, the 1984 Ford Explorer has several common problems related to its suspension, ventilation system, rattling issues, power door locks, and rear wipers. While these problems can be frustrating, they can be resolved by replacing worn-out components, installing new doors, reattaching actuators, and replacing faulty wiper motors or wiring.

1984 Ford Explorer car problems categorized by type of issue

After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Ford Explorer problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are: