FaultScore

1993 Ford Explorer seat problems

30 of the 1,151 complaints about the 1993 Ford Explorer are about the seats — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 96,500 miles.

F

30

Complaints

3

Crashes

3

Fires

4

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Seats 17 56.7%
Recliner 10 33.3%
Power Adjust 2 6.7%
Mid/Rear Assembly 1 3.3%

Seats across every Ford Explorer year

1991 16 2.5%
1992 22 3.5%
1993 30 4.7%
1994 20 3.1%
1995 20 3.1%
1996 30 4.7%
1997 40 6.3%
1998 71 11.2%
1999 69 10.9%
2000 40 6.3%
2001 25 3.9%
2002 30 4.7%
2003 12 1.9%
2006 11 1.7%
2007 24 3.8%
2008 27 4.3%
2010 20 3.1%
2013 10 1.6%
2015 16 2.5%
2016 33 5.2%
2017 16 2.5%
2020 39 6.1%
2021 14 2.2%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 76,000 miles Panama City Beach, FL Fire 1 injured

SEATS

I WAS PULLING INTO MY CONDO'S PARKING GARAGE WHEN DRIVER IN CAR BEHIND ME ALERTED ME THAT MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND NOTICED SMOKE AND A BURNING SMELL INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND MY FEET GOT REALLY HOT. EXITED VEHICLE AND NOTICED FIRE DRIPPING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE AND BLACK SMOKE AND FIRE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 TO REPORT FIRE, AS THE FIRE UNIT WAS ON ITS WAY THE VEHICLE HAD TWO OR THREE EXPLOSIONS UNDER THE HOOD AND THE HORN CAME ON. THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE 22 STORY CONDOMINIUM FIRE ALARMS WENT OFF, ALL THE ELEVATORS STOPPED WORKING AND THE FIRE MARSHALL EVACUATED THE ENTIRE BUILDING. THE PARKING GARAGE WAS FULL OF SOOTH AND DENSE BLACK SMOKE. THE MAIN LOBBY AND ELEVATOR LOBBY WAS FULL OF SMOKE. THE ER DIAGNOSED ME WITH SMOKE INHALATION AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH. SUBSEQUENT LUNG TEST SHOWS 30% DECREASED LUNG CAPACITY.

NHTSA complaint #10509464 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 119,987 miles Louisville, KY

SEATS

FAILURE OF 1993 FORD EXPLORER FRONT SEAT LOWER HALF AT MOUNTING POINTS. FORD PART 61704, LEFT AND RIGHT. MATERIAL FAILURE DUE TO METAL FATIGUE. MOVEMENT AND FLEXING OF LOWER SEAT FRAME CAUSES MATERIAL FAILURE APPROX. INCH ABOVE ATTACHMENT BOLT POSITION. REPEATED LOSS OF SEAT ATTACHMENT BOLT TORQUE ALLOWED FRAME MOVEMENT, WHICH RESULTS IN MATERIAL FAILURE. SEAT MOVES BACK AND LATERALLY AWAY FROM NORMAL DRIVING POSITION. CAN CAUSE ACCIDENT OR SERIOUS INJURY.

NHTSA complaint #10052600 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 115,000 miles Randolph, NJ

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER'S SEAT RECLINED WITHOUT WARNING.*AK SHOULDER BOLT AT THE BASE OF THE SEAT SNAPPED. VEHICLE LEFT ROADWAY BUT CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. *PH *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10038474 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Louisville, KY

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING, THE DRIVER'S SEAT BOLT SNAPPED AND CAUSED THE DRIVER TO FALL BACKWARDS INTO THE REAR SEATS. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK *SCC

NHTSA complaint #10026925 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Louisville, KY

SEATS

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK DECLINED BACKWARDS, AND BROKE. THIS WAS CAUSED BY A BOLT FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #10026666 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 78,000 miles Orange, CA

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

DRIVER SEAT BACK BROKE WHILE OWNER DRIVING RESULTING IN SEAT BACK FALLING TO FULL RECLINING POSITION. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STOP WITHOUT INJURY OR ACCIDENT AND HAD TO DRIVE VEHICLE IN UNSAFE CONDITION UNTIL WAS ABLE TO FIND AN OBJECT TO BRACE THE SEAT BACK IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. BROKEN PART REPLACED AT OWNERS EXPENSE AT NON-FORD GARAGE. COMPLAINT FILED AFTER OWNER RECENTLY LEARNED OF NUMEROUS OTHER SUCH INCIDENTS, THEREFORE DATE OF INCIDENT IS APPROXIMATE SINCE IT WAS NOT DOCUMENTED AT THE TIME OF OCCURRENCE.

NHTSA complaint #10021359 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Edgewater, MD Crash 2 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

EXPLORER - REAR ENDED. BOTH BUCKET SEAT |"BACKS" FELL BACKWARDS ONTO REAR PASSENGERS. SEAT RECLINE MECHANISM DESTROYED IN BOTH.

NHTSA complaint #755493 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tulsa, OK Fire

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

WIRE UNDER POWER SEAT CAME LOOSE, SHORTED AGAINST SEAT TRACK, SEAT CUSHION CAUGHT FIRE. DRIVER BARELY ESCAPED WITHOUT SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. PROPERTY DAMAGE IS ABOUT $2100.00. WIRING SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO NOT COME LOOSE AND SEATS SHOULD NOT BE COMBUSTIBLE.

NHTSA complaint #743853 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Normal, IL

SEATS

DRIVER SIDE SEAT FRAME BROKE WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. NO INJURY, BUT SEAT FOLDED BACK AND THERE WAS NO SUPPORT BEHIND ME. HAD TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO MAKE A SAFE STOP.

NHTSA complaint #742413 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Castro VAL, CA

SEATS

PASSSENGER SEAT FELL APART AND SEAT BELT UNLOCKED. YH

NHTSA complaint #549614 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Holtville, CA

SEATS

MADE A TURN & CAME TO A STOP, DRIVER'S SEAT WENT FORWARD. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD & CHECKED THE SEAT. NOTICED THE BOLTS WERE BROKEN ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ANCHOR SUPPORT. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS.

NHTSA complaint #853625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Florissant, MO

SEATS

DRIVER'S SEAT ANCHORS BROKE, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO ROCK BACK AND FORTH, AWAY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL, ALMOST CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #835868 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Raymond, ME Fire

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

THE PASSANGER SEAT MOTOR WAS BURNING WITH THE CAR OFF. THE FUSE DIDN'T BLOW. IF THIS WAS IN A PERSONS GARAGE, IT COULD HAVE SET THE HOUSE ON FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #705177 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Louisville, KY

SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

DESIGN OF HEAR SEATS DO NOT CONTAIN HEAD RESTS, WHICH DOES NOT OFFER PROTECTION.

NHTSA complaint #533932 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Painted PO, NY

SEATS

PLASTIC BRACKET TO SUPPORT THE ARMREST BROKE.

NHTSA complaint #509678 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lawrenceville, NJ

SEATS

DRIVER'S FRONT SEAT FAILS BECAUSE THE BOTTOM FRAME ISN'T STRONG ENOUGH. FRAME BENT BACKWARDS FROM NORMAL EVERYDAY USE. SLIDER RAIL ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT SITS BACK AS FAR AS IT CAN GO TO ACCOMODATE DRIVER WHO IS 6'2" IN HEIGHT.

NHTSA complaint #533745 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Ellwood CI, PA

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE, CAUSING SEAT BACK TO COLLAPSE.

NHTSA complaint #527871 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Goshen, KY

SEATS

NO HEADREST ON REAR SEATS.

NHTSA complaint #603467 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Croton ON Hudson, NY 1 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 60 MPH THE REAR SEATBACK BROKE. THIS IS THE SIXTH TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. OWNER IS VERY CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY. *AK DRIVERS SEAT BACK HAS JUST COLLAPSE THREE TIMES AND REPLACED. BRACKETS AT BASE OF SEAT WAS LOOSE AND CRACKED AT THE SAME SPOT MANY TIMES CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #813323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Baltimore, MD

SEATS

THE MOUNTING RAIL THAT HOLDS THE SEAT AND TRACK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS BROKEN JUST ABOVE THE FLANGE. PROBLEM NOT CORRECTED.

NHTSA complaint #811474 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tucson, AZ

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO FALL BACKWARDS. PLEASE DESCRIBE.

NHTSA complaint #805828 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Orient, NY

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

DRIVERS SEATBACK REAR REINFORCING BAR ON SEAT CONSTANTLY HITS SPINAL BONE. UPON REPLACEMENT PROBLEM STILL EXITS .

NHTSA complaint #803774 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Freeland, MN

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S SEATBACK DISCONNECTED. PLEASE GIVE MORE DETAIL INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #803410 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

South Ogden, UT

SEATS

DRIVERS INSIDE SEAT TRACK BRACKET BROKE, ALLOWING BOLT TO LOOSEN.

NHTSA complaint #508016 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hilo, HI

SEATS

POWER LUMBAR SEATS AIR PRESSURE BAG FAILED TO INFLATE.

NHTSA complaint #506711 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Silver Sprin, MD Crash

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

DURING REAR IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK FELL ONTO THE REAR SEAT. PLEASE DESCRIBE.

NHTSA complaint #984221 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Partridge, KS

SEATS

SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BOLTS FALL OUT. CAUSING THE SEATS TO FALL INTO THE REAR SEAT. PLEASE DESCRIBE.

NHTSA complaint #982741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Monroe, GA Crash 1 injured

SEATS

VEHICLE WAS RAMMED IN REAR BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT STOP LIGHT, DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE UPON IMPACT.

NHTSA complaint #981142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Murrayville, IL

SEATS

POOR PERFORMANCE OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT. TT

NHTSA complaint #976565 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Houston, TX

SEATS

ARM REST VIBRATES AND SQUEAKS.

NHTSA complaint #489824 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1993 Ford Explorer problems

← Full 1993 Ford Explorer report