Total Complaints
3 filings
FORD EXP · model year
1988 FORD EXP
3 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988FORDEXP carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1988 EXP is electrical system:ignition:switch with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, air:disc:caliper (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 179 investigation files overlapping the 1988 EXP, and 6 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:CALIPER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19990324ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
CONSUMER HAD IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED UNDER RECALL, HOWEVER AFTER THE REPAIR THERE WERE SEVERAL FAILURES THAT WERE NOT PRESENT PRIOR TO THE REPAIR. THE POWER STEERING/HEADLIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE, THE BATTERY WAS DOWN AND THE INSIDE LIGHTS WOULD NOT GO OFF.
19980619SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:CALIPER
THE BRAKES FAIL APPROXIMATELY EVERY SIX TO SEVEN MONTHS, EVEN AFTER REPLACING PADS, CALIPERS, ROTORS, AND A NEW MASTER CYLINDER AND METERING VALVE.
19970930FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION FOR OVER TEN MINUTES THE HORN SOUNDED OFF, AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATED THAT RECALL WORK WAS CORRECTED ON VEHICLE DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM. (96V-071). *AK
Compare 1988FORDEXP to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 6 Open
EA26004Engineering AnalysisOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP26004Defect PetitionOpen
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illuminated
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionClosed
Underbody shields detachment
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 FORD EXP have?▼
The 1988 FORD EXP has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 FORD EXP?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 FORD EXP is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:CALIPER.
Is the 1988 FORD EXP safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1988 FORD EXP; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.