Total Complaints
7 filings
FORD EXPLORER · model year
1988 FORD EXPLORER
7 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988FORDEXPLORER carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1988 EXPLORER is electrical system:ignition with 2 filings, followed by exterior lighting:headlights:switch (1) and steering:hydraulic power assist system (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 13 investigation files overlapping the 1988 EXPLORER, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
7
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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 | 2 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20011203TIRES
I WANTED TO KNOW IF THIS VEHICLE IS SAFE&I AM CONCERN ABOUT THE TIRE&THE BRAKE. *AK
20011203SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
I WANTED TO KNOW IF THIS VEHICLE IS SAFE&I AM CONCERN ABOUT THE TIRE&THE BRAKE. *AK
20000531SUSPENSION:FRONT
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
19990729ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION REPLACED ON RECALL 8/7/96. FUEL & TEMPERATURE GAUGES FREQUENTLY MALFUNCTION WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS & OVERHEATS. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INDICATES OVERHEATING. FOCUSING ON OVERHEATING PROBLEM OVERLOOKS THE ACTUAL PROBLEM OF THE IGNITION WHICH WAS REPLACED ON RECALL. ALSO RADIATOR FAN WILL NOT ENGAGE & ACTUAL OVERHEATING WILL TAKE PLACE. LUCKILY NO IGNITION FIRE. REPLACE IGNITION SWITCH & AVOID FORD PRODUCT IF POSSIBLE.
19970527ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
INCOMPLETE IGNITION RECALL REPAIR DUE TO LACK OF PARTS.
19970527EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
HEADLIGHT SWITCH DEFECTIVE.
19970527STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER STEERING FAILED.
Compare 1988FORDEXPLORER to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 FORD EXPLORER have?▼
The 1988 FORD EXPLORER has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 FORD EXPLORER?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 FORD EXPLORER is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH and STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM.
Is the 1988 FORD EXPLORER 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 as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.