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As with the Bronco II, the first-generation Explorer (design code UN46) shares its chassis underpinnings with the 1983–1992 Ford Ranger. As Ford sought to balance off-road capability with family use of the vehicle, the Explorer underwent design changes from its predecessor while still retaining mechanical commonality with the Ranger pickup truck. The Ford Explorer was introduced in March 1990 as an early 1991 model to replace the Bronco II. The first five-door SUV produced by Ford, the Explorer, was introduced as a replacement for the three-door Bronco II. We have over 30 passenger and commercial vehicle dealerships in WA and can handle all of your car servicing needs no matter the make or model.

Also, a tire pressure monitoring system and electronic stability control became standard equipment for improved safety. Along with the deletion of the Firestone Wilderness AT tires, to further reduce rollover risk, the front and rear axles were widened (the latter, coinciding with the introduction of independent rear suspension). The change allowed for a lower rear cargo floor, adding nearly 10 cubic feet of additional cargo space. The 4-wheel independent configuration was a first for Ford Motor Company trucks and American-market SUVs (with the exception of the HMMWV-derived Hummer H1). The primary objective behind the development of the model line was to make the Explorer more competitive in both domestic and export markets. Due to Japan’s strict Shaken Laws, used vehicles tend to have low mileage with detailed repair histories.

Trim

The three-door Explorer differed slightly, sharing the XL and Eddie Bauer trims with the five-door. The XL was distinguished by a black grille (chrome optional) with steel wheels, while the XLT offered a chrome grille and alloy wheels; the Eddie Bauer offered alloy wheels and two-tone paintwork. Sharing the features of the XLT, the outdoors-themed Eddie Bauer was the highest-range trim. The first-generation Explorer followed the rest of the Ford light truck line in trim nomenclature, marketing a base-level XL trim and higher-range XLT trim. A front best online casino australia split-bench seat was offered as an option (dependent on trim), expanding seating to six passengers. In what would become a design feature of the model line, the B-pillar and D-pillars were blacked out.

Can I drive my car with a bad timing chain?

The Explorer’s wider body allowed for three-across rear passenger seating in the five-door version built on an extended wheelbase. To compete against both model lines, three-door and five-door body styles were launched (introduced in the same month as the five-door S-10 Blazer and seven years after the Jeep Cherokee XJ started the five-door SUV trend). You can find the build date of your Ford vehicle on the door jamb label located on the driver’s side front or rear door panel.

• The first-generation Explorer was equipped with a 4.0 L Cologne V6, an optional engine for the Ranger and the Ford Aerostar.
• Common symptoms of a failed PTU include grinding or whining noises coming from under the vehicle, a natural-gas or oil type odor emitting from the engine bay, fluid leaks, and in severe instances, the vehicle will not move.
• In 1995, Ford introduced the second-generation Explorer, which featured a more rounded, aerodynamic design.
• Other optional safety features include BLIS blind spot information system with rear cross traffic alert, forward collision warning with brake support precrash system, Auto high-beam, Roll Stability Control (RSC), Electronic stability control (ESC) and Curve Control.
• The 6th-gen Ford Explorer underwent a midlife refresh for the 2025 model year, significantly updating the styling and cabin technology.

The water pumps on these engines are internally mounted and driven by the timing chain. The 4.0 L SOHC V6 engine found on second, third, and fourth generation Explorers was notorious for the plastic OEM timing chain guides, cassettes, and tensioners breaking resulting in timing chain ticking, rattle or „death rattle”. Unofficial reports from employees indicated that it was due to the rear bumper separating from the vehicle, including the tow hook assembly. The subsequent introduction and proliferation of electronic stability control systems, along with lowering the vehicle, widening the track, and introducing independent rear suspension, have essentially addressed and mitigated this shortcoming. According to Forbes magazine, car experts and NHTSA claim that the vast majority of crash accidents and deaths were caused not by the vehicle, but by the driver, by road conditions or some combination of the two. In a test simulating dozens of tire blowouts, Larry Webster, a test-driver for Car and Driver magazine, was repeatedly able to bring a 1994 Explorer to a stop without incident from speeds of 70 mph (113 km/h).

It also came standard with 20-inch polished aluminum wheels, and the fender flares that came on the Explorer and standard Sport Trac were deleted. The model was planned by Ford SVT to be the successor to the F-150 Lightning sports pickup truck. Unlike its predecessor sold through 2005, it featured the V8 engine as an option and was based on this generation Explorer’s platform.

The 210 hp (157 kW) 4.0 L 12-valve SOHC V6 was once again the standard engine, paired to the five-speed 5R55S automatic transmission. The base trim of the model line was the XLS (intended largely for fleet sale) with the newly introduced XLS Sport, which standardized many options offered for the XLS. For 1993, Ford introduced the Explorer Limited as a luxury-trim version of the model line, offered only as a five-door. In place of the XLT trim, the Explorer Sport was offered, distinguished by its black lower bodywork, grille, and standard alloy wheels.

The Ford Explorer was first introduced in 1990 as a replacement for the Ford Bronco II. The Ford Explorer, one of the most popular SUVs in the United States, has undergone several body style changes over the years. It was available with a 4.0L V6 mated to either a manual or automatic transmission.