The Ford Explorer is a mid-size SUV sold in North America and built by the Ford Motor Company since 1990, as a replacement for the smaller but related Ford Bronco II. It is manufactured in Louisville, Kentucky (it was also assembled in Hazelwood, Missouri until the plant closed on March 10, 2006). The Ford Explorer was instrumental in turning the SUV from a special-interest vehicle into one of the most popular vehicle types on the road. It is marked as Ford's only mid-sized SUV and is slotted between the larger Ford Expedition and the smaller Ford Escape.
The Explorer has also been involved in controversy, after a spate of fatal rollover accidents involving Explorers fitted with Firestone tires.
Both two-door Explorer Sport and four-door models of Explorer have been sold. Part-time four-wheel drive is an available option, and since 1995 this has been a 'shift on the fly' system with full protection against being engaged at high speed.
A specially modified Special Service Vehicle version is also available from Ford Fleet for law enforcement.
Explorer was also the name of a trim package offered on the Ford F-Series trucks from 1968 to 1986.
An 'Explorer' named vehicle is slated to replace the Ford Taurus X as a CUV beginning with the fifth generation, to be called Explorer America , targeted as a possible 2010 or 2011 model. The new Explorer will be a less rugged but cheaper unibody vehicle, with less towing capacity and offroad capability.
First generation (1991-1994)
The Explorer was released in March 1990 as a 1991 model. It was equipped with a 4.0 L 155 hp (116 kW) V6 engine and 4-speed A4LD automatic transmission or 5-speed M5OD manual transmission. Like the Ford Bronco II it replaced, it was an SUV derivative of the Ford Ranger Pickup, but larger. Following the Chevrolet S-10 Blazer, it came in both 2-door and 4-door bodystyles. It was available with rear or four-wheel drive. The four-wheel drive versions came with a Borg Warner 13-54 part-time four wheel drive transfer case. The 13-54 was available with "Touch Drive" electronic push button shifting as well as manual, lever operated shifting. Both designs were "shift-on-the-fly" designs that allowed the truck to be shifted from two wheel drive to 'four-high' at any speed. All Explorers came with the 8.8-inch (22 cm) Ford rear axle in either a limited slip or open version with a variety of available gear ratios. Explorers came in 4 trim levels: base XL , XLT , Sport (only available on the two-door version), and the upscale Eddie Bauer Edition . 15 hp (11 kW) was added for 1993 for a total of 170 hp (119 kW). The Limited edition, added for 1993, was available only in the 4-door style and was even more upscale than the Eddie Bauer version. It featured automatic headlights, foglamps, an automatic transmission as standard equipment, an auto-dimming rear view mirror, a center roof console with compass and outside thermometer, special wheels, and a special grille.
Technically similar to the original Ford Explorer, the Explorer Sport came in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive variants. It replaced the 2-door Ford Bronco II, and was larger than the Bronco II. A variant of the Explorer Sport was sold by Mazda as the Navajo, which won Motor Trend's Truck of the Year award but was discontinued in 1994.
Common complaints about the first generation models mostly came from the A4LD automatic transmission. Towing wasn't its strong point and it couldn't handle much more power if the engine saw any aftermarket upgrades. Also, problems came from the automatic locking front hubs. Moderate off road driving would destroy the plastic internals and leave the SUV stuck in 2WD. Manual locking front hubs did not suffer from reliability problems.
Second generation (1995-2001)
The Explorer saw significant exterior, interior and suspension updates in 1995. The former "Twin Traction Beam" (TTB) front suspension was replaced with a more carlike independent front suspension. The Explorer lineup now consisted of two models: 2-door Explorer Sport and the 4-door Explorer . The Limited was a higher end 4-door. A 210 hp (157 kW) 5.0 L Windsor V8 engine and heavy-duty 4-speed 4R70W transmission were added for 1996, along with a "full time" all-wheel drive system on the Eddie Bauer and Limited in 1997. A more-powerful SOHC 205 hp (153 kW) engine came as an option in 1997 along with an optional 5-speed automatic. A Mercury twin, the Mountaineer , was added in 1997 as well. In early 1997, the 5.0 L received new cylinder heads (GT-40P series), which upped power to 215 hp (160 kw). Since this change was made in the middle of the 1997 release, the 1997 GT-40P equipped Explorers and Mountaineers were dubbed 1997¼ models. The 5.0 L V8 powered Explorer has become favored in the high performance SUV crowd, with many performance parts available. This is due to the fact that many aftermarket 5.0L Ford Mustang parts are interchangeable with the Explorer variant. Also, the Explorer has aftermarket parts available for it including superchargers, nitrous kits, and headers.
The 1995 Explorer was the first production vehicle to use a neon center high mount stop lamp. This was replaced with a more conventional lamp when the liftgate was refreshed in 1998. A slight change in front end design came in 1999, at which time the XLS name replaced XL as the base model.
Like the basic Explorer, the Explorer Sport was significantly updated in 1995. The Eddie Bauer trim level was replaced with Expedition on 2-door Explorers (1995 only, the name would be reused on the 1997 Ford Expedition). The rear was given a face lift for 1998.
There was a North Face model also introducued, but was exclusive to the UK.
2001 also saw the introduction of the Explorer Sport Trac , which put a small pickup bed behind the four normal SUV doors.
In 2009, this generation Explorer had five of the top seven spots for vehicles traded in under the "cash for clunkers" program, with the 1998 model topping the list. The 1994 model from the previous generation also had the eighth spot on the list.
Third generation (2002-2005)
The 4-door Explorer and companion Mercury Mountaineer were redesigned entirely in 2002, losing all design similarity with the Ranger while gaining a similar appearance to the Ford Expedition (the third generation Explorer is even often confused with the second generation Expedition, having rounded wheel sockets and "larger" back lights along with a more rounded appearance overall) and the still in production, second generation inspired Explorer Sport Trac. Engines were either the 210 hp (157 kW) SOHC 4.0L V6 with 254 ft·lbf (344 N·m) of torque or a 239 hp (178 kW) 4.6 L V8, with the 203 hp (151 kW) 4.0 L still available on the Explorer Sport. A third-row seat became available for the first time, bringing total passenger capacity to seven. Both manual and automatic transmissions and all-wheel drive were available (with 2002 being the last year of being able to order a 4-door and manual transmission). Trim lines were the base Sport Value , Sport Choice , XLS , Sport Premium , XLT , Eddie Bauer , and top Limited . AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control were standard for 2005 but an option from 2002 and on.
Beginning with the 2002 model year, Ford installed a fully independent rear suspension in the Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer (but not in the 2-door Explorer Sport). This replaced the non-independent ("live-axle") rear suspension used in previous model year Explorers. In the fully independent rear suspension each rear wheel connects to the rear differential via a half-shaft drive axle. The benefits of a fully independent rear suspension for ride comfort, handling, and vehicle stability have been known for many years, and many rear- or 4-wheel-drive vehicles (cars and SUVs) use this type of suspension; for example, the Hummer H1, and the Mercedes-Benz ML SUV. Ford installed the independent rear suspension in the Explorer beginning with the 2002 model year because of the well-publicized vehicle rollovers and resulting fatalities that occurred with previous-edition Ford Explorers. All of the Explorers involved in the rollovers had non-independent rear suspensions, and many of the vehicles had tires which Ford judged to be defective (see below).
All three SUVs use code U6 (for rear-wheel drive), U7 (for four-wheel drive), and U8 (for all-wheel drive) in the 5th, 6th, and 7th positions of the VIN.
When the Explorer was redesigned for 2002, the Explorer Sport continued unchanged for 1 more year. Due to the decline of 2-door SUVs, the 2-door Explorer Sport was discontinued in 2003.
Intake manifold defect
Main article: Ford Modular engine#Intake Manifold DefectCertain 2002 V8 Explorers, using an all-composite intake manifold, are subject to coolant leaks. Late in 2005 Ford settled a US class action lawsuit.
Fourth generation (2006-2010)
The Explorer and the Mountaineer were updated for 2006 on a new frame, produced by Magna International rather than Tower Automotive. It was upsized, because the Ford Freestyle (now called Ford Taurus X), slotted between it and the Escape. Along with this new, stronger base were a new interior, redesigned rear suspension, and power-folding third-ro
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