1991 Ford Explorer Power Train:automatic Transmission Problems

NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · data through 07/14/2026

22Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints

3.6%Of all 609 complaints

#5Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How power train:automatic transmission ranks on this vehicle

TIRES:TREAD/BELT54 · 8.9%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP52 · 8.5%

TIRES52 · 8.5%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE25 · 4.1%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION22 · 3.6%

Share of the 609 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1991 Ford Explorer overview page.

What owners report

“TRANMISSION LOCKED UP IN 4TH GEAR, CAUSING SELF DESTRUCTION.”NHTSA complaint 500796 — filed 01/19/1996

“LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE CAR DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. OWNER OF THE CAR WAS DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED…”NHTSA complaint 976896 — filed 12/21/1995

“CONSUMER HAD THE #PE95-001 MASTER BOOSTER CYLINDER, TRANSMISSION REBUILT AND THE ABS MODULE REPLACED. TT”NHTSA complaint 971631 — filed 09/06/1995

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1991 Ford Explorer have power train:automatic transmission problems?

Power Train:automatic Transmission is the #5 most-reported problem area on the 1991 Ford Explorer: 22 of 609 complaints on file (3.6%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1991 Ford Explorer have in total?

609 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 57 involved a crash, 63 involved a fire, 44 reported injuries, and 4 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's power train:automatic transmission category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.