1991 Ford Explorer XLT 4WD review from North America

One transmission rebuilt.

Three Clutches Replaced.

Drive shaft U-Joints broke.

A/C never really worked.

Lumbar support doesn't hold air.

Rear main seal has a tiny leak on synthetic.

This is a very comfortable and pretty fast car. Please understand though, that it is only fast because it is slow. If that makes sense. Since it is rather a dog compared to our sedan, we drive the hell out of it. For this reason it feels fast, and acctually has made some amazingly good speed.

Our 5-Speed 4x4 version with only 145hp (note it was lowest in the 1992 model year, 155 for 91' and 160 for 93+) made a speeding ticket of 102 mph. It has topped out at about 115 on the flat before, and it really wasn't shaky at all. There was a little driveline vibration though. Just make sure to get the alignment checked. It has also made 135-140mph on a downhill before, also sound, although I do recommend checking your tires speed rating before you do this. Ours are rated at 112 mph, best not do that again. Also check for things you could hit, safety first, please.

Brakes are not that of a race car, but the oem pads are pretty good, and fade is minimal. It brakes pretty well, even if driving aggressively on the street. Fade could be induced if you were the type of person who brakes like it is a ferrari. NOTE: Stops the car from 140 in sufficent time, trust me, it works.

Tires suck, but since ford recalled them so much we always got free ones.

3rd gear has always been a weak spot, but it will enter first up to 25mph w/o double clutching, 35mph (redline) if you double clutch. I like the ratios except 5th because it was designed for 55mph speed limit economy, a longer 5th would rock my world.

It gets reasonably MPG for a car so large and boxy. I get 21+ on the freeway and about 16 in the city. Regular 87 octane works great. NOTE: when coasting on a boulevard at 35mph I drive it in 5th (about 900 rpm) if you just touch the gas with a trickle it won't make a deep moan, and you will get exceptional MPG, you will need to pop it itno 2nd to accelerate at all though.

The engine is very durable at 180,000 miles.

My father has always beaten the hell out of it, as he takes it to 4,000+ rpm everyother day. I take it to redline once or twice a weak and it never has complained. There is a little pinging under extremely hard acceleration, but that is probably just because it is 15 years old and needs a new EFI sensor, and because we drive it very hard. The car pull exceptionally well downlow. For instance third gives excellent acceleration from 1,500 rpm-3,000rpm anything past 3k is still good acceleration, but it is out of the sweet spot, after 4,500 the power is almost useless, shift...

We have destroyed a tranny from normal use, and got a rebuilt one in there for about $1,200 total. The three clutches we have gone through are due to my dad's driving style. He likes to roast the clutch at 3,500 coming into the drive way, I come in at 400-500 rpm. The U-joints breaking are also probably due to this.

The A/C never worked for very long, and we have had it dealer repaired, but it still didn't work, I have eliminated it from the serpentine belt because of this, useless.

The lumbar support which has been repaired before also does not work, hence the dealer service recieving a lower mark.

Rear main seal leak is fine, since it drips about once a month on our oil pan using synthetic.