IllustrationTHE BRAKES FAIL APPROXIMATELY EVERY SIX TO SEVEN MONTHS, EVEN AFTER REPLACING PADS, CALIPERS, ROTORS, AND A NEW MASTER CYLINDER AND METERING VALVE.
1988 Ford Exp
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Exp years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 3 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Air. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
3 reportsTHE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION FOR OVER TEN MINUTES THE HORN SOUNDED OFF, AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATED THAT RECALL WORK WAS CORRECTED ON VEHICLE DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM. (96V-071). *AK
CONSUMER HAD IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED UNDER RECALL, HOWEVER AFTER THE REPAIR THERE WERE SEVERAL FAILURES THAT WERE NOT PRESENT PRIOR TO THE REPAIR. THE POWER STEERING/HEADLIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE, THE BATTERY WAS DOWN AND THE INSIDE LIGHTS WOULD NOT GO OFF.
Official recalls
196V071000 · Electrical System:ignition
Apr 25, 1996
THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE90063 · Safety Belt D-RING
Opened Mar 21, 1990 · Closed Jul 31, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available