1999 Ford Explorer

The 1995-2001 Ford Explorer is the second generation of what was then the best-selling SUV in America, built on a body-on-frame platform shared with the Ranger pickup. Engines were the 4.0-liter OHV V6, the more powerful 4.0-liter SOHC V6 introduced in 1997, and a 5.0-liter V8 available on four-door models. Transmissions were a five-speed manual or a four- or five-speed automatic, with rear-wheel drive standard and part-time or full-time four-wheel drive available. Two-door and four-door bodies were offered, the two-door later marketed as the Explorer Sport.

This generation introduced a much more car-like interior than the first Explorer and added the V8 option for buyers who wanted more towing capability. It is also the generation at the center of the Firestone tire controversy of the period, which led to a very large tire recall and lasting scrutiny of the vehicle's handling at low tire pressures. The third generation that followed in 2002 introduced an independent rear suspension.

For used buyers, surviving examples are old enough that condition dominates. The SOHC V6 uses a cassette-style timing chain arrangement whose guides and tensioners are a known failure point, and the repair is labor-intensive because the rear cassette sits against the firewall. Frame and rocker corrosion, rear main seal leaks, and worn ball joints are the other common items. The pushrod 4.0-liter and the 5.0-liter V8 are both simpler and generally more durable than the SOHC engine.