IllustrationNO PROBLEM WITH TREAD SEPARATION, THE TREAD PATTERN WOULD NOT ALLOW WATER TO EXCAPE FROM THE SIDES WHICH RESULTED IN SEVERE HYDROPLANING. HAD TO GO TO 4 WHEEL DRIVE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL ON THE FREEWAY DURING RAINSTORM. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )
1996 Ford Explorer
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Explorer years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Ford Explorer are substantially higher than the model-year median of 609.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Explorer years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 153 of 1,450 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.
- Tires. Review the 570 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 148 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 120 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
195 crash reports37 fire reports179 injury reports
Tires complaints
570 reportsANOTHER FIRESTONE FIREHAWK ATX TIRE 30X9.50R15LT- DOT VD 66AXC146 FAILED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VD66AXC156 TIRE SIZE: 30X9,5R15L )
THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 225/70/R16 TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE, HOWEVER NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *MJS
WHILE TRAVELING 70MPH VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE. THEN A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD. LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. IT SWERVED LEFT/ RIGHT & THEN VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER INTO A RAVINE. HIGHWAY PATROL NOTICED TREAD HAD LEFT THE LEFT REAR TIRE. TIRE WAS BALDED, BUT STILL INFLATED. NO INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS DECLARED TOTALED. HAVE THE POLICE REPO…
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WHILE TRAVELING 70MPH VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE. THEN A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD. LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. IT SWERVED LEFT/ RIGHT & THEN VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER INTO A RAVINE. HIGHWAY PATROL NOTICED TREAD HAD LEFT THE LEFT REAR TIRE. TIRE WAS BALDED, BUT STILL INFLATED. NO INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS DECLARED TOTALED. HAVE THE POLICE REPORT. *AK
PE-00-020; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES WERE WRANGLERS.. TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH FOUR OTHER SETS OF TIRES EVERY 15 THOUSAND MILES DUE TO THE CUPPING ON THE FRONTAL TIRES, AROUND THE OUTTER EDGE, WHICH WAS CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR AND VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. VEHICLE HAVE BEEN ALIGNED. EXCESSIVE WEAR CONTROL TO OCC…
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PE-00-020; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES WERE WRANGLERS.. TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH FOUR OTHER SETS OF TIRES EVERY 15 THOUSAND MILES DUE TO THE CUPPING ON THE FRONTAL TIRES, AROUND THE OUTTER EDGE, WHICH WAS CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR AND VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. VEHICLE HAVE BEEN ALIGNED. EXCESSIVE WEAR CONTROL TO OCCUR ..*AK *JB
DURING TIRE SERVICE ON 051099 THE MECHANIC REPORTED TIRES WERE NOT SAFE DUE TO CRACKS RUNNING FROM THE ONSET OF THE TREAD AT THE TIRE SIDE WALL. EACH CRACK WAS LESS THAN ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH FROM THE NEXT CRACK. EACH CRACK WAS ABOUT 3/4 TO 1 INCH IN LENGTH. THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME THE CRACKS ON EACH TIRE AND HE ADVISED THAT WI…
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DURING TIRE SERVICE ON 051099 THE MECHANIC REPORTED TIRES WERE NOT SAFE DUE TO CRACKS RUNNING FROM THE ONSET OF THE TREAD AT THE TIRE SIDE WALL. EACH CRACK WAS LESS THAN ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH FROM THE NEXT CRACK. EACH CRACK WAS ABOUT 3/4 TO 1 INCH IN LENGTH. THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME THE CRACKS ON EACH TIRE AND HE ADVISED THAT WITHIN THE NEAR FUTURE THE TIRES WOULD FAIL. FURTHER INQUIRES FROM OTHERS WITH TIRE KNOWLEDGE CONFIRMED THE FIRST OBSERVATION. I HAD THE TIRES REPLACED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )
ALL REAR SETS OF TIRES (3 TO DATE) HAVE BECOME CUPPED ACCOMPANIED BY AUTO VIBRATION. FORD DEALERSHIPS HAVE GIVEN BLAME FOR AUTO VIBRATION AND CUPPING OF TIRES TO TIRE MANUGACTURER. GOODYEAR, ACCORDINGLY, HAS REPLACED 2 TIRES ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. CUPPING DETECTED ON FIRST TIRE ROTATION WHEN REAR TIRES BROUGHT TO FRONT OF …
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ALL REAR SETS OF TIRES (3 TO DATE) HAVE BECOME CUPPED ACCOMPANIED BY AUTO VIBRATION. FORD DEALERSHIPS HAVE GIVEN BLAME FOR AUTO VIBRATION AND CUPPING OF TIRES TO TIRE MANUGACTURER. GOODYEAR, ACCORDINGLY, HAS REPLACED 2 TIRES ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. CUPPING DETECTED ON FIRST TIRE ROTATION WHEN REAR TIRES BROUGHT TO FRONT OF VEHICLE...ALONG WITH NOTICABLE DETERIORATION IN STEERING. THIS PROBLEM CONTINUES TO EXIST WITH NO APPARENT SATISFACTION PROVIDED BY LOCAL FORD. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
WHILE DRIVING, FIRESTONE TIRE (NO TIRE INFORMATION) WHEN FLAT AND TREAD SEPARATED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HIT ANOTHER CAR AND CAUSE DAMAGE. *TT
POSSIBLE FAULTY TIRE-TREAD PEELED OFF, DID NOT EXPLODE OR DEFLATE. FIRESTONE ATX P235/75R15. SPOKE TO CR LEO HE INDICATED THAT THEY ALLOWED THE INSUREDS ATTORNEY TO STORE THE TIRE THAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT KILLING THE INSURED WIFE AND INJURING THE INSURED. INSURED WAS IN A COMA. HE HAS COME OUT OF THE COMA, BUT HE CANNOT BE SPOKE…
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POSSIBLE FAULTY TIRE-TREAD PEELED OFF, DID NOT EXPLODE OR DEFLATE. FIRESTONE ATX P235/75R15. SPOKE TO CR LEO HE INDICATED THAT THEY ALLOWED THE INSUREDS ATTORNEY TO STORE THE TIRE THAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT KILLING THE INSURED WIFE AND INJURING THE INSURED. INSURED WAS IN A COMA. HE HAS COME OUT OF THE COMA, BUT HE CANNOT BE SPOKEN TO AT THIS TIME. IT IS UNLIKELY THAT HE WILL REMEMBER THE ACCIDENT. POLICE REPORT IS NOT AVAILABLE. WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH INSURED ATTORNEY ABOUT HAVING ACCESS TO TIRE FOR OUR SUB CLAIM. WE ONLY ARE PURSUING SUB FOR PROPERTY. ATTORNEY HAS FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST FIRESTONE FOR TE INJURIES. (CLAIM# 59-V478-196) *MW
INSURED HAD A FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX P235/75/R15 TIRE IN WHICH THE TREAD CAME COMPLETELY OFF TIRE. TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE AND DAMAGED REAR FENDER. (CLAIM# 04-1224-987) *MW
Official recalls
609V399000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Oct 13, 2009
FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, 1995-1997 AND 2001-2003 RANGER, AND 1994 F53 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS). THE SCDS MAY LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING.
Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THAT DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS IN LINE WITH THE SCDS. ON 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES WITH A LEAKING SCDS, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 27, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.
00V402000 · Suspension
Nov 28, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, A FRONT SWAY BAR LINK CAN FRACTURE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLE HANDLING COULD BE AFFECTED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT SWAY BAR LINKS.
97V137000 · Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:support Device/strut
Aug 19, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LIFTGATE ASSIST GAS CYLINDER BRACKET ON THE RIGHT HAND BODYSIDE OUTER PANEL WAS INCORRECTLY WELDED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE GAS CYLINDER BRACKET MAY NOT PROPERLY SUPPORT THE LIFTGATE INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REINFORCE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENT WITH TWO POP RIVETS.
97V074000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Apr 30, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 5.0L ENGINES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, IDAHO, IOWA, MAINE, MICHIGAN (UPPER PENINSULA ONLY), MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. THESE VEHICLES, WHEN OPERATED FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND TEMPERATURES BELOW -20 DEGREES FARENHEIT, DO NOT RETURN TO IDLE DUE TO ICE IN THE THROTTLE BODY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE CAN BE CONTROLLED BY EITHER APPLYING THE SERVICE BRAKES OR SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION TO NEUTRAL, INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL EFFORTS OR SOME INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE CAN RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REVISED PCV SYSTEM WITH WATER HEATED VACUUM SOURCE.
96V161000 · Equipment:other:labels
Aug 29, 1996
THE CERTIFICATION LABELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES HAS INCORRECT REAR TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE DESIGNATIONS. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INCORRECT INFLATION PRESSURES COULD CAUSE PREMATURE WEAR OF THE REAR TIRES. .
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH CORRECT CERTIFICATION LABELS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING THESE LABELS. DEALERS CAN INSTALL THIS LABEL IF THE OWNER SO DESIRES.
96V070000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Apr 22, 1996
WHEN IN THE SECONDARY LATCHED POSITION, THE DRIVER DOOR LATCHES MAY OPEN WHEN SUBJECTED TO TRANSVERSE LOADS LESS THAN THAT SPECIFIED IN FMVSS NO. 206, "DOOR LOCKS AND DOOR RETENTION COMPONENTS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE DRIVER'S DOOR, WHEN CLOSED ONLY TO THE SECONDARY LATCHED POSITION, MAY NOT SUSTAIN A 1,000 POUND TRANSVERSE LOAD.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE DRIVER DOOR LATCH.
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
3PE00039 · Front Suspension Stabilizer Bar Link
Opened Sep 20, 2000 · Closed Nov 30, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available
PE99068 · Accelerator Pedal
Opened Nov 1, 1999 · Closed Mar 9, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
There is no summary currently available
PE97010 · Electrical Fire In Center Console
Opened Mar 13, 1997 · Closed Sep 4, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
THIS INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT CONSOLE FIRES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MOST OFTEN OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE LAMP OUTAGE MODULE (LOM), WHICH IS PART OF THE MESSAGE CENTER, WERE TOWING A TRAILER AND WHICH HAD BEEN MODIFIED BY ADDING AN AFTERMARKET TRAILER WIRING HARNESS INTO THE VEHICLE'S TAILLIGHT CIRCUITS.THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES NEVER AND MORE THAN OTHER TRAILER LIGHT BULB TO ONE CIRCUIT HOWEVER TRAILERS FREQUENTLY CONTAIN SEVERAL BULBS.THE RESULTING EXCESS CURRENT PASSING THROUGH THE LOM COULD CAUSE IT TO OVERHEAT RESULTING IN A FIRE.PROPER AFTERMARKET INSTALLATION OF TRAILER WIRING REQUIRES THE USE OF A BYPASS MODULE, WHICH OBTAINS POWER FOR THE TRAILER LIGHTS DIRECTLY FROM THE BATTERY RATHER THAN FROM THE VEHICLE'S TAIL LIGHT AND STOP LAMP CIRCUITS, OR THE USE OF THE MANUFACTURER'S WIRING HARNESS.IN A LETTER DATED SEPTEMBER 2, 1997, FORD NOTIFIED ODI THAT IT INTENDS TO TAKE ACTION TO PRECLUDE FURTHER INCIDENTS INCLUDING ISSUING A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO ITS DEALERS, NOTIFYING TRAILER RENTAL ASSOCIATIONS AND AGENCIES WHERE KNOWN, AND ADVISING OWNERS BY LETTER OF THE PROPER METHOD FOR CONNECTION OF TRAILER TOW WIRING ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THERE WAS NO DEFECT TREND IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IDENTIFIED AS A RESULT OF THIS INVESTIGATION, AND FURTHER EXPENDITURE OF AGENCY RESOURCES IS NOT WARRANTED TO CONTINUE THE INVESTIGATION.