IllustrationON AUGUST 9, 2000, EXPLORER WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP BECAUSE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT PRIOR TO TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT THERE HAD BEEN SOME SLIPPING, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC
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
What owners actually said
1,450 reportsAFTER RECEIVING A RECALL NOTICE, DEALER INDICATED THAT TIRES WERE NOT ON RECALL. BUT, CONSUMER INSPECTED THE TIRES, AND FOUND CRACKS ON THEM. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS, P255/70R16. *AK THE CUSTOMER STATES THAT THESE WERE THE SAME TIRES FORD HAD RECALLED OVERSEAS AND ARE NOT SAFE. *YH
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH ON A HIGHWAY IN T FAST LANE LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A BLOWOUT OUT ANDF CONSUMER LOST CONTROL, AND VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. FIRESTONE ATX. *AK
I KNOW LEAKING OIL FROM VENT TUBE IS A LARGER PROBLEM BECAUSE FORD HAS HAD TO HAVE A RETRO KIT MADE TO SOLVE LEAKING OIL. I RECEIVED NO HELP FROM FORD FOR REPAIR COST.
WHILE HAVING MY VEHICLE INSPECTED RECENTLY ATTENTION WAS CALLED TO EACH OF MY TIRES. THERE ARE TINY HAIR LINE CRACKS ALL AROUND EACH TIRE AT THE TREAD AS IF THIS IS WHERE IT WOULD SEPARATE. I COMPARED THE TIRES TO MY DAUGHTER'S TIRES WHICH WERE RECALLED, AND SHE HAD NO SUCH CRACKS OR LINES.( DOT NUMBER: VNCUIPL245 TIRE SIZE: P25…
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WHILE HAVING MY VEHICLE INSPECTED RECENTLY ATTENTION WAS CALLED TO EACH OF MY TIRES. THERE ARE TINY HAIR LINE CRACKS ALL AROUND EACH TIRE AT THE TREAD AS IF THIS IS WHERE IT WOULD SEPARATE. I COMPARED THE TIRES TO MY DAUGHTER'S TIRES WHICH WERE RECALLED, AND SHE HAD NO SUCH CRACKS OR LINES.( DOT NUMBER: VNCUIPL245 TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )
FIRESTONE/EXPLORER TIRE BLOWOUT; PHOTOGRAPH OF TREAD SEPARATION WAS TAKEN AND IS AVAILABLE; TIRES REPLACED, MY COST( DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRE SIZE: P235 75R15 )
THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE. WHEN IN DRIVE THE CAR COASTS AT ABOUT 1 MPH. IT WILL GO INTO REVERSE AND PARK OK. THE CAR IS DRIVEN UNDER NORMAL TO LIGHT DRIVING CONDITIONS. I HAS NEVER BEEN USED FOR TOWING. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAS BEEN CHECKED AND IT IS FINE. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED ON 3/9/2000. JUST A WEEK P…
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THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE. WHEN IN DRIVE THE CAR COASTS AT ABOUT 1 MPH. IT WILL GO INTO REVERSE AND PARK OK. THE CAR IS DRIVEN UNDER NORMAL TO LIGHT DRIVING CONDITIONS. I HAS NEVER BEEN USED FOR TOWING. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAS BEEN CHECKED AND IT IS FINE. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED ON 3/9/2000. JUST A WEEK PRIOR TO THE WARRANTY EXPIRATION WARRANTY WORK WAS COMPLETED ON THE TRANSFER CASE AND NOTHING WAS NOTED AS BEING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE LAST SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WAS COMPLETED ON THE VEHICLE IN JUNE 2000. THE BRAKES PULSATE WHEN SLOWING DOWN FROM HIGH SPEEDS. THEY WERE SERVICED ONCE BY FORD FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THE SERVICING DID NOT CORRECT IT. FORD REFUSED TO SERVICE THEM AGAIN AND THEY CONTINUE TO PULSATE WHEN SLOWING DOWN FROM HIGH SPEEDS.
PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE. SHE PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER. A PIECE OF TIRE TREAD WAS MISSING. MOLDING WAS DAMAGED, AND LEFT REAR TIRE WAS DAMAGED. FIRESTONE, #ATX P23570R15. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED FIRESTONE.*AK
I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WHEN THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. I DID NOT LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE , HENCE NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THESE TIRES WERE INSTALLED AT 74960 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE WAS TAKEN TO THE FIRSTONE STORE IN MADISON, WI AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIRE WOULD NOT BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE BLOWOUT WA…
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I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WHEN THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. I DID NOT LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE , HENCE NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THESE TIRES WERE INSTALLED AT 74960 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE WAS TAKEN TO THE FIRSTONE STORE IN MADISON, WI AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIRE WOULD NOT BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE BLOWOUT WAS DUE TO 'ROAD HAZARD' AND NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I BOUGHT A NEW TIRE AND THEN CONTACTED FIRESTONE DIRECTLY AND EXPLAINED THAT I THOUGHT THAT THIS FAILED TIRE HAD A MANUFACTURING DEFECT; FIRESTONE THEN SENT ME A CHECK COVERING THE COST OF THE NEW TIRE. THE BLOWOUT POINT WAS WHERE THE TREAD WAS VULCANIZED TO THE SIDEWALL. ALSO STARTING IN MAY, 2000 (80702 MILES) I HAD TROUBLE KEEPING THESE TIRES BALANCED; AFTER THE TIRES WARMED UP THERE WAS A SEVERE VIBRATION STARTING AT APPROXIAMETLY 55 MPH. THE TIRES WERE BALANCED THREE TIMES OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT SIX WEEKS. I HAD THE TIRES INSPECTED BY FIRESTONE AND JUST ONE OF THE TIRES HAD THE 'DOT VD' MARKING. I WAS TOLD BY THE FIRESTONE REP THAT THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING ALL OF THE TIRES, FIRESTONE WOULD REPLACE THE ONE TIRE AND I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OTHER THREE. FIRESTONE DID NOT HAVE ANY REPLACEMENT TIRES IN STOCK AND COULDN'T GIVE ME A TARGET DATE. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY THOUGHT THE VIBRATIONS WERE DUE TO THE VEHICLE AND NOT THE TIRES SO IT WAS A FORD PROBLEM. I HAVE SINCE, AT MY COST, REPLACED THE FIRESTONES WITH MICHELINS; THE NEW TIRES CURED THE VIBRATIONS. I HAVE MY TIRES INFLATED AT 32 TO 35 PSI AT ALL TIMES.( DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRE SIZE: P235 75R15 )
THESE 3 INCIDENTS OCCURRED WITHIN A COUPLE HOURS ON A VERY HOT DAY (>100) IN ID. ONE PUNCTURE AND THEN ONE BLOWOUT OCCURRED ON DIRT ROADS. THE LAST BLOWOUT OCCURRED ON PAVEMENT. BOTH BLOWOUTS INVOLVED SEPARATION OF THE TREAD FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE.( DOT NUMBER: W2UU1MX TIRE SIZE: P225/70R15 )
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.