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2006 Ford Explorer

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2006 Ford Explorer do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 609.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

547 reports with mileage · 83 unknown

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.

  • Power Train. Review the 296 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 164 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 58 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

13 crash reports7 fire reports10 injury reports

What owners actually said

630 reports
97,000 miles · Oct 22, 2010
Power Train

MY 2006 FORD EXPLORER V8 HAS A HARD JOLT WHEN IT DOWNSHIFTS COMING TO A STOP. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME AND FEELS LIKE I HAVE JUST BEEN REAR ENDED. AFTER READING ABOUT MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE WITH OTHER 2006 FORD EXPLORERS I REPLACED THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND MY MECHANI…

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MY 2006 FORD EXPLORER V8 HAS A HARD JOLT WHEN IT DOWNSHIFTS COMING TO A STOP. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME AND FEELS LIKE I HAVE JUST BEEN REAR ENDED. AFTER READING ABOUT MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE WITH OTHER 2006 FORD EXPLORERS I REPLACED THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND MY MECHANIC SAYS TO TRY AN COMPUTER UPDATE FOR THE TRANSMISSION'S WILL GIVE THAT A TRY NEXT BUT I FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE A FORD RECALL AS THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ONLINE FOR THE 2006 MODEL THAT DROP WAY DOWN FOR THE 2007 MODEL. MY MECHANIC SAYS HE HAS SEEN MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL YEAR ALSO. IT APPEARS FORD FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR THE 2007 MODEL YEAR AND THEY SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM FOR THE OWNERS THAT HAD ALREADY PURCHASED THE 2006 MODEL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10361701

82,000 miles · Oct 18, 2010
Visibility

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW. THE CONTACT REFERENCED RECALL 05V520000 (VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER: MOTOR) BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW. THE CONTACT REFERENCED RECALL 05V520000 (VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER: MOTOR) BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 82,000.

NHTSA ODI #10361034

45,304 miles · Oct 13, 2010
Power Train

9/9/10 FORD REPLACED GEAR SHIFT CIRCUIT BOARD. SHORTLY AFTER THERE WAS A 2 SECOND DELAY IN REVERSE AND A JERK. FORD REPLACED THE SOLENOID PACK IN TRANSMISSION AT MY EXPENSE. FORD EXPLORER EB AT 45,304 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10360232

58,000 miles · Oct 7, 2010
Power Train

MY 2006 EXPLORER AT 58,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE OVERHAULED AS THERE WAS SLIPPING WHEN SHIFTING. EVER SINCE THE POWER TRAIN LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND OFF. WHEN THE LIGHT COMES ON THERE IS A JERKING THAT OCCURS. EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLES WITH THE POWER TRAN. FORD NEEDS TO PE…

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MY 2006 EXPLORER AT 58,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE OVERHAULED AS THERE WAS SLIPPING WHEN SHIFTING. EVER SINCE THE POWER TRAIN LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND OFF. WHEN THE LIGHT COMES ON THERE IS A JERKING THAT OCCURS. EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLES WITH THE POWER TRAN. FORD NEEDS TO PERFORM A RECALL. ABOUT EVER 38 MILES THE POWER TRAIN LIGHT COMES ON THEN OFF AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10359501

55,000 miles · Oct 6, 2010
Power Train

I HAVE A 2006 FORD EXPLORER AND IT HAS ALMOST 60,000 MILES. THE CAR HAS BEEN JERKING VERY HARD WHILE SHIFTING BETWEEN GEARS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST MONTH. WE TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO WE HAVE HAD SERVICE OUR CARS FOR MANY YEARS. UPON DIAGNOSIS, THEY TOLD US THAT WE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. TO R…

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I HAVE A 2006 FORD EXPLORER AND IT HAS ALMOST 60,000 MILES. THE CAR HAS BEEN JERKING VERY HARD WHILE SHIFTING BETWEEN GEARS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST MONTH. WE TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO WE HAVE HAD SERVICE OUR CARS FOR MANY YEARS. UPON DIAGNOSIS, THEY TOLD US THAT WE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. TO REPAIR THE BROKEN PARTS, THEY STATED IT WOULD COST MORE TO REPAIR IT VERSUS GETTING A WHOLE NEW TRANSMISSION. BOTH THE CAR DEALER AND WE WERE VERY SURPRISED A CAR THIS NEW AND WITH LOW MILES NEEDED A WHOLE NEW TRANSMISSION. WE RESEARCH THE INTERNET TO SEE IF OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUES. WE FOUND THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON REPAIR FOR THE 2006 EXPLORER. HERE IS ONE OF THE WEBSITES THAT DISCUSSES THIS SPECIFIC REPAIR.... HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2006/FORD/EXPLORER/AUTOMATIC+TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10359421

5,000 miles · Sep 28, 2010
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH IN REVERSE AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, HIS FOOT HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE HIT A MAILBOX AS A RESULT BUT THERE WERE NO DAMAGES OR INJURIES. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FIVE TIMES TOTAL WHEN HE WAS APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT BELIEVED TH…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH IN REVERSE AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, HIS FOOT HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE HIT A MAILBOX AS A RESULT BUT THERE WERE NO DAMAGES OR INJURIES. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FIVE TIMES TOTAL WHEN HE WAS APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE TWO PEDALS WERE TOO CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 46,000.

NHTSA ODI #10358064

Mileage unknown · Sep 21, 2010
Power Train

VEHICLE SHIFTS HARD AND JERKS WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE/DRIVE TO DRIVE. MULTIPLE SITES ON THE INTERNET REVEAL THE SAME OR SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM HUNDREDS OF OWNERS DRIVING THE 2006 FORD EXPLORER. DEALER REQUESTED FORD ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR OF MY EXPLORER AND AS IN MANY OTHER CASES, FORD HAS REFUSED. THIS MODEL YEAR EX…

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VEHICLE SHIFTS HARD AND JERKS WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE/DRIVE TO DRIVE. MULTIPLE SITES ON THE INTERNET REVEAL THE SAME OR SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM HUNDREDS OF OWNERS DRIVING THE 2006 FORD EXPLORER. DEALER REQUESTED FORD ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR OF MY EXPLORER AND AS IN MANY OTHER CASES, FORD HAS REFUSED. THIS MODEL YEAR EXPLORER OBVIOUSLY HAS MULTIPLE MANUFACTURING DEFECTS. THESE DEFECTS NEED TO BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED AT FORD'S EXPENSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10356815

90,000 miles · Sep 16, 2010
Fuel System, Gasoline

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ADD GASOLINE TO THE FUEL TANK, HE NOTICED THAT THE PUMP WOULD SHUT OFF AT TEN CENT INTERVALS WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO ADD FUEL IN A TIMELY MANNER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED EVERY TIME HE ADDED FUEL TO THE VEHICLE. THE CANISTER AND HOSE WERE REPAIRE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ADD GASOLINE TO THE FUEL TANK, HE NOTICED THAT THE PUMP WOULD SHUT OFF AT TEN CENT INTERVALS WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO ADD FUEL IN A TIMELY MANNER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED EVERY TIME HE ADDED FUEL TO THE VEHICLE. THE CANISTER AND HOSE WERE REPAIRED BY A MECHANIC BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

NHTSA ODI #10355898

54,129 miles · Sep 9, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE JUST CUT OFF ONE DAY WHILE DRIVING, LOST POWER, WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON. CUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND START IT UP AND OFF YOU GO. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS OVER THE NEXT YEAR, ABOUT 2 TO 3 TIMES A MONTH. HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT ON. FINALLY AFTER S…

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VEHICLE JUST CUT OFF ONE DAY WHILE DRIVING, LOST POWER, WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON. CUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND START IT UP AND OFF YOU GO. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS OVER THE NEXT YEAR, ABOUT 2 TO 3 TIMES A MONTH. HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT ON. FINALLY AFTER SEVERAL MORE MONTHS OF THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENING THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND GIVE SOME MORE MONEY TO THEM, JUST FOR THEM TO COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, AND THAT I HAVE A SMALL LEAK IN THE RADIATOR. I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO GET THE REPAIRS DONE. I'M ALREADY MAKING PAYMENTS EVERY MONTH FOR A VEHICLE THAT WON'T WORK RIGHT. I TAKE CARE OF MY VEHICLE AND GET ALL THE SERVICES DONE ON TIME. CURRENTLY I HAVE CLOSE TO 80,000 MILES ON MY EXPLORER. I HAVE BEEN READING THAT PLENTY OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED BOTH THE THROTTLE BODY AND RADIATOR GOING BAD, I HAVE READ THAT IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR THE RADIATOR AND THROTTLE BODY TO GO BAD. FORD YOU NEED TO RECALL THIS, AND OWN UP TO THIS ISSUE. LONG STORY SHORT THIS WILL BE THE LAST FORD I PURCHASE, AND I'M THINKING ABOUT GETTING RID OF THIS ONE AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10354774

42,000 miles · Sep 7, 2010
Electrical System

2006 FORD EXPLORER WITH 42,000 MI HAS JUST STARTED TO DIE. DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT QUITS RUNNING IN TRAFFIC ,NO BRAKE LIGHTS , SO TRAFFIC BEHIND DOES NOT EXPECT YOU TO STOP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10354354

Official recalls

1

05V520000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor

Nov 9, 2005

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, PASSENGER CARS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITHOUT GREASE BEING APPLIED TO THE OUTPUT SHAFT GEAR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: AFTER A PERIOD OF CONTINUOUS USE ON THE HIGH SPEED SETTING, LACK OF GREASE ON THE OUTPUT SHAFT GEAR MAY CAUSE THE GEAR TO DISTORT OR FRACTURE DURING OPERATION RESULTING IN A LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION. INOPERATIVE WIPERS UNDER INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS COULD CAUSE A CRASH DUE TO IMPAIRED VISIBILITY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WIPER MOTOR FOR THE PRESENCE OF GREASE AND GREASE THE WIPER MOTOR GEARS IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 22, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673 OR LINCOLN/MERCURY AT 1-800-521-4140.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Ford Explorer problems