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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.

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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
796 miles · Apr 27, 2007
Power Train

TERRIBLE HESITATION WHEN PULLING UP TO STOP SIGN AND TRYING TO TAKE OFF. PARKING LOT AT SLOW SPEED TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY. LIFTER STUCK IN MOTOR AT 700 MILES.NOTHING DONE TO CORRECT ISSUE AS OF YET. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10189103

8,869 miles · Apr 27, 2007
Power Train

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH OVER A HILL THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTED FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED THE RPMS INCREASED AND THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND COULD NOT REPAIR IT. THE DEA…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH OVER A HILL THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTED FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED THE RPMS INCREASED AND THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND COULD NOT REPAIR IT. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE PCM THREE TIMES AT 10,016, 14881, AND 17,037 MILES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 17,207, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,869. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10189095

100 miles · Apr 26, 2007
Power Train

I PURCHASED A 2006 EDDIE BAUER EXPLORER IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR AND HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION ISSUES WITH IT SINCE I HIT 1000 MILES. I HAVE HAD IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES AND THEY HAVE ADJUSTED, REPLACED A COMPUTER, DID OTHER TRANSMISSION WORK AND THE VEHICLE STILL DEMONSTRATES THE SAME ISSUE. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS DURING SHIFTING…

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I PURCHASED A 2006 EDDIE BAUER EXPLORER IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR AND HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION ISSUES WITH IT SINCE I HIT 1000 MILES. I HAVE HAD IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES AND THEY HAVE ADJUSTED, REPLACED A COMPUTER, DID OTHER TRANSMISSION WORK AND THE VEHICLE STILL DEMONSTRATES THE SAME ISSUE. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS DURING SHIFTING AND ON SLOW DOWN TO STOP. THE VEHICLE JERKS FORWARD AND SHIFTS VERY ROUGH BETWEEN GEARS. FORD MOTOR CORP HAS REFUSED TO ASSIST ANY FURTHER AND HAS ASKED ME TO BRING MY VEHICLE BACK AGAIN FOR THE 5TH TIME. THIS SITUATION IS VERY DANGEROUS AS THE VEHICLE DOES JERK FORWARD WHEN YOU STOP. I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN AND THIS HAS PUT ME INTO A SITUATION WHERE I FEEL LIKE MY CHILDREN ARE UNSAFE IN THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THE POTENTIAL TO REAREND SOMEONE IF THE CAR FAILS TO STOP PROPERLY. WHERE IS FORD WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY AND CONSUMER LOYALTY??? THIS WAS MY THIRD FORD PURCHASE AND WILL MOST LIKELY BE THE LAST. A COLLEAGUE OF MINE ALSO PURCHASED THIS SAME VEHICLE AND IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10188964

791 miles · Apr 24, 2007
Power Train

I HAVE A 2006 FORD EXPLORER V-8 LIMITED WITH THE SIX SPEED TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION TOTALLY FAILED WITH UNDER 1,000 MILES. IT LURCHED, BUCKED, HIGH REVVED AND FAILED TO ENGAGE, THEN SUDDENLY ENGAGED AND EVENTUALLY WOULD NOT DRIVE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED BY FORD. 13,000 MILES LATER THE TRANSMISSION LURCHES AND BU…

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I HAVE A 2006 FORD EXPLORER V-8 LIMITED WITH THE SIX SPEED TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION TOTALLY FAILED WITH UNDER 1,000 MILES. IT LURCHED, BUCKED, HIGH REVVED AND FAILED TO ENGAGE, THEN SUDDENLY ENGAGED AND EVENTUALLY WOULD NOT DRIVE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED BY FORD. 13,000 MILES LATER THE TRANSMISSION LURCHES AND BUCKS THE CARD FORWARD. WHEN GOING FROM SECOND TO FIRST, IT POPS BACK INTO SECOND, THEN INTO FIRST AGAIN. IF NOT FOR THE FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE CAR COULD LUNGE FORWARD AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO PULL UP TOO CLOSE TO ANYTHING WHEN STOPPING. FORD CONTINUED TO RECALIBRATE THE TRANSMISSION THREE MORE TIMES TO NO AVAIL AND ON THE FOURTH AND FINAL REPAIR ATTEMPT THEY STATED THEY WOULD DO NOTHING FURTHER TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10188777

1,500 miles · Apr 20, 2007
Power Train

CONSISTENT PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION SHIFTING ROUGHLY, HESITATION AT COLD START, AND DURING SLOW TAKE-OFFS AND SLOWING DOWN. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10188480

8,000 miles · Apr 18, 2007
Vehicle Speed Control

WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10188298

15,000 miles · Apr 5, 2007
Power Train

TRANSMISSION SURGES ON DOWNSHIFT BETWEEN 2ND AND 1ST....ENGINE RPM'S INCREASE AND TRANSMISSION SLAMS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A LURCH. FORD MOTOR HAS NO FIX FOR THIS AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THESE FLAWED VEHICLES ON THE ROAD WITH NO OWNER RECOURSE DUE TO FACT THAT FORD ENGINEER DOES NO KNOW WHAT TO DO. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10187137

1,000 miles · Mar 23, 2007
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2006 EDDIE BAUER FORD EXPLORER'S DASHBOARD INSTRUMENT LIGHTS TURNED ON AT ANY GIVEN TIME OF THE DAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF THE LIGHTS TURNED ON WHILE DRIVING THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO REGISTER THE CORRECT SPEED. WHEN THE FAILURE HAPPENED SHE PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD A…

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TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2006 EDDIE BAUER FORD EXPLORER'S DASHBOARD INSTRUMENT LIGHTS TURNED ON AT ANY GIVEN TIME OF THE DAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF THE LIGHTS TURNED ON WHILE DRIVING THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO REGISTER THE CORRECT SPEED. WHEN THE FAILURE HAPPENED SHE PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT THE IGNITION OFF, BUT IT TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 8 OCCASIONS, AND THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, THE ANTI THEFT MODULE, AND THE COMPUTER. ALSO UNPLUGGED AND PLUGGED ALL THE WIRES UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 8485.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10185973

23,000 miles · Mar 21, 2007
Suspension

I HAVE HAD THE CONTROL ARMS BOLTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE NOW LOOSENED UP SUFFICIENTLY ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE SUDDENLY WHEN BRAKING. FORTUNATELY WAS ABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE. THE LEFT SIDE FAILED FIRST NOW THE RIGHT SIDE. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND I WAS LUCKY I WAS ABLE TO REACT TO AVOID HITTING CARS NEXT TO …

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I HAVE HAD THE CONTROL ARMS BOLTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE NOW LOOSENED UP SUFFICIENTLY ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE SUDDENLY WHEN BRAKING. FORTUNATELY WAS ABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE. THE LEFT SIDE FAILED FIRST NOW THE RIGHT SIDE. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND I WAS LUCKY I WAS ABLE TO REACT TO AVOID HITTING CARS NEXT TO ME.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10185769

200 miles · Mar 19, 2007
Seat Belts

THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT LAP AND SHOULDER BELT ASSEMBLY LOCKS UP FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHENEVER A PERSON SITS IN THIS SEAT.

NHTSA ODI #10185544

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.

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