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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
99,256 miles · Sep 22, 2015
Power Train

TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND LEAVING YOU NOT MOVING IN TRAFFIC OR WORSE NOT BEING ABLE TO CROSS TRAFFIC. ALSO EXTREME HARD SHIFTS INTO REVERSE FROM PARK. I PUT A NEW (REBUILT)TRANSMISSION IN 4/18/13 AND 9/9/15 IT HAS ONLY BEEN TWO WEEKS AND ALREADY IT IS DOING THE HARD SHIFT THING.

NHTSA ODI #10767293

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2015
Power Train

ATTENTION!!!!! CLASS ACTION SUIT STARTED. CONTACT FELDMAN LAW GROUP P.A. , MITCHELL L. FELDMAN @ 813-639-9366 1715 N. WESTSHORE BLVD. SUITE 400 TAMPA FLORIDA 33607. HELP TO GET THIS INFORMATION OUT THERE TO ALL OF THE CONSUMERS WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIM TO THIS DEFECTIVE, COSTLY AND DANGEROUS PRODUCT PUT OUT BY FORD.

NHTSA ODI #10744463

Mileage unknown · Jul 20, 2015
Power Train

WOW!!!! $2700, THATS WHAT MY DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION IS COSTING ME @ ONLY 69K MILES. WHO WANTS TO START A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAINST FORD? I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2006 EDDIE BAUER EXPLORER IN LAS VEGAS AT FRIENDLY FORD. I HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FROM DAY ONE. SHIFTING HARD, NOT ENGAGING AND LURCHING. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TH…

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WOW!!!! $2700, THATS WHAT MY DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION IS COSTING ME @ ONLY 69K MILES. WHO WANTS TO START A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAINST FORD? I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2006 EDDIE BAUER EXPLORER IN LAS VEGAS AT FRIENDLY FORD. I HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FROM DAY ONE. SHIFTING HARD, NOT ENGAGING AND LURCHING. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SEVERAL TIMES ONLY TO HEAR THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. BS, FORD KNOWS THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THIS TRANSMISSION BECAUSE MY SISTER BOUGHT THE EXACT SAME VEHICLE IN CLEARWATER, FLORIDA AT COUNTRYSIDE FORD THREE MONTHS AFTER ME AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THERE DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM AND FIXED IT. OF COURSE HER TRUCK WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, BET IF IT WASN'T THEY WOULD HAVE GIVEN HER THE BS EXCUSE ALSO. OR MAYBE THE SERVICE MANAGER THERE WAS WILLING TO TAKE A CUT IN HIS BONUS FOR SPENDING MORE ON CUSTOMERS REPAIRS. BUY AMERICAN? WHY? THEY DO NOT BACK THEIR PRODUCT. SO PEOPLE, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? SIT BACK AND LET FORD GET AWAY WITH THIS. NO, IT'S TIME FOR FORD TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. IF ANYBODY OUT THERE KNOWS HOW TO PROCEED WITH ACTION, POST THE INFORMATION ON THIS SITE.

NHTSA ODI #10735363

100,000 miles · Jul 17, 2015
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR WITH AN ABNORMAL BANGING NOISE AS THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE NOISE WAS DUE TO A MISFIRE.…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR WITH AN ABNORMAL BANGING NOISE AS THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE NOISE WAS DUE TO A MISFIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10734758

Mileage unknown · Jul 16, 2015
Power Train

POWER TRAIN DEFECT

NHTSA ODI #10734665

124,671 miles · Jul 13, 2015
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed Control

MY CAR SLOWED DOWN TO A CRAW IN THE HIGHWAY AND HAD TO LIMP HOME AT VERY LOW SPEED ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH.

NHTSA ODI #10734165

105,000 miles · Jul 1, 2015
Steering

WHILE PARKED, LOOKING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE, I OBSERVED A METAL PART HANGING DOWN ON FRONT RIGHT UNDERSIDE NEXT TO INSIDE OF TIRE. AN ASE MECHANIC FRIEND SAW IT & KNEW THAT IT WAS A CORRODED STEERING STABILIZER LINK (LONG BOLT W/ GROMMETS). HE REACHED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND EASILY PULLED IT DOWN. HE SAID IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM…

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WHILE PARKED, LOOKING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE, I OBSERVED A METAL PART HANGING DOWN ON FRONT RIGHT UNDERSIDE NEXT TO INSIDE OF TIRE. AN ASE MECHANIC FRIEND SAW IT & KNEW THAT IT WAS A CORRODED STEERING STABILIZER LINK (LONG BOLT W/ GROMMETS). HE REACHED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND EASILY PULLED IT DOWN. HE SAID IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON MANY TYPES OF VEHICLES AND REPLACEMENT PART OF SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DESIGN IS $10-20 & EASILY INSTALLED. I CALLED METRO FORD MADISON, WI WHO ADVISED THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS PART AND WOULD COST $200 TO INSTALL A NEW ONE PLUS REPLACE THE OTHER SIDE BUT NO WHEEL ALIGNMENT IS NEEDED. I DECIDED TO BUY 2 NEW LINKS (MOOG BRAND) THAT ARE A HEAVIER DESIGN AND MY SON & I INSTALLED THEM. THERE IS NOW MUCH LESS BODY ROLL ESPECIALLY NOTICE WHEN IN ROUND-A-BOUTS WHERE PREVIOUSLY WAS DIFFICULT TO REMAIN IN ONLY ONE OF THE 2 CIRCULAR LANES.

NHTSA ODI #10731400

136,840 miles · May 19, 2015
Power Train

I WAS DRIVING WHEN POWERTRAIN MIF LIGHT CAME ON.

NHTSA ODI #10717300

83,000 miles · May 13, 2015
Power Train

I WAS LEAVING A SIDE STREET, MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AND AS I WAS CHANGING LANES AND ACCELERATING INTO BUSY TRAFFIC THE VEHICLE JUST SAT THERE WITH THE ENGINE REVVING UP. THE TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T ENGAGE AND THEN IT SLAMMED INTO GEAR SO HARD THAT IT FELT LIKE I WAS REAR ENDED AND THERE WAS A LOUD BANG. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A …

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I WAS LEAVING A SIDE STREET, MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AND AS I WAS CHANGING LANES AND ACCELERATING INTO BUSY TRAFFIC THE VEHICLE JUST SAT THERE WITH THE ENGINE REVVING UP. THE TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T ENGAGE AND THEN IT SLAMMED INTO GEAR SO HARD THAT IT FELT LIKE I WAS REAR ENDED AND THERE WAS A LOUD BANG. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A DEFINITE RISK TO OUR PERSONAL SAFETY BECAUSE IF YOU TURN ACROSS TRAFFIC, CHANGE LANES, MERGE OR ATTEMPT TO AVOID OBSTACLES; YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WILL FAIL MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SAFELY OPERATE THIS VEHICLE. IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE - PLEASE HOLD FORD ACCOUNTABLE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ODI #10716331

143,000 miles · Apr 26, 2015
Power Train

VEHICLE IS HARD TO ENGAGE IN GEAR. WHEN PUTTING IN REVERSE, IT JOLTS REALLY HARD LIKE I WAS REAR ENDED. TAKES A WHILE TO ENGAGE INTO DRIVE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10712987

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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