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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
11 / 4
Injuries / Deaths:
14 / 1
Average Mileage:
25,151 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1996 Ford Explorer engine problems

engine problem

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1996 Ford Explorer Owner Comments (Page 2 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #65

Jul 072003

Explorer 4WD 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Truck was in park. Put my foot on brake, shifted into drive, truck immediately moved forward with foot still on brake, at approx 2- 5 mph. Pushed continually harder on brake with no response. Lifted foot completely off brake and pushed again, then truck stopped. Went through a garage door in the process, couldn't stop until truck was fully through.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #64

Jul 112002

Explorer

  • miles
Consumer states, while driving and applying the ABS brakes system take longer to stop and always remain the light on. Also has problem with sudden accelaration. Dealer has been notified. Nlm

- Elk Grove, CA, USA

problem #63

Feb 202002

(reported on)

Explorer

  • miles
Lawyer patricia kaufmann on behalf of client states, the vehicle in question accelerated unexpectedly and failed to brake while traveling down a steep grade. (attorney on behalf of client)

- Ashville, NC, USA

problem #62

Sep 272001

Explorer 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While parking the vehicle, it suddenly accelerated and crashed into a guardrail. Upon impact, both air bags did deploy. Dealer/manufacturer were not notified at this time. One person was injured in the accident.

- Granite City, IL, USA

problem #61

Sep 172001

Explorer 4WD

  • miles
Throttle increases on its own at any given time. Most recently at a stop in traffic. Must apply brakes hard to some what control vehicle and shift to neutral or park. Then release brake for throttle control to return to idle.

- Blackstone, MA, USA

problem #60

Aug 252001

Explorer

  • miles
While driving under normal operating conditions engine surged and would not decelerate. Consumer put vehicle in neutral, and was able to stop vehicle. Dealership has examined vehicle, and has informed consumer that this vehicle was not included in recall 97V074000 due to VIN. Please provide any additional information/attachments.

- Courlandt Manor, NY, USA

problem #59

Jun 122001

Explorer 4WD

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving at GA400, noticed that vehicle can not be slowed down after applying brake pedals several times. Notice that the RPM is increasing. Fearing that since there is not way to slowing down the car, I shifted to the gear to neutral and exit at holcomb bridge exit. Since the speed is still at 70mph, the car hit the enbankment, went down the grassy area and (ffg is what I can remember happened)and hit a water run-off/ditch, did a spin and came up and stop at the grassy area. I was able to turn off of the engine when I came back to senses and ran to the closest gas station (chevron) to call aaa. The tow truck operator noticed that when he restarted the engine, it was roaring at 5000rpm. Towed it to Ford dealer/service at mansell road, was told 2-days later that they have inspect linkage for binding and trottle body for binding, but did not find any problem, and since they can not reproduce the situation, there is nothing they can do but to bring it back when it happened again"?" I feared for the next time that it happened, lifes would be affected.

- Alpharetta, GA, USA

problem #58

Feb 012001

Explorer

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Vehicle was showing same problems as stated in recall 97V074000 concerning throttle body sticking. Consumer informed that vehicle was not a part of recall due to VIN.

- Seal Rock, OR, USA

problem #57

Jan 032001

Explorer 4WD

  • miles
The vehicle experienced sudeen acceleration while consumer was braking to stop at a red light, this caused the consumer to rear end another vehicle which was stopped, consumer found recall 97V-074 which speaks of the same failure but the consumer was denied recall due to VIN. Nlm

- Sodus Poin, NY, USA

problem #56

Dec 011997

Explorer 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Fuel pump broke. There was a recall for this problem, but this vehicle was not affected by recall although it has same problem. With cruise control engaged, vehicle won't stop unless consumer stomped on gas pedal several times, consumer states the gas pedal seemed stuck and acceleration wouldn't stop.

- Ogden, IA, USA

problem #55

Jan 032001

Explorer 4WD

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This vehicle experienced uncontrolled (runaway) acceleration after driving approximately 40 miles at highway speeds in 20 degree F temperature. Upon exiting the interstate highway, I proceeded through the first light (green) with out needing to brake or stop. The second (immediate) light was also green and I proceeded through it with slight acceleration (no braking). The next light was red with a line of cars waiting to proceed and I applied the brakes. At that point, the car started to slow and then began to accelerate and was at wide open throttle within a second or so. I braked as hard as I could and moved the shift lever to neutral as fast as possible, but the vehicle had enough momentum to crash into the rear car in line, which, in turn crashed into the vehicle ahead of it. Both other drivers were injured and taken to the hospital by ambulance. This accident is covered in the brighton, NY police report #100220. I contacted Ford Motor Co. After exploring the NHTSA database and discovering NHTSA campaign 97V07400. My vehicle, according to Ford customer service was not recalled under this campaign, although the criteria described in the NHTSA campaign summary appear to be met by my vehicle. Note: I am very sure that I did not mistakenly apply the accelerator pedal rather than the brake pedal.

- Sodus Point, NY, USA

problem #54

Jun 251998

Explorer 4WD

  • miles
Uncontrolled rapid acceleration. Only stop by set tronsmission in neutral and/or punch down on gas pedal. Happened 3 times to date.

- Belle Mead, NJ, USA

problem #53

Dec 142000

Explorer 4WD

  • miles
Acceleration continued after releasing pedal. Occurred while in the process of making a left-hand turn, and pressed down on brake fully with no effect. Engine still 'revved' at full throttle, with brake at full pressure, causing a squealing turn. Only after shifting to neutral did engine stop racing and acceleration stop. This occurred to a lesser degree a week or two earlier, but could not definitively identify if acceleration problem at that time.

- Walnut Creek, CA, USA

problem #52

Dec 182000

Explorer 4WD

  • miles
This is the second time subject vehicle has suddenly accelerated to full throttle after an initial start from being stopped, I.e., at a stop light. Ford claim floor mat interference. After some investigating I have discovered one common denominator between this incident and the 60+ similar compliants on the NHTSA web site. This is a life threatening situation.

- Los Gatos, CA, USA

problem #51

Dec 202000

(reported on)

Explorer

  • miles
Consumer was driving at 55 mph on expressway when vehicle started to accelerate on its own, reaching speeds of 90 mph. Consumer put both feet on brake pedal, but vehicle did not stop. Consumer had to shift into neutral and turn off ignition, and it took about 2 miles before vehicle stopped.

- Elburn, IL, USA

problem #50

Dec 022000

(reported on)

Explorer

  • miles
My vehicle has been inspected many times, with no success in solving the problem. Upon starting the vehicle, the car dies. It acts as though it is not getting enough gas. During the first few occurrences the car would run fine after I revved the engine a few times. However, for the past several months (and presently) the problem does not go away after the engine is revved nor does it make it very easy to drive. Once I take my foot off of the pedal and the RPM's decrease, the car dies on me...whether it be in the middle of a intersection or any place.

- Victorville, CA, USA

problem #49

Sep 152000

Explorer 4WD

  • miles
The throttle body failed (reportedly) causing the car to unexpectedly and uncontrollably accelerate - refusing to decelerate. This "aggressive" failure scared the hell out of me. I had to react and take the care out of gear - since it continued to accelerate at a speed of 47-55 mph as I tried to brake. Fortunately I had the presence of mind to react quickly - although I just missed tail-ending cars on two occasions when this occured at a high rate of speed. The cost of repairs was about $480. Ford motor claims they have no similar complaints and no recall on failed throttle bodies on Explorer. Similar claims were made about Firestone tires on Explorer and 133 people have died before there was a recall. My staff maintains a large municipal fleet and have never encountered such a dangerous/aggressive failure that cause an automobile to fail or perform just the opposite of how its suppose to. This failure, which occured on two occasions within 3 weeks could have resulted in fatalities. I'm not happy - and not even sure that the part replaced is the sole cause of the problem.

- Palatine, IL, USA

problem #48

Jul 232000

Explorer 4WD

  • miles
While positioning my SUV with intention to back up, as soon as I shift lever in got the the reverse mode, the SUV accellerated wildly, and plunged ahead untrollable until it smashed into a back of the clock store back loading area, and pulled down a wall, and ceiling and smashed its self until it was stopped by the enormous impact.. it destroved much of the building, and antique grandfather clocks, as well as damage to another old pristine lasalle automobile.... seats were flattened in the SUV, and glass was broken every where.

- Alameda, CA, USA

problem #47

Jul 231999

Explorer

  • miles
Prior to recall notification, vehicle experienced the cruise control sticking/throttle body failure, vehicle accident resulting from acceleration, no deployment of the air bags during collision resulting in injury to consumer.

- Old Forge, PA, USA

problem #46

Sep 291999

Explorer 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Vehicle experienced sudden acceleration while on cruise control setting, unable to find problem with cruise control however consumer had it disconnected. Mjs

- Stow, MA, USA

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