CarComplaints.com Notes: The previous generation of Explorer was so awful that the redesign in 2006 was greeted with much optimism. That didn't last long.
The transmission continues to be the Explorer's worst reliability problem. Owners report shifting hard & lunging, typically starting as low as 40k miles with a $1,600 average repair bill. On top of that, the radiator is prone to failure around 60k miles. Repairs for the radiator run $500 to $1,000 & many owners report they've had to replace the radiator multiple times for leaks, indicating a possible design defect in the OEM replacement parts.
Ford did make some significant changes to improve handling and safety. Electronic stability control was added in addition to side impact air bags, but beyond that this is a vehicle that should be avoided at all costs.
Both the driver side and passenger side front seat belts will not retract or pull out any further. They are locked in mid position, but unusable for even the skinniest of people. We had to cut the belt and put it in the buckle to keep the car from chiming every minute. These are non-repairable items. I took one apart out of curiosity and found out why quickly. The spring explodes out of the system and there is no putting humpty dumpty back together again.
The replacement belts are $250 per. Ridiculous. Another bad design from Ford. What Ford exec got a bonus for approving this cheap to them, but costly to us, solution?
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Both the driver side and passenger side front seat belts will not retract or pull out any further. They are locked in mid position, but unusable for even the skinniest of people. We had to cut the belt and put it in the buckle to keep the car from chiming every minute. These are non-repairable items. I took one apart out of curiosity and found out why quickly. The spring explodes out of the system and there is no putting humpty dumpty back together again.
The replacement belts are $250 per. Ridiculous. Another bad design from Ford. What Ford exec got a bonus for approving this cheap to them, but costly to us, solution?
- Kevin K., Weatherford, US