1996 Ford Explorer Problems and Recalls (1,073 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1996 Ford Explorer is Tires (18% of 1,073 owner reports). There are 10 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Tires — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 1,073 complaints · 10 recalls

What problems show up on the 1996 Ford Explorer?

198 of 1,073 filings named Tires (18% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Cruise / speed control (125 reports).

There are 10 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Tires, Lights, and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1995 has 715 reports on file; this year has 1,073. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 1996 Ford Explorer

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 10 campaigns on file below.
  2. Tires. Check age, tread depth and uneven wear. Uneven wear often points back to alignment.
  3. Cruise / speed control. Test cruise control and ask about unintended-acceleration reports on this year.
  4. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Tires. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Tires 198 complaints · 18.5% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 131
  • Fires 35
  • Injuries 179
  • Deaths 16
Compare with 1995 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Tires (TIRES) appears in 198 of 1,073 owner complaints (18.5%) in this vehicle snapshot. Tires (TIRES): 198 complaints, 18.5% of reports Tires (TIRES) 36 crash reports 198 · 18.5% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 125 complaints, 11.7% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 15 crash reports 4 fire reports 125 · 11.7% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 106 complaints, 9.9% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 5 crash reports 1 fire reports 106 · 9.9% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 104 complaints, 9.7% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 19 crash reports 1 fire reports 104 · 9.7% Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 73 complaints, 6.8% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 5 crash reports 73 · 6.8% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 70 complaints, 6.5% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 9 crash reports 70 · 6.5% Engine (ENGINE): 65 complaints, 6.1% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 crash reports 5 fire reports 65 · 6.1% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 49 complaints, 4.6% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 2 crash reports 2 fire reports 49 · 4.6% Steering (STEERING): 38 complaints, 3.5% of reports Steering (STEERING) 7 crash reports 38 · 3.5% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 824 complaints, 76.8% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 101 crash reports 24 fire reports 824 · 76.8% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Tires (TIRES) 198 18.5% 36 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 125 11.7% 15 crashes · 4 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 106 9.9% 5 crashes · 1 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 104 9.7% 19 crashes · 1 fires
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 73 6.8% 5 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 70 6.5% 9 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 65 6.1% 1 crashes · 5 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 49 4.6% 2 crashes · 2 fires
Steering (STEERING) 38 3.5% 7 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 824 76.8% 101 crashes · 24 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 1995; the first recall shown was reported in Apr 1996. 1995-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 1996-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 1996-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 1996-Q3: 23 owner reports 23 1996-Q4: 32 owner reports 32 1997-Q1: 29 owner reports 29 1997-Q2: 30 owner reports 30 1997-Q3: 50 owner reports 50 1997-Q4: 37 owner reports 37 1998-Q1: 20 owner reports 20 1998-Q2: 22 owner reports 22 1998-Q3: 20 owner reports 20 1998-Q4: 17 owner reports 17 1999-Q1: 20 owner reports 20 1999-Q2: 30 owner reports 30 1999-Q3: 47 owner reports 47 1999-Q4: 26 owner reports 26 2000-Q1: 21 owner reports 21 2000-Q2: 25 owner reports 25 2000-Q3: 154 owner reports 154 2000-Q4: 63 owner reports 63 2001-Q1: 52 owner reports 52 2001-Q2: 22 owner reports 22 2001-Q3: 25 owner reports 25 2001-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2002-Q1: 25 owner reports 25 2002-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2002-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2002-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2003-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2003-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2003-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2003-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2004-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2004-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2004-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2004-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2005-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2005-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2005-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2005-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2006-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2006-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2006-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2006-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2007-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2007-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2007-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2007-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2008-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2008-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2008-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2009-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2010-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2010-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2011-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2011-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2013-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2013-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2014-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2014-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2014-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 1995 Jul 2020 Recall campaign 96V070000 ◆ Recall campaign 96V070000 Recall campaign 96V161000 ◆ Recall campaign 96V161000 Recall campaign 97V074000 ◆ Recall campaign 97V074000 Recall campaign 97V137000 ◆ Recall campaign 97V137000 Recall campaign 00T005000 ◆ Recall campaign 00T005000 Recall campaign 00V402000 ◆ Recall campaign 00V402000 Recall campaign 06E026000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E026000 Recall campaign 09E012000 ◆ Recall campaign 09E012000 Recall campaign 09E025000 ◆ Recall campaign 09E025000 Recall campaign 09V399000 ◆ Recall campaign 09V399000 Investigation PE97010 ● Investigation PE97010 Investigation PE99068 ● Investigation PE99068 Investigation PE00039 ● Investigation PE00039
  • Campaign 96V070000 was reported 126 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 96V161000 was reported 255 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 97V137000 was reported 382 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 00T005000 was reported 1,587 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 09E025000 was reported 4,847 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1995-Q4 Owner reports 2
1996-Q1 Owner reports 16
1996-Q2 Owner reports 8
1996-Q3 Owner reports 23
1996-Q4 Owner reports 32
1997-Q1 Owner reports 29
1997-Q2 Owner reports 30
1997-Q3 Owner reports 50
1997-Q4 Owner reports 37
1998-Q1 Owner reports 20
1998-Q2 Owner reports 22
1998-Q3 Owner reports 20
1998-Q4 Owner reports 17
1999-Q1 Owner reports 20
1999-Q2 Owner reports 30
1999-Q3 Owner reports 47
1999-Q4 Owner reports 26
2000-Q1 Owner reports 21
2000-Q2 Owner reports 25
2000-Q3 Owner reports 154
2000-Q4 Owner reports 63
2001-Q1 Owner reports 52
2001-Q2 Owner reports 22
2001-Q3 Owner reports 25
2001-Q4 Owner reports 14
2002-Q1 Owner reports 25
2002-Q2 Owner reports 8
2002-Q3 Owner reports 8
2002-Q4 Owner reports 8
2003-Q1 Owner reports 9
2003-Q2 Owner reports 6
2003-Q3 Owner reports 12
2003-Q4 Owner reports 10
2004-Q1 Owner reports 14
2004-Q2 Owner reports 6
2004-Q3 Owner reports 11
2004-Q4 Owner reports 11
2005-Q1 Owner reports 8
2005-Q2 Owner reports 7
2005-Q3 Owner reports 7
2005-Q4 Owner reports 4
2006-Q1 Owner reports 5
2006-Q2 Owner reports 3
2006-Q3 Owner reports 5
2006-Q4 Owner reports 4
2007-Q1 Owner reports 5
2007-Q2 Owner reports 9
2007-Q3 Owner reports 2
2007-Q4 Owner reports 5
2008-Q1 Owner reports 3
2008-Q2 Owner reports 7
2008-Q3 Owner reports 2
2008-Q4 Owner reports 2
2009-Q1 Owner reports 3
2009-Q2 Owner reports 1
2009-Q3 Owner reports 1
2009-Q4 Owner reports 2
2010-Q1 Owner reports 6
2010-Q2 Owner reports 4
2010-Q3 Owner reports 2
2010-Q4 Owner reports 5
2011-Q3 Owner reports 5
2011-Q4 Owner reports 2
2012-Q1 Owner reports 1
2012-Q2 Owner reports 1
2012-Q3 Owner reports 1
2012-Q4 Owner reports 2
2013-Q1 Owner reports 2
2013-Q2 Owner reports 1
2013-Q3 Owner reports 4
2014-Q1 Owner reports 4
2014-Q3 Owner reports 3
2014-Q4 Owner reports 1
2015-Q4 Owner reports 1
2016-Q1 Owner reports 1
2016-Q3 Owner reports 1
2017-Q2 Owner reports 2
2017-Q4 Owner reports 1
2018-Q1 Owner reports 1
2018-Q3 Owner reports 1
2019-Q3 Owner reports 1
2020-Q1 Owner reports 1
2020-Q3 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 96V070000
Recall campaign 1 96V161000
Recall campaign 1 97V074000
Recall campaign 1 97V137000
Recall campaign 1 00T005000
Recall campaign 1 00V402000
Recall campaign 1 06E026000
Recall campaign 1 09E012000
Recall campaign 1 09E025000
Recall campaign 1 09V399000
Defect investigation 1 PE97010
Defect investigation 1 PE99068
Defect investigation 1 PE00039
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (10)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Tires, Lights, and Body / frame.

  1. Recall campaign 00T005000

    Tires

    Report date
    Component:
    Tires (TIRES)
    Consequence:
    IF THE TREAD SEPARATES FROM THE TIRE, THE DRIVER CAN LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH.
    Remedy:
    THE REPLACEMENT/REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS CAMPAIGN EXPIRED ON AUGUST 29, 2001. HOWEVER, CUSTOMERS SHOULD CONTACT FIRESTONE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-465-1904 FOR POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 00V402000

    Safety recall 00V402000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    VEHICLE HANDLING COULD BE AFFECTED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT SWAY BAR LINKS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 06E026000

    Safety recall 06E026000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 09E012000

    Safety recall 09E012000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 09E025000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Recall campaign 09V399000

    Safety recall 09V399000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING.
    Remedy:
    FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THAT DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS IN LINE WITH THE SCDS. ON 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES WITH A LEAKING SCDS, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 27, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Recall campaign 96V070000

    Safety recall 96V070000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    THE DRIVER'S DOOR, WHEN CLOSED ONLY TO THE SECONDARY LATCHED POSITION, MAY NOT SUSTAIN A 1,000 POUND TRANSVERSE LOAD.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE DRIVER DOOR LATCH.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Recall campaign 96V161000

    Safety recall 96V161000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    INCORRECT INFLATION PRESSURES COULD CAUSE PREMATURE WEAR OF THE REAR TIRES. .
    Remedy:
    OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH CORRECT CERTIFICATION LABELS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING THESE LABELS. DEALERS CAN INSTALL THIS LABEL IF THE OWNER SO DESIRES.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. Recall campaign 97V074000

    Safety recall 97V074000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE CAN BE CONTROLLED BY EITHER APPLYING THE SERVICE BRAKES OR SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION TO NEUTRAL, INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL EFFORTS OR SOME INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE CAN RESULT.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REVISED PCV SYSTEM WITH WATER HEATED VACUUM SOURCE.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  10. Recall campaign 97V137000

    Body / frame

    Report date
    Component:
    Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
    Consequence:
    THE GAS CYLINDER BRACKET MAY NOT PROPERLY SUPPORT THE LIFTGATE INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REINFORCE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENT WITH TWO POP RIVETS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 6 of 1,073 complaints · page 1 of 43
2020-09-14Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 11354896
CrashFireInjuryDeath
WHILE STATIONARY AND PREPARING TO SAFELY OPERATE THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RECEPTACLE DOES NOT RETAIN THE SEAT BELT. IT MAY HOLD FOR A BRIEF MOMENT, BUT THEN RELEASES THE BELT RENDERING THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM INEFFECTIVE AND UNSAFE.
2020-02-15Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 11309404
CrashFireInjuryDeath
WHILE DRIVING IN "D" IN FIRST TO SECOND IT HAS HAD A PROBLEM SHIFTING BETWEEN THE 1ST AND 2ND GEARS WHEN ACCELERATING AND WILL REV HIGH RPMS AND SOMETIMES DO ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING WHEN DRYING TO MOVE FORWARD UNLESS I DE ACCELERATE AND THEN TRY TO ACCELERATE AGINE THEN FINALLY IT WILL CATCH AND GO IN TO 2ND AND PROCEED TO 3RD AND THEN 4TH AND THEN 5TH ,4TH AND 5TH WHEN ACCELERATING SOUNDS VERY ROUGH WHEN ACCELERATING LIKE IT'S TRYING TO HARD TO DRIVE, LATELY IT JUST THE OTHER DAY I HAD TROUBLE GETTING IT TO GO IN TO D TO 1ST 2ND 3RD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTING WAS NOT WANTING TO CATCH HAD T OK TRY 3-6 TIMES DE ACCELERATING AND ACCELERATING TO TRY TO GET IT TO GO FINALT IT CAUGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT SO I STOPPED AT THE PARTS STORE HAD THEM DO A SCAN AND THE ONLY CODE THAT CAME UP WAS P1701 THEY LOOKED IT UP AND IT SAID SOMETHING TO DO WITH TROUBLE IN REVERSE WITCH IN REVERSE HAS NO PROBLEM AT ALL SO I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT IT AND ALSO A LITTLE SCARED TO DRIVE IT WHEN THIS IS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION AND IF IT WON'T ENGAGE IN TO GEAR WHEN ACCELERATING WHEN IN D THAT COULD BE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ALSO THE ODOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER DO NOT WORK WAS TOLD IT WAS VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR SO I REPLACED IT STILL HAD ISSUE SO I REPLACED THE ODOMETER SPIRAL GEAR HOPEFULLY IT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM ALSO THE BACK SEAT DOUBLE SIDE WOULD NOT GO DOWN FIXED IT AFTER PULLING IT APART AND DRILLING ANOTHER HOLE INTO THE SPRING LOADED CIRCLE THAT HAS A TENCHENER ON IT FIXED THAT ....AND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AUTOMATIC SEATS JUST STOPPED MOVING ABOUT HALF WAY SO IT'S VERY HARD FOR ME TO REACH THE PEDAL AND THE AUTOMATIC SIDE MIRRORS DON'T WORK EATHER ONE AND THE ALL FUSES ARE GOOD THEAS ARE ALL SAFETY ISSUES THAT HAVE ME CONCERNED SINCE IT'S ALL I HAVE SO ANYTHING OR ANYWHERE I CAN TAKE IT OR DO TO IT PLEASE CONTACT ME SO IT CAN GET FIXED ASAP FOR THE SHIFTING ISSUE. TY
2019-07-21WHEELS
NHTSA ODI 11233643
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE RIMS ON THIS 1996 FORD EXPLORER-EDDIE BAUER EDITION ARE SHOWING FRACTURES THROUGHOUT THE FACE. THIS HAS WEAKENED THE STABILITY OF THE RIMS.
2018-08-30ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
NHTSA ODI 11123521
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ALL FOUR WINDOWS INTERMITTENTLY STOP WORKING. CANNOT GO UP OR DOWN. DOESNT HAVE A PREFERENCE AS TO WHEN, HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS OFF OR ON.
2018-02-05Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 11066933
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS JAMMED AND WOULD NOT UNLATCH. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT HAD TO CUT THE SEAT BELT. JIM HUDSON FORD (1201 W MAIN ST, LEXINGTON, SC) WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 672,000.
2017-11-16FUEL SYSTEM
NHTSA ODI 11046568
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I PURCHASED THIS EXPLORER THE FIRST YEAR THAT THE V-8 WAS AVAILABLE. THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD FRACTURED 4 TIMES DURING THE 12 YEARS THAT I HAD THE VEHICLE. THE PART COST OVER $300 AND WAS ON "NATIONAL BACKORDER" FOR OVER A YEAR, SO I HAD MY NEPHEW (CERTIFIED WELDER) WELD THE PIECE TOGETHER AND REINSTALLED BY AN AUTO MECHANIC. MY NEPHEW STATED THAT WHEN YOU HAVE "POT-METAL" WELDED TO STEEL, IT WILL ALWAYS FRACTURE, SO THIS PART WAS NEVER MANUFACTURED CORRECTLY. FORD DENIED MY REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT, EVEN AFTER THE 3RD TIME IT FRACTURED (PERSISTENT PROBLEM?) IT RELEASED FUMES INTO THE CAR THROUGH THE VENTS AND FLOORBOARDS. NOW I SEE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE NEWER EXPLORERS AND I FEEL THAT THIS HAS BEEN A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, BUT JUST NOW HAS CAUGHT UP WITH FORD BECAUSE IT WAS INVESTIGATED BY NEWS MEDIA, WHERE I HAD NO RECOURSE BACK IN THE DAY FOR THE CORRECTION ON MY VEHICLE.

Ford Explorer Complaints by Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1996 Ford Explorer?

Owners named Tires most often — 198 of 1,073 reports (18%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1996 Ford Explorer?

NHTSA lists 10 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Tires, Lights, and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 1996 Ford Explorer?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check age, tread depth and uneven wear. Uneven wear often points back to alignment. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources