10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 1 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 56,721 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
When I was driving, 3 dashboard lights came on: The wrench, the ABS light, and the low traction. When I turned left, the right rear wheel grabbed and made a grinding sound. There was also a higher pitched noise that sounded like metal striking metal. The mechanic has stated that the tone ring broke on the right rear drive axle, and this is a common Ford problem. When it broke, it damaged the brake unit on my right rear wheel as well. The repair isn't cheap - I wish I would have known this was a possibility when I bought the vehicle.
- New Albany, OH, USA
The wrench, the ABS, and the anti-sway icons started coming on intermittently on my 2006 Explorer. They would reset immediately using the reset button. The dealer replaced a wheel-speed sensor and stated that the sensor was damaged when the "tone" wheel cracked. Dealer also stated that unless the tone wheel was replaced, the ABS was not operational. They charge about $200 for the repair.
- Fort Montgomery, NY, USA
While driving on the freeway and applying my foot on the brakes the vehicle failed to stop. ABS, traction control and a wrench light came on. Grinding noise came from the vehicle. This incident happened while driving my wife and newborn home from the hospital. After taking it to a shop, the mechanic noticed that the tone ring or ABS ring was cracked. This must be replaced in order for the vehicle to have functional brakes. The shop told me that the ABS ring had a different part number and the material was much thicker than the old ring.
- Garden City, MI, USA
Engine stalls. Whenever it feels like it, hot or cold, slowing down to stop, turning left or right, on the street roads and freeways. Starts and go again after 5/10 minutes but this is ridiculous. I paid so much money and time for diagnostic and parts already and yesterday was the worst. My 2006 Ford Explorer stalled in the middle of the freeway. Date: Nov 1, 2011, time:1550, and my wife was driving, when she's not happy, nobody's happy....she almost got ran over as she open her door, she could not go anywhere but wait for time to either cool off or reset on the engine.
- San Diego, CA, USA
At random times and not often, when I put the SUV in park, and turn off the truck and remove my foot from the brake, the truck will continue to roll. It is as though the SUV is in neutral, put it is in park. The SUV will roll until something stops it like a curb or applying the brake. To fix the problem, I have to place the shift gear to from park to another gear and back to park. At that time, the truck will catch. Over the past year or so, it has occurred 6 or 7 times. I took the truck in for service and they checked the transmission and gear box and found no issue. The problem occurred again last week. Since the dealer cannot see the problem, they say there is no problem. However, it is a matter of time of when it occurs and I am not aware of it not locking and it rolls when there is nobody to stop it or a curb. There is no pattern since it has occurred at work, grocery store, home, etc.
- Lexington, SC, USA
The wrench, the ABS, and the anti-sway icons started coming on intermittently on my 2006 Explorer. They would reset immediately using the reset button. The dealer replaced a wheel-speed sensor and stated that the sensor was damaged when the "tone" wheel cracked. Dealer also stated that unless the tone wheel was replaced, the ABS was not operational. Seems like this is a major safety concern; if you think you have ABS, but don't the driver is set up for the big fall! Ford is aware of this cracking problem: Why no recall?
- Albuquerque, NM, USA
ABS brake light and intermittent locking up brakes with stability control almost causing accident as you lose control while driving.
- Brighton, IL, USA
I own a 2006 Ford Explorer with only 64,000 miles and the tone rings on the ABS brakes have both cracked, not costing me over $1000 in repair bills. This is an item that should not crack with only 64K miles of use.
- Drexel Hill, PA, USA
When I hit the brakes in an emergency, and sometimes at other times, my foot strikes the gas pedal too causing the motor to rev up and not stop timely which has caused me to almost have a serious accident on at 3 occasions. I have had it checked and Ford Motor Co says they have heard of the problem before but there is nothing they can do about it and it causes me great safety concerns. Once a semi truck pulled out in front of me on a highway and I barely avoided an accident as the force of the motor would not let the brakes have full effect.
- Salinas, CA, USA
2006 Ford Explorer XLT wouldn't start dealership replaced instrument cluster cost $544. Still hesitates to start (turn key nothing... no clicking takes a few attempts) took back dealership says starter is bad. Now ABS+traction light +wrench light on. Taking back tomorrow. How can all these problems surface at once and not be related"??"
- Greenville, OH, USA
I had just left the gym when my 2006 Explorer almost caused an accident. During acceleration while making a right hand turn from a stop light, the car stopped abruptly as if I were slamming on the brakes. I was not applying the brakes at all, I was actually trying to accelerate. The brakes were stopping the vehicle rapidly without my input. I was very close to being rear ended. I decided to pull the car to a safe spot and while I was trying to turn into a parking lot, the car decided to stop itself, almost getting me rear ended again. I had the Explorer towed to the nearest dealer where repairs were performed at the tune of $423.78. The ABS tone ring had cracked, causing the system to stop the car. I still have the old broken tone ring. I am almost nervous driving the thing at higher speeds for fear of what might happen if it brakes again. Would the SUV roll or cause a bad accident if the brakes were applied so violently at highway speeds without any driver input?
- Brighton, MI, USA
ABS failure in 2006 Ford Explorer. Dealer repair shop identified broken sensor ring on left-rear wheel. Required expensive replacement of axle. Car has only 36,000 miles and a little over 3 years old.
- Delray Beach, FL, USA
The problem is with a 2006 Ford Explorer. Everytime I start the car or get ready to pull out the motor revs up. Thankfully I have had my foot on the brake or else I would have been hit because my car would have went out into traffic. This is something that happens on a daily basis. So far I have not been involved in an accident but if ever I do not have my foot on the brake there is a great chance there will be. This is only one of the problems I am facing with my Explorer.
- Newland, NC, USA
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Explorer. In March of 2006, the vehicle made a grinding noise. The vehicle was taken in for service at least 8 or more times between March of 2006 and October of 2006. In October of 2006, the brakes failed and the contact rear ended another vehicle at 25 mph. She woke up in the emergency room due to injuries she sustained. A police report was filed. The contact has documentation that she will mail in pertaining to the failures. The failure mileage was unknown.
- Palm Desert, CA, USA
Trac control, ABS, check engines lights on. Rattle on left rear axle, ABS ring loose form axle, need to replace ring and axle.
- Platteville, WI, USA
2006 Ford Explorer brakes malfunctioned. Consumer states that she applied the brakes but the vehicle accelerated out of control. The consumer stated the vehicle plunged into the water. The vehicle was deemed totaled.
- Montauk, NY, USA
I own a 2006 Explorer eddie bauer with 3000 miles on it. Here is the problem, just before coming to a complete stop at stop light, stop sign or whatever, the engine revs to 1200-1500 rpms for just a brief second. I am not giving the car any gas to induce this occurrence. I have no idea why the car is doing this and neither does my local dealer. The service manager acknowledged that the car is in fact doing what I described above, but could not offer a fix. I tested another 2006 V6 Explorer with 3 miles on it, to mine and the service manager surprise; it did the exact same thing as my truck. The service manager said he would look into the situation and call some of his engineer buddies to see if they could give him any information. I never heard back from him. I am also beginning to notice that I actually have to break harder to get the truck to come to a complete stop. This can not be normal, yet my Ford dealer is insinuating nothing is actually wrong with the car. Longer than necessary stopping distances and will lead to unnecessary collisions. Because the Ford Motor Company will not admit there is a problem with 2006 V6 Explorer my dealer will probably do nothing to remedy the situation. I complained to Ford Motor Company and never even received a confirmation that they received my email. I honestly believe that this is a recall situation. To my knowledge, all 2006 V6 Explorer exhibit this problem of sudden acceleration, admittedly not by any stretch a powerful sudden acceleration but still it is a sudden acceleration. I am confident in my assessment because I have personally driven 2 Explorer and different service rep claimed he drove yet another 06 Explorer that did exactly the same thing. It seems to me that if Ford has a design flaw in one of there cars they should design a fix for the problem and then repair the affected cars.
- Woodmere, NY, USA
- Hollister, CA, USA