1996 Ford Explorer Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
DRIVING TRUCK DOWN WISCONSIN AVENUE IN APPLETON WHEN TRUCK REFUSED TO SHIFT. IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT TRUCK INTO TO WISCONSIN MOTORS SALES AND SERVICE AND WAS INFORMED THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED IN TRUCK. TRUCK HAD JUST BEEN PURCHASED TEN DAYS EARLIER. *TR
OUR 96 FORD EXPLORER TRANSMISSION HAS SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AT UNPREDICTABLE TIMES, SPEEDS, AND INCLINES. ONLY HAVE HAD A BACK BUMPER "BUMPED" WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BUT WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR SOME DEPT OR ENTITY TO REFER US TO A TRULY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION SHOP OR OTHER HELPFUL SOURCE. *TR
4X4 FAILS TO ACTIVATE LEAVING VEHICLE IMPAIRED IN 2 WHEEL MODE DURING CRITICAL DRIVING TIMES. SWITCH ON DASH GOES OUT, APPEARS TO BE FAILURE OF 4X4 CONTROL MODULE AND TRANSFER MOTOR. PROBLEM OCCURS AFTER BATTERY HAS BEEN DISCONNECTED. REPAIR FOR VEHICLE REQUIRES CHANGING OUT CONTROL MODULE OR TRANSFER CASE MOTOR. PROBLEM APPEARS TO OCCUR IN ALL MODELS OF FORD EXPLORER 1991 - TO DATE. *TR
DT: THE VEHICLE STARTED ON FEBRUARY 2, 2005 TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT, BUT DID NOT REPLACE IT. ALSO, THERE WAS A RADIATOR LEAK. THEY DID NOT REPLACE ANYTHING. WHEN PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR THE TRUCK WILL JERK. FORD SAID THIS WAS THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSE TO DRIVE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THEY SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC COULD TELL IT WAS NOT HOOKED UP PROPERLY. NOW THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THIS WAS WHY THE VEHICLE WAS TORN UP DUE TO THE WAY FORD HAD THE CONSUMER DRIVE THE VEHICLE.*AK
I CURRENTLY OWN A 1996 FORD EXPLORER XLT, 4X4, 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. ONE THING I HAVE NOTICED WITH THIS VEHICLE IS WHEN I AM EITHER STOPPING MODERATELY HARD/FAST OR MAKING SHARP RIGHT TURNS, THE ENGINE TENDS TO STALL. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS IN NEUTRAL OR I HAVE THE CLUTCH IN. THE MAIN REASON THIS IS A PROBLEM IS BECAUSE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STALLED, THE POWER STEERING IS OFF. MOST OF MY PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN ON OFF RAMPS WHERE I'M TRAVELING REALITIVELY FAST AND A RIGHT TURN. TOWARDS THE END OF THE RAMP I START TO STRAIGTEN OUT THE WHEEL AND REALIZE I CAN'T MOVE IT. GENERALLY I AM FORCED TO SLAM ON THE BREAKS BEFORE RUNNING INTO SOMETHING OR IF I HAVE ENOUGH TIME, I WILL QUICKLY ATTEMPT TO START IT. THERE WAS NO SPECIFIC INCIDENT DATE. THIS DID NOT START TO HAPPEN UNTIL AFTER MY 30-DAY WARRANTY WAS UP AT FROM THE DEALER SO I HAVE NOT HAD ANYTHING DONE TO ATTEMPT TO FIX IT. I HAVE FOUND ON THE INTERNET THAT SEVERAL EXPLORERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. SOME PEOPLE BLAMED IT ON A VALVE. BELOW ARE LISTED WEBSITES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE SUBMITTED TO FORUMS. THESE ARE PEOPLE IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS AS MYSELF. THANKS HTTP://WWW.CARCONSUMERS.COM/FORD_EXPLORER.HTML HTTP://WWW.CBSNEWS.COM/STORIES/2001/04/13/NATIONAL/MAIN285613.SHTML HTTP://WWW.CBSNEWS.COM/STORIES/2000/10/10/NATIONAL/MAIN240067.SHTML HTTP://WWW.CARTRACKERS.COM/FORUMS/LIVE/GREMLINS/191.HTML HTTP://WWW.THECOMPLAINTSTATION.COM/CGI-BIN/DATACGI/DATABASE.CGI/FORUM/SUBTOPIC/TOPICID=0351/SUBTOPICID=0000857 7/FIRSTRECORD=0/FINALRECORD=14/ HTTP://FORUMS.VMAG.COM/PM-1001/MESSAGES/3445.HTML. *AK
PROBLEMS WITH 1996 FORD EXPLORER'S ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. *MR *SC *JB
I HAVE AN EXPLORER SPORT WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THIS CAR IS WILL TAKEN CARE OF EVEN IF IT HAS ALOT OF MILES ON IT. THE MANUAL SHIFT SHAKES CONSIDERABLY. IF THERE IS A ROUGH SURFACE ON THE HIGHWAY, IT SEEMS TO BE READY TO TAKE FLIGHT. AT 165,000 MILES I HAD THE CLUTCH, PRESSURE PLATE, AND THROWOUT BEARINGS REPLACED. THE MACHINE AT THE DEALERSHIP COULDN'T TELL ME WHY IT HAPPENED BUT HE THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS STILL WRONG. NOW AT 212,000 MILES THE BEARINGS AND CLUTCH ARE OUT AGAIN. WHILE LOOKING AT SOME OTHER EXPLORERS AT THE DEALERSHIP, I NOTICED THAT THE NEWWER EXPLORERS HAVE A VIBRATION DAMPER MOUNTED ON THE REAR AXLE. FORD WOULD BE HAPPY TO PUT ONE ON MY CAR FOR $4,000. I AM VERY UPSET SINCE IT WAS THEIR DESIGN FLAW THAT IS CAUSING ALL MY PROBLEMS.I HAVE ALREADY SPENT ALOT OF MONEY TRYING TO FIX THEIR DESIGN ERROR. *AK
THURSDAY JULY 29TH,2004 STARTED TO MAKE LEFT TURN STALLED ROLLED OUT OF WAY OF TO AVOID ACCIDENT.FEW SECONDS LATER WAS ABLE TO GO FORWARD DROVE APP.20 MILES NO PROBLEMS,NORMAL.PARKED IN DRIVE VEHICLE SAT OVER NIGHT APP.14HRS.JULY 30TH DROVE APP.5-6 MILES THEN BEGIN TO NOT FEEL GEARS SHIFTING,DROVE HOME.PARKED WAITED 3-4 HRS CHECKED TRANSMISSIOM FLUID DID NOT LOOK RIGHT.WAITED OVER NIGHT WAS TOLD LOOKED LIKE WATER IN FLUID,WAS TOLD TO CHECK RADIATOR,FOUND TRANSMISSION FLUID IN RADIATOR.HOW DID THIS HAPPEN.NO WARNING,NOTHING. *AK
WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT VEHICLE DIED. VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE. *AK
WE HAVE A 1996 FORD EXPLORER WITH ONLY 74,000 MILES. WHEN WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IT HAD ONLY 25,000 MILES. THE MAINTENANCE ON THE TRANSMISSION WAS DONE ACCORDING TO THE MAINTENANCE BOOK. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT INTO GEAR IT SLIPS IN EACH FORWARD GEAR. REVERSE GEAR NO LONGER WORKS. WHEN IN REVERSE ITS AS THOUGH IN PARK. THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHES RAPIDLY.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK
WITHIN A 6 MONTH SPAN CONSUMER HAS REPLACED TRANSMISSION TWICE. TRANSMIISSION EXPLODED WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO ACCELERATE, AND THE VEHICEL WAS NOT ACCELERATI NG.*AK
VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING WHILE DRIVING AT 35-40 MPH. VEHICLE TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR TRANSMISSON REPAIRS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL SKIP GEARS. VEHICLE WILL SHIFT FROM FIRST TO THIRD GEAR. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE SERVICED AND WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE 2ND GEAR BAND HAD BROKEN. VEHICLE HAS AN AUTOMACTIC TRANSMISSION. MR
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
AFTER I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE, I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK AT LEAST 6 TIMES DUE TO A VIBRATION. ON FEB.2001, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THIS PROBLEM STILL EXISTED, JUST NOT AS MUCH. I TOOK THE MECHANIC ON A TEST DRIVE 2 TIMES AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. UNFORTUNITELY IT DID NOT DO THE VIBRATION. JUST RECENTLY, IT STARTED GETTING WORSE. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER FORD DEALER TODAY, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE TORQUE CONVERTER. AT THE TIME OF THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT, I ASKED ABOUT THE TORQUE CONVERTER, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS REPLACED WITH THE TRANSMISSION. OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS NOT DONE.*AK
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING. NLM
TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR ONCED WARMED UP. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED BY FORD SINCE NEW AT THE DEALER IT WAS PURCHASED AT. SERVICE VERIFIED PROBLEM BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT, SAID THEY'VE SEEN THIS 3-4 TIMES AND COULD ONLY RECOMMEND OVERHUAL OR REPLACEMENT. FLUID FOR TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN OVERFILLED WHEN SERVICED BY THEM IN FEBUARY 2000. EST COST OF REPAIR 2-3000. *AK
O/D LIGHT FLASHES AFTER 15 MIN. OF RUNNING VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION THEN SHIFTS HARD UP AND DOWN. FORD SERVICE SAYS THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG.*AK
THE VEHICLES OVERDRIVE FAILED RESULTING IN TRANSMISSION FAILURE, THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. NLM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER REGARDING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON SEVEN OCCASIONS, WHEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, VEHICLE WILL HESITATE AND THEN POP INTO REVERSE AFTER 15-20 SECONDS, VEHICLE WILL NOT ALWAYS GO IN REVERSE, DEALER STATED THAT TRANSMISSION WAS GOING, BUT NOT TO DO ANYTHING UNTIL ALL GEARS WERE AFFECTED. *ET
NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
VEHICLE GOT STUCK OIN PARK POSITION. ALSO, SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION COULD BE STUCK IN DRIVE GEAR. *AK
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 1996 Ford Explorer has 91 Power Train complaints on file. 4 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.