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
BEERINGS WERE SHOT, TRUCK WAS NOT USED OFF ROAD AT ALL, FEEL THAT IT IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. THE PART ALONE WAS $ 285.00 . I AM AWARE THAT I AM REPORTING THISVERY LATE, BUT THE REAL REASON IS THAT I AM UPSET THAT THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR IS NOT WORKING I.E. THE LITTLE ARROW IN THE DASHBOARD THAT TELLS YOU WHAT GEAR YOU ARE IN. THEY WANT $ 150.00 TO REPLACE THAT PIECE. I FEEL THAT THE INDICATOR SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. I PLAN ON WRITING FORD ABOUT BOTH OF THESE PROBLEMS AND HOPE TO HAVE THEM PAY FOR THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR REPAIR. THANK YOU. *AK
WAS TRAVELING 30MPH AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR FROM 2ND GEAR. TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP HARD. VEHICLE WOULD JERK WHEN THIS HAPPENED. AT DEALERSHIP, TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A USED ONE, BUT SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. *AK
TRANSMISSION WAS WHISTLING/RUBBLING, AND WOULD NOT DRIVE. AT 13 MONTHS OLD TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. CURRENTLY, NOISES WERE BACK, BUT IT WAS RUNNING. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER NOT TO DRIVE VEHICLE. *AK
THIS VEHICLE WAS PROFESSIONALLY SERVICED AND MAINTAINED. AT 74,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING. WHEN FORD TESTED THE VEHICLE THEY TOLD ME IT BROKE DOWN AN THAT THE STARTER, FLYWHEEL, TORQUE CONVERTER AND ENTIRE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEY SAID THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE. THE MORE I TALK ABOUT THIS, THE MORE I HEAR ABOUT FORD EXPLORER TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS.*AK
THIS SUV V-8 IS FOUR YEARS OLD WITH 63,000 MILES ON IT, AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAD TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR ALL OF IT SERVICES , THERE IS NO REASON WHY THIS TRANSMISSION SHOULD OF GONE OUT @ 63,000 MILES, 4 YEARS OLD, SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE MAKE OF THIS, IT COST 2,300.00 TO REPLACE IT WITH A FORD REBUILT TRANSMISSION. *AK
THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES AND IS CONTINUING TO EXPERIENCE FAILURE. *MJS
AFTER NOTICING FLUID ALL OVER THE DRIVEWAY TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM FRONT AXLE. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
ON AUGUST 9, 2000, EXPLORER WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP BECAUSE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT PRIOR TO TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT THERE HAD BEEN SOME SLIPPING, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC
I KNOW LEAKING OIL FROM VENT TUBE IS A LARGER PROBLEM BECAUSE FORD HAS HAD TO HAVE A RETRO KIT MADE TO SOLVE LEAKING OIL. I RECEIVED NO HELP FROM FORD FOR REPAIR COST.
WHENEVER PLACEING IN 4X4 MODE, AND THEN PRESSING GAS PEDAL, VEHICLE WOULD SLIP OUT OF 4X4 MODE. THIS IS A CONSTANT PROBLEM. BEEN TO DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR PROBLEM , BUT IT WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK
I PURCHASED MY 1996 FORD EXPLORER, IN NOVEMBER OF 1998. WHEN I PURCHASED IT, THE MILEAGE WAS AT 23,000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TWO OR THREE TIMES FOR MINOR REPAIR WORK WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT CURRENTLY HAS APRROX. 54,000 MILES ON IT AND I AM EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IT IS SLIPPING IN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR, AND IS ON THE VERGE OF NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. AFTER DOING SOME CHECKING I FOUND THAT IT IS GOING TO COST ME AT LEAST $2,400.00 FOR THE REPAIRS TO THE TRANSMISSION. I NORMALLY DO NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH HAVING TO TAKE CARE OF VEHICLE REPAIRS BECAUSE I DEPEND ON MY VEHICLES , FOR BOTH MYSELF AND MY FAMILY. HOWEVER, IT IS MY CONSIDERED OPINION THAT A NEARLY NEW VEHICLE SUCH AS THIS ONE WITH THE LOW AMOUNT OF MILEAGE THAT IT HAS, SHOULD NOT BE HAVING PROBLEMS LIKE IT IS CURRENTLY HAVING WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE FOR THIS MATTER TO BE INVESTIGATED SO THAT I CAN DETERMINE IF I AM ABLE TO RECEIVE ANY ASSISTANCE BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY, OR TO DETERMINE IF THERE ARE ADDITONAL CONSUMERS THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM THAT I AM HAVING AND JUST SIMPLY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER. THANK YOU FOR ANY ASSISTANCE THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO OFFER ME CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. VEHICLE DRIVES ONLY IN REVERSE. *AK
THE TRANSMISSIONS COMPUTER RUINED THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND SEVERAL OTHER COMPONENTS. NM
KEEPS TRYING TO SHIFT INTO 4-WHEEL DRIVE. IT DOES HAVE 4-WHEEL SWITCH ON DASHBOARD. *AK
MY VEHICLE WAS IN NEED OF MULTIPLE TRANSMISSION PARTS UNDER 40,000MILES, IS THIS COMMON FOR THIS VEHICLE? *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSON. AFTER SHIFTING INTO FOUR- WHEEL DRIVE. TRANSMISSION LOST LOW GEARS. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. COMMON PROBLEM. *AK *ML
NOTICED GAS WAS BEING SPLATTERED ON THE WHEEL WELLS, AND ON THE BACK OF THE CAR. CALLED FORD, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO HELP. WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL STREET STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF NEUTRAL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. *AK
PROBLEM STARTED AT 23115 MILES. WHILE GOING AT 25 OR 60 MPH VEHICLE WILL DROP OUT OF GEAR. THIS MAY HAPPEN WHILE TRYING TO CHANGE LANES, VEHICLE WILL JUST DROP OUT OF GEAR. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS VERY UNSAFE, ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN ABOARD. ALSO, WHEN CHANGING LANES THERE IS JUST NO CONTROL. *AK
I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN. NOSAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
ON 4-27-99 THE TRUCK WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I FELT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. AFTER DRIVING IT, THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS "BURNT".IT WAS THEN REBUILT BY DEALER. 2-3 WEEKS LATER RETURNED BECAUSE TOO MUCH DELAY WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE. FIXED. MID JULY 99 ODOMETER STOPPED TURNING. 8-12-99 WAS TOLD DID NOT HAVE 4WD. DEALER SAID NOTHING TO DO WITH TRANS OVERHAUL AND PART WAS $500 + INSTALL. MY FEELING IS THAT THESE THINGS ARE ALL RELATED, AND SHOULD NOT BE GOING BAD THIS EARLY IN LIFE OF TRUCK. FORD SAYS TOO BAD.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAYVEHICLE WAS GOING UP A HILL WHEN IT STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND SUDDENLY CUT OFF DUE TO A BROKEN TRANSMISSION PART.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 20-25MPH, FORWARD DRUM BROKE ON THE TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE KEPT TRYING TO DOWNSHIFT ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE WOULD WORK FINE IN REVERSE, BUT NOT IN FORWARD. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER TO CORRECT PROBLEM. *AK
THE SEALS THAT ARE BEING REPLACED HAVE BEEN RE-DESIGNED AND ARE NOT COVERED UNDER ANY EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN (EVEN THE "PREMIUMCARE"). *AK
3RD TRANSMISSION IN 35K MILES, FORD WON'T WARRANTY. TRANSMISSIONS FAIL AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND HAS NEARLY CAUSED 3 ACCIDENTS.
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.