1996 Ford Explorer problems
The 1996 Ford Explorer has 1,818 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (36%) concerns tires. Next are cruise control (9%) and brakes (8%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 1,818 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Tires 36% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 248 and 46
- Injuries and deaths
- 463 and 89
- Typical mileage
- 127,000 miles 181 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 9 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 2 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 8 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 26 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 19 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 16 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 27 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 25 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 29 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 13 |
| 200k+ miles | 7 |
What the data shows
Of the 181 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 127,000 miles. For tires specifically, the median reported mileage is about 140,000 miles (11 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 248 complaints mention a crash; 46 complaints mention a fire; 463 injuries reported; 89 deaths reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 96% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1996 ranks 8th most-complained-about out of 36 model years of the Ford Explorer with enough data (1,178 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 6 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
The accident occured outside of austin texas and resulted in the death of my brother john christopher houston and his fiance, dana willenberg. 3 other passengers were injured. A police report is on file with the georgetown police department and the 3 other passengers, who reside in austin, are willing to provide more information.( DOT number: )
Sudden tread separation on left rear tire of ford explorer caused loss of control and on-road rollover. Tire was a cooper eldorado radial zr1, size p23575r15, DOT# 3dhlekn2900.
While traveling at 50 MPH 10:30p.m., without cause vehicle slid across highway to the left, rolled and flipped, and collided with a tree - vehicle landed on its side with roof in to the steering wheel: all windows broken and windshield shattered. Roof actually caved in on teenage driver -fatality from multiple brain injuries.
Dt*: the contact owns a 1996 ford explorer. It caught fire while parked, destroying the vehicle, the house, and another vehicle that was parked in the driveway. There is a NHTSA recall, # 05v388000, regarding the vehicle speed control. The vehicle had the same problems as indicated in the recall, however it is not included in the recall due to the VIN.