Problems · by component
2006 Ford Explorer engine and engine cooling problems
165 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Ford Explorer cite engine and engine cooling, 26% of all 635 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
165
26% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine and engine cooling
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIATOR WAS LEAKING FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE IN THE FRONT END AS THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD ALREADY TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO REPLACED THE RADIATOR TWICE BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADIATOR AND ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE MULTIPLE TIMES AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
“I BOUGHT MY FORD EXPLORER IN 2006 BUT THREE YEARS LATER HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR. AFTER THAT I NOTICE THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP EVERY NOW AND THEN. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAVE ESCALATED SINCE JUNE 2013 WITH THE VEHICLE JACKING OR DRAGGING BEFORE SHIFTING GEARS. MY WIFE IS ACTUALLY AFRAID OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AND INSTEAD PREFERS TO DRIVE MY 2000 HONDA ACCORD WHICH HAS BEEN RUNNING WITH NO PROBLEMS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE MODEL AND YEAR OF MY FORD EXPLORER AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED AND SO HE TOLD ME I SHOULD FILE THIS COMPLAIN SINCE THIS WAS NOT OUR FAULT BUT A FACTORY DEFECT WHICH BY THE LOOK OF WHAT I HAVE SEEN ON THIS SITE, FORD IS AWARE OF. MY QUESTION IS WHY HAS FORD NOT RECALLED THIS BECAUSE AFTER CHECKING THIS SITE, I HAVE SEEN SO MANY COMPLAINS ABOUT THE SAME RELATED ISSUES (MAINLY RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION), ARE CUSTOMERS SUPPOSED TO SUFFER AND SPEND MONEY FOR THINGS THAT THE FORD COMPANY HAS NEGLECTED OR FOR THEIR POOR WORKMANSHIP? I BELIEVE NOT. FORD NEEDS TO GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER AND SOLVE THIS PROBLEMS FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS. I, JUST LIKE EVERYONE WHO BOUGHT A…”
“I HAVE HAD THE DOOR BLENDER PLASTIC PIECE CHANGED ON MY CAR THREE TIMES! EACH TIME THE SEASON CHANGES. I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE IT AGAIN. I CURRENTLY HAVE A RADIATOR LEAK AND WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR AND PLASTIC HOLDER AS WELL. I ALSO CURRENTLY HAVE A TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE PROBLEM AND I WILL HAVE TO GET THAT FIXED AS WELL. THIS IS HORRIBLE. I PURCHASED THE FORD EXPLORER BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS DEPENDABLE. THIS IS DEPRESSING AND I CAN NOT AFFORD IT! *TR”
“THE RADIATOR IN THE 2006 FORD EXPLORER LEAKS, AND A RECALL IS MANDATORY. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN 2007, USED, AND I AM NOW FACED WITH REPLACING THE RADIATOR FOR THE 4TH TIME IN 7 YEARS. IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT THIS RADIATOR IS FAULTY AND STILL THERE IS NO RESOLVE. PLEASE OPEN AN INVESTIGATION AND READ ALL THE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE RADIATOR FOR THIS VEHICLE. *TR”
“VEHICLE WAS JUST AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP FOR OVER A WEEK IN MARCH FOR TRANSMISSION RELATED ISSUES, NEW RADIATOR, ETC. JUST FOUR MONTHS LATER, I AM HAVING THE SAME ISSUES THAT MANY OTHERS ARE WRITING ABOUT; HARD SHIFT INTO REVERSE, VEHICLE IS JUMPING/JOLTING FORWARD FROM A STOP, RPM FLUCTUATION WHILE IDLING. *TR”
Showing 6 of 165 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.