BrakeNewsOwner complaints, read early

Your vehicle report

2006 Ford Explorer

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
630
Received Dec 2005 to May 2025
Official recalls listed
1
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
0
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips114 complaints · 18% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Head gasket leaks coolant into engine54 complaints · 8.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Unintended acceleration despite braking44 complaints · 7.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #05V520000On certain trucks, passenger cars and sport utility vehicles, the windshield wiper motor may have been produced without grease being applied to the output shaft gear.
View recall details

BrakeNews signals

Flagged complaint patterns

Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.

No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.

How flags are identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 13 crashes, 7 fires, 12 people injured, 0 deaths.

Explore by system

Where do owners report problems?

Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 20 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

11 more problems

Brakes

Electrical & lights

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Airbags, belts & seats

Steering, suspension & tires

Body, doors & glass

Driver assistance

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Other

Complaint history

When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.

Complaints received about the 2006 Ford Explorer
99
Show as a table
YearComplaints
20051
200631
200750
200842
200979
201099
201171
201254
201354
201447
201531
201631
201714
201812
20192
20205
20212
20221
20232
20241
20251
2026 (to Oct 2026)0
Total630

Problems owners report

Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips11418%–
Head gasket leaks coolant into engine548.6%–
Unintended acceleration despite braking447.0%–
Radiator transmission cooler leaks fluid into transmission396.2%–
Ford Escape engine overheats from coolant intrusion365.7%–
Transmission fails or loses power while driving365.7%–
Transmission will not engage reverse gear345.4%–
Engine suddenly shuts off while driving193.0%–
Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up193.0%–
Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline172.7%–
Seat belt fails to latch or retract132.1%–
Gear shifter fails to register Park121.9%–
Ford Focus transmission clutch slips and hesitates101.6%–
Electronic throttle body fails and cuts power91.4%–
Glass shatters or cracks without impact81.3%–
Spark plugs blow out of cylinder head71.1%–
Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines71.1%–
Check engine light comes on repeatedly60.9%–
Air conditioner blows hot air or fails50.8%–
Coil springs break and puncture tires40.6%–

AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.

Recalls

  • NHTSA recall #05V520000November 9, 2005199,942 vehicles affected

    visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor

    On certain trucks, passenger cars and sport utility vehicles, the windshield wiper motor may have been produced without grease being applied to the output shaft gear.

    After a period of continuous use on the high speed setting, lack of grease on the output shaft gear may cause the gear to distort or fracture during operation resulting in a loss of wiper function. Inoperative wipers under inclement weather conditions could cause a crash due to impaired visibility.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect the wiper motor for the presence of grease and grease the wiper motor gears if necessary. The recall began on november 22, 2005. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673 or Lincoln/mercury at 1-800-521-4140.

Other model years

About this data

NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2006 Ford Explorer.

Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.

Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN