Problems with 2006 Ford Explorer ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

My car slowed down to a craw in the highway and had to limp home at very low speed almost caused a crash.

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.

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

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 ford explorer. while driving approximately 40 mph, the contact depressed the accelerator pedal but the vehicle hesitated to accelerate. the vehicle then rapidly accelerated to approximately 60 mph and began to decelerate independently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing where the technician advised the contact that the transmission would have to be rebuilt or replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 74,000. updated 02/20/13*lj the consumer stated there was an emmission issue and the radiator was leaking. updated 02/20/2013 *js

The radiator leaks on almost all 2006 models from the factory. ford acknowledges the issue was from overtightening, yet does not issue a recall. *tr

I have a 2006 ford explorer xlt and this will be third transmission to go into the vehicle. in addition, i have replaced the radiator three times and an engine block seal. these are very costly fixes for a car that is only a couple of years old. i have reached out to ford customer service and they are not helpful or sympathetic at all and claim that they are not aware of any transmission problems. meanwhile, when you search the web it is an issue across the board. i feel their customer service is horrible and so are their cars. i would never recommend a ford to anyone, not even my worst enemy. i could have bought two cars for the money i am putting into this vehicle. *tr

I have been having some misfiring spark plugs on my truck. we are pricing them out and are finding out that they are very hard to replace and they break off inside the engine! dealers do not recommend replacing them yourself and it costs $300 to have them do it, then $100 for every spark plug that breaks during that process, plus the $19 for each motorcraft brand plug! this could cost us up to $1500 just to replace spark plugs?! this is insanity!!! not only does it build up carbon but it is also a 2 piece plug and it breaks apart! this needs to be recalled! people are spending a fortune just to replace spark plugs! its sick! *tr

Separation of radiator ... between plastic top and bottom tanks with aluminum radiator grill. this is the 2nd replacement with cost $520 radiator, $300 labor estimated by ford. environmental issue and safety issue with engine failure/transmission failure possible. problem can occur anywhere/anytime; i.e., within traffic situation on multilane interstate rush hour. *js

Thermostat/radiator failed causing entire engine failure. there has been several other complaints like this about the explorer. my children and i were in the vehicle when it malfunctioned without any warning a big cloud of smoke and the vehicle shut off in the middle of heavy traffic this could have caused a very serious accident. this issue with the radiator needs to be addressed. *kb

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 ford explorer. the contact stated that the plastic in the radiator cracked and was leaking. the failure caused the vehicle to overheat. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that the radiator needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the failure and the current mileages were 68,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 ford explorer. the contact stated that the temperature gauge started to increase and the temperature warning lamp illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the radiator was leaking and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was no longer under warranty. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 36,000.

This 2006 explorer eddie bauer car started making roaring sound when trying to accelerate. tried backing off the accelerator as much as possible. thermostat gauge temperature went to hot and displayed red and a/c started blowing cold air. thermostat then went from hot to cold multiple times. checked coolant levels and they were fine. the engine and car finally shut down completely and the car then overheated. coolant blew out at the hose at the thermostat. towed the car to a nationwide repair shop where they replaced thermostat and pressure tested cooling system but car will no longer idle and engine now has major problems. towed the car to the ford dealership and they are now saying it may have a blown head gasket ($2200 or more) and or engine needs to be replaced ($5600). they are going to check with ford to see if they can provide assistance. this vehicle has 68,000 miles on it (less than 15,000/year) and should not need a new thermostat and engine. there appears to be a major problem with this year/make with radiators/thermostat issues. please issue a recall. *tr

Radiator failure. the radiator failed causing the entire engine to overheat. see odi number 10439878. replaced entire engine and radiator in this vehicle which only has 68,000 miles on it. (costing over $6000). please issue a recall. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 ford explorer eddie bauer edition. the contact was driving approximately 45 mph when the check engine warning light illuminated. the contact then realized that the vehicle had overheated as it proceeded to stall. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where they advised her that the radiator and thermostat failed. the vehicle was repaired but the check engine warning light was illuminated again after two weeks. the vehicles was taken back to the independent mechanic where they informed the contact that the head gasket was blown and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted but offered no assistance to the contact. the failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

Engine stalls. whenever it feels like it, hot or cold, slowing down to stop, turning left or right, on the street roads and freeways. starts and go again after 5/10 minutes but this is ridiculous. i paid so much money and time for diagnostic and parts already and yesterday was the worst. my 2006 ford explorer stalled in the middle of the freeway. date: nov 1, 2011, time:1550, and my wife was driving, when she's not happy, nobody's happy....she almost got ran over as she open her door, she could not go anywhere but wait for time to either cool off or reset on the engine. *tr

The vehicle has harsh upshifts when accelerating from 1st to 4th gear, creating momentary loss of control. the vehicle will stall, then jerk forward a few inches unannounced, which has the potential of causing a wreck or hitting a pedestrian. the same will occur when shifting from drive to reverse, and vice-versa. also, sometimes the rpm will increase drastically on its own without an increase in speed. i'm afraid this will cause an accident if the speed decides to increase. *tr

My 2006 ford explorer has 44,000 miles on it and needs a new radiator,after checking complaints online for the same problem, i have found many complaints about this issue.i believe ford needs to recall this vehicle for the radiator issue. the leak from the radiator can seep into the ground and into the underground water system,not to mention any animals that would drink from the puddles left behind from this very toxic anti-freeze. the replacement of this item cost almost $1200 at a ford dealer,these trucks are only 5 years old and i know people who have replaced 3 or more radiators since they purchased their explorers. it seems to be a bigger problem for the 2006 model when ford changed the radiator to plastic. i wonder how many accidents where caused when the radiator failed and seized the engines while people where driving? *tr

While driving the vehicle, the smell of antifreeze started coming into the car. my fiance' checked the radiator and overflow bottle and found out it was gas mixed with the antifreeze. my car's mileage is 80100. i do not believe the car should have this issue at only 5 years. this problem/complaint should be investigated and damages should be covered by the dealership or manufacturer. *tr

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 ford explorer would like to see our automakers doing well and that's why we buy the cars but not at the expense of our families safety or finances. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 ford explorer. the contact stated while driving at various speeds, the temperature gauge would indicate that the engine was overheating. the contact also noticed there was fluid leaking from the radiator. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who informed the contact that the radiator was cracked and the thermostat housing failed. the contact was also informed that this was a common failure that required the radiator be replaced with a newly designed version. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 85,000. the vin was unavailable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 ford explorer. the contact stated the radiator was replaced four times. the radiator began to leak and caused the vehicle to run hot. the contact stated that the radiator was replaced every 25,000 miles. all of the radiators were been replaced by an authorized dealer, but the dealer stated there was no cause for the failure. the vin was not available. the current and failure mileages were 105,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 ford explorer. the contact stated that the radiator continued to leak. the leaking was caused by the plastic material separating from the aluminum, which was causing the vehicle to overheat. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer where the dealer advised that the radiator needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the dealer also advised that the thermostat needed to be replaced as well due to the radiator failure. the failure mileage was 67,000. the consumer could not afford to fix the problem. she also stated the were plenty of websites devoted to the exact radiator and thermostat problem. updated 11/21/11...updated 11/25/11 *bf updated 11/30/11

Radiator failure causing leak which could result in engine overheat and possibly fire.. *tr

Radiator leaks badly, plastic cracked. transmission shifts too hard and hesitates going into reverse ending with a loud bang into gear. *tr

I have had to change the radiator three times and getting ready to do it again the second time the truck ran hot and ruined the motor. i then put another motor and new radiator and it has not been 40000 miles and with no warning at all it done it again with all of the complaints that has been posted online this should have been addressed to every one that has this problem. *tr

2006 ford explorer eddie bauer 4.0 with leaking radiator starting at 30,000 miles. also the vehicle at defective thermostats and reservoir, that had to be replaced. ford refused to recalled this part for whatever reason, even those they know about it. here are listing of other people making complaints on other website of their radiator leak and other cooling system parts going bad as well. many vehicle has been effected i think ford should definitely issue a recall on this particular issue.here are several websites with consumers expressing concerns about their radiator problem: http://www.edmunds.com/ford/explorer/2006/consumer-reviews.html http://www.edmunds.com/ford/explorer/2006/consumer-reviews/recall-the-radiator.html?style=100625344&sub=&reviewid=221461699 http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1900967. *tr

Having problems with fluid overflowing to the overflow tank, overheating and cylinder misfire readings. *tr

Check engine light came on. vehicle returned to dealer, determine thermostat needed to be replace at no cost . just purchased vehicle 3/29/2011 has 43,600 miles. now i worrying about the radiator going bad. *tr

Developing coolant leak below ford explorer 2006 radiator. my mechanic has declared the radiator defective and is failing. this is the second failed radiator. the first fail was in oct 2009, aprox 48k mileage, and was considered a problem known by ford. now i face a second replacement of excess $800 estimate march 24th 2011. my estimated mileage was 24k between repairs. this needs to be solved or our future cars will never be ford! *tr

About 3 weeks ago, while returning from the park with my dog, my warning light for temperature illuminated red and i saw that the temp. gauge had spiked to hot. i pulled over and as i was going to shift into park, the temp. gauge fell back into the normal operating range very quickly. i thought it was just an anomaly. about 3 weeks later, i noticed that the fan was running loudly and shortly thereafter, the temp spiked again. i did so research on-line and found out that this model explorer has been having issues with radiators failing. i brought my truck in to my mechanic who found that my radiator was indeed compromised and was leaking from the bottom of the unit. a new radiator, thermostat ad water pump were installed costing me close to $1000. *tr

I have a 2006 ford explorer and recently had work done. after that work i noticed that colling fan was coming on constantly and that it was extremely loud and sounded like engine was roaring. they determined that radiator was leaking so they replaced entire colling system. problem still persists and vehicle only has 60000 miles on it. i am so upset and think they dont know what wrong. they had car ffor 5 days and they cant fix it. now i read all this bad info and ask wht is there no recalls and how does ford have the ordasisty to charge all these people for a known defect... this needs to stop and shame on ford... *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 ford explorer. the contact stated the radiator and thermostat failed and the vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the radiator and. the manufacturer was contacted who stated there were no recalls for either failure. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 43,000.

I began noticing a coolant smell after use, then noticed a leak that progressively became worse. i added coolant to keep desired levels. i had a mechanical shop inspect and it was determined the radiator was leaking. i purchased this vehicle as a "demo" from a local ford dealer w/ 11k miles on it. at 30k miles the radiator was replaced w/ oem by ford under warranty as it was leaking in a seam. i had the radiator replaced again, so the vehicle is on its' third radiator. mileage at last replacement was 73k. so 3 radiators in 73k miles. the mechanical shop contacted ford about parts and was told there had been problems with these radiators and an"upgraded" radiator is available because of the issues. i went with the upgraded oem version, parts/labor was about $800. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 ford explorer eddie bauer. while driving approximately 10-60 mph, the vehicle began to jerk abnormally. the vehicle would also overheat sporadically and the rear windshield wipers would not operate. the vehicle was taken to a local transmission specialist where they rebuilt the transmission and attempted to repair the rear windshield wipers but to no avail. the failure persisted and the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for the failures. the dealer made repairs to the cooling system but was unable to disable the rear windshield wipers to make repairs. the failure mileage was 100,000. updated 04/25/11 *bf updated 1/13/2012 *ln *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 ford explorer. while the contact was driving approximately 35 mph, all of the warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel and the temperature gauge began to fluctuate to very hot. the contact drove to the side of the road with caution. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the radiator was replaced. the most recent identical failure recurred and the radiator was replaced for the second time. the manufacturer was not made aware of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000. the vin was unavailable.

2006 ford explorer radiator leaks ,had replaced 3 already and ford knows about the problem but does nothing about it until somebody gets hurt or killed then it's to late .they have a fix for it but who pay the people not ford. when the truck stalls because it gets hot i believe that's a safety issue. don't you? *tr

2006 ford explorer radiator leaks with only 33k miles causing engine to overheat. radiator being replaced under extended warranty. *tr

Noticed low coolant level and shortly after the vehicle overheated for about 10 secs, then went back to normal temp. took to the dealer to get checked out, and they said i needed a new radiator because there was in fact a small leak. repair costs were $1100 to replace a radiator, yes a radiator that had 50k miles on it. radiators are not supposed to go out that easily, and after researching on the web i have found dozens of people with the same sort of issues. ford has already released a tsb for this faulty part but will refuse to give me any kind of reimbursement, or pay for any of the work done. the only reason i even used the ford dealer was to get the pcm update that only they can do. please help, companies have to be held accountable for the products they sell. *tr

Radiators on 2006 ford explorers. my first radiator was replaced at 37,318 miles. i now need a new one at approximately 65,000 miles. this will be the third replacement on just my vehicle. ford has offered no help as to the cost of replacing an obviously defective part. checking on line, i see other ford explorer owners are experiencing the same thing from ford. i request a recall for this defective vehicle. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2006 ford explorer eddie bauer edition. the contact stated that the radiator leaked and had to be replaced at his expense. the manufacturer had not been notified. the failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

Noticed leaking under 2006 explorer. taken to dealer and told radiator needed replacing for $980. vehicle has 65,000 miles on it. told radiator was leaking from the fins and that this was "common". in checking this out, this is not common for a car of this age, however, it seems 2006 explorers are prone to this problem. this is clearly a ford problem and ford should replace the radiators at no charge. *tr

The truck make a horrible ticking noise when you start it up. it will do this until the oil gets thru the motor. ford states that it is the nature of the motor for normal wear and tear. it is embarrassing to say the least, as it sounds like a ticking time bomb that is waiting to go off. after the truck has been running for a few minutes than the noise goes away, seems that if i spent this much money on a vehicle, it wouldn't sound like an old clunker. *tr

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

This vehicle constantly overheats. i have to add coolant every few days. it first started during a day trip. prior to leaving i had my oil changed and all my fluids were filled. after leaving the highway the car completely shut off. i had to go to a gas station and add more coolant it was only a three hour trip and it was completely dry. shortly after the transmission became shifting hard. it jerks and seems to miss gears. at the time it only had 40,000 miles. now i have to be extremely careful with the transmission and must keep coolant in my vehicle. i have 4 small children and i am afraid this vehicle is a fire danger because of the radiator. i am financing this vehicle and don't have the money to get a new one. this vehicle today has 54,000 miles and if built correctly i should be able to get 100,000 without any major repairs. ford should be responsible and recall these vehicles and show they stand by their products. their saying should be ford flimsy not ford tough! *tr

Car radiator ran hot, light never came on. radiator drained of all fluids while on highway, blew head gasket on engine, damaged engine had to replace engine and radiator. this is the third radiator on car, first at 33,000 miles, second at 67,000 miles, last incident vehicle had 87,000 miles. i had extended warranty, if not cost would have been over $ 7000.00 dollars. *tr

Ford explorer 2006 engine overheating. outside air temperature 118 f', was stranded with infant in the car. had car towed, and discovered this is a recurring problem in the radiator, coolant and hose parts on this model, as shown on http://www.carcomplaints.com/ford/explorer/2006/cooling_system/radiator_failure.shtml apart from heat exhaustion, no injuries to report. *tr

I discovered a leak in the radiator after noticing that the temperature gauge needle was bouncing around at an idle. after about a minute, the vehicle overheated and started steaming. we ended up having to have the radiator replaced at a cost of $600. (it was also over 90 degrees that day and i was stranded with two small children, the youngest was 4 months old.) then about a month ago, in may 2012, i was at a grocery store and when i went to enter the vehicle i noted a large puddle of antifreeze on the ground and it was dripping from the radiator. we had to have the radiator replaced, again at a cost of $600. the same mechanic repaired it both times and said it was the same issue as the first one. now we are having transmission fluid leaking from the cooling line that leads from the transmission to the radiator. these incidents have caused us serious hardships financially and could have caused physical injury due to the fact that it was extremely hot out on both occasions and i had small children with me miles from home. i have already contacted ford motor company and they have declined to do anything about this issue. i am requesting, as are many others, that a recall be issued. and i also suggest that you research this problem on the internet as it is a major one. it is strange that ford changed the radiator in the 2007 model year explorer. *tr

2006 ford explorer - problem with radiator. i bought my ford explorer brand new and after approximately 1 year, the radiator started going bad and as of now, i have had to replace 7 radiators. my parents bought the same year explorer and have had to replace 5 radiators. i contacted ford directly, and of course, they told me they have had no reports of the defect. i find that hard to believe. a friend who works for ford told us that they have had problems with those radiators but that there is no solution so they are unable to issue a recall. the most terrifying case was 2 years ago. i was driving through nashville tennessee at 7 months pregnant and my car overheated on the interstate. i had only had my most recent radiator for 3 months. it apparently cracked. the radiators leak fluid so you must check fluids regularly to prevent a breakdown as there has been no warning. *tr

Second radiator in 2006 ford explorer, first one was at 32000 miles. i have seen over 100 complaints but yet no recall from ford. the first was covered under the new warranty. i was fortunate to have purchased a new service warranty when that one expired, now at 92,000 miles the radiator completely drained causing the motor head gasket to blow. it is currently at the dealer getting a new motor and radiator. *tr