Two problems related to hood hinge have been reported for the 1996 Ford Explorer. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
I had opened my hood to check the fluid levels and the two gas supports that hold it up failed and the hood almost hit me in the head. Had I not been paying attention it would have came down on my head and caused serious injury.
Lifted the hood of the truck and the supports failed. The hood almost came down on my head.