Radiator problems of the 2006 Ford Explorer - part 1

Radiator fluid exploded all over engine and floor massive leak . Searched it up on internet and seems this is a common problem with this vehicle . I started vehicle and fluid started going everywhere . I drove maybe 10 feet and shut the car off immediately .

Got 2006 eddie bauer w/98,000, 1 previous owner (mother) all servicing via the same Ford dealer (gene butman), except for a few oil changes from uncle ed's. Late Nov 2016 took it in due to the heat was fluctuating, was told it needed the thermostat and housing replaced (even though it had the radiator replaced a few years earlier), also had brakes & rotors done, the 100,000 mile checkup said all was good. A week later the exhaust flute, etc broke lose, got that repaired & $2,000 later, Friday 2/03/17 wrench light came on, then engine light, vehicle seemed to lunge forward, delay, doesn't engage. . Accelerate, feels like the transmission is hanging and then slams into gear. A thud feeling was also reported by my mother several times in previous years to the dealer, they could not find anything wrong, so she had then document it. Today I am told a transmission is needed, which is a unexpected huge & saddening surprise - in 2012 and 2013 there had already been transmission work on the vehicle. Checked and see all reports about this particular model has occurred on this one, cooling system/radiator/thermostat and housing issues, exhaust issues and now transmission issues -- there are thousands of reports for this exact model and other Explorer and Ford vehicles, all known issues, many explanations why it occurred with this model and that Ford is aware of them and has provided no recalls for any of these serious defective matters, none - especially when each are very dangerous matters. Today I am told, that a new transmission will $5,400, 3 year warranty and a used transmission: $3,600 12 mos or 12,000 miles. Both options are very very expensive. What can NHTSA do, will a recall ever occur? it seems Ford needs to step in and help with these repairs. . Read more...

I bought a 2006 Explorer in 2010 and in 5 years I have had a sensor that's goes inside the transmission replaced, then transmission rebuilted, and the radiator replaced twice. Now that it's paid off leaking coolant again making it run hot. Now it saying check the charging system and stop on me on the freeway and now won't stay started. Thought I was doing everything right with the maintenance of the truck but it keeps breaking down. Also the wrench thing is on and won't stay started even while pressing the gas pedal to the floor all after I just had another sensor replaced. And besides the radiator leaking again that plastic thing they call a thermostat housing may be cracked. I feel I'm spending more money repairing things on this truck in 5 years that most people spend on a new car. If I had seen all the problems this model year was having would have went a different brand.

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.

From July 5th to present my 2006 Ford Explorer truck was toed to the dealership 3 times. Each time it was for the same problem overheating. This has been a constant problem with this car since it was purchased in December 2005. The radiator has been replace twice, the transmission once, the throttle , etc. I have been told that now after the radiator was a replaced and the throttle, etc. At a cost of $2300. 00. The car now needs a new engine and /or gaskets that need replacing. I cannot understand why a car with normal mileage, which was only involved in one minor fender bender. Can need so much major work.

With only 86,000 miles our Ford Explorers transmission has failed once again. When we had 23,000 miles on our vehicle we noticed the transmission was shifting rather hard and took it to the dealer and they found nothing wrong. At 58,000 miles the transmission engagement was so rough that we had to get it repaired. Since the warranty is only up to 36,000 we decided our best bet is to not take it to the dealer. We had the valve body repaired and it ran fine up until now. 86,000 miles and this vehicle is once again at a repair shop having the transmission fully rebuilt. In the time I have owned this vehicle I have paid over $7,000 to keep it running with regular maintenance, tires, radiator repair, brakes and now the third transmission.

I've had multiple problems with this car. First the car shifts hard approx between 10 mph and 20 mph, the car lunges, stalls, then shifts hard into gear. When it first happened, I took the car to a certified mechanic and they did a complete transmission flush. . . The car ran smooth for about 10 days, then it started leaking transmission fluid which resulted in my radiator being ruined. Replaced the radiator and a plug in the transmission. ($1,800) the car then ran fine up this past Sunday. The car as me and my wife were driving home from a 400 mile trip with the ac running, the wrench light came on and the car started lunging and shifting hard again. I exited off the highway and the check engine light came on. . . The car started shifting hard between 2nd and 3rd gear and making a loud clunk noise. Took it to the mechanic and he did another transmission flush on Monday June 16, 2014. . . Two days later and the car still lunges, stalls, and shifts hard. I called Ford and they said because the car is out of warranty, there's nothing they could do. I even asked them because there are so many complaints about the 2006 transmission, they still couldn't help me. The second problem is the car even though in park, it tends to roll down the driveway into the street in the middle of the night/ early morning. . . This happened a couple of times. . . Told Ford about the problem, and because the car is out of warranty there's nothing they could do. . . The last problem is every once and a while the car doesn't shift into reverse. . . Told Ford about the problem and once again, because the car is out of warranty there's nothing they could do. . .

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that when driving approximately 50 mph the temperature gauge started to rise. A few miles down the highway he saw a large cloud of smoke coming from his engine. The contact was able to merged to the side of the road and have the vehicle towed. After diagnosis from the dealer they advised him that the radiator fractured and started to leak onto the engine. As a result, the engine and radiator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure and current mileage was approximately 83,000.

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

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.

First incident occurred in early April 2012: my car was emitting a foul smell and overheating. Upon inspection, it was discovered that my radiator was leaking. I turned my vehicle into Ford and it was replaced. Second incident occurred early-mid oct 2012: my car was jerking and the check engine light came on. It was taken to have the codes checked and it was indicated that I had 2-3 random "miss-fires" to my spark plugs. As this is normally an easy at-home fix, we were able to replace all the spark plugs. The issue with this incident was that in the process of removing the spark plugs, all but one broke in half. This is such a common problem that Ford has designed and sells a specific tool to remove broken spark plugs. Once the tool was purchased, I was able to fix the problem and my car no longer jerked and the check engine light went off. Third incident occurred late Nov 2012: vehicle started jolting and jerking excessively and check engine light came on. Feels like transmission is not engaging gears properly. After much research, I found that this is a common and major safety issue regarding this vehicle. A safety recall needs to be done imminently. Another issue, started in the end of 2011: when going from park to reverse or drive, stick shift will stick and I will have wiggle and pull hard to make it move.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?.

While driving the vehicle, the smell of antifreez 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 milage 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 updated 11/30/11.

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.

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was abnormally leaking fluid. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where a diagnostic was performed. The dealer advised the contact that the radiator plastic failed and caused the radiator crimp to leak. The contact stated that the failure also occurred in 2010 and the radiator was replaced at that time. The dealer advised that the radiator would need to be replaced again. The manufacture was contact and advised that there were no recalls for the radiator. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 74,000 and the current mileage was 114,000.

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.

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!.

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 extrememly 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 fiancing 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!.

November 2009 at 50,000 miles had radiator and water pump replaced under warranty by dealer. March 2010 a recall on the transmission pcm card was installed. Had to notify dealer three times that the transmission was not functioning well, dealer rebuilt transmission. July 2010, 67000 miles the thermostat housing separated and allowed coolant to leak out with no temperature warning resulting in a blown engine. Replaced engine and we are now getting intermittent throttle fault lights along with engine speed input circuit malfunction code p0320.

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 45 mph, the temperature gauge displayed a reading informing her that the engine was over heating. The contact also stated that water was leaking from the engine. An independent mechanic examined the vehicle and stated that the radiator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure recurred approximately eight months later. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Explorer XLT. The contact was driving 60 mph when the engine stalled. The contact noticed a leak coming from the radiator. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they confirmed that there was a hole in the radiator . The manufacturer was not contacted and the vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 71,000 and the current mileage was 82,000.

Tl- the contact owns a 2006 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while traveling approximately 40 mph, there was a loud noise coming from the front end and the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact had already taken the vehicle to an authorized dealer who replaced the radiator twice and 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. Dyd.

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Explorer. While driving at 55 mph, a red service light illuminated and the vehicle suddenly stalled. The contact pulled over and would not restart. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealership where the contact was informed that the radiator failed. The current and failure mileages were approximately 44,000. Updated 07/22/10 the consumer stated the engine and the radiator needed to be replaced. Updated 07/26/10.

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Explorer. The contact was driving at approximately 30 mph when he noticed that the vehicle was not shifting gears properly. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who informed the contact that the radiator was the cause of the failure; the radiator was repaired. The mechanic told the contact that the radiator could be warrantied as there was a similar failure in a technical service bulletin. The contact called the manufacturer who called a local authorized dealership but the dealer stated that the vehicle was not included in any recalls. The failure mileage was 44,071. The current mileage was appproximately 44,200.