Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Ford Explorer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
MY WIFE AND I ARE SCARED TO DRIVE OUR 96 EXPLORER ONCE WE LEARNED OF ALL THE RECALLS ( REAR SIDE GLASS, BAD SUSPENSION, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, HEADLIGHTS.) JUST TO NAME A FEW I KNOW OF. *TR
THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH OPERATING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND TURN SIGNALS FAILS, RESULTING IN TURN SIGNAL STAYING IN THE ON POSITION AND RESULTS IN WIRE SHORTAGE INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN, CAUSING ELECTRICAL SMOKE TO COME OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. HAD I NOT MANUALLY PUSHED THE SWITCH OFF, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN FIRE WITHIN SECONDS. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED TWICE IN THE SAME VEHICLE. THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED THE FIRST TIME, IN 2006. THAT SWITCH ALSO FAILED, BUT I WAS TOLD THE PART WAS ONLY UNDER WARRANTY FOR 12/12, SO I CANNOT HAVE IT REPLACED FOR FREE. SINCE IT IS FAULTY, (NOT CAUSED BY THE DRIVER) AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD THAT COULD LEAD TO INJURY OR DEATH, I BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO RAISE AWARENESS AND GET THIS HANDLED IMMEDIATELY. *TR
THE SIDE REAR TAIL LIGHT IS BROKEN. *SLC
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY ABOUT 70MPH AND THEN SHE FELT VIBRATION, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN TREAD CAME OFF OF THE TIRES AND DAMAGED VEHICLE. ALSO, TAIL LIGHT WAS BROKEN, AS WELL AS FENDER WELL AND THE BUMPER. THE ORIGINAL ATW TIRES WERE ON THIS VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD THEM REPLACED. *AK
BOTH REAR DOOR CHILD SAFETY LOCKS DO NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE. YH
HEAT FROM HEADLAMP BURNS TOP PORTION OF ASSEMBLY CAUSING A CRACK WHICH ALLOWS WATER TO SEEP IN AND BURN OUT BULB. HEAT SHIELD DOES NOT APPEAR TO ADEQUATELY COVER THE AFFECTED AREA.
HEAD LAMPS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. NLM
COMPARTMENT LAMP LIGHT BULB FAILED TWICE.
TAIL LIGHTS INOPERATIVE.
FOG LIGHT HOUSING BROKE.
HEADLIGHTS INOPERATIVE, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.
WHILE USING HEADLIGHTS EARLY MORNING IN MOTION, LIGHTS COMPLETELY WENT OUT. ROPER AUTO SALES FOUND NOTHING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .