RoadVitals

2006 Ford Explorer Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Nov 29, 2018
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
1%
of 630 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Ford Explorer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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.

Owner reports naming airbag

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Airbags
Filed Nov 29, 2018

MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I STOPPED TO HAVE THE PARTS STORE GET THE CODES IT WAS THROWING OUT. TWO OF THE CODES HAVE TO DO WITH THE AIR BAG HAVING A MALFUNCTION IN THE SYSTEM. NEED TO KNOW IF THIS IS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE. I HAVE KIDS THAT RIDE IN THE VEHICLE SO TRYING TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS. THE CODES ARE B1884 AND B2290.

NHTSA ID
11154863
Incident
Nov 29, 2018
Mileage
175,757 mi
AirbagsElectrical
Filed Sep 22, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, WHICH INDICATED THAT IT WAS DEACTIVATED EVEN WHEN A PASSENGER WAS IN THE FRONT SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,522.

NHTSA ID
10908718
Incident
Aug 22, 2016
Mileage
107,522 mi
AirbagsInterior & seats
Filed Jul 26, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED; HOWEVER, THE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000. UPDATED 11/29/16*LJ

NHTSA ID
10888640
Incident
Jun 3, 2016
Mileage
103,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 4, 2015

THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS STARTING TO MELT -VERY STICKY TO TOUCH.

NHTSA ID
10788228
Incident
Feb 15, 2015
Mileage
64,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Apr 13, 2015

NHTSA CASE # [XXX] JUST KNOW I REALIZE WHAT IS THE PROBLEM; IT IS RELATED WITH WEATHER TEMPERATURE. BEGINNING WINTER THE AIRBAG SOMETIMES LIT.. WHEN TEMPERATURE DROPPED, LIT CONTINUOUS, SO, I REPORTED FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP. (AT THAT TIME I HAD NO IDEA THAT THE FAILURE WAS LINKED TO TEMPERATURE}. WHEN TEMPERATURE BEGAN INCREASING, AGAIN AIRBAG LIT SOMETIMES. NOW THAT WEATHER IS GOOD, THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS NORMAL OK. MY CAR'S AIRBAG IS AT RISK AT LOW TEMPERATURES. HOW THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, I WANT FORD FIX IT. THANKS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10705483
Incident
Feb 9, 2015
Mileage
100,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jun 24, 2014

AT START UP IN COLD WEATHER THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT GLOWED ON DASH AND STAYED ON UNTIL NEXT START UP WHEN ENGINE WAS WARM IT HAPPENED A LOT BUT IS FINE IN WARM WEATHER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10605549
Incident
Dec 20, 2013
Mileage
97,570 mi
AirbagsSteering
Filed Jun 4, 2014
Crash reported1 injury reported

I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PARKING MY 2006 FORD EXPLORER XLT, PULLING VERY SLOWLY INTO MY PARKING SPOT, WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED ROARING, IT LUNGED, HIT A PARKING CURB AND THEN THRUST INTO A CONCRETE PILLAR IN A PARKING GARAGE. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND ENGINE DIED. MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALED! I RECEIVED BURNS FROM THE AIR BAG CHEMICALS ON BOTH OF MY HANDS. I'M STILL SHAKEN UP ABOUT IT. NECK IS SORE AND LOWER BACK HURTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10596027
Incident
May 13, 2014
Mileage
106,000 mi
AirbagsElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 4, 2012

THE AIR BAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT AND WRENCH LIGHT BOTH LITE UP ON THE DASH. THE CAR APPEARED TO BE RUNNING STRANGE, SHIFTING HARD. AFTER TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD NOT RESTART FOR APPROX 20 MINUTES. IT WOULD RUN FINE FOR A DAY OR SO THEN THE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON AGAIN. TOOK THE CAR TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP, THEY DROVE IT FOR APPROX 23 MILES AND THE LIGHTS WOULDN'T COME ON. THE BATTERY TESTED LOW SO THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY. WHEN TEST DRIVING AFTER THE BATTERY REPLACEMENT THE WRENCH LIGHT AND AIRBAG LIGHT FINALLY CAME ON. THEY TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND IT WOULDN'T START. AFTER WAITING 15 MINUTES TO AN HOUR IT WOULD START BUT THE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON AGAIN AND ONCE AGAIN AFTER TURNING IT OFF IT WOULDN'T RESTART. THEY CHARGED ME AN ADDITIONAL $759 TO FIX THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (AFTER AROUND $300 FOR THE BATTERY AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTING). VERY FRUSTRATING - MY 2006 ONLY HAS 47K MILES AND IS RARELY DRIVEN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10442461
Incident
Jan 4, 2012
Mileage
47,422 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .