2006 Ford Explorer Body & structure Problems

MY 2006 FORD EXPLORER WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. AT 4:30 IN THE MORNING IT ROLLED BACKWARDS OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND CRASHED INTO A FENCE ACROSS THE STREET. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN PARK AND THE DOORS WERE LOCKED. MY NEIGHBORS HEARD THE CRASH, LOOKED OUT THEIR WINDOW AND RAN OUTSIDE. A CHAIN LINK FENCE AND VERY SMALL CONCRETE WALL STOPPED THE VEHICLE. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONE OUTSIDE OR ANY OTHER CARS. THERE IS SIGNIFICANT BODY DAMAGE TO MY EXPLORER AND THE LEFT REAR WHEEL IS PUSHED OUT. HOW DOES A VEHICLE ROLL ACROSS THE STREET WHILE IN PARK? EVEN IF THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, SHOULDN'T THIS BE SOMETHING FORD WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR? *TR

NHTSA ID

10595843

Incident

Jun 3, 2014

Mileage

126,000 mi

THIS HAPPENED TO OUR 2006 FORD EXPLORER (EDDIE BAUER EDITION, V8 4WD). THE REAR LIFTGATE GLASS EXPLODED INTO A MILLION TINY PIECES WITH NO EVIDENCE OF EXTERNAL TRAUMA. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOVE FREEZING (LOW 40S) AND IT WAS NOT IN THE SUN. APPROXIMATELY HALF THE GLASS WAS SCATTERED ACROSS THE DRIVEWAY - 10+ FEET AWAY. THE REST OF THE GLASS WAS IN THE BACK OF THE SUV. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS AROUND WHEN THIS HAPPENED - AND WE WERE NOT DRIVING THE CAR AT THE TIME. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY TO A BYSTANDER - OR AN ACCIDENT AS I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MUCH THAT WOULD ALARM THE DRIVER. I WILL BE CLEANING GLASS BITS FROM THE DRIVEWAY AND BACK OF THE SUV FOR A LONG TIME TO COME! AT LEAST IT IS NOT TOO WARM OUT SO NO IS TEMPTED TO WALK BAREFOOT ON THE DRIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10578125

Incident

Apr 6, 2014

Mileage

107,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE LIFT GATE OPENS ON IT'S OWN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10464505

Incident

Jun 11, 2012

Mileage

64,000 mi

WAS DRIVING WHEN TILT GATE GLASS AJAR WARNING CAME ON, AT THE SAME TIME HEARD A WHISTLING NOISE. UPON STOPPING NOTICED THE LIFT GATE WAS AJAR WITH AND AWAY FROM THE HATCH BY SEVERAL INCHES. TIED TO CLOSE IT AND IT DID NOT CLOSE PROPERLY UPON INSPECTION THE HINGE WAS BROKE THAT HOLDS THE GLASS TO THE VEHICLE. MANAGED TO GET THE GLASS SOMEWHAT BACK IN PLACE AND DROVE GINGERLY HOME ALL WHILE THE LIFT GATE AJAR LIGHT WAS ON. THERE IS A LOT OF WHITE RESIDUE PACKED IN PART OF THE HINGE NOT KNOWN IF IT IS ROAD SALT OR NOT AND THE HINGE HAS A CRACK WHERE IT SEPARATED. MY CONCERN IS THE FAILURE IS RELATED TO SALT AND FREEZING AND THAWING, AND IF THAT IS THE CASE HOW LONG BEFORE THE OTHER ONE FAILS... ALSO IF DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH WINDOWS OPENED COULD IT HAVE CAUSED THE GLASS TO SHATTER SCARING THE DRIVER OF OTHER TRAFFIC CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD ABOUT IT IN CASE THEY WANTED TO SEE IT AND GOT THE NORMAL BASIC REPLY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND BASICALLY WE DON'T' CARE AT THIS TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10445609

Incident

Jan 24, 2012

I BOUGHT A 2006 FORD XLT EXPLORER WITH APX. 17,000 MILES. I HAD IT FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS IT HAD ABOUT 19,000 MILES. I DRIVE IT ABOUT 100 MILES TO A CONVENTION AND BY THE TIME I GOT THERE AND PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT THE VEHICLE STARTED SHIFTING HARD, JERKING AND LUNGING. IT WAS MAKING A LOUD BANGING SOUND AND FELT LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING TO FALL OUT. I TOOK IT TO FORD, THEY DID SOME WORK ON THE TRANSFER CASE AND REPLACED A MODULE. ABOUT A MONTH AND A THOUSAND MILES LATER, IT STARTED DOING IT AGAIN. TOOK IT BACK TO FORD AND THEY DID SOME MORE WORK. THE SHIFTER LEVER WAS REPLACED. LATER IT STARTED DOING IT AGAIN. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK SEVERAL TIMES AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO HAVE THE PROBLEM. IT DOESN'T DO IT EVERY DAY BUT DOES DO IT SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK, SOME DAYS ARE WORSE THAN OTHERS. AS TIME GOES BY IT SEEMS TO GET WORSE AND HAPPEN MORE OFTEN. SOMETIME WHEN I PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE THERE IS A DELAY TO ENGAGE AND ONE MORNING IT CAUSE ME TO BACK INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT ALSO HAS A CRACKED RUNNING BOARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10299683

Incident

Mar 5, 2008

Mileage

19,200 mi

SINCE 11/08, WE NOTICED THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE LIGHT WOULD LEAK WATER AFTER VARIOUS RAINFALLS. ON 12/1/08 WE TOOK THE SUV TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE OF THIS MATTER. IT WAS RELEASED TO US ON 12/3/08. THE CORRECTION WAS: INSTALLED UPDATED DRAIN TUBES, AS PER 07-20-6. ON 3/2/09 WE BROUGHT THE SUV TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE, FOR THE SAME - OVERHEAD CONSOLE, DOME LAMP LEAKING, & FULL OF WATER, AND ROOF (HEADLINER) ABOVE REAR SEAT ON DRIVER'S SIDE LEAKING AND SOAKED WITH WATER AFTER VARIOUS RAINFALLS. THE CORRECTION THIS SECOND TIME WAS: CLEARED DRAINS. ON 3/30/09 WE BROUGHT THE SUV IN FOR SERVICE AGAIN. IT HAD RAINED THROUGH THE NIGHT, AND THE MORNING OF 3/29/09. THE DOME CONSOLE LIGHTS WERE LEAKING & HAD WATER INSIDE, THE ROOF HEADLINER ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WAS SOAKED & LEAKING WATER WELL INTO THE TRUNK AREA, AND THE RIGHT SIDE REAR BEHIND THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS SOAKED & LEAKING WATER WELL INTO THE TRUNK AREA AS WELL. WE RECEIVED A PHONECALL FROM THE TECHNICIAN ON 3/31/09, STATING THAT NO LEAKS HAD BEEN FOUND, NO WATER STAINS VISIBLE. WE WENT IN TO SPEAK WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT EVENING, AND SHOWED THE PICTURES TAKEN BY US ON 3/29/09 - SHOWING EXTENSIVE WATER LEAKAGE. THEY KEPT THE SUV TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE FOR LEAKS. ON 4/2/09 WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE TECHNICIAN, STATING THE DRAINS WOULD BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THESE EVENTS IS THAT I AM AFRAID TO ALLOW THE CHILDREN TO TURN ON THE DVD PLAYER, SUNROOF, & EVEN FEAR OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD/ELECTRICAL SAFETY ISSUES. MY HUSBAND HAS LOST DAYS @ WORK WHILE THE TRUCK IS IN SERVICE. MY ASTHMATIC CHILD HAS NOT FELT WELL FOR MONTHS NOW, WHICH LEADS US TO SUSPECT IF DUE TO THE LEAKAGE, THUS WETNESS, IF MOLD IS PRESENT SOMEWHERE IN THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE DRIVER HEATED SEAT HAS NOT WORKED SINCE 12/09, WHICH LEADS US TO SUSPECT IF THE WATER DAMAGE HAS STARTED CAUSING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10264014

Incident

Nov 25, 2008

Mileage

30,600 mi

VEHICLE ACCIDENT TWO OCCUPANTS BOTH HAD SEATBELTS ON, BOTH HAD AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND BOTH STILL STRUCK WINDSHIELD. ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN NOVEMBER AND AS OF MAY ONE OCCUPANT IS STILL REMOVING GLASS FROM ARMS AND LEGS. FORD WILL NOT RESPOND TO E-MAILS REQUESTING WHY SEATBELT AND AIRBAGS DID NOT PREVENT OCCUPANTS FROM STRIKING WINDSHIELD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10227772

Incident

Nov 20, 2007

Mileage

16,000 mi

HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS STARTING WITH A LIFTER STUCK IN MOTOR AT 296 MILES, TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 15,700 MILES. BRAKES HAVE SQUEAKED SINCE IT WAS NEW, OVERHEAD CONSOLE HAS FALLEN OFF TWICE, SATELLITE RADIO WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO. DOOR RUBBED ON RUNNING BOARD, NOW GAS MILEAGE HAS DROPPED UNDER 10 MILES PER GALLON. 14 TRIPS TO DEALERSHIP SO FAR AND STILL NOT ALL IS FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10213279

Incident

Dec 15, 2007

Mileage

296 mi

TL*- THE CONTACT BOUGHT THE 2006 FORD EXPLORER SOMETIMES DURING THE END ON JANUARY 2007 AND IT HAS HAD EXCESSIVE RUST UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT, THE PASSENGER'S SEAT, AND THE STEERING COLUMN , ALSO IT LEAKED WHEN RAINING FROM THE WINDSHIELD AND OVERHEAD LIGHT. THE ENTIRE TRUCK GOT WET. THE TRUCK SHOOK BADLY ,AND THE TIRE LIGHT TURNED ON BECAUSE OF THE SHAKING. THE DEALER STATED THIS WAS TYPICAL OF THIS TYPE TRUCKS TO HAVE ALL THIS RUST ON THEM, AND THEY WILL NOT TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM OR TAKE IT BACK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20190, AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 21000.*AK

NHTSA ID

10183583

Incident

Jan 7, 2007

Mileage

20,190 mi

FUEL LEVEL AND ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGES ARE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO READ IN DAYLIGHT, REQUIRING A DRIVER TO TAKE HIS/HER EYES FROM THE ROAD FOR AN EXCESSIVE PERIOD OF TIME. THIS CREATES A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHILE DRIVING A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10155075

Incident

Mar 13, 2006

Mileage

5 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE IS A SEVERE WINDSHIELD GLARE COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONS PROPERLY. UPDATED 5/10/2006 - THE DASHBOARD REFLECTED ONTO THE WINDSHIELD AND COVERED ABOUT 70% OF THE WINDSHIELD. *NM

NHTSA ID

10155068

Incident

Apr 11, 2006

Mileage

1 mi