Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1996 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving my Ford Explorer and my tire on the driver frontside went out and my steering wheel locked up on me and then my vehicle hit the curve and flipped over 15 or 16 times before it stopped I was feeling all over the road I had my set belt on but my air bags never came out and I was only going 25 or 30 and I was on a city street turning into the next lane when the tire went out and my vehicle flipped yes police account report #170042354 I'm not sure what happened I was in shock that it happened so quickly and I was happy to be a live my Ford Explorer is totally destroyed.
While driving 70 MPH rear right tire tread separated, causing the vehicle to hit a pole and roll once. Vehicle landed upside down on an embankment. Upon impact, airbags did not deploy. Driver sustained minor injuries.
On October 21, 1998 I was involved in an automoble accident. A Ford taurus pulled out of a parking lot (from a complete stop) directly into my path. I was traveling at 30 MPH and when I applied the brakes I slid directly into the drivers door. Rain had been falling all day(the first rain of the year). Therefore, I do not feel that my Explorer slowed at all, my total skid was between five and ten feet in length. My question/complaint is why did my air bags not deploy? I was wearing my seatbelt, but I still hit the steering wheel. I have been looking on the internet for information on the speed a vehicle has to be traveling in order for the airbag to activate. The national insurance institute web page said the average speed should be between 12-16 MPH. My Explorer has many problems (it's a lemon). This, however, worries me. Would my airbag activate at a higher speed? …
On 09/23/01 my 24yr. Old soninlaw was killed when he lost control and hit a meidian and tree was on two tires then went 30ft thru the air before the Explorer he was driving rolled and threw him out the driver window. He was wearing seat belt which he had had trouble with since purchase failed and he was ejected also his brother in passenger side couldnt get his belt to latch but he was lucky and walked away. The truck was also equipped with airbags on both sides which didnt deploy either. My son in law died that night when he was ejected and the truck landed on half of his face. He left behind a wife and 2sons and a 1 month old daughter. These explorers are death traps please do not purchase one.
Bought Ford Explorer in 1996, new. Filed a complaint with bbb regarding problems. Nothing was achieved. In November of 2002 was in an accident where the vehicle rolled over, my seat belt did not lock, nor did the air bags deploy, which resulted in severe injuries to myself. Broken neck (c-2, tbi tramic brain injury and broken bones. I beleive the failure of the seat belt, roof stability and airbags malfunction caused my injuries. The driver and other occupant received no serious injuries. Nothing was done to correct the failure as you can see in the numerous law suits againist Ford motor co.
Driving 65mph & heard a thumping noise against vehicle. It started to fishtail. Driver lost control. It veered hard to right & hit another vehicle with front , and air bags failed to deploy. Went to right side of road & then flipped & rolled over twice. Vehicle landed on its roof. Left rear tire had its tread peeled completely off. Have the tire & tread. Also have copy of police report. Vehicle registered in texas, but physically located in california. Vehicle was totaled. Firestone, radial atx, p235/75r15 dot vdhl with 46,000 miles on them.
The Ford Explorer was hit on the freeway in the front right section which pushed the car left the car was then broadsided by another car and the front driver sided door flew open it was fortunate that my son had on his seatbelt so he would not be thrown form the car, but with the door flying open his arm, leg or head could have been severily damaged if it had been in the way when the door floew back to close. The air bags did not deploy either, it seems that they would have since the both hits were at speeds of approx. 55 MPH.
The driver of the vehicle was involved in a accident, the vehicle was hit on the rear left side which caused the driver to loose control of the vehicle resulting in it rolling over 3 1/4 times, the passenger was killed and the driver sustained extensive injuries including a broken neck, the consumer believes that the recall 00v-402 for front sway bars May or May not have contributed to the accident and was received after the accident occured, during the accident neither air bags deployed. Nlm
The consumer was traveling when the vehicle was struck in the rear by another vehicle, causing the vehicle to spin around and roll. During the accident, the driver door came open and the driver seat belt came loose. As a result, driver was thrown out of the vehicle. The passenger's seat belt also became loose. The driver died instantly. The passenger suffered serious injuries. The air bags also failed to deploy.(sister on behalf of deceased brother)
Vehicle was going 30-35mph and flipped over driver's seat belt wouldn't unlock, leaving consumer in a upside down position. Consumer used a screw driver to unlatch the seat belt. Dealer and manufacturer were notified. Seat belt part# trw tc077. The air bag also failed during the accident. The cause for losing control of the vehicle was due to the tire which rolled off from the safety rim.
Airbag complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 1996 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 41 complaints about the air bags of the 1996 Ford Explorer, 3% of the model year's 1,450 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (29 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1996 Ford Explorer airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 1996 Ford Explorer, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1996 Ford Explorer airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 165,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 35 crashes, 0 fires and 33 injuries and 3 deaths to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.