Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
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 purchased this Explorer the first year that the v-8 was available. The exhaust manifold fractured 4 times during the 12 years that I had the vehicle. The part cost over $300 and was on "national backorder" for over a year, so I had my nephew (certified welder) weld the piece together and reinstalled by an auto mechanic. My nephew stated that when you have "pot-metal" welded to steel, it will always fracture, so this part was never manufactured correctly. Ford denied my request for reimbursement, even after the 3rd time it fractured (persistent problem?) it released fumes into the car through the vents and floorboards. …
15 minutes after parking the vehicle and getting off the vehicle caught onfire under the hood in the drivers side. The fire expanded quickly caught drivers side front tire and moved on to the entire motor before the firefighters came and stopped the fire.
I have researched and found numerous complaints about blown or leaking head gaskets on the 1996 Ford Explorer, and that is my complaint is.I have a 1996 Ford Explorer xlt with 66,000 miles is gararged year round and is maintained regularly and is only driven by my wife localy back and forth to work approximatly 10-20 miles a day I feel that there is no way I should have both head gaskets leaking coolant with realitivly low mileage for the year.there is definatly a problem here and feel that this needs to be investigated further by Ford, I was also speaking with a gentleman at a local auto parts store (where I work part time ) and he is having the same problem with his 1998 Ford Explorer xlt, both engies involved are the 4.0 v6. …
I own a 1996 Ford Explorer sport 4x4, 4.0 liter v6 with 5 speed manual transmission. This is a motor made in Germany and the truck, in the louisville, ky. Ford plant. Rodents took up residence in the heating system, and filled the heater blower assembly and ducting with scavenged materials, which took up approx. 1 cubic foot of space, once extracted. Much to my benefit, the material just so happened to be fire resistant stuffing from my archery target, stored in the same building. I started my vehicle and immediately upon turning on the heater, I heard a terrible noise which ended abruptly. My heater stopped when the noise stopped. In an effort to diagnose the problem I inspected the engine compartment. I then noticed a burnt smell, but saw no smoke. …
While driving at any speed and without warning, the engine shut off, which caused the consumer to pull over. Dealer had been notified. The lower engine locked, the power steering leaked at the rack assembly, the belt tensioner was faulty and there was a whining noise from the power steering when turning left, right or at stand still.
1996 Explorer, has been a great vehicle. Started loosing power and shifting down and strange times. Then the o/d fail light started to flash. I understand this is a common failure and Ford knows about it but refuses to acknowledge the fact or accept responsibility. They need to recall these transmissions.
Continuous issues with the pcv/EGR since vehicle purchase in 1998. Spent over $1200 attempting to resolve the problem. Both independent and dealer mechanics have been involved with no success. The CEL light has been on for over three years now because I no longer wished to spend money diagnosing this problem.
I had to replace the intake manifold of the 1996 Ford Explorer at mile number 163400 on March 30, 2007. It was leaking at #1 cylinder. There was a 'ecret warranty' in effect. I beleived for Explorer's 10 years old and younger. Mine was just over the 10 year mark.
While traveling at various speeds (5 MPH - 75 MPH), the engine stalls without warning for approximately 5-10 seconds and then either resumes operation on its own, or must be restarted while coasting in neutral. Sometimes the engine will restart easily, but sometimes it turns over several times before restarting. Obviously this has created some extremely dangerous situations for myself and my family. Losing power assisted functions (steering, braking) at high speeds has left me with little control of the vehicle on several occasions. I have had this problem investigated twice at a Ford dealership but they have been unable to find a problem. They also installed a flight recorder on the vehicle to monitor the error codes when the problem happened but were unable to fnd anything conclusive. …
When driving my 1996 Explorer at 50 MPH on a highway I heard a loud click and lost all power. I managed to steer the car to the side of the road. The car cranked but would not turn over. My mechanic towed the car and upon examining the car found that the crankshaft was broken. He felt that my Explorer's crankshaft has a definite manufacturing defect since the car mileage is only 28000miles. He urged me to contact tower Ford where I purchased the Explorer. Tower Ford advised me that they would not pay anything toward the repair of my vehicle since the warranty had expired. I am frustrated. I was lucky that I was able to escape injury on the highway and now I have a vehicle with only 28000miles with a broken crankshaft -with no help from Ford. I believe that the crankshaft in my Explorer has a definite manufacturing defect and Ford needs to be investigated.
Engine complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 1996 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 83 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 1996 Ford Explorer, 6% of the model year's 1,450 complaints. The component named most often is engine › gasoline (28 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1996 Ford Explorer engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling 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 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 8 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling 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.