Overview & Reviews
Ford treats the Explorer to a number of significant improvements for 2006. Styling has been updated with a bolder grille treatment, a new tailgate and more attractive taillights. Interior furnishings get an upgrade, too, and additional sound insulation results in a supremely quiet cabin, while a stiffened frame and new shocks provide even better ride and handling characteristics than before. Ford tweaked the 4.0-liter V6 to cut smog-forming emissions by 74 percent and a new three-valve 4.6-liter V8 replaces last year's two-valve version. A six-speed automatic transmission is also new, and comes standard with the V8 engine. Trim levels are simplified, and front-seat side airbags, AdvanceTrac stability control and Roll Stability Control are now standard on all Explorers.
- Excellent ride and handling characteristics for a truck-based SUV, strong optional V8, comfortable and quiet interior with user-friendly layout, standard Roll Stability Control.
- Low resale value, lousy fuel economy.
User Reviews:
Showing 11 through 20 of 179.00-
06 Explorer problems - 2006 Ford Explorer
By corgimom1 - October 5 - 6:24 amI purchased my Explorer used from CarMax over 2 years ago. The clear coat is peeling around the front head lights. The parking brake handle (plastic) broke and the cost to fix is $400.00. Lucky for me, I have an extended warranty from CarMax. The drivers leather seat is cracking. The passenger seat has ripped on the seam. The rear seat holders are split on both ends. Due to ethanol in gas, miles per gallon are poor.
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You guessed it.... radiator issues - 2006 Ford Explorer
By ddau - July 4 - 10:21 pmBought my 2006 XLT used in 2006 with 7K miles. Still have it and now have 87K. I replaced the radiator at 25K, 49K, and 69K. All were covered by factory or extended warranties. I live in CO and when I am up in the mountains going up hill with the car full of family, the transmission will literally shake the car when up shifting into 3rd or 4th gear. Its one of those problems you cant replicate for the dealership though. The drivers side stablizer link just broke and will be replacing this weekend. Outside of the radiator and stabilizer link, I have had no other problems with it.
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Buyer Beware - 2006 Ford Explorer
By grayquiksilver - April 5 - 2:34 pmExperienced many of the quality issues others are describing around the radiator and transmission. All under 75k and only 5 years old. Recently traded it in and do not regret it. Fun to drive but way too expensive to keep on the road long term.
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2006 radiator/trans issues - 2006 Ford Explorer
By jrob120 - March 24 - 3:42 pmIm reluctant to write this review but after the heartache and expensive repairs...Im compelled to share. Ive been a proud fan of the Ford brand for years...and have even sold Ford/Lincoln/Mercurys for two years. With that confidence I purchased a 2006 4x4 Eddie Explorer. Since then Ive replaced the radiator twice and now the trans is slipping in drive and reverse. The radiator continues to leak and now the trans drips slowly. Theres no place to add trans fluid...must be done at an OEM shop. I cant continue to drive this vehicle. I have a teen driver and will not let her drive this truck for the sincere concern over her safety. Ford do the right thing and recall. Thanks!
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Great SUV - 2006 Ford Explorer
By mj9011 - February 20 - 3:06 pmIm not sure why all these other people are claiming to have problems because I have never had a single problem! I have owned the car since new and now has 80,000 miles and still runs like new! I will probly have this SUV for a whole lot longer and when I eventually have to get a new car I will absolutely buy Ford again! If you think that cars will never have problems then you are not thinking right. EVERY car will need repairs in its lifetime. THere is no perfect car however I think this explorer is pretty close to perfect.
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The Achilles Heel of the 2006 explorer (Radiator & Transmission) - 2006 Ford Explorer
By sr_engineer42 - January 3 - 3:50 pmI purchased my 2006 explorer in 2007 with 19k miles... It looks sharp and performs very well in traffic and on the interstate. Has a sport car feel imo.. however, the radiator started to leak,, then stopped for some time (seems to leak more in the colder months, not at all in the summer months) this happed at about 100k miles. I have also replace both front (wheel hubs), and the CD player. you can purchase an aftermarket radiator on-line for about $125.. much cheaper than the ford one for about 500.. The other design flaw is the Transmission.. I noticed that now 3rd gear was very shaky.. in the shift... hense the tranny is going .. .. at that point I traded the Ford for a GMC.
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4 radiators - 2006 Ford Explorer
By cobra10181 - November 30 - 6:08 pmOK, I feel your pain. The problem with the 06-07 V6 Eddie Bauer edition is the lower brackets that the radiator sits in. They are 1/4 "to far forward, this puts the radiator in a bind. After thermal expansion and contraction the the welds in the core give up. This causes a ever so slight leak in the core. Hard to find at first , but eventually becomes much larger. You lose enough coolant to cause a over heating problem which is hard to detect because the coolant level is dropping ever so slightly. The temperature of the engine is rising at the same rate, along with the transmission, remember the trans is cooled through the same radiator. hot motor, hot trans lube breaks down.
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Unbelievable - 2006 Ford Explorer
By stobias - October 25 - 6:50 pm6 radiators Ladies and Gents. You read that correctly - 6 radiators. Averaging about 1 radiator for every 20K miles. I brought a 2006 Explorer for my 16 year old son in 2008 - only had 26K miles on it. We have replaced the radiator 6 times since purchase at $700 a pop. This vehicle is so unreliable that it now sits in my driveway, I cant trust it to be a reliable vehicle for my son, who is now 2 hours away at college. Huge mistake on my part for buying it, huge mistake on Fords part for not recalling it. BTW, tranny jerks when you shift into reverse.
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I guess I am not alone - 2006 Ford Explorer
By danakay - September 8 - 11:58 amI went online today to look at transmission costs for my 2006 Explorer and I found this review. I am sitting here feeling a little screwed over right now. I bought the car with less than 20.000 miles on it because I loved my old Expedition which had over 200,000 miles on it. I had no problems with it other than replacing a transmission around 160,000 to be expected. Now,with my Explorer I have had to buy a new radiator (under 100,000 miles), replace a transfer case (under 100,000 miles), and now my transmission is out(120,000). Sadly, these look like common problems. Sorry to say, this is my third Ford and my last one.
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5 stars for me - 2006 Ford Explorer
By tempist1 - July 25 - 1:22 pmI bought this explorer awhile ago and put a lot of miles on it. I have never had a problem with it at all. I always get the regular oil changes, brakes etc. I have had Chryslers and gm vehicles that are completely worthless but so far with all of the Ford products I have purchased, I have been very lucky. This Explorer is great for everything from handling to pulling. Maybe some of the others out there may have been a bad batch or something. So far so good. All 5 Fords that I have owned I have taken over 100,000 miles with no problems at all and I hope this explorer will be the same. I will write another review if its not.
