2006 Ford Explorer Transmission & Power Train Problems

NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN · data through 07/12/2026

174Power Train complaints

27.6%Of all 630 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How power train ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN174 · 27.6%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION114 · 18.1%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM75 · 11.9%

ENGINE58 · 9.2%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING55 · 8.7%

Share of the 630 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2006 Ford Explorer overview page.

What owners report

“THE SHIFT HANDLE FREQUENTLY IS "STUCK" WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO GEAR FROM THE PARK POSITION.”NHTSA complaint 10253655 — filed 01/03/2009

“APPARENT TRANSMISSION PROBLEM LEAD TO DISCOVERY OF BLOWN RADIATOR.”NHTSA complaint 10250257 — filed 12/01/2008

“I OWN A 2006 FORD FREESTYLE . ON 7/7/08, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHEN I PUT IT IN GEAR (REVERSE) TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING…”NHTSA complaint 10234181 — filed 07/14/2008

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Power Train complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2006 Ford Explorer have transmission & power train problems?

Power Train is the most-reported problem area on the 2006 Ford Explorer: 174 of 630 complaints on file (27.6%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2006 Ford Explorer have in total?

630 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 13 involved a crash, 7 involved a fire, 12 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's power train category include?

NHTSA groups complaints about the transmission (automatic or manual), driveline, axles, transfer case and related parts under a single component category called POWER TRAIN. This page reports that category as NHTSA defines it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.