2006 Ford Explorer: sudden loss of power

Filed Jul 6, 2017 · Driver assistance, Engine · 120,000 miles · CO

The car was sold with limited warranty, used, but had written cold start issue. The vehicle gets warm if warm outside and will just completely shut off anywhere at anytime. Riding down interstate, will lose power then shut off and leave you with no power steering to control vehicle going high speeds, will shut off in town multiple times upward of a dozen or more times while driving, 1st shop sent to said couldn't find issue second they sent me too said computer needed replacing. Either way I never would have purchased it without it being done had u known, my fiance is small and no way she could handle the vehicle if shutting down while driving. Its very dangerous and is going to get someone killed if not repaired and looked into more closely.

Filed Mar 5, 2017 · Transmission · MO

Transmission occasionally lurches and makes very hard shifts between gears. Engine races between hard shifts. Have loss of power between shifts which has almost resulted in causing an accident. Lurching seems to occur mostly after driving at 20 to 30 miles per hour for at least 20 minutes.

Filed Sep 8, 2016 · Engine · 109,000 miles · FL

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 ford explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced a complete loss of power. In addition, the contact noticed steam coming from the vehicle. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the compressor failed and the check engine indicator was disabled. As a result, the electronic control module caused the vehicle to malfunction. The compressor was replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

Filed Mar 8, 2014 · Acceleration, Engine · 80,000 miles · FL

While traveling on the highway the vehicle suddenly lost power as if it stalled. Engine was running but vehicle had no power. Vehicle had to be turned off and restarted to regain power. Always feared being rear ended or stalling on railroad tracks. Dealer determined it was electronic throttle control and replaced it. The vehicle has not had this malfunction since the repair about 18 months ago.

Filed Jul 14, 2012 · Engine · 554,000 miles · SC

Engine lost power and began vibrating. Engine driven to dealership and engine light came on. Dealership states "seized" spark plug but because part is defective wants to replace all eight plugs. Unable to quote cost as plugs are known to break off during removal. Plug replacement recommended orginally to be 100000 now dropped to 60,000. Service writer stated "you must have had someone messing with your spark plugs". Told him no one has serviced my car but his dealership. Special tool designed by ford to remove these plugs. Cost cannot be quoted ($946 for one plug changeout plus full service fuel service prior to removal to "loosen" up carbon buildup which they say causes the problem with plug breakage) but cost runs into thousands of dollars and shavings from reboring the plugs for replacement of different design plug can cause engine to be damaged. Car purchased new in 2006. Only driver. Only dealer serviced. This is a terrible problem.

Filed Nov 4, 2011 · Transmission · 80,000 miles · TX

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 ford explorer. The contact stated when the vehicle gear was placed into reverse the gear engaged with force, and the vehicle also lost power. The failure was experienced several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but a diagnosed was not performed. The dealer did not replace any parts. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN information was not available. The failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was not available.

Filed Sep 9, 2010 · Engine · 54,129 miles · NC

Vehicle just cut off one day while driving, lost power, wrench light came on. Cut the vehicle off and start it up and off you go. This problem occurs over the next year, about 2 to 3 times a month. Have taken the vehicle to the dealer, they said there was nothing they could do because the engine light was not on. Finally after several more months of the same problem happening the engine light comes on and stays on. Take it back to the dealer and give some more money to them, just for them to come to the conclusion that the throttle body needs to be replaced, and that I have a small leak in the radiator. I do not have the money to get the repairs done. I'm already making payments every month for a vehicle that won't work right. I take care of my vehicle and get all the services done on time. Currently I have close to 80,000 miles on my explorer. I have been reading that plenty of other people have experienced both the throttle body and radiator going bad, I have read that it is a known problem for the radiator and throttle body to go bad. Ford you need to recall this, and own up to this issue. Long story short this will be the last ford I purchase, and I'm thinking about getting rid of this one as quick as possible.

Filed Aug 15, 2010 · Transmission · 40,000 miles · NC

2006 ford explorer place the vehicle in reverse a very hard jerk is felt. Today driving to work and felt as if I lost power and then just as suddenly regained power and the warning light came on for powertrain issue.

Filed Jul 22, 2009 · Transmission · 50,000 miles · MO

Bought a 2006 explorer in dec. 06 and have since noticed several problems with it. The most concerning is when the car lunges/jerks forward when shifting from park/reverse to drive. It is now also starting to show a loss of power when shifting through gears as the engine revs but goes no where. I have taken it to the dealer for the lungin/jerking and they told me they could not feel it. It happens sporadically so this does not surprise me. I have recently been noticing this revving and loss of power when shifting gears (it's an automatic). I have taken it to two mechanics both of with agreed that the revving noise is coming from the fan clutch, not sure what this is, but could not diagnose the loss of power. I'm sure that this a transmission problem, after reading the hundreds of complaints on www.carcomplaints.com. It appears at this time that the only thing that has been offered to the customer like me, is reprogram the computer which runs $150. This reprogram seems to help only sometimes. The alternative would be to replace the entire transmission which is very costly and funding is not easy to come by these days.

Filed Feb 19, 2008 · 48,000 miles · FL

Tl*the contact owns a 2006 ford explorer. While driving at an unknown speed, the contact accidentally struck the safety valve switch with his foot. The switch is located directly underneath the firewall near the glove box. Minutes later, the vehicle lost all power and shut off. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they replaced the entire component. The switch is easily accessible to his foot, which may cause him to accidentally strike it without knowing. The contact filed a formal complaint with the manufacturer. The current and failure mileages were 48,000. Updated 03-04-08

Filed Nov 5, 2007 · Engine · 3,000 miles · NC

We have taken our 2006 ford explorer with just over 20,000 miles on it into the shop 3 times due to intermittent lose of power when starting out. The computer software has been reloaded 2 times. The last time I took it in I told the dealer to keep it until it was fixed. After 2 days they said they could find anything wrong but believed there was a problem. Ford then asked us to drive a unsafe car to trouble shoot it for them with a flight recorder hooked up to the computer. Ford care and the dealer are both not willing to call back and fix the car.