NHTSA Complaint #10434240 — 2006 FORD EXPLORER

WE PURCHASED OUR 2006 EXPLORER USED WITH 61,000 IN SUMMER 2009. THE DEALERSHIP DID A COMPLETE INSPECTION AND REPLACED EVERYTHING WE FOUND AS DEFECTIVE OR AS A RECALLED ITEM. THE COOLANT SYSTEM WASN'T ONE OF THESE ISSUES. DROVE VEHICLE ALL SUMMER AND INTO THE FALL WITHOUT ISSUE. BY LATE FALL OF 2009 VEHICLE HAD ANTI-FREEZE LEAK, JUST AFTER THE FIRST FROST IN NE. LOCAL AUTO SERVICE PROVIDOR REPLACED RADIATOR TWICE IN ONE MONTH WITH NAPA PARTS WITHOUT REMEDY AND THEN EVENTUALLY THEY HAD TO REPLACE WITH AN AUTHORIZED FORD RADIATOR TO GET IT NOT TO FAIL. ALSO REPLACED THE WATER PUMP, ALL HOSES, PULLIES, AND FLUID TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE NO OTHER ISSUES. STILL LEAKED BUT MINOR AND FINALLY WAS CORRECTED IN SPRING OF 2010. BY LATE FALL 2010, AGAIN AFTER THE FIRST FROST THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE AGAIN. TOOK IT TO FORD DEALERSHIP THIS TIME WHERE THEY WENT THROUGH THE ENTIRE COOLING SYSTEM AND REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT AND UPPER INTAKE HOUSING THEY SAID WAS LEAKING. THEY ALSO FLUSHED THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AGAIN AND ADDED WHAT THEY DEEMED WAS THE CORRECT ANTIFREEZE FOR THE VEHICLE ASSURING THAT THIS WOULD STOP THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE STILL LEAKED AND WE HAD TO PERIODICALLY TIGHTEN THE HOSE CLAMPS BUT BY SPRING OF 2011 THE LEAK AGAIN STOPPED. JUST BROUGHT VEHICLE BACK TO FORD DEALERSHIP FALL 2011, AGAIN AFTER THE FIRST FROST. WAS TOLD THE NOW 2 YEAR OLD FORD RADIATOR WAS FAILING AT THE JOINTS BETWEEN ALUMINUM AND PLASTIC. THIS WAS THE SAME FAILURE AS ORIGINALLY NOTED IN FALL OF 2009. THERE APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH 2006 EXPLORER RADIATORS WITH OVER 50K MILES. ALONG WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, THIS CONDITION AFFECTS THE TRANSMISSION AND THE SAFETY OF THE OCCUPANTS IF THE ENGIN RUNS OUT OF COOLANT. *TR