VehicleVerdict

1996 Ford Explorer airbags problems

The 1996 Ford Explorer has 45 airbags complaints filed with NHTSA — 2% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

45

Airbags complaints

2%

Share of year

39

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Airbags complaints by year

Explorer airbags complaints by model year163 complaints1991: 3 complaints1992: 1 complaints1993: 5 complaints1994: 11 complaints1995: 31 complaints1996: 45 complaints1997: 27 complaints1998: 41 complaints1999: 101 complaints2000: 70 complaints2001: 28 complaints2002: 163 complaints2003: 50 complaints2004: 39 complaints2005: 15 complaints2006: 8 complaints2007: 12 complaints2008: 4 complaints2009: 2 complaints2010: 7 complaints2011: 44 complaints2012: 27 complaints2013: 18 complaints2014: 47 complaints2015: 84 complaints2016: 99 complaints2017: 32 complaints2018: 10 complaints2019: 2 complaints2020: 3 complaints2021: 6 complaints2022: 7 complaints2023: 4 complaints2024: 1 complaints2025: 3 complaints
Explorer airbags complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Common questions

How many airbags complaints does the 1996 Ford Explorer have?

NHTSA has 45 complaints about the 1996 Ford Explorer airbags — 2% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.