Total Complaints
8 filings
CHEVROLET EXPLORER · model year
1996 CHEVROLET EXPLORER
8 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996CHEVROLETEXPLORER carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 EXPLORER is vehicle speed control with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (2) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1996 EXPLORER, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
8
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030506SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE DRIVING, THE ABS ENGAGED WITHOUT CAUSE. *JB
20010823VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. DRIVER HAD TO APPLY EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE, AND TURN VEHICLE OFF TO STOP. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
20010322SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION. BRAKES WERE WARPED AFTER SLAMMING ON BRAKES. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT AT HIGH SPEED BRAKING TO SLOW DOWN VEHICLE WOBBLED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN TO BE CHECKED, BUT DEALER SAID IT AFFECTED SAFETY OF VEHICLE.*AK
20010322SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION. BRAKES WERE WARPED AFTER SLAMMING ON BRAKES. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT AT HIGH SPEED BRAKING TO SLOW DOWN VEHICLE WOBBLED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN TO BE CHECKED, BUT DEALER SAID IT AFFECTED SAFETY OF VEHICLE.*AK
20000822CrashTIRES:TREAD/BELT
THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING IN THE LEFT LANE ON I-85 JUST NORTH OF ATLANTA. THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE WAS 70 MPH. THE LEFT REAR TIRE OF THE VEHICLE MADE A NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE THE TREAD CAME OFF OF IT. THE TIRE BLEW A FEW SECONDS LATER. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE TRAVELED FROM THE LEFT LANE TO THE GUARD RAIL WHICH WAS ON THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE HIT THE GUARD RAIL, CAUSING THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY, THEN IT JUMPED OVER THE GAURD RAIL. THE VEHICLE OVERTURNED SEVERAL TIMES AND HIT SEVERAL TREES. THE VEHICLE CAME TO REST IN A TREE APROXIMATELY 73 FROM WHERE IT ORIGINALLY STRUCK THE GUARDRAIL. THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER WHERE BOTH INJURED AND WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED TO BE TOTALED BY AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )
20000328VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK TO THE FLOOR WHILE DRIVING BECAUSE THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE CLIP FELL OFF AND INTANGLED WITH THE ACCELERATOR CAUSING THE VAN TO TAKE OFF OUT OF CONTROL. YH
19980420VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
POWER WINDOW MOTOR FAILED.
19970912ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FAILED.
Compare 1996CHEVROLETEXPLORER to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA25007Engineering AnalysisOpen
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
PE23022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
PE20016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
EA20002Engineering AnalysisClosed
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
PE20011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Fuel Line Leak
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 CHEVROLET EXPLORER have?▼
The 1996 CHEVROLET EXPLORER has 8 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 CHEVROLET EXPLORER?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 CHEVROLET EXPLORER is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1996 CHEVROLET EXPLORER safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.