diff --git a/public/locales/en/explore.json b/public/locales/en/explore.json
index b6422f5d..5a820d58 100644
--- a/public/locales/en/explore.json
+++ b/public/locales/en/explore.json
@@ -69,6 +69,14 @@
     }
   },
   "errors": {
-    "BlockFetchTimeoutError": "Failed to fetch content in {timeout}s. Please refresh the page to retry or try a different CID."
+    "BlockFetchTimeoutError": "Failed to fetch content in {timeout}s. Please refresh the page to retry or try a different CID/CAR file.",
+    "CARFetchError": "Failed to import CAR file: {message}",
+    "checkIpfsNetwork": "Check content availability on IPFS Network",
+    "troubleshootingTips": {
+      "title": "Troubleshooting Tips",
+      "checkCarFormat": "Check if the file is a valid CAR format",
+      "tryDifferentCar": "Try uploading a different CAR file"
+    },
+    "clearError": "Okay, take me back to start exploring page"
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/components/StartExploringPage.tsx b/src/components/StartExploringPage.tsx
index 2083d586..9a02c6be 100644
--- a/src/components/StartExploringPage.tsx
+++ b/src/components/StartExploringPage.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next'
 import ReactJoyride from 'react-joyride'
 import { type ExplorePageLink, explorePageLinks } from '../lib/explore-page-suggestions.js'
 import { projectsTour } from '../lib/tours.js'
+import { useExplore } from '../providers/explore.js'
 import { AboutIpld } from './about/AboutIpld.js'
+import { IpldExploreErrorComponent } from './explore/IpldExploreErrorComponent.js'
 import IpldExploreForm from './explore/IpldExploreForm.js'
 import { type NodeStyle, colorForNode, nameForNode, shortNameForNode } from './object-info/ObjectInfo.js'
 
@@ -29,6 +31,9 @@ interface StartExploringPageProps {
 
 export const StartExploringPage: React.FC<StartExploringPageProps> = ({ embed, runTour = false, joyrideCallback, links }) => {
   const { t } = useTranslation('explore')
+  const { exploreState } = useExplore()
+
+  const { error } = exploreState
 
   return (
     <div className='mw9 center explore-sug-2'>
@@ -37,22 +42,35 @@ export const StartExploringPage: React.FC<StartExploringPageProps> = ({ embed, r
       </Helmet>
       <div className='flex-l'>
         <div className='flex-auto-l mr3-l'>
-          <div className='pl3 pl0-l pt4 pt2-l'>
-            <h1 className='f3 f2-l ma0 fw4 montserrat charcoal'>{t('StartExploringPage.header')}</h1>
-            <p className='lh-copy f5 avenir charcoal-muted'>{t('StartExploringPage.leadParagraph')}</p>
-          </div>
+          {error == null && (
+            <div className='pl3 pl0-l pt4 pt2-l'>
+              <h1 className='f3 f2-l ma0 fw4 montserrat charcoal'>{t('StartExploringPage.header')}</h1>
+              <p className='lh-copy f5 avenir charcoal-muted'>{t('StartExploringPage.leadParagraph')}</p>
+            </div>
+          )}
           {embed != null ? <IpldExploreForm /> : null}
-          <ul className='list pl0 ma0 mt4 mt0-l bt bn-l b--black-10'>
-            {(links ?? explorePageLinks).map((suggestion) => (
-              <li key={suggestion.cid}>
-                <ExploreSuggestion name={suggestion.name} cid={suggestion.cid} type={suggestion.type} />
-              </li>
-            ))}
-          </ul>
-        </div>
-        <div className='pt2-l'>
-          <AboutIpld />
+          {error != null
+            ? (
+              <div className='pl3 pl0-l pt4 pt2-l'>
+                <IpldExploreErrorComponent error={error} />
+              </div>
+              )
+            : null}
+          {error == null && (
+            <ul className='list pl0 ma0 mt4 mt0-l bt bn-l b--black-10'>
+              {(links ?? explorePageLinks).map((suggestion) => (
+                <li key={suggestion.cid}>
+                  <ExploreSuggestion name={suggestion.name} cid={suggestion.cid} type={suggestion.type} />
+                </li>
+              ))}
+            </ul>
+          )}
         </div>
+        {error == null && (
+            <div className='pt2-l'>
+            <AboutIpld />
+          </div>
+        )}
       </div>
 
       <ReactJoyride
diff --git a/src/components/explore/IpldCarExploreForm.tsx b/src/components/explore/IpldCarExploreForm.tsx
index 9df5703f..53ac01ef 100644
--- a/src/components/explore/IpldCarExploreForm.tsx
+++ b/src/components/explore/IpldCarExploreForm.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import uploadImage from './upload.svg'
 
 export const IpldCarExploreForm: React.FC = () => {
   const { t } = useTranslation('explore')
-  // const [file, setFile] = useState({})
   const { doUploadUserProvidedCar } = useExplore()
   const { selectHeliaReady } = useHelia()
 
@@ -35,6 +34,7 @@ export const IpldCarExploreForm: React.FC = () => {
       console.error('no file selected')
       return
     }
+
     void doUploadUserProvidedCar(selectedFile, uploadImage)
   }, [doUploadUserProvidedCar])
 
diff --git a/src/components/explore/IpldExploreErrorComponent.tsx b/src/components/explore/IpldExploreErrorComponent.tsx
index 842841d7..6eb0d6c5 100644
--- a/src/components/explore/IpldExploreErrorComponent.tsx
+++ b/src/components/explore/IpldExploreErrorComponent.tsx
@@ -1,18 +1,57 @@
 import React from 'react'
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next'
+import { CARFetchError } from '../../lib/errors'
+import { useExplore } from '../../providers/explore.js'
 import type IpldExploreError from '../../lib/errors'
+import type { ExploreState } from '../../providers/explore.js'
 
 export interface IpldExploreErrorComponentProps {
   error: IpldExploreError | null
 }
 
-export function IpldExploreErrorComponent ({ error }: IpldExploreErrorComponentProps): JSX.Element | null {
+const CIDTroubleshootingTips: React.FC = () => {
   const { t } = useTranslation('explore', { keyPrefix: 'errors' })
-  if (error == null) return null
+  const { setExploreState } = useExplore()
+
+  const handleClearError = (): void => {
+    const hashSplit = window.location.hash.split('/')
+    if (hashSplit.length > 2) {
+      window.location.hash = '#/explore'
+    }
+    setExploreState((state: ExploreState) => ({ ...state, path: hashSplit.length > 2 ? '/' : state.path, error: null }))
+  }
 
   return (
-    <div className='bg-red white pa3 lh-copy'>
-      <div>{error.toString(t)}</div>
-    </div>
+    <>
+      <div className='mt3'>
+        <h4 className='ma0 mb2'>{t('troubleshootingTips.title')}</h4>
+        <ul className='ma0 pl3'>
+          <li>{t('troubleshootingTips.checkCarFormat')}</li>
+          <li>{t('troubleshootingTips.tryDifferentCar')}</li>
+        </ul>
+      </div>
+      <div className='mt2'>
+        <button
+          onClick={handleClearError}
+          className='red-dark hover-white underline pointer bg-transparent bn'
+        >
+          {t('clearError')}
+        </button>
+      </div>
+    </>
   )
 }
+
+export function IpldExploreErrorComponent ({ error }: IpldExploreErrorComponentProps): JSX.Element | null {
+  const { t } = useTranslation('explore', { keyPrefix: 'errors' })
+  if (error == null) return null
+
+  return <div className="flex justify-center w-100 pa3">
+  <div className="bg-red-muted red-dark pa3 br2 lh-copy mw7">
+    <div>{error.toString(t)}</div>
+    {error instanceof CARFetchError
+      ? <CIDTroubleshootingTips />
+      : null}
+  </div>
+</div>
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/errors.ts b/src/lib/errors.ts
index 5b01f086..e672d90e 100644
--- a/src/lib/errors.ts
+++ b/src/lib/errors.ts
@@ -22,3 +22,5 @@ export default class IpldExploreError extends Error {
 }
 
 export class BlockFetchTimeoutError extends IpldExploreError {}
+
+export class CARFetchError extends IpldExploreError {}
diff --git a/src/lib/import-car.ts b/src/lib/import-car.ts
index e8646c68..8c256410 100644
--- a/src/lib/import-car.ts
+++ b/src/lib/import-car.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { type Helia } from '@helia/interface'
 import { CarBlockIterator } from '@ipld/car'
 import { type CID } from 'multiformats'
 import { source } from 'stream-to-it'
+import { BlockFetchTimeoutError } from './errors.js'
 
 /**
  * Given a file object representing a CAR archive, import it into the given Helia instance,
@@ -9,15 +10,39 @@ import { source } from 'stream-to-it'
  *
  * TODO: Handle multiple roots
  */
-export async function importCar (file: File, helia: Helia): Promise<CID> {
-  const inStream = file.stream()
-  const CarIterator = await CarBlockIterator.fromIterable(source(inStream))
-  for await (const { cid, bytes } of CarIterator) {
-    // add blocks to helia to ensure they are available while navigating children
-    await helia.blockstore.put(cid, bytes)
-  }
-  const cidRoots = await CarIterator.getRoots()
+export async function importCar (file: File, helia: Helia, timeout = 30000): Promise<CID> {
+  const controller = new AbortController()
+  const { signal } = controller
+
+  const timeoutId = setTimeout(() => {
+    controller.abort('Request timed out')
+  }, timeout)
+
+  try {
+    const inStream = file.stream()
 
-  // @todo: Handle multiple roots
-  return cidRoots[0]
+    const CarIterator = await CarBlockIterator.fromIterable(source(inStream))
+
+    for await (const { cid, bytes } of CarIterator) {
+      if (signal.aborted) {
+        throw new BlockFetchTimeoutError({ timeout: timeout / 1000 })
+      }
+      // add blocks to helia to ensure they are available while navigating children
+      await helia.blockstore.put(cid, bytes)
+    }
+
+    const cidRoots = await CarIterator.getRoots()
+    if (cidRoots.length === 0) {
+      throw new Error('Invalid CAR file: no roots found')
+    }
+    // @todo: Handle multiple roots
+    return cidRoots[0]
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (err instanceof Error && err.message === 'Unexpected end of data') {
+      throw new Error('Invalid CAR file')
+    }
+    throw new Error(err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Failed to import CAR file')
+  } finally {
+    clearTimeout(timeoutId)
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/providers/explore.tsx b/src/providers/explore.tsx
index bf62533e..d2847405 100644
--- a/src/providers/explore.tsx
+++ b/src/providers/explore.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { CID } from 'multiformats/cid'
 import React, { createContext, useContext, useState, useEffect, type ReactNode, useCallback } from 'react'
 import { type LinkObject } from '../components/object-info/links-table'
+import { CARFetchError } from '../lib/errors.js'
 import { ensureLeadingSlash } from '../lib/helpers.js'
 import { importCar } from '../lib/import-car.js'
 import { parseIpldPath } from '../lib/parse-ipld-path.js'
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ interface ExploreContextProps {
   doExploreLink(link: any): void
   doExploreUserProvidedPath(path: string): void
   doUploadUserProvidedCar(file: File, uploadImage: string): Promise<void>
+  setExploreState: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<ExploreState>>
 }
 
 export interface ExploreState {
@@ -185,26 +187,48 @@ export const ExploreProvider = ({ children, state, explorePathPrefix = '#/explor
   }
 
   const doUploadUserProvidedCar = useCallback(async (file: File, uploadImage: string): Promise<void> => {
+    const resolveLoader = (image: string): void => {
+      const imageFileLoader = document.getElementById('car-loader-image') as HTMLImageElement
+      if (imageFileLoader != null) {
+        imageFileLoader.src = image
+      }
+    }
+
     if (helia == null) {
       console.error('FIXME: Helia not ready yet, but user tried to upload a car file')
       return
     }
+
     try {
+      if (file.size === 0) {
+        throw new Error('CAR file is empty')
+      }
+
       const rootCid = await importCar(file, helia)
       const hash = rootCid.toString() != null ? `${explorePathPrefix}${ensureLeadingSlash(rootCid.toString())}` : explorePathPrefix
       window.location.hash = hash
 
-      const imageFileLoader = document.getElementById('car-loader-image') as HTMLImageElement
-      if (imageFileLoader != null) {
-        imageFileLoader.src = uploadImage
-      }
+      resolveLoader(uploadImage)
     } catch (err) {
       console.error('Could not import car file', err)
+
+      setExploreState((prevState) => ({
+        ...prevState,
+        targetNode: null,
+        error: new CARFetchError({ message: err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Failed to import CAR file' })
+      }))
+
+      resolveLoader(uploadImage)
+
+      const carFileInputEl = document.getElementById('car-file') as HTMLInputElement
+      if (carFileInputEl != null) {
+        carFileInputEl.value = ''
+      }
     }
   }, [explorePathPrefix, helia])
 
   return (
-    <ExploreContext.Provider value={{ exploreState, explorePathPrefix, isLoading, doExploreLink, doExploreUserProvidedPath, doUploadUserProvidedCar, setExplorePath }}>
+    <ExploreContext.Provider value={{ exploreState, explorePathPrefix, isLoading, doExploreLink, doExploreUserProvidedPath, doUploadUserProvidedCar, setExplorePath, setExploreState }}>
       {children}
     </ExploreContext.Provider>
   )