8.3
pretty badTypical Repair Cost:
$1,371.00
Average Mileage:
67,523 miles
Total Complaints:
13 complaints
Most common solutions:
- replace rear differential (5 reports)
- not sure (3 reports)
- don't buy ford!! (2 reports)
- rear end was replaced (2 reports)
- repair, never buy a ford 2004 (1 reports)
drivetrain problem
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Ford dealer.
Helpful Websites About 2004 Ford Explorer rear differential failure
2009Aug 01
Explorer XLT 4.6L
- Automatic transmission
- 84,000 miles
Not sure anyone will belive this but the rear end went out on my 2004 Explorer, 84,000 miles. Not sure what it will cost but should not have to spend anything, have a 1992 ranger with 265,000 miles had to replace one axle bearing at 240k. "FORD TOUGH" my big ole butt. This truck has never been off road or deep water, a little snow in west kentucky and thats it. Had a bronco ll that had water over the hood severl times and never had a problem with the rear end. Wake up Ford. Bad taste in my mouth Used to think First On Race Day now
Fix Or Repair Dily
F___ing Old Rebuilt Dodge
2005Jul 01
Explorer XLT V6
- Automatic transmission
- 35,000 miles
WEll what should I do with a 2004 Rear End that was replaced at about 35000 miles under original warranty replaced at about 74000 under extended warranty and NOW at about 110000 the noise that preceeds the failure IS BACK
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2009May 21
Explorer Eddie Bauer V8
- Automatic transmission
- 79,700 miles
This car, first of all, has never run well. I had the 5 year warranty on it and almost immediately it wouldn't back up properly, so it got a new transmission, under warranty. Brakes never felt right, they would always 'ka-chunk' like the ABS wanted to kick in but nothing was ever found to be wrong. A set of brakes later and still the ka-chunk.
So fast forward to a year or so ago, the car is four years old. The ABS light starts coming on and the 4x4 high starts flashing. I found that if I turned off the car and pumped the brakes, they would reset. So I did this. Until last week, when I started to feel like the rear end of the car was about to fall off when I drove the car. Returned it to the dealer, where it hasn't been in a while because I lost faith in them. An independent repair shop failed to pick up a problem with the ABS over the past year.
We were told $450 to fix a sensor. Fixed it, but oh! Car still broken. $600 to take apart rear differential. Growl. Fine. What choice to we have? BUT NOW? Today? $1,800 to REPLACE trashed rear differential. What to do?
Have to add, car stinks like baby puke to to exploded milk containers. Who would want it? I'm stuck. (not Ford's fault, I know)
Then some online research and now I have a cause for the road noise. I always thought this was just a really loud truck. Accleration on highways sounded like a plane on the runway preparing for takeoff. I now see that this is all related to one major lemon of a car. Only now it's over five years old, smells like baby puke, and has nearly $80,000 miles on it. Just great.
So I don't know what we're going to end up doing, but might as well add this complaint, in the hopes that someone else will see this before they have to go through the misdiagnosis process. Although after reading some of these, I have to wonder if replacement of the differential will be a permanent fix anyway? This was my first, and will be my last, Ford.
2009Jan 01
Explorer Eddie Bauer
- Automatic transmission
- 75,000 miles
This has been a well maintained car used only to drive the 35 mile round trip to work daily. No off road driving, pulling heavy loads, etc.
2008Nov 15
Explorer V6
- Automatic transmission
- 56,000 miles
Can't remember the total cost to me. Warranty expired but Ford covered 70% of the cost. Extremely low mileage on the car, rear end should have not had to be replaced
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2008Oct 18
Explorer LX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 65,000 miles
I hear this loud noise when I am driving my car. I take my car into Ford and they tell me the whole rear end is gone!!!! I said WHAT, I only have 65000 miles on my car and the rear is out??? Now of course my warranty is over, my SUV is paid off and I have to pay for the rear end to get fix. I feel like kicking Ford in the rear. They also tell me that my right suspension is shot??? Not feeling too good now. I guess the next thing to go is my transmission. Oh boy can't wait..........
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2008Jan 02
Explorer XLS V6
- Automatic transmission
- 80,000 miles
i have had vibration and a bad noise from my rear end...come to find out that it is my differential so i called tuffy up to have it fixed and they said that it was a recall so i called ford and they said that there has not been a recall on it and they will not help me with it even though i bought it brand new from them and we have 5 ford vehicles that we have bought in 2 years they said that they can fix it for $1500. well you know what i will trade my vehicle in for a new chevy and never will buy ford AGAIN!!! And believe me i will call the corporate also!!!
2007Dec 10
Explorer V8
- Automatic transmission
- 59,000 miles
Ford told us this is a common problem with Explorers...but no recall. This is my last Ford, period.
2007Nov 08
Explorer XLT V6
- Automatic transmission
- 86,000 miles
I have had my Explorer for 3 years. I bought it used, and at the time it ran great. In the last 2 years, I've had one thing break after another. First the O2 sensor went bad, then the transmission was shifting hard and when I took it to the dealer, I found out there was a recall on something with the transmission. It was good for about a year and then that's when things REALLY got bad. First, my 4x4 function got stuck. Then my truck got stuck in O/D. Once I got those two things fixed, my check engine light came on. It turned out that I needed a new solenoid pack. After replacing that I thought I was good to go. Then about 4 months later I took it in for an oil change and they found a leak in the rear of my truck. I had the rear differential seal replaced only to find out 2 months later it was leaking again and ANOTHER part was failing. I had that fixed as well, but the mechanic recommended I get rid of my truck ASAP because I was about to have to replace the entire rear differential. He showed me metal shavings in the fluid and said he's seen 3 other Explorers in the last 2 months with the same problems. So far I've spent $2000 in repairs. If the rear differential goes, I'm looking at another $1500 at least. My warranty ran out, so I'm coming out of pocket a lot of money. I just want my Explorer fixed and I want FORD MOTORS to be accountable for the problem. I've spent enough of my own money that I could have a new, better vehicle than what I'm driving now.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2007Oct 08
(reported on)Explorer Eddie Bauer V6
- Automatic transmission
- 32,000 miles
Who ever heard of a rear differential needing replacement at 32,000,(of course only months past their STINGY warrenty) without 1 day of abuse, no off roading, just plain suburban mom driving!!!! We were shocked and really got no other help from the dealer, but a huge repair bill. This is our 3rd explorer, think we will EXPLORE our other car options very soon, afraid that more will go wrong sooner, than later.
2007Jun 12
(reported on)Explorer XLS V6
- Automatic transmission
- 50,000 miles
The rear end has gone out on the Explorer 2 times since purchase, neither time has a Ford dealership been able to repair, each time the repair costs are around $1000.00. This is not the only issue with the Explorer, from day one issues with transmission, while in warranty multiple dealerships could not find issue would say perfectly normal. Once out of warranty transmission will not shift out of first gear, take to Ford dealership and get told do not have equipment to work on transmission and really don't know anything about transmissions.
2007Mar 15
(reported on)Explorer ES
- Automatic transmission
- 75,000 miles
My ABS light has been going on since I bought the car. They said they cleaned the sensor but other than that did not find a problem. Brought it back to the dealer at least two times with same result. I got used to seeing the ABS light on all the time. It turns out the sensor kept illuminating due to metal shavings from rear differential being attached to the magnet in the sensor. Now I need to overhaul the rear end. For has known about this problem since at least 2002 model. Buy something else!!!
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2009Jul 15
Explorer LX V6
Well I bought this explorer in 2004 with 100 miles on it. This explorer has been nothing but a problem. When you pay $32,000 for a car you expect it to last. The rear end started making a bad noise when I press the gas so I took it in and they told me the rear end is gone. Ford could fix it for $1,700 with a 12 month 12,000 mile warranty. But after doing the research it could go out again anytime so I checked around on another deal. I found that Jasper (which is world wide) would offer me 3 years or 100,000 mile warranty for $2150.00. That is the one I went with. What's $450 more dollars when the rear end will probably go out again. My advice to anyone looking for a car DON"T BUY A FORD!
Heather R.
Greensboro, NC, USA
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