CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2004 Ford Explorer one of our worst vehicles on record. "Avoid like the plague" is putting it lightly.
The 2002-2005 Explorer has a very well-established record of expensive transmission failure at under 100k miles. The Explorer has an enclosed transmission which is typically replaced with a rebuilt transmission at a cost of almost $3,000.
Another common problem for the 2002-2005 Explorer is wheel bearing failure at around 90k miles, with a typical repair bill of $500 to $1000 depending on how many wheel bearings failed.
Adding insult to injury, the 2002-2005 Explorer also has a massive problem with the rear panel cracking. While it's a minor annoyance compared to transmission failure, ironically the crack usually goes right through the Ford logo.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
156,675 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The drivers seat belt has come unlocked on several occasions. It has happened so many times I tug hard every time I buckle up to make sure it's clicked and it has unlocked while driving even though I double check it.
The lift gate on my truck is cracking and getting worse. Two of my seatbelts are hard to get out of the retractor and they are so tight that they are uncomfortable to the wearer.
Transmission went out at approx 93,000 miles, heat went out around 85,000 miles, seat belts have been replaced once under warranty and again don't work, electric seat doesn't work, misc. Other things
The contact owns a 2004 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 60 mph around a curve and over a pothole, the driver lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle then began jerking and the vehicle flipped over five times while the driver was attempting to complete the turn. The contact was a rear passenger in the vehicle. The contact stated that the rear seat belts failed to secure the passenger's properly. As a result, the contact's head was thrown through the window and stuck the ground each time the vehicle rolled over on the roof. The contact and one other passenger were injured. The vehicle was destroyed. The VIN was not available. The failure and current mileages were unknown.
- Richlands, NC, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
The consumer was involved in a single vehicle rollover accident in his 2004 Ford Explorer limited in which the seat belts failed to properly restrain him. The air bags also did not deploy. The seat belts had been recalled and fixed prior to the accident. The consumer was not seriously injured and only sustained minor scrapes.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Bremen, GA, USA