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.
5.8
fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
$180
Average Mileage:
76,000 miles
Total Complaints:
10 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
replace button again (4 reports)
not sure (3 reports)
ford fixed it under warranty (1 reports)
remove switch, disassemble, re-bend metal tab, re-assemble (1 reports)
This just randomly stopped working one day. It was a bit of a colder day, so I turned the driver's side seat heater on. When I went to turn it off it wouldn't. It took me about 25-50 times of clicking the button over and over before it miraculously went off. Now it does that every time, so I totally avoid even using it. What an awful vehicles this has turned out to be.
Switch on seat would stick and had to hit it many times to get it to work. Once on it would stay on but it took many times to turn it off. Finally got it fixed
Driver's side heated seat would not turn off, did not respond to the button. Basically, we had to take the fuse out during the summer and put it back in during the winter.
The heated seats either won't turn off or on. I had the driver seat always stay on and the passenger seat wouldn't turn on. I ended up just taking it apart as a last ditch effort to not spend the coin on two new switches at $70 plus each, and it works just fine for over a year! Take it apart, rebend the metal contact tab, then reassemble. That simple. It is a pain to get out though. Good Luck!
This is the second time the button has failed. The first 2 times I had it fixed was under the extended warranty by CarMax and it was on the off position. This time my warranty has expired and the unit is on all the time. This is getting bad now that we are entering the summer season.
This is one of many complaints, The driver seat heater suddenly stops working and it wasn't noticed til it got cold, but by that time it was out of warranty
Because we paid so much for this car, we take really good care of it. The heater broke during the winter month when it is used the most. A fuse blew out. The car was only 3 months old.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
This just randomly stopped working one day. It was a bit of a colder day, so I turned the driver's side seat heater on. When I went to turn it off it wouldn't. It took me about 25-50 times of clicking the button over and over before it miraculously went off. Now it does that every time, so I totally avoid even using it. What an awful vehicles this has turned out to be.
- Christopher S., Tampa, FL, US