U.S. public vehicle records

Ford EXPLORER SPORT TRAC problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

719 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

57,130 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1997 to 2010 model years. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 548 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 67 of 719 complaints (9.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	126	17.5%
Transmission and shifting	113	15.7%
Steering behavior	65	9.0%
Engine operation	42	5.8%
Electrical and battery issues	36	5.0%
Fuel system concerns	27	3.8%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Electrical System

Power Train

Vehicle Speed Control

Structure:Body

Engine And Engine Cooling

Engine

Tires

Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 67; Electrical System: 64; Power Train: 51; Vehicle Speed Control: 46; Structure:Body: 44; Engine And Engine Cooling: 36; Engine: 32; Tires: 29

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

143

25,000 to 49,999

110

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 143; 25,000 to 49,999: 110; 50,000 to 74,999: 77; 75,000 to 99,999: 76; 100,000 to 149,999: 89; 150,000 and above: 53

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (143). 171 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2000: 2; 2001: 5; 2002: 8; 2003: 60; 2004: 67; 2005: 58; 2006: 46; 2007: 41; 2008: 70; 2009: 37; 2010: 47; 2011: 48; 2012: 36; 2013: 33; 2014: 38; 2015: 26; 2016: 28; 2017: 14; 2018: 15; 2019: 15; 2020: 8; 2021: 5; 2022: 1; 2023: 4; 2024: 4; 2025: 1; 2026: 2

Pattern summary

Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 126 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 113 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 65 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10163619 · 2006-07-27 (July 27, 2006)

WHILE DRIVING 1997 FORD EXPLORER XLT 4X4 V6 SOHC UPON ACCELERATION ON TO FREEWAY, THE GAS PEDDLE STUCK TO FLOOR AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE RESULT WAS A BLOWN ENGINE/SMALL FIRE,NO INJURIES THANK GOD, BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY TO STOP VEHICLE WAS TO PUT INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN PARK. THE FOOT BRAKE AND EMERGENCY BRAKE WERE USELESS, AND THE VEHICLE WAS REVVING AT 75 MPH AT THE TIME TILL BROUGHT TO STOP THUS BLOWING A HUGE HOLE IN WALL OF ENGINE TO THE TUNE OF $5000.00 TO FIX. FORD CLAIMED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH PEDAL AFTER DOING A DIAGNOSTIC. THIS …

Owner-reported narrative. 100,060 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163619 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10166683 · 2006-08-27 (August 27, 2006)

THE BRAKE LINE ON BOTH OF MY 1996 AND 1998 FORD EXPLORER RUSTED OUT LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR ON BOTH SUVS, CAUSING THE BRAKE SYSTEM TO TOTALLY FAIL ON THE 1996 AND LOST ONE SET OF BRAKES ON THE 1998. WE WERE VERY LUCKY. THE PROBLEM WAS NOTICED WHEN PARKED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 45,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10166683 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10020471 · 2003-05-23 (May 23, 2003)

THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION JUMPED INTO REVERSE, KNOCKED THE CONSUMER DOWN AND ROLLED OVER HIS LEG. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020471 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10049043 · 2003-12-02 (December 2, 2003)

VECHILE HAS 16,000 MILES. THREE TIMES AFTER STARTING VEHICLE AND DRIVING TWO BLOCKS OVERDRIVE INDICATOR FLASHES BY ITSELF. THEN TRANSMISSION OVER REVS AND DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. OWNERS MANUAL SAYS THAT HWEN OVERDRIVE KIGHT FLASHES TO CALL DEALER AND ARRANGE FOR SERVICE, AS THERE IS PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION. BROUGHT TO DEALER TWICE, AS THEY COULD NOT RE-ENACT PROBLEM, THEY RETURNED VECHILE TO US SAYING NOTHING WRONG WITH VECHILE. I HAVE CALLED FORD CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO CONTACTED DEALER, BURNS FORD. THEY NOW SAY TO TAKE IT TO A…

Owner-reported narrative. 15,950 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049043 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10052816 · 2004-01-10 (January 10, 2004)

WHEN GOING 50 TO 55 MPH WHEN PUT FOOT ON BRAKE STEERING WHEEL AND TIRES VIBRATED. - I HAVE HAD BACK TO DEALER 4 TIMES LAST TIME THEY SAID IT WAS TIRES SO HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE TIRES SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG BECAUSE IT IS STILL HAPPENING MY TRUCK ONLY HAS 38000 MILES ON IT SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM I NOW KNOW IT IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES BUT THERE IS A DEFECT SOMEWHERE IN THE VEHICLE ITSELF. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10052816 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10082115 · 2004-08-16 (August 16, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING,THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL BY SLOWING DOWN THE ACCELERATION OR COME TO A COMPLETE STOP . THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE POWER STEERING UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A SOLENOID SWITCH. *NM A WHINING SOUND BEGAN AROUND 25K MILES. THERE WAS A JERK IN THE STEERING WHEEL. AT 48800K MILES, THE VIBRATION WAS CONSTANT WHENEVER THE VEHICLE MADE TURNS. THE POWER STEERING WAS REPLACED AND …

Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10082115 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10083620 · 2004-08-31 (August 31, 2004)

THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUOUSLY STALL AT LOW RPMS BUT COULD BE RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY. THE CAUSE OF STALLING WAS NOT KNOWN . *AK THE DEALERS TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE IAC. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 59,485 miles reported. Look up ODI 10083620 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10088792 · 2004-08-30 (August 30, 2004)

I HAVE HAD POOR FUEL MILEAGE, STALLING OF ENGINE FROM STOP SIGNED INTERSECTIONS AND ENTERING HIGHWAYS FROM SIDE ROADS. COULD CAUSE MYSELF TO STALL IN FRONT OF AN ON COMING VEHICLE, OR FROM GETTING OUT OF WAY OF A DRUNK DRIVER OR ACCIDENT. I HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED FOR POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS. INTAKE MANIFOLD SEALS WERE REPLACED. THE SOHC 4.0 V6 PERFORMED SOME WHAT BETTER, BUT I'M STILL HAVING SOME OF SAME PROBLEMS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS EVEN THOUGH IT DID NOT PREVIOUSLY SHOW ANYTHING WRONG. IT NOW READ…

Owner-reported narrative. 62,003 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088792 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10010559 · 2003-03-16 (March 16, 2003)

LOSS OF TURN SIGNALS, BRAKE LIGHTS, AND HEADLIGHTS WHEN TILT WHEEL IS ADJUSTED. DEALER HAS TRIED THREE TIMES TO REPAIR THIS. HAS REPLACED WIRING AND PARTS TWICE. IT IS NOW FAILING AGAIN WHICH WILL REQUIRE A FOURTH VISIT. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 44,650 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010559 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10044117 · 2003-10-16 (October 16, 2003)

AFTER MAKING AN EMERGENCY STOP AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND REMAINED ON WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10044117 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10096494 · 2004-10-27 (October 27, 2004)

WHEN CHANGING GEARS, THERE WAS HESITATION AS IF THE TRUCK WANTED TO CUT OFF AND SHUDDER IN STEERING. HAD OXYGEN SENSOR AND FUEL INJECTOR CHECKED. *AK *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10096494 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10537633 · 2013-08-28 (August 28, 2013)

GAS TANK SUPPORT HANGER RUSTED AWAY AND TANK FELL OFF. *TT

Owner-reported narrative. 140,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10537633 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

From yearThrough year

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

1997

1998