vehicle signal
U.S. public vehicle records

2004 Ford EXPLORER: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

1,304 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

65,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 1,090 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 308 of 1,304 complaints (23.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Transmission and shifting38529.5%
Braking behavior13010.0%
Engine operation725.5%
Steering behavior614.7%
Electrical and battery issues292.2%
Fuel system concerns161.2%

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
308
Structure:Body
209
Power Train
108
Structure
80
Visibility
59
Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate:Hinge And Attachments
58
Vehicle Speed Control
55
Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate
54
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Power Train:Automatic Transmission308
Structure:Body209
Power Train108
Structure80
Visibility59
Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate:Hinge And Attachments58
Vehicle Speed Control55
Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate54

Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 308; Structure:Body: 209; Power Train: 108; Structure: 80; Visibility: 59; Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate:Hinge And Attachments: 58; Vehicle Speed Control: 55; Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate: 54

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
183
25,000 to 49,999
194
50,000 to 74,999
266
75,000 to 99,999
205
100,000 to 149,999
162
150,000 and above
80
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,000183
25,000 to 49,999194
50,000 to 74,999266
75,000 to 99,999205
100,000 to 149,999162
150,000 and above80

Under 25,000: 183; 25,000 to 49,999: 194; 50,000 to 74,999: 266; 75,000 to 99,999: 205; 100,000 to 149,999: 162; 150,000 and above: 80

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (266). 214 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.

2004
88
2005
111
2006
60
2007
94
2008
136
2009
186
2010
175
2011
124
2012
88
2013
55
2014
67
2015
46
2016
23
2017
19
2018
10
2019
10
2020
1
2021
6
2022
1
2023
2
2024
2
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200488
2005111
200660
200794
2008136
2009186
2010175
2011124
201288
201355
201467
201546
201623
201719
201810
201910
20201
20216
20221
20232
20242

2004: 88; 2005: 111; 2006: 60; 2007: 94; 2008: 136; 2009: 186; 2010: 175; 2011: 124; 2012: 88; 2013: 55; 2014: 67; 2015: 46; 2016: 23; 2017: 19; 2018: 10; 2019: 10; 2020: 1; 2021: 6; 2022: 1; 2023: 2; 2024: 2

Pattern summary

Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 385 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 130 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 72 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.

Examples from the source records

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

Owner report 10056376 · 2004-02-02 (February 2, 2004)

THIS IS INTERMITTENT STALLS, POOR THROTTLE, NO START. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 5,251 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056376 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10057154 · 2004-01-30 (January 30, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO RUN OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE FAILED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10057154 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10057283 · 2004-02-26 (February 26, 2004)

THE TRUCK DOESN'T COME WITH A CARGO NET OR A DEVICE THAT CAN BE USED TO SEPARATE THE CARGO AREA FROM THE TRUCKS CABIN. WHICH IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANTS BECAUSE THE CARGO CAN FLY FORWARD AND HIT THE OCCUPANTS. CONSUMER WAS TOLD AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE A NET, BUT HAS NOW FOUND OUT THE NET CANNOT FIX THIS TRUCK. *NM *SC

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10057283 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10059066 · 2004-02-26 (February 26, 2004)

OTHE VEHICLE WAS RECEIVED ON 2/16/2004, ON 2/18/2004 THE DRIVERS SIDE RUNNING BOARD BROKE WHEN I STEPPED ONTO IT WHEN ENTERING THE VEHICLE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE I STEPPED UP ONTO THE RUNNING BOARD AND IT CRACKED AT THE SEAM CAUSING ME TO FALL BACK INTO THE DRIVING LANE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE DRIVERS SIDE RUNNING BOARD ON 2/24/2004. ON 2/26/2004, THE PASSENGER SIDE RUNNING BOARD CRACK IN THE SAME PLACE, THIS WAS ONLY THE SECOND TIME SOMEONE ENTERED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I AM WAITING FOR THE DEALER TO REPLACE THIS ONE. SHOULD TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 47 miles reported. Look up ODI 10059066 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10061106 · 2004-04-20 (April 20, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE VIBRATED HEAVILY. CONSUMER HAD MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. BUT, MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, WHICH STILL EXISTS. *AK *NM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10061106 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10065119 · 2004-03-17 (March 17, 2004)

4THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS INTERMITTENTLY WHEN IT'S TURNED TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT AND DOES NOT RETURN WITHOUT PULLING IT BACK. *PH THIS WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC OR GOING AROUND A SHARP BEND. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE FORD DEALER THREE TIMES AND WAS TOLD THAT ALL THE NEW EXPLORERS WERE MADE THAT WAY AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. THERE WAS A BIG CLUNK AT TIMES WHEN BACKING UP AND TURNING TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. THE RIDE WAS VERY BUMPY AND CAUSED THE OCCUPANTS TO BE THROWN FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHILE DRIVING…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10065119 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10066098 · 2004-04-13 (April 13, 2004)

WHINING NOISE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. DEALER STATED THAT FORD KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM BUT DOESN'T CURRENTLY HAVE A FIX FOR IT! THEY ASKED ME TO CALL THEM BACK IN 30 DAYS.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10066098 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10067239 · 2004-04-15 (April 15, 2004)

WHILE FILLING UP THE FUEL TANK GASOLINE GAUGE REGISTERED FALSE READING. CONSUMER HAD A FULL TANK OF GASOLINE THAT DAY. THE NEXT DAY THE GASOLINE GAUGE REGISTERED A HALF OF A TANK. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THERE WAS NO SOLUTION FOR THE PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10067239 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.