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.
9.1
really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$2,800
Average Mileage:
89,050 miles
Total Complaints:
172 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
replace transmission (75 reports)
replaced with rebuilt transmission (48 reports)
not sure (26 reports)
having the whole thing overhauled (17 reports)
replace torque converter (2 reports)
transmission seal failure causing leak and the pump is weak (2 reports)
I'LL REPEAT, MY 04 FORD EXPLORER IS THE BIGGEST PIECE OF JUNK THAT I HAVE EVER OWNED. I WILL NEVER EVER BUY ANOTHER PIECE OF SH*T FORD AGAIN.......EVER.
FORD SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO SELL A PIECE OF CRAP LIKE THIS.
This transmission is by far the worst issue I've ever had with any vehicle. First it started off shifting really hard, then it started skipping gears. Now the O/D light is flashing it strains in drive but begins to run smooth at about 10 mph and up! The transmission shop says the transmission needed to be over hauled. This happened out of nowhere. Their are so many complaints about the transmission in the 2000-2010 ford explorers. Ford Explorers are the worst vehicles I've ever driven. Something has to be done!
I purchased this 2004 Ford Explorer with only 45000 Miles. The transmission went out within a couple of months. I took it to the Ford Dealer and found out that this was the second ReBuilt transmission that had been put in this vehicle. I had it fixed for the $3000.00+ also had Airconditioning go out, Suspension Tie Rods replaced, Radio die, and of course the infamous Ford CRACK! These guys must have been on crack when they designed this piece of CRAP! Yet Ford continues to say they know of no issue regarding this vehicle. Stay away from FORD!
- bputnam,
Frisco, TX, US
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Bought this Explorer second-hand back in 2007. It had about 18,000 miles on it. I used the car mainly just to get to and from work, so there was definitely no unusual wear and tear that i was putting on the transmission. Once it got to 60,000 miles i started having trouble with the transmission. It started to have trouble shifting, namely from park to reverse. I'd take it in every so often to get a transmission flush, and that would ease the problems for a little while. Then last week, it started having trouble going from 2nd to 3rd and 3rd to 4th, etc. Then yesterday, the transmission just stopped working altogether. I put it in reverse and nothing, i put it in drive and nothing, i put it in the low gears and nothing. At 98,000 miles, the transmission had died, absolutely ridiculous. I had it towed to the shop and they said the repair would be $3,000. Which is more than my car is worth. I'm just going to have to scrap it and take my $250 to the bar and drink away my sorrows.
Car shifted hard. When you put it in reverse it did nothing for a few seconds then jump into gear. On a trip the "check transmission" message started flashing and " O/D OFF" light. Had it checked, they stated it would need a new transmission that would cost $4,000. And to make things better the value dropped from almost $12,000 in 2012 to $4,000 in late 2013. Will never buy a Ford again.
I used to be Ford man. My Explorer is now on it's 3rd rear end and 2nd tranny. If the tranny had gone first it would have gone to the bone yard. First I paid $1700 for the 3rd. The 2nd was on warranty. 2 weeks later the tranny went. That was $4,000 at the dealer with a 3yr. 100,000 mi. warranty. I'm now looking at Chevy (barf) I have to try something different.
It has a lot of miles and has been a good car. I noticed the transmission problems creeping in around 120k, it was "fixed" with a flush. Then all the sudden out of nowhere it broke down.
COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. WAS BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPOT. LOUD BANG AND THEN NO GEARS. LOST ALL FLUID. HAD TO TOW 75 MILES TO MY HOME. HAVE APPROXIMATELY 2 INCH HOLE IN SIDE OF TRANSMISSION, LIKE SOMETHING INSIDE EXPLODED. HAVE TO REPLACE COMPLETE TRANSMISSION. REBUILD NOT POSSIBLE. SOME INTERNAL PART IS STICKING OUT OF RIGHT SIDE OF TRANSMISSION THROUGH THE HOLE IN HOUSING. NOT SURE WHAT IT IS UNTIL I GET THE TRANSMISSION OUT.
HERE IT IS, JANUARY IN PITTSBURGH (FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND SNOW). AND I WILL BE LAYING ON COLD FLOOR IN GARAGE REPLACING TRANNY. NOT HAPPY AT ALL!!!
125k miles and the transmission no longer works. We have not taken our vehicle to get fixed yet, but with the reading I've done, this is fairly typical of this car/make/model. I contacted Ford, and they are not agreeable to goodwill repair or discount on the issue. I've had many vehicles with high mileage but never had a transmission go so quickly. Very disappointing.
We are so mad that the transmission has failed! After reading online apparently it's a big problem with Explorers. Our son had the same problem last month & it cost $3,000 to have it rebuilt. We don't know the cost yet. First estimate is $2,000. We will NEVER buy a Ford again!
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED EARLY ON AT ABOUT 88000 MILES, WE PURCHASED AND REPLACED THIS. MY HUSBAND HAD BEEN IN AUTO REPAIR AND PARTS FOR OVER 20 YEARS, SO HIM AND MY SON DONE THE REPAIR, WITHOUT COUNTING ANYTHING FOR LABOR THE TOTAL COST FOR THE REPAIR WAS AROUND $2000.00. FROM THAT POINT ON WE HAVE HAD LOTS OF MAJOR PROBLEMS THAT HAD TO BE REPAIRED OR PARTS REPLACED. THE INTAKE AND PARTS COST US AROUND 700.00, NO CHARGE FOR LABOR. THE TIMING C+HAIN FAILED AND WE CHOOSE THIS TIME TO TAKE IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP WHICH COST US $1100.00!!! NOW AT 156000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED, THIS ONE HAS AROUND 68000 MILES ON IT. WE HAVE NEVER HAD ONE DIME IN HELP FROM FORD ON ANYTHING. THIS IS THE THIRD EXPLORER WE HAVE OWNED IN THE PAST 15 YEARS. WE ALSO OWN 3 F-150'S AND A MUSTANG. WE HAVE NEVER HAD THIS KIND OF PROBLEMS WITH ANY OF THE OTHER VEHICLES. I CAN HONESTLY SAY WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS 2004 EXPLORER AND I FEEL WE WILL MOST LIKELY NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER FORD VEHICLE IN THE FUTURE!!!!!
We bought the car used with around 35000 miles on it. Problem started within a month after we purchased it. Ford Tech worked on it and told us it was the Overdrive. After two weeks problem returned. Second visit to repair shop came up with the same problem and answers. On the third repair trip the problem returned before we ever got home. When taking off from a start (forward or reverse) you press on the gas, nothing happens, press a little harder and the transmission hits and car will jump or lurch. Can be dangerous and embarrassing.
Sick to death of all the problems. Ford just throws these things off the assembly line and then says "Oh so sorry, it's out of warranty". We actually won a lawsuit regarding a 2002 Explorer. The tailgate window exploded in my hand when trying to shut it. The car dealer knew it was a piece of junk and the judge called his selling it to us "the most egregious case of taking advantage she'd ever seen".
We had to replace the transmission in this 2004 model, replaced the visors and interior overhead console, one back seat belt doesn't work, again a cheap plastic problem, and the electrical/computer problem where a plug next to the computer melted and caused the engine to cut off while driving down the road, well that almost got us all killed. Turns out there is a group of wires near the rear and they were supposed to be suspended in some sort of harness and never were, so over time, the plastic coating rubbed off and caused at least one wire to ground out, which caused the plug near the computer to overheat and slide out of its socket, causing the engine to shut off. Once it cooled, sometimes the motor would start again. This cost us more than one battery, lots of time, being stalled at 2 in the morning with our daughter in the back seat. After $2500 spent in multiple visits trying to fix the electrical issue, and another $2600 for the transmission, and just under $1000 for the interior console and visors, add more $$ for visits to check out the Check Engine light and the ABS light... wonder what I'm leaving out... ? Oh yes, the air conditioning has been blowing hot on once side for quite awhile. The crack in the back window frame on EVERY SINGLE EXPLORER I see reminds me of the Ford Grenada back in the 80s.
Does anybody else remember the Ford Grenada? The gas cap was located behind the license plate and on every single Grenada, the spring on the license plate broke so they all drove around with their license plate facing the ground, wide open.
We have no idea why the Check Engine light stays on. No idea why the back passenger windows quit working years ago. No idea why the cruise control works about 1 out of 20 times you try to use it, and no idea why the volume control on the radio slips deafening everyone in the car.
Owning one of these Explorers is like being in a club with other unfortunate individuals who have found themselves wondering if the $9,000 they've spent on repairs makes it worth keeping the car now. My mechanic calls it the "Ford Exploder".
FORD is terrible!! My 2004 Explorer has the cracked tailgate and the transmission died 3 years ago, which I replaced with a factory rebuilt with a 3 year warranty. Big surprise, 3 years is up and the transmission shakes and sputters. I have been a FORD owner all my life, buy American, and all that crap but NO MORE. Looking for a new vehicle and it won't be FORD. Maybe a nice Toyota or Nissan.
I thought I was making a great investment in this SUV. I was 20, 21 YOA and it was used and it was nice and definitely spacious! But that week or 2 after the purchase , it was just the beginning of one of the worst mistakes in my life! I was stuck having to pay for it, and all the monthly payments I made on it became a pain and I really felt like like had made one of the worst decisions of my life!!! It failed me in the middle of a 4 way stop while turning left in a residential area! Luckily I had 3 friends in there that helped me to push it to safety!!! I had to pay about 90 bucks for a damn tow truck to take the damn thing back home!!!! I wanted to punch everybody!!!!!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
The gear will shift but the transmission will not shift gears.
- Crystal J., Akron, US