CarComplaints.com Notes: 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.
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:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
85,678 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.
While shifting into reverse sometimes there is a 3-4 second delay. It is also slamming into reverse at times. More frequent as time goes on. This is a know issue from tsb 05-15-4 causing by the Ford factory failing to put an additive in the transmission fluid. This should be covered by Ford. I'm now looking at a costly repair.
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Explorer XLT. The contact stated that the gear shifter would sporadically move into neutral from park or drive without the key being in the ignition. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they advised him that there were no recalls for the particular failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.
Today, I started our 2005 Ford Explorer to drive my two children to the bus stop. The electronic throttle control light on the instrument cluster went on out of the blue. I've had many cars but this is the first Ford and since August we've put in an alternator, new engine and now the electronic throttle control light. Our prior SUV was a 1999 Dodge durango and we didn't have to put any of these repairs into it.
- Apple Valley, MN, USA
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This incident refers to a 2005 Ford Explorer eddie bauer VIN # [xxx]. after making an investment to purchase a vehicle, one should not have to worry about the safety of himself or family because the gear shifter broke off of the steering column. This is what has happened to me, then going to the Ford dealer for a part and being told it cost $1300 dollars to replace the entire steering column. When the cheap white metal that held it together just sheared off. Does a death need to occur to do something about this? information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Bought 2005 Ford Explorer with only $5700 miles on vehicle. By the time I had 60K miles, O/D light started flashing and I had to get new transmission. Now my vehicle has 125K miles and O/D light is on again. Will need another transmission. Both times, vehicle does not shift gears correctly and sounds like your transmission is going to fall out while driving down the road.
2005 Ford Explorer XLT 4.0L V6 28,000 miles purchased new on July 7, 2005 we started having problems with the fuel system in the end of June 2008 (intermittent loss of fuel gauge and service engine soon dash light) called the Ford dealer on or about July 1, 2008. We were driving and the truck engine died, no warning no steering no brakes, (the wrench light and engine failed test mode light came on) she managed to get it to the side of the road where it started up as if everything was ok, moments later it happened again, this time she put it in neutral and it started again while moving. She drove it to my house and took my car home.
I bought one of the sharpest SUV's I ever saw - a 2005 Ford Explorer XLT 4X4 6 cylinder. It started randomly dying on me like the others I have read about (70+ on the interstate was the most interesting!) this vehicle doesn't have a cable from the gas pedal to the throttle; the computer takes the request from the pedal and then the computer opens the throttle. So, if the computer can't "see" what the throttle is actually doing, that could be a bad thing, and for safety reasons, shuts everything down (Ford's so called fmem "limp home mode"). well, I replaced the tps, and it started again. I took it to the dealer, and in return for 90 dollars, they plugged a box into my SUV, pushed a button and then told me the PCM was bad. The PCM (powertrain control module) is the main brain for the car. Everything is either directly controlled by it, or by a submodule (SRS, 4WD, ABS, eatc, instrument cluster, TPMS, and vcm) that it directly controls. Here is the rub: Consider people that lose a limb, but continue to feel its' presence. That's' because even in the absence of real time data from the limb, the brain has a problem and 'thinks' it sees the limb. In case the analogy isn't clear, if the PCM begins to fail, it might say* sensor is failing. But the sensor is fine ' the brain is 'broken'. if it is broken due to a heat or vibration issue, it can work perfectly for however long, then just go nuts for a little while. That's what scares me the most ' this PCM controls everything, right" what happens if it commands the throttle to wide open, commands the transmission to shift to 1st, then fires the airbags? can you prove it couldn't" my problem in a nutshell is that an emissions control item like the PCM shouldn't fail in three years. Ford should just fix it instead of charging a grand plus labor. All of these others having intermittent surging, stalling failsafe mode and throttle issues I am betting is the same problem.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Severna Park, MD, USA