2004 Ford Explorer Other Problems

You've experienced tread separation on a second tire, causing complete failure. This is a serious safety issue where the tire tread peels away from the tire structure. You may need to replace the affected tires and have a mechanic inspect your vehicle to determine if there's an underlying cause like alignment problems or suspension wear.

THE IGNITION KEYS LOSES THE PROGRAM AND I CONSTANTLY HAVE TO HAVE NOTH REPROGRAMED. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS A RECALL THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT. THE CAUSE THE CAR INABILITY TO START

I WAS GETTING STUFF OUT OF MY BACK SEAT AND MY REAR WINDOW JUST BLEW OUT SHATTERING GLASS ALL OVER .THE BOTTOM PIECE THAT SECURES THE GLASS TO THE DOOR WARPRED ABOUT 6 INCHED ON EACH SIDE EXPLODING THE GLASS

WHEN PUTTING THE EXPLORER INTO REVERSE IT WOULD SHIFT HARD AND THROW THE VEHICLE BACK AND THEN WHEN YOU PUT IT INTO DRIVE THE ENGINE WOULD RACE AND REV UP HIGH AND THEN SLAM INTO THE NEXT GEAR. IT MADE THE VEHICLE HARD TO BE RELIABLE. TOOK THE EXPLORER IN AND THEY SAID THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR FORD VEHICLES AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHY THERE IS NO RECALL FOR IT BUT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT NOW HAVING TO PAY $4500 OUT OF POCKET TO GET MY VEHICLE FIXED AS I NEED IT FOR DR APPOINTMENTS. THEY SAID THE O/D HAD PUT SHAVINGS DOWN IN THE PAN AS WELL AS OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WOULD COST MORE TO REPLACE INDIVIDUAL PARTS THAN TO DO THE ENTIRE THING. FRUSTRATING TO KNOW THAT FORD KNOWS THIS IS AN ISSUE AND DOESN'T DO ANYTHING TO HELP THE CONSUMER.

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE I285 INTERSTATE WE HEARD A LOUD POP/ SNAP AND WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE IT CAME FROM, MY DAUGHTER NOTICED GLASS SHARDS ON CLOTHES AND THAT TS WHEN WE LOOKED UP AND REALIZED THE MOONROOF HAD SHATTERED.

BOTH HINGES ON THE REAR HATCH GLASS BROKEN. WINDOW READY TO FALL OUT OF VEHICLE. CAN'T BELIEVE THIS ITEM HASN'T BEEN RECALLED AS THERE ARE TONS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE HINGES.

2004 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED EDITION TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. IT DOES NOT GEAR BACK WHEN AT A STOP AND FIXING TO GO. IT GOES VERY SLOW UNTIL IT SWITCHES GEARS.

I NOTICED A CRACK IN THE LIFTGATE BOTTOM ABS PANEL TO THE RIGHT OF THE FORS EMBLEM IN OCTOBER 2015. ON DECEMBER 8, 2015 THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BACK WINDOW GLASS IN THE LIFTGATE BLEW-OUT. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT FILE IN CALIFORNIA REGARDING THIS SAFETY DEFECT. I FEEL IT IS UNSAFE, BECAUSE I COULD BE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE AND THE GLASS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BREAK-OUT WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING OPERATOR DISTRACTON TO DRINING WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE REAR PANEL UNDER THE REAR GLASS NEAR THE REAR WIPER CRACKS. THE FIRST TIME WE PAID TO HAVE THE PANEL REPLACED. BECAUSE WE WERE CONCERNED THAT THE GLASS WOULD COME LOOSE CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. LESS THAN 18 MONTHS AND THE CRACKS HAVE REAPPEARED ONLY NOW THERE ARE TWO CRACKS IN THE SAME LOCATION. WE HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE CARS ON THE ROAD WITH THIS SAME CRACK. THE DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE SEEN AS WELL. CALLED FORD REGARDING THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A DEFAULT IN THE PANEL WHICH CAN CAUSES THE REAR GLASS TO FALL OUT CAUSING SERIOUS ACCIDENTS.

TRUCK SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHEN I WAS IN TRAFFIC NOT MOVING.

OVERDRIVE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS.. CODED PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID. PUT ONE IN AND IT STILL HAS THE LIGHT BLINKING AND RUNS LIKE CRAP..

DEFECTIVE BODY MOUNTS AND BUSHINGS. I AM THE OWNER OF A 2004 FORD SPORT TRAC AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE BODY MOUNTS AND BUSHINGS ARE DETERIORATED AND CRUMBLING. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE SPORT TRAC YEARS 2001-2005. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM AS WELL AS EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. I CALLED A BODY SHOP AND THE PARTS ARE $1,695 WITH $720 FOR LABOR. THE FORD DEALERSHIP WANTS $1,882 FOR PARTS AND $400 LABOR TO REPLACE 6 MOUNTS EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE HAS EIGHT (8). FORD SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND REPLACE THE PARTS (THAT SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE). EVIDENTLY NOT ENOUGH SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATH HAS OCCURRED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, SO THEY JUST QUIT PRODUCTION AS A CHEAPER WAY OUT. SHAME ON FORD TO NOT TAKE CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS.

WHEN OPENING THE REAR HATCH WINDOW, THERE WAS A FAILURE IN THE PIN IN THE HINGE CAUSING THE WINDOW TO FALL. THE WINDOW WAS NOT BROKEN HOWEVER A REPAIR HAD TO BE MADE BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVABLE DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF THE GLASS FALLING. *TR

VEHICLE WAS MAKING A WHINNING NOISE FROM FRONT END AT 60 MPH. I CHECKED TIRES IN FRONT AND NOTICED EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE INSIDE OF BOTH TIRES, THE MILEAGE WAS 25650.I HAD THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED AT A LOCAL TIRE AND LUBE AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS. SUGGESTED ROTATING THE TIRES,THESE WERE THE TIRES THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE, TIRES WERE ROTATED.HOWEVER, AT ABOUT 31000 MILES THE NOISE WAS BACK AND THE TIRE WEAR WAS BACK AGAIN, EXCESSIVE WEAR. I BOUGHT NEW TIRES AT THIS TIME, THEY HAVE BEEN ROTATED A EVERY OIL CHANGE AND THE PROBLEM PERSIST. NO ONE CAN FIND A REASON FOR THIS OCCURRENCE, WE DON'T HAVE A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. THE SHOP I TAKE THE VEHICLE TOO CANNOT FIND ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. I THINK FORD KNOWS THEY HAVE THIS ISSUE AND IS WILLING TO IGNORE THE PROBLEM. THEY WILL NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ME OR MY FAMILY BUYING ANY MORE FORD PRODUCTS. THIS IS THE FIRST AND LAST FORD PRODUCT I WILL EVER OWN.

BLEND DOOR MOTOR FOR THE HEAT MELTED...APPARANTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR EXPLORERS...IS THIS NOT A FIRE HAZARD???? THE PIECE IS PLASTIC AND MELTS...COULD THIS NOT CAUSE A FIRE?

BODY TO FRAME MOUNTING BUSHINGS ARE FAILING. WHEN TOUCHED THEY CRUMBLE. I LIVE IN SE TEXAS. NO ROAD SALT OR WINTER CHEMICALS TO DEAL WITH. MADE FROM POOR QUALITY MATERIAL. SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. ONCE THEY COMPLETELY FAIL THE CAB WILL BE LOOSE ON THE FRAME. CREATING AN UNSAFE TRUCK. I'M A MEMBER OF MYSPORTTRAC.COM. THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM ON 2001 TO 2005 SPORT TRACS. I HAVEN'T TALKED TO A FORD DEALER. REASON IS, OTHER MEMBERS NATION WIDE, HAVE NOT GOT ANY HELP FROM FORD MOTOR CO. REPAIRS HAVE BEEN OUT OF POCKET. IN MY OPINION THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL.

IN SEPT 2009 THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER FAILED AN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THE COST OF THE REPAIR WAS COVERED. 18 MONTHS LATER THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 60,400 OR 20,000 MILES AFTER THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION WAS PUT IN. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED ON 1/30/11 OR 60,000 MILES. THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION ACCORDING TO FORD EXPIRES WITH THE VEHICLE WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH IF YOU PURCHASE A REBUILT TRANSMISSION FOR A FORD VEHICLE NOT UNDER WARRANTY THEY WILL OFFER A 3 YEAR/100K MILE WARRANTY. I CALLED FORD WITH MY DILEMMA AND EXPLAINED THAT THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION WENT 33 DAYS AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF THE WARRANTY OR 400 MILES ABOVE THE 60,000 MILE LIMIT. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE VERY SORRY THIS HAPPENED BUT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. OUTSIDE THE ISSUE OF NOT BEING VERY FAIR SINCE IF I HAD PURCHASED THE TRANSMISSION ON MY OWN THE REPAIR WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED, THIS 2004 FORD EXPLORER IS NOW ON ITS 3RD TRANSMISSION AND THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT. SOMETHING SEEMS INHERENTLY WRONG WITH THAT. THANKS FOR READING MY COMPLAINT.

THERE ARE MANY CRACKS BELOW REAR WINDOW WHICH ARE GETTING LARGER AND LARGER. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT THE ENTIRE WINDOW WILL FALL OUT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE HINGES ARE BEING AFFECTED BY THESE LARGE CRACKS. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY MANY CONCERNS ON THIS EXACT PROBLEM AND FOR SAFETY REASONS, FORD NEEDS TO RECALL ALL VEHICLES THAT THIS AFFECTS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED OR HURT REALLY BAD.

THE HATCH BACK CRACKED DOWN THE MIDDLE. RIGHT BELOW THE WINDOWS.

WAS DRIVING 2004 FORD EXPLORER ON HIGHWAY, AND HAD SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. BROUGHT TO FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE MECHANIC ON HEARING THE ENGINE START UP, KNEW THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE TIMING CHAINS AS HE HAS SEEN THAT PROBLEM BEFORE. SERVICE DEALER GAVE THREE OPTIONS, ONE WAS FOR AROUND $3000 THEY WOULD REPLACE TIMING CHAINS, GUIDES, AND TENSIONER, BUT WITH NO GUARANTEE AS THE TIMING CHAIN PROBLEM COULD HAVE CAUSED OTHER DAMAGE. THE OTHER TWO OPTIONS WERE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THIS 2004 FORD EXPLORER WE HAD BOUGHT BRAND NEW, AND ONLY HAD SOMEWHERE AROUND 65K MILES. IF YOU WERE TO GOGGLE SOME KEY WORDS LIKE ( FORD 2004 V6 TIMING CHAIN GUIDE TENSIONER) YOU WILL FIND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM CAUSED BY A BAD DESIGN WITH THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WHICH LOOSES PRESSURE AND ALLOW THE TIMING CHAIN S TO JUMP TEETH. MY WIFE CALLED FORD HEADQUARTERS TODAY, AND THEY TREATED IT LIKE THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE EVER HEARD OF THAT, ALTHOUGH THEY ASSURED HER THAT THEY NO LONGER MAKE THAT STYLE OF ENGINE. FORD KNOWS VERY WELL ABOUT THIS BAD TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER DESIGN, AND BASICALLY WHEN THAT HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY WE COULD HAVE EASILY GOT INTO A BAD ACCIDENT. THIS STYLE OF ENGINE SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED AT FORD'S EXPENSE, I AM DISAPPOINTED AS WE TREATED THIS EXPLORER WITH TLC, AND NOW WE ARE TOLD THE ENGINE IS JUNK. *TR

PURCHASED 2004 EXPLORER IN NOVEMBER 2007. 95489 MILES. NO PRIOR INDICATION IN DRIVABILITY, NOISE OR LIGHTS COMING ON. GOING ALONG, MOST SPEED AVAILABLE WAS 20 MPH, RPMS ON 6; THEN JERKED TO CHANGE GEARS. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY IN TOWN DURING RUSH HOUR, OVERDRIVE LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. LIMPED INTO NEAREST REPAIR SHOP, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE A TRANSMISSION SHOP,. TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. OBVIOUSLY FORD KNEW ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY HAD SENT SHOP UPDATE NOTICES AND WHAT TO DO WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS

I WAS LEAVING MY FRIEND'S HOUSE TO DRIVE APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES AND WHEN I WENT TO PARK MY TRUCK WHICH IS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC XLT, THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS VERY LOOSE GOING INTO PARK, BUT DID NOT ENGAGE BECAUSE I WAS STILL ROLLING BACK, I THEN PROCEEDED TO PUT ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I TURNED OFF MY TRUCK AND THEN STARTED IT AGAIN AND THIS TIME MY TRUCK WILL NOT TURN OVER AND THE SHIFTER IS STILL EXTREMELY LOOSE. I LOOKED ON SEVERAL FORUMS AND THEY ALL SAY THAT I MIGHT HAVE TO REPLACE MY STEERING COLUMN, AND AS FAR AS MY TRUCK NOT STARTING, I DON'T KNOW. *TW

2004 FORD EXPLORER - I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW IN DEC. 03. STARTING AT APPROXIMATELY 14 MONTHS OLD, IT STARTS STALLING OUT, JUST DYING COMPLETELY. NO SIGNS, NO SYMPTOMS, JUST DIE AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, I CHALKED IT UP TO BAD GAS OR SOMETHING? FINALLY, ON THE 3RD. DEAD TIME, I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER. THEY SAID THEY CHANGED A FUSE AND IT SHOULD BE FINE. IT DIED AGAIN ... AND AGAIN. I TOOK IT BACK. THEY INSTALLED A BLACK BOX (FLIGHT RECORDER & TOLD ME TO DRIVE IT UNTIL THE MACHINE REGESTERED "3". I HAD TO KEEP THE BUTTON BY THE STEERING COLUMN SO I COULD PUSH IT QUICKLY WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FIRST STALL, I PUSHED THE BUTTON & IT REGISTERED "2". IT DIED AGAIN JUST A BLOCK DOWN THE ROAD (RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON CASINO ROW, HWY 90). I PUSHED THE BUTTON AGAIN & IT REGISTERED "3". THE NEXT WEEK I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY HAD THE CAR 4 DAYS THIS TIME & COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT. FINALLY THEY CALLED THE ENGINEERS WHO SAID TO "CLEAN & TIGHTEN THE GROUNDING STRAPS". THAT FRIDAY, IT DIED AGAIN. A COUPLE OF TIMES IT HAS DIES, MY NEWLY LICENSED DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING & NOW SHE IS AFFRAID OF MY CAR! THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKS WHEN IT DIES. WE WERE COMING BACK FROM WALMART & I KEPT TELLING HER "TURN, TURN", SHE YELLED "I CAN'T". THE CAR HAD DIED AGAIN! BECAUSE OF THE HURRICANE, I COULDN'T TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK IN. IT DIED A TOTAL OF 6 TIMES DURING EVACUATION. 5 IN SLOW TRAFFIC JAMS & ONCE WHEN COMING 60 MPH OFF THE INTERSTATE ONTO AN EXIT. I HAVE SINCE TAKEN IT BACK IN TO THE DEALER AGAIN (AT THE URGING OF FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE) AND THEY KEPT IT 10 DAYS & STILL DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS WRONG! THEY GAVE ME MY CAR BACK & SUGGESTED I TAKE IT TO ANOTHER DEALER.?! I AM A UNITED STATES AIR FORCE INSTRUCTOR AND I DO NOT HAVE THE TIME TO TAKE IT IN CONSTANTLY TO THE DEALER. PLUS, I PAY AN OUTRAGEOUS CAR PAYMENT JUST TO HAVE MY VEHICLE SIT IN REPAIR.

WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON, THERE IS A LOUD SQUEAK EACH TIME THE CLUTCH ENGAGES. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER(JOHN CHANDLER FORD AMARILLO, TX), THEY STATE IT IS A NORMAL OCCURANCE. YOU CAN HEAR THE NOISE OVER THE STEREO AND ANY TALKING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE SHOP @ 6 TIMES, AND NO CORRECTIVE ACTION HAS BEEN DONE FOR THIS ISSUE.

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