Problems · NHTSA complaints

2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac problems

Owners filed 1,408 complaints about the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac with NHTSA between Jan 2004 and Jun 2024. The most-cited component is power train (477).

Complaints
1,408
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
75
Reported by owners
Fires
16
Reported by owners
Injuries
105
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train477
  2. Structure446
  3. Visibility101
  4. Vehicle speed control84
  5. Engine and engine cooling78
  6. Electrical system62
  7. Air bags54
  8. Suspension51
  9. Engine45
  10. Steering44
  11. Wheels42
  12. Service brakes, hydraulic35
  13. Tires28
  14. Latches/locks/linkages24

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200498
2005124
200674
200799
2008146
2009194
2010181
2011133
201293
201359
201477
201548
201623
201720
201811
201914
20202
20216
20221
20232
20243

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

477 reports19 crashes2 fires
“MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER HAS RECENTLY AND QUICKLY BEGAN SHIFTING VERY BADLY. I ALWAYS COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL BEFORE SHIFTING INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE BECAUSE WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE FROM P OR D, IT ALWAYS TAKES A WHILE, THEN CLUNKS AGGRESSIVELY INTO PLACE. WHILE DRIVING SOMETIMES DOWNSHIFTING WILL ALSO CLUNK INTO PLACE. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED BY COUNTLESS OTHER DRIVERS AND HAS CAUSED MANY POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. FROM ACCELERATING SLOWLY THEN BANGING GEARS AND TAKING OFF, TO STUTTERING WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE, OR EVEN SWITCHING INTO REVERSE WHILE PARKING, AND HAVING THE CAR TRY TO JUMP BACK A FEW INCHES IS ONLY A FEW ISSUES THIS PROBLEM HAS CAUSED MYSELF AND COUNTLESS OTHERS. PEOPLE ARE REPLACING TRANSMISSIONS LEFT AND RIGHT TO NO AVAIL, ONLY A FEW 10 THOUSAND MILES AFTER INSTALLING NEW TRANSMISSIONS, THEIR CAR STARTS TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME ISSUES AS BEFORE. AT LOW SPEEDS AND IN PARKING LOTS THIS BECOMES A GAME OF LUCK AS YOU ACCELERATE MORE THAN NECESSARY TO TRY TO GET GOING, THEN STOPPING AND WAITING A FEW SECONDS WHILE YOU SHIFT TO NEUTRAL BEFORE SHIFTING TO REVERSE AS FEAR OF IT BANGING INTO GEAR AS YOU TRY TO MANEUVER…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 26, 2019Power trainODI 11258464

Structure

446 reports3 crashes1 fire
“Back windows fell off track and windows fell down, cannot roll them up. AC and Heater broke and won't work at all. Fuel system is too lean. Transmission is going out Timing Chain and tensioners making loud knocking noise. Burning oil.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 22, 2023Structure, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11518469

Visibility

101 reports
“WHILE CLOSING THE REAR WINDOW GLASS HATCH THE DRIVER SIDE HINGE BROKE ALLOWING THE WINDOW TO FALL OUT ON THAT SIDE. THE REAR GLASS HATCH WINDOW IS HEAVY AND COULD HAVE EASILY BROKEN THE HINGE SIDE ALLOWING THE GLASS TO FALL OFF THE VEHICLE. A PREVIOUS FORD RECALL ON THE VERY SAME COMPONENT COVERED VEHICLES UP TO 2003. THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM IS OCCURRING TO THIS 2004 VEHICLE. CONTACTED FORD AND THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO HELP OWNERS OUT. HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THE HINGE LET GO, THERE WOULD BE A VERY HIGH PROBABILITY OF PROPERTY DAMAGE AND A VERY HIGH PROBABILITY OF PERSONAL INJURY TO OTHERS ON THE ROAD. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 9, 2015VisibilityODI 10682231

Vehicle speed control

84 reports11 crashes5 fires
“ENGINE DIES WHEN DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL OPERATING AND HEADING DOWN SLIGHT HILL AT SPEED OF AROUND 35 MPH. CRUISE IS DESIGNED TO MAINTAIN DRIVING SPEED GOING DOWN THE HILL (UP OR DOWN HILL FOR THAT MATTER). THE TACHOMETER INDICATES A SLOWING OF ENGINE RPM. AT HIGHER SPEEDS, THE SLOWING OF RPM DOES NOT FALL TOO LOW. HOWEVER, AT THE SLOWER SPEED AROUND 35MPH, THE RPM DROPS BELOW 500 RPM AND THE ENGINE STALLS. I LOSE POWER STEERING AND BREAKS. I HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME STEERING AND BREAKING. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM ON A CURVE OR IF A RED LIGHT IS AHEAD. I CAN'T STEER THE CAR ON THE CURVE. I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO STOP THE CAR AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT AND END UP IN AN INTERSECTION AND BE HIT BY VEHICLES WITH A GREEN LIGHT. I MAY HIT A CAR IN FRONT OF ME THAT HAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO STOP FOR A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING AT THE INTERSECTION (WITH THE LIGHT). I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AVOID A CHILD ... WHO DARTS INTO THE ROADWAY. THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR MANY OWNERS OF THE 2004 EXPLORER. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT ON THE WEB. IT IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN NOTED FOR YEARS. I COMPLAINED ABOUT IT TO DEALERS SEVERAL TIMES. DEALERS DISMISSED IT AS…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 9, 2021Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11395422

Engine and engine cooling

78 reports1 crash4 fires
“2004 FORD EXPLORER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FAILURE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE FROM THE ROAD AND HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE REPAIRS, DUE TO OTHER DAMAGE TO ONE OF THE COMPONENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHERE THEY INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HAD FAILED, BROKE THE V-BELT, WHICH IN TURN HIT AND DAMAGED THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 20, 2012Engine and engine cooling, EngineODI 10460484

Electrical system

62 reports1 crash2 fires
“PLASTICE PARTS ARE DETERIORATING, DESOLVING IN FRONT INSIDE DRIVE SUN VISOR-LIGHTED VISOR BROKE OFF; CENTERL REAR A/C AND HEAT MOON ROOF LIGHT CONSOLE FALLS OFF-PLASTICE CLIPS DESOLVED AND WILL NOT FASTEN INTO ROOF ASSEMBLY, CAUSING BLOCKED EYESIGHT AND AT TIME ON RIGHT TURN HITTING HEAD OR EYES . THIS IS UNSAFE AND FORD MOTOR KNOWS OF COMPLAINST. PART ARE NOT AVAILBLE. THIS IS A HIGHWAY SAFETY ISSUE. THE MODEL WAS THE EDDIE BAUER TOP OF THE LINE $40,,835 CAR FMV $5000 ONLY 54000 MILES PRI LEVEL CODE 450240U74 SHIP WGT 4357”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 20, 2019Electrical system, Exterior lighting, StructureODI 11233554
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.