2004 Ford Explorer Problems and Recalls (1,279 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2004 Ford Explorer is Transmission / driveline (32% of 1,279 owner reports). There are 4 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Transmission / driveline — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 1,279 complaints · 4 recalls

What problems show up on the 2004 Ford Explorer?

403 of 1,279 filings named Transmission / driveline (32% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Body / frame (369 reports).

There are 4 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Glass / wipers / cameras and Lights. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2003 has 1,115 reports on file; this year has 1,279. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2004 Ford Explorer

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 4 campaigns on file below.
  2. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  3. Body / frame. Look for rust, collision repair and body gaps that do not match a clean truck.
  4. Glass / wipers / cameras. Check windshield, wipers and any camera or sensor the listing claims is there.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Transmission / driveline. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Transmission / driveline 403 complaints · 31.5% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 58
  • Fires 15
  • Injuries 83
  • Deaths 0
Compare with 2003 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) appears in 403 of 1,279 owner complaints (31.5%) in this vehicle snapshot. Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 403 complaints, 31.5% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 16 crash reports 1 fire reports 403 · 31.5% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 369 complaints, 28.9% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 2 crash reports 369 · 28.9% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 84 complaints, 6.6% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 84 · 6.6% Engine (ENGINE): 80 complaints, 6.3% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 crash reports 5 fire reports 80 · 6.3% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 58 complaints, 4.5% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 9 crash reports 2 fire reports 58 · 4.5% Wheels (WHEELS): 42 complaints, 3.3% of reports Wheels (WHEELS) 3 crash reports 2 fire reports 42 · 3.3% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 37 complaints, 2.9% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 19 crash reports 37 · 2.9% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 30 complaints, 2.4% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 30 · 2.4% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 29 complaints, 2.3% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 3 crash reports 2 fire reports 29 · 2.3% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 819 complaints, 64.0% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 30 crash reports 6 fire reports 819 · 64.0% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 403 31.5% 16 crashes · 1 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 369 28.9% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 84 6.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 80 6.3% 1 crashes · 5 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 58 4.5% 9 crashes · 2 fires
Wheels (WHEELS) 42 3.3% 3 crashes · 2 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 37 2.9% 19 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 30 2.4% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 29 2.3% 3 crashes · 2 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 819 64.0% 30 crashes · 6 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 2004; the first recall shown was reported in Mar 2006. 2004-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2004-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2004-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2004-Q4: 54 owner reports 54 2005-Q1: 43 owner reports 43 2005-Q2: 24 owner reports 24 2005-Q3: 23 owner reports 23 2005-Q4: 17 owner reports 17 2006-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2006-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2006-Q3: 18 owner reports 18 2006-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2007-Q1: 23 owner reports 23 2007-Q2: 18 owner reports 18 2007-Q3: 22 owner reports 22 2007-Q4: 29 owner reports 29 2008-Q1: 26 owner reports 26 2008-Q2: 38 owner reports 38 2008-Q3: 30 owner reports 30 2008-Q4: 38 owner reports 38 2009-Q1: 60 owner reports 60 2009-Q2: 47 owner reports 47 2009-Q3: 30 owner reports 30 2009-Q4: 45 owner reports 45 2010-Q1: 42 owner reports 42 2010-Q2: 36 owner reports 36 2010-Q3: 48 owner reports 48 2010-Q4: 48 owner reports 48 2011-Q1: 46 owner reports 46 2011-Q2: 30 owner reports 30 2011-Q3: 22 owner reports 22 2011-Q4: 23 owner reports 23 2012-Q1: 25 owner reports 25 2012-Q2: 21 owner reports 21 2012-Q3: 24 owner reports 24 2012-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2013-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2013-Q2: 21 owner reports 21 2013-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2013-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2014-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2014-Q2: 15 owner reports 15 2014-Q3: 18 owner reports 18 2014-Q4: 21 owner reports 21 2015-Q1: 20 owner reports 20 2015-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2015-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2015-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2016-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2016-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2016-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2016-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2017-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2017-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2017-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2019-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 2004 Apr 2024 Recall campaign 06E026000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E026000 Recall campaign 06E049000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E049000 Recall campaign 07E104000 ◆ Recall campaign 07E104000 Recall campaign 09E025000 ◆ Recall campaign 09E025000 Investigation DP05005 ● Investigation DP05005 Investigation RQ08003 ● Investigation RQ08003 Investigation PE09020 ● Investigation PE09020 Investigation EA09013 ● Investigation EA09013
  • Campaign 07E104000 was reported 1,278 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2004-Q1 Owner reports 5
2004-Q2 Owner reports 13
2004-Q3 Owner reports 15
2004-Q4 Owner reports 54
2005-Q1 Owner reports 43
2005-Q2 Owner reports 24
2005-Q3 Owner reports 23
2005-Q4 Owner reports 17
2006-Q1 Owner reports 16
2006-Q2 Owner reports 11
2006-Q3 Owner reports 18
2006-Q4 Owner reports 12
2007-Q1 Owner reports 23
2007-Q2 Owner reports 18
2007-Q3 Owner reports 22
2007-Q4 Owner reports 29
2008-Q1 Owner reports 26
2008-Q2 Owner reports 38
2008-Q3 Owner reports 30
2008-Q4 Owner reports 38
2009-Q1 Owner reports 60
2009-Q2 Owner reports 47
2009-Q3 Owner reports 30
2009-Q4 Owner reports 45
2010-Q1 Owner reports 42
2010-Q2 Owner reports 36
2010-Q3 Owner reports 48
2010-Q4 Owner reports 48
2011-Q1 Owner reports 46
2011-Q2 Owner reports 30
2011-Q3 Owner reports 22
2011-Q4 Owner reports 23
2012-Q1 Owner reports 25
2012-Q2 Owner reports 21
2012-Q3 Owner reports 24
2012-Q4 Owner reports 18
2013-Q1 Owner reports 10
2013-Q2 Owner reports 21
2013-Q3 Owner reports 12
2013-Q4 Owner reports 12
2014-Q1 Owner reports 13
2014-Q2 Owner reports 15
2014-Q3 Owner reports 18
2014-Q4 Owner reports 21
2015-Q1 Owner reports 20
2015-Q2 Owner reports 11
2015-Q3 Owner reports 8
2015-Q4 Owner reports 6
2016-Q1 Owner reports 6
2016-Q2 Owner reports 7
2016-Q3 Owner reports 6
2016-Q4 Owner reports 4
2017-Q1 Owner reports 4
2017-Q2 Owner reports 7
2017-Q3 Owner reports 5
2017-Q4 Owner reports 3
2018-Q1 Owner reports 2
2018-Q2 Owner reports 2
2018-Q3 Owner reports 2
2018-Q4 Owner reports 4
2019-Q1 Owner reports 3
2019-Q2 Owner reports 1
2019-Q3 Owner reports 4
2019-Q4 Owner reports 2
2020-Q3 Owner reports 1
2021-Q1 Owner reports 1
2021-Q2 Owner reports 1
2021-Q3 Owner reports 1
2021-Q4 Owner reports 1
2022-Q3 Owner reports 1
2023-Q2 Owner reports 1
2023-Q3 Owner reports 1
2024-Q1 Owner reports 1
2024-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 06E026000
Recall campaign 1 06E049000
Recall campaign 1 07E104000
Recall campaign 1 09E025000
Defect investigation 1 DP05005
Defect investigation 1 RQ08003
Defect investigation 1 PE09020
Defect investigation 1 EA09013
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (4)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Glass / wipers / cameras and Lights.

  1. Recall campaign 06E026000

    Safety recall 06E026000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 06E049000

    Safety recall 06E049000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 07E104000

    Glass / wipers / cameras

    Report date
    Component:
    Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)
    Consequence:
    IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT(S) MAY BE SERIOUSLY INJURED BY SHATTERED GLASS.
    Remedy:
    SAFELITE WILL NOTIFY ITS RETAIL CUSTOMERS AND REPLACE THE GLASS FREE OF CHARGE. RETAIL CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT SAFELITE TOLL FREE AT 1-888-843-2906. SAFELITE WILL NOTIFY ITS WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS AND REIMBURSE WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS FOR CURRENT INVENTORY AND AT A SPECIFIED RATE FOR REPLACING THEIR CUSTOMER'S GLASS. WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT SAFELITE'S WHOLESALE DIVISION, SERVICE AUTOGLASS TOLL FREE AT 1-888-246-6298. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 15, 2008.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 09E025000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 6 of 1,279 complaints · page 1 of 52
2024-05-28Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11591062
CrashFireInjuryDeath
on [XXX] brought to local shop on power steering leak. Week before, Paid $50 for inspection. on [XXX] appointment was line and replaced. But tech said get pass brake line was rotted and was bad leak of brake fluid. On [XXX] my wife's Explorer was reinspected and rear driver side brake copper line also reported rotted after paying $539.95 for power steering low pressure and brake line. Wife's Eddie Bauer 2004 v8 was reported to FORD Motor Co. Case# [XXX] defective copper brake lines on suv. No good will offered no warrantee fue to latent defective brake line copper tubing coming from ABS modular. ABS LIGHT COMES ON AT TIMES. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2024-02-09FUEL SYSTEM
NHTSA ODI 11570989
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I need a new gas tank for my vehicle and Ford stopped making the gas tank for my vehicle. That is a very big safety issue. I called Ford and they were helping to find one from junkyard's I don't want one from a junkyard that I have to repair. I asked for Ford to make a gas tank or pay for them to have mine fixed right at a Ford dealership, no help. That's a big safety problem. Ford provided the contacts phone number to the junkyards but the contact doesn't want the gas tank from a junkyard who probably put holes in them to drain the gasoline out of the tank.
2023-07-19FUEL SYSTEM
NHTSA ODI 11533148
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Smoke for a good 5 mins under the hood oil leeking
2023-04-22Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11518469
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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.
2022-08-31Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11482255
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact's son owned a 2004 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while her son was driving in the rain at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle hydroplaned as he rounded a corner. The vehicle slid into a ditch and hit a tree on the passenger side of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact's son and his friend were both transported to the hospital for their injuries. Her son was treated for soreness in various parts of his body and was released the same day. Her son's friend had to remain in the hospital overnight and his injuries were unknown. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the independent collision center where it remained in their possession. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired or destroyed. The failure mileage was approximately 153,000.
2021-11-12Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11440207
CrashFireInjuryDeath
On two incidents this week when steering wheel is cut to maximum left or right in tight parking lot and narrow road while making tight turns at legal speeds the engine (V8 4.6L) stalls. Brought to non-Ford mechanic for inspection(NYS ANNUAL) and passes but mechanic looked for a power steering pressure sending sensor or switch that is to give signal to EMC to increase idle to compensate for more power steer demands. Part is $35 at Partgeek but mechanics dont know where the harness the sending switch is located, if one exists or is it in power steering pump. Call Ford NADA! Call two local Ford dealers. One says dont work on cars 15 years old, other says go to liabary to get diagrams, Ford says obsolete parts in 10 years.Bummer! Husband ordered 8/10/20 New 2021 Bronco. Pushed into 2022 due to supply chain. Found out Bronco built at MAP same as Ranger, will not get stronger 10r80 transmission,but Explorer 10r60, 25% weaker ; and gets Explorer 2.3L EgoBoost non- Ranger improved 4×4 engine , although they say same transmission and improved engine as Ranger in ads. Ford Buit Tought? MY2022! PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ISDUE. NO BRAKING NOR STEERING WHEN SENSON IN POWER STEERING STALLS 4.6L ENGINE. Cannot apply gas and brake to keep from stalling when making sharp turns. I am 75 years old and with COPD. Serpertine belt replace before incidents.

Ford Explorer Complaints by Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2004 Ford Explorer?

Owners named Transmission / driveline most often — 403 of 1,279 reports (32%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2004 Ford Explorer?

NHTSA lists 4 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Glass / wipers / cameras and Lights. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2004 Ford Explorer?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources