2005 Ford Explorer
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Structure is the leading concern among 568 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 16th highest complaint count among 26 Explorer model years with reports.
Of the 2005 reports, 27 involved a crash and 7 involved a fire. 20 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Visibility, glass, side/rearDec 11, 2007
CERTAIN CURVED TEMPERED REPLACEMENT GLASS MANUFACTURED BY HANGZHOU SAFETY GLASS LTD AND SUPPLIED TO SAFELITE BY AUTO TEMP INC., IDENTIFIED AS DOT-430, AND SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN VEHICLES MAY NOT BREAK INTO SMALL PIECES AS EXPECTED OF TEMPERED GLASS AND FAILS TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 205, "GLAZING MATERIALS."
IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT(S) MAY BE SERIOUSLY INJURED BY SHATTERED GLASS.
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.
Campaign 07E104000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lightingMay 24, 2006
CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
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.
Campaign 06E049000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lightingMar 23, 2006
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
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.
Campaign 06E026000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
568 reports, newest first.
Air bags, Apr 3, 2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT AND REAR CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,570.
Power train, Mar 29, 2015
IN NOV OF 2014 WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR 100K MILE SERVICE. WE TOLD THEM TO CHECK THE DRIVE TRAIN BECAUSE WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE THERE WOULD BE A SLIGHT HESITATION THEN A CLUNK THEN THE CAR WOULD BEGIN TO MOVE. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO ISSUE AND THEY INSTALLED A COMPUTER UPGRADE TO IMPROVE THE SHIFTING. THEY ALSO CHANGED THE TRANNY FLUID. THEN IN MARCH OF 2015 WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING AND GOT WORSE IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. WE TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER AGAIN AND THEY TOOK 2 WEEKS TO FIGURE OUT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED. THEY SAID $3500 FOR A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR ALL OF IT. *TR
Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 26, 2015
WHENEVER I FILL UP WITH GAS THE GAS GAUGE GOES TO EMPTY AND THE MILE TO EMPTY NUMBERS BECOME TWO BLANK SPACES AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. *TR
Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 26, 2015
I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN AND IT STALLED OUT. IT KEPT HAPPENING AT LEAST THREE TIMES A WEEK EVEN WHEN I WAS ON THE FREEWAY. I HAD FAR TOO MANY CLOSE CALLS FROM WRECKING OR CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I WENT AND HAD IT LOOKED AT BY A MECHANIC AND HE REPLACED THE SPRING IN THE FUEL RESET SWITCH. IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP ONCE MORE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ALSO ON AGAIN. HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST YEAR. IT CLAIMS THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE FUEL CAP OR THE FUEL LINES. I'VE HAD A PRESSURE TEST DONE AND MY GAS CAP CHANGED AND IT STILL HASN'T FIXED THE PROBLEM. ALSO MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE IS STARTING TO GET STUCK AND MY FUEL GAUGE IS NO LONGER REGISTERING THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF GAS I HAVE. I HAVE SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRUCK AND I JUST WANT THEM TO BE FIXED. THIS STUFF IS DANGEROUS AND CAN CAUSE LEGITIMATE ACCIDENTS AND SAFETY ISSUES. *TR
Structure, Mar 18, 2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HATCHBACK PANEL CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE PANELING, BUT IT WAS DISCONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000. UPDATED 4/15/15*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE PANEL BELOW THE BACK WINDOW WAS CRACKED. UPDATED 04/21/15*JB
Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 17, 2015
FILLED TANK TO FULL (AUTOMATIC SHUT OFF). WHEN I STARTED CAR THE NEXT TIME, GAS GAUGE READ EMPTY AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. I HAVE HAD THE MALFUNCTION OF GAUGE BEFORE AND HAS ALWAYS COME BACK AFTER A FEW MILES, BUT NEVER LIGHT. AFTER GETTING ERROR LIGHT READ, IT IS DETERMINED TO BE A FAULTY FUEL SENSOR. THIS CAN BE A SAFETY HAZARD AS THERE IS NO WAY FOR THE VEHICLE TO DISPLAY THE FUEL CORRECTLY WHEN THE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONS. I MAKE SURE NOT TO OVERFILL THE TANK AS FORD WARNS THAT THIS COULD BE AN ISSUE, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED (NOT JUST THAT THEY KNOW IT CAN HAPPEN). EVEN BY FOLLOWING THE MANUFACTURER'S PRECAUTIONS, THE PART STILL FAILED. *TR
Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 3, 2015
FUEL GAUGE IS WORKING INTERMITTENT. TANK IS FILL UP WITH GAS, BUT GAS GAUGE SHOW EMPTY. SOMETIMES IT COMEBACK, AFTER AN HOUR OR SO AND THEN, AFTER 30 MINS GOES BACK TO EMPTY AGAIN. I READ THIS IS AN ISSUE ON ALMOST ALL FORD EXPLORER. *TR
Service brakes, Feb 24, 2015, crash
I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 60 MPH WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO STOP NOTHING HAPPENED AND I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WRECKING MY TRUCK AND BRUISING MYSELF BADLY. *JS
Structure, Feb 19, 2015
TYPICAL FORD PROBLEM WITH 2002-2005 EXPLORER/MOUNTAINEERS. REAR TAILGATE CRACKED ALL ON IT'S OWN BECAUSE IT'S COLD HERE, AND BECAUSE IT'S A DEFECT FORD SHOULD HAVE FIXED WHEN THEY KNEW OF THE ISSUE. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE (OF MANY) WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Structure, Jan 28, 2015
THE REAR LIFT GATE TRIM PANEL SPLIT VERTICALLY FROM THE GLASS TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LIFT GATE. THE CRACK RUNS ADJACENT TO THE FORD EMBLEM ON THE LIFT GATE. I SEE A LOT OF THIS OCCURRING ON SIMILAR YEAR MODELS AND CONSIDER THAT THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. *TR
Structure, Jan 7, 2015
FIRST NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A SCRATCH UNDERNEATH REAR WINDOW. GREW INTO A CRACK WHICH RUNS FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE REAR WINDOW DOWN AROUND THE FORD EMBLEM TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW HATCH. CRACK HAS WIDENED TO ABOUT 1/8 INCH. VEHICLE PURCHASED MY MYSELF BRAND NEW. *TR
Structure, Jan 2, 2015
THE BACK TAILGATE PANEL HAS A CRACK BESIDE THE FORD LOGO. LOOKED ON LINE AND SAW THIS IS A LISTED PROBLEM WITH 2005 EXPLORERS.CALLED FORD THEY WERE NO HELP. *TR
Structure, Dec 14, 2014
PAINT IN ROOF CHANNELS BUBBLING, ROOF RUSTING. *TR
Steering, Wheels, Electronic stability control (ESC), Dec 7, 2014, crash
HELLO WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THE UPPER BALL JOINT IN THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT BROKE AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE AXLE, TIRE, AND WHEEL. THIS CAUSED ISSUES WITH CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND COULD HAVE CAUSE A MUCH GREATER ACCIDENT THAN WHAT OCCURRED. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID A MAJOR ACCIDENT, PARTIALLY DUE TO THE LOW SPEED AT THE TIME, HOWEVER HAD THIS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE OR ON A CROWDED HIGHWAY, THIS COULD HAVE HAD EXPONENTIALLY WORSE OUTCOMES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY NUMEROUS MECHANICS THAT THE BALL JOINTS ARE AN ISSUE FOR FORD EXPLORERS AND THIS ISN'T MY FIRST ISSUE WITH THEM MYSELF. I ALSO HAD ISSUES WITH MY 2004 EXPLORER. THIS WAS NOT AN ORIGINAL PART TO THE VEHICLE AND WAS CHECKED LESS THAN A WEEK BEFORE IT BROKE AND PASSED INSPECTION. PLEASE LOOK INTO BALL JOINT ISSUES FOR FORD EXPLORERS AND KEEP SOMETHING LIKE THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. A PICTURE OF THE VEHICLE IS BELOW. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFORMATION IF NEEDED. HTTP://OI59.TINYPIC.COM/T658XD.JPG. *TR
Structure, Dec 5, 2014
I WALKED OUTSIDE TO ENTER MY VEHICLE AND NOTICED A CRACK IN THE HATCH LIFT ON THE BACK DOOR ADJACENT TO THE FORD EMBLEM THAT WAS NOT PREVIOUSLY THERE. SINCE THEN, I'VE NOTICED THIS SAME FLAW ON MOST FORD EXPLORER XLTS OF APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AGE AS MINE. *TR
Structure, Nov 12, 2014
NOTICED A CRACK IN THE BACK WINDOW PANEL NEAR THE FORD EMBLEM. *TR
Power train, Engine, Nov 5, 2014
IM NOT SURE IF THIS SHOULD BE WITH ENGINE SECTION BUT I DIDN'T SEE A TRANSMISSION PART. I WAS DRIVING MY SUV AND TRANSMISSION LIGHT IN THE MESSAGE CENTER CAME ON AND SAID , OVER DRIVE ON /OFF KEPT FLASHING . TOOK TO A BODY SHOP NEARBY THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO BE THE TRANSMISSION. WITH FURTHER INVESTIGATION MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT SECOND / THIRD GEAR WAS GONE . I ENDED UP SPENDING $4500 FOR NEW TRANSMISSION TO BE INSTALLED. THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2005 FORD EXPLORERS. *TR
Structure, Nov 5, 2014
TOOK MY SUV TO BODYSHOP YESTERDAY I NOTICED THE ROOF TOP EXTERIOR WAS PEELING PAINT AND RUSTING. IT WILL LEAD TO LEAKING PROBLEMS IF NOT REPAIRED BUT OWNER OF SHOP SAYS THAT THERE IS NO WAY OF THEM BEING ABLE TO SEAL IT PERMANANTLY IT IS A MATTER OF HOW LONG NEW PAINT WILL LAST . TO HAVE IT REPAIRED IS VERY COSTLY BUT IF NOT WILL DO FURTHER DAMAGE. *TR
Structure, Nov 4, 2014
CRACK APPEARED TO LEFT OF FORD EMBLEM ON REAR HATCH DOOR, UNDER GLASS. *TR
Vehicle speed control, Oct 14, 2014
WHEN I SET THE CRUISE CONTROL IT WILL SOMETIMES JUST TURN OFF BY ITSELF WITHOUT ME TOUCHING THE BRAKE OR ANYTHING. USUALLY I CAN HEAR A NOISE AND THE GAS PEDAL WILL QUICKLY MOVE UP. ONCE THAT HAPPENS THEN I CAN NO LONGER SET THE CRUISE CONTROL. *TR
Electrical system, Engine, Oct 9, 2014
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO ACTIVATE THE HAZARD LIGHTS BECAUSE THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD FAILED. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO MERGE OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
Electrical system, Oct 3, 2014
MISFIRES, COILS KEEP FAILING. *TR
Structure, Oct 3, 2014
DISCOVERED A CRACK IN THE PANEL BELOW THE REAR WINDOW HATCH ABOVE AND BELOW THE FORD EMBLEM. *TR
Electrical system, Tires, Oct 1, 2014
CONSUMER WRITES TO REQUEST AN INVESTIGATION CONCERNING THE BUSINESS PRACTICES OF A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR CENTER. *TGW THE CONSUMER DID NOT THINK, THE REPAIR FACILITY WAS ACTUALLY PERFORMING THE SERVICES ON HIS VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION, DUE TO LOW TIRE TREAD. HE STATED HE WAS JUST IN THE REPAIR FACILITY ONE MONTH PRIOR, AND NO MENTIONED TO HIM, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES. ALSO, THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, IT WAS DETERMINED THE NEW ALTERNATOR WAS DEFECTIVE. *JB
Wheels, Sep 29, 2014
WHILE PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY OF A GAS STATION HEARD A THUMP FROM THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE/RIM. WHEN LEAVING THE GAS STATION NOTICED A VIBRATION WHICH BECAME INCREASINGLY MORE VIOLENT. WHILE ROUNDING A CURVE 4 OUT OF 5 LUGS SHEARED (CAUSING THE LUGNUTS AND CENTERCAP TO FLY OFF). *TR