2004 Ford Explorer Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, MY EXPLORER WOULD TURN OVER BUT REFUSE TO START. THE THIRD TIME IT TOOK 2 DAYS FOR IT TO FINALLY START. ON THE WAY TO THE SERVICE APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALER, THE SUV STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION. THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T PIN-POINT ANY PARTICULAR CAUSE BUT THEY DID HAVE A SERVICE BULLETIN THAT CALLED FOR UPDATING OF SOME SOFTWARE. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTERWARDS, THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.
STARTED OF BEING AN ENGINE VIBRATION, 2 MONTH LATER CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FAILURE. JUST MADE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY FIXED IT BUT MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE PULLEY COMING OFF ON THE HIGHWAY WORRY ME. *NM
AUTO GOES INTO FAIL SAFE MODE WHILE BEING DRIVEN. HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES SINCE MAR. 10, 2006. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP ON MAR. 14, APRIL 22, APRIL 27, MAY 25, AND JUNE 12, ALL FOR THE SAME CONCERN. THE ENGINE BOGS DOWN TO 4 CYLINDERS AND LOSES POWER. THE FIRST 3 TIMES IT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AT AROUND 35 MPH THE LAST TWO TIMES IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY COMING OFF A FEEDER ROAD. I'M AM AFRAID I WILL END UP IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I PUT IT IN THE SHOP ON JUNE 12, 2006 AND JUST PICKED IT UP YESTERDAY ON JULY 17,2006. IT WAS IN THE SHOP FOR OVER A MONTH. AS I WAS FEEDING INTO TRAFFIC YESTERDAY EVENING OF JULY 17, THE ENGINE AGAIN DOWNSHIFTED INTO FAIL SAFE MODE CAUSING ME TO BOG DOWN. I HAVE LOST ALL FAITH IN THIS VEHICLE AND DO NOT WANT IT ANYMORE. I HAVE OWNED FORDS FOR THE LAST 35 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS KIND OF PROBLEM BEFORE WITH A FORD. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20MPH AND BELOW, THE ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED. THIS OCCURRED PRIMARILY WHEN THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THEREFORE NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.
DT: 2004 FORD EXPLORER. THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING, THIS HAPPENED AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE ROLLED OFF OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TURNED OFF IN ORDER FOR IT COMES BACK ON. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. ALSO, COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT. *AK
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE ENGINE WILL STALL. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, REPLACED MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR TOLD THIS WOULD FIX IT, BUT IT DID NOT. ALL BUT ONCE THE CAR HAS STARTED BACK UP IMMEDIATLY.
THE CONSUMER WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AND THE VEHICLE JUST SHUT OFF, COULDN'T STEER, AND COULDN'T PULL OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND THE CONSUMER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE ABOUT A MINUTE DOWN THE ROAD, WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON, BUT FELT LIKE THEY WERE STILL WORKING.*AK *SB *NM
'04 EXPLORER ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP WHILE DRIVING, CAR JERKS WHEN PUT IN REVERSE, FALSE FUEL READING TOOK TRUCK BACK TO DEALERSHIP, THEY DO NOT THINK ANY THING IS WRONG WITH THE TRUCK, THIS HAS HAPPEN FOUR TIMES. *JB
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK
I BOUGHT A 2004 FORD EXPLORER XLT AT DARCARS TOYOTA IN SILVER SPRING MD. IT HAD ONLY 28,000 MILES. THE PLASTIC VALVE COVER WAS FOUND TO HAVE A CRACK WHERE ONE POURS THE OIL IN. THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK AROUND THIS AREA. APPLE FORD IN COLUMBIA, MD. SAID THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY FORD WARRANTY. I THOUGHT FORD'S WARRANTY COVERS TO 3 YEARS OR 36,000 MILES. THIS VALVE COVER WAS OVER $400.00. WHY SHOULDN'T THIS BE COVERED. I SIGNED A PAPER THAT STATES THAT THE FORD WARRANTY SHOULD STILL BE IN EFFECT TO 36,000 MILES. I DON'T KNOW HOW OR WHEN THIS CRACK OCCURRED, BUT I HAVE ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 3 WEEKS. I THINK THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY FORD WARRANTY. *JB
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE LOST POWER. *AK
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ENGINE FUSE BLEW. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB
VEHICLE STALLED ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHEN DRIVING DOWN HILLS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
THIS IS INTERMITTENT STALLS, POOR THROTTLE, NO START. *JB
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2004 Ford Explorer has 66 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.