2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

Typical pattern

9.3% of complaints about the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2004 vehicle — around the middle of the 236 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 3.7 yr in service. The most-reported system is suspension (15 complaints), typically at 1.9 yr or about 25,000 miles.

Complaints: 108
Median age at failure: 3.7 yr
Median mileage: 45,000 n=84
Crash / fire / tow: 23.1% of reports
Safety recalls: 2

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

06E056000 2006-06-13

Fuel system

CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK CONNECTORS MAY NOT FULLY SEAT WITH THE TUBE INTERFACE, EVEN THOUGH THE PERSON MAKING THE CONNECTION MAY BELIEVE THAT THE QUICK CONNECTOR IS FULLY ATTACHED.

FAILURE OF THIS CONNECTION COULD LEAD TO FUEL SPILLAGE AND, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.

06E026000 2006-03-23

Exterior lighting

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.

In owners’ own words

Suspension mileage not reported 5 mo in service

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE VIBRATED CONSUMER CONTACTED WI DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *AK

Suspension 19,000 mi 1.3 yr in service

I PURCHASED A 2004 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRACKER 11 MONTHES AGO. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS THE SHOCKS TOWERS. SO, I THOUGHT. WHEN I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID IT WASN'T THE SHOCK TOWERS BUT THE SWAY BAR. THIS OCCURRED AROUND SEPTEMBER 2004.. THAN I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION WAS BROUGHT INTO THE SHOP. I ONLY HAVE 23,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK. WHEN I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK IT HAD 23 MILES ON IT WHEN IT BROUGHT IT. I HAVE PUT ALOT OF HIGHWAY MILES ON IT. BUT THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT HAVE NEED TO BE REBUILT.*AK

Suspension mileage not reported 1.4 yr in service crash / fire / tow

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH FRONT OF VEHICLE SUDDENLY DIPPED. THIS CAUSED VEHICLE TO SKID AND CRASH INTO A DITCH. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE CAUSE OF THIS WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK

Other Explorer Sport Trac model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other Explorer Sport Trac model years

How to read this