2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Explorer Sport Trac years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 14 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 86 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. That ranks 4th out of 14 Explorer Sport Trac model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is suspension (14 complaints, 16%), typically at around 25,000 miles. Complaints mention 14 crashes, 1 fire, 18 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 86owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 14complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 14 | 16% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 13 | 15% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 13 | 15% | 36,700 | — | — |
| Structure | 9 | 10% | 81,200 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 9% | 36,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 7 | 8% | 108,852 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 8% | 35,203 | — | — |
| Tires | 6 | 7% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 6% | 42,535 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 5% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 5% | 55,400 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 3% | 119,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 2% | 49,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 2% | 46,772 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1% | 204,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 1,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | 45,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Vehicle rollaway allegations (PE09020) — opened Apr 21, 2009, closed Aug 19, 2009.
- Spark plug ejection from cylinder head (DP05005) — opened Sep 22, 2005, closed Jan 4, 2006.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
All four side curtain airbags deployed while I was driving my car in a parking lot. There was no collision and no reason whatsoever for the airbags to deploy. The airbags in the dash did not deploy. The airbag hit me in the side of the head and shrapnel from the airbag, hit me in the face and eyes…
The body of my 2004 ford explorer sport trac xlt has rivets on the top of the roof that hold water. Instead of being a flat surface where rain can naturally fall off the top of the roof it sits in these rivets and accumulates rust. This leads to a lot more problems.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RETRACT AND LOCK IN POSITION. THE CONTACT CALLED SANDERS FORD (LOCATED AT 1006 W CORBRELT AVE, SWANSBORO, NC 28584, [redacted]) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE…
Seatbelt mechanism for driver side and passenger side is inoperable. It doesn't lock after you put your seatbelt on. The mechanism you put the seatbelt buckle in is good but after that the lock mechanism for the belt to retract isn't working properly. It doesn't matter if you are driving or parked.
During normal use, usually when in motion but frequently when the vehicle is not in motion, the drivers seat suddenly flops backwards to the recline position. This has been an issue since the truck was about three years old. I took it to the dealer one time but they said they would have to keep the…
Other Ford Explorer Sport Trac years
← 2003 Explorer Sport Trac · 2005 Explorer Sport Trac →
See all Ford Explorer Sport Trac problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac?
Owners most often report suspension, air bags, power train problems. The top one, suspension, accounts for 14 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Explorer Sport Trac model years, the 2004 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.