2004 Ford Explorer Sport Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Explorer Sport years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 8th of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 18 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport. That ranks 8th out of 9 Explorer Sport model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (11 complaints, 61%), typically at around 50,500 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 4 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 18owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 Ford Explorer Sport 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 11 | 61% | 50,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 22% | 25,289 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 11% | 2,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 11% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 11% | 58,795 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 6% | 50,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 Ford Explorer Sport recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport.
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.
- Rear liftgate glass hatch failure (RQ08003) — opened Jun 23, 2008, closed Oct 24, 2008.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The rear lift gate on my explorer cracked on the left side of the ford emblem. The gate cracked during normal operation of the vehicle. I have a habit of looking over my vehicle. The crack was discovered when i inspected my vehicle before going into my home. On my next service visit i asked my ford…
Liftgate glass hinges both broke causing glass to fall off of rear door and now glass cannot be opened. This is the same problem as the 2002-2003 ford recall #04s20. Ref nhtsa campaign id number 04v442000. Ford does not include the 2004 explorer in their recall but the problem is the same. *tr
Defective body mounts and bushings. I am the owner of a 2004 ford sport trac and was advised that the body mounts and bushings are deteriorated and crumbling. After researching the problem i discovered that this is a common problem with the sport trac years 2001-2005. This is a very serious problem…
Driving 65 mph, lost control of my vehicle while switching lanes to avoid a high speed vehicle approaching behind me. Ran in to a median 2 times before stopping faced traffic head on. Fortunately, i wasn't critically injured, but serious enough. Neither air bag deployed!!!! I would like to know why…
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer sport. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, she lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the side of a church. The air bags did not deploy. The contact was the only person injured during the crash. The vehicle was towed away, but the failure…
Other Ford Explorer Sport years
← 2003 Explorer Sport · 2005 Explorer Sport →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Explorer Sport | 5 | 0 |
| 2004 | 18 | 0 |
| 2003 Explorer Sport | 65 | 0 |
| 2002 Explorer Sport | 133 | 3 |
| 2001 Explorer Sport | 188 | 5 |
| 2000 Explorer Sport | 71 | 1 |
| 1999 Explorer Sport | 93 | 0 |
| 1998 Explorer Sport | 121 | 0 |
| 1997 Explorer Sport | 37 | 0 |
See all Ford Explorer Sport problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
Similar Ford models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport?
Owners most often report structure, power train, air bags problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 11 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Explorer Sport model years, the 2004 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.