2000 Ford Explorer Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 133 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2000 Ford Explorer, 14% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 77,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “automatic transmission” (6% of reports).
- 133power train complaints
- 77,500median miles at failure
- 7mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $2,650typical repair cost reported by owners
- 32%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Automatic transmission: mentioned in 8 of 133 complaints (6%)
- Valve body: mentioned in 7 of 133 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2000 Ford Explorer at $2,650, and half of them between $1,550 and $3,800.
Based on 12 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2002–2010), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 74 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 133 complaints, 7 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 3 an injury.
Ford Explorer power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Explorer | 3 | 7% | — |
| 2025 Explorer | 15 | 15% | 8,967 |
| 2024 Explorer | 1 | 5% | — |
| 2023 Explorer | 12 | 11% | 10,600 |
| 2022 Explorer | 61 | 23% | 22,000 |
| 2021 Explorer | 126 | 29% | 46,000 |
| 2020 Explorer | 495 | 40% | 42,000 |
| 2019 Explorer | 35 | 12% | 82,500 |
| 2018 Explorer | 50 | 7% | 86,000 |
| 2017 Explorer | 123 | 7% | 55,425 |
| 2016 Explorer | 215 | 9% | 47,075 |
| 2015 Explorer | 86 | 5% | 50,000 |
| 2014 Explorer | 79 | 5% | 75,207 |
| 2013 Explorer | 119 | 5% | 60,000 |
| 2012 Explorer | 55 | 7% | 46,740 |
| 2011 Explorer | 64 | 5% | 50,500 |
| 2010 Explorer | 28 | 24% | 80,500 |
| 2009 Explorer | 3 | 9% | 78,000 |
| 2008 Explorer | 36 | 24% | 84,325 |
| 2007 Explorer | 57 | 27% | 69,000 |
| 2006 Explorer | 296 | 47% | 60,460 |
| 2005 Explorer | 99 | 20% | 75,000 |
| 2004 Explorer | 460 | 35% | 50,000 |
| 2003 Explorer | 335 | 30% | 77,000 |
| 2002 Explorer | 1,502 | 46% | 80,173 |
| 2001 Explorer | 42 | 11% | 108,700 |
| 2000 Explorer | 133 | 14% | 77,500 |
| 1999 Explorer | 115 | 9% | 91,000 |
| 1998 Explorer | 103 | 5% | 102,157 |
| 1997 Explorer | 104 | 6% | 95,594 |
| 1996 Explorer | 120 | 8% | 138,579 |
| 1995 Explorer | 119 | 14% | 103,310 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Problem: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles equipped with the 3.27 or 3.55 axle ration. The subject vehicles have a powertrain control module that could allow the vehicle to exceed the design intent top speed. At these extreme speeds, the vehicle could be capable of exceeding the speed rating of the tire.
Risk: Operating the vehicle above the maximum speed rating could lead to a tire failure which at these speeds could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Big concern with my power train. The back of the car has a loud whirring noise when traveling on the highway and clicks loudly when you slow down. Going a faster speed seems to sound better but its pretty scary.the check engine light comes on and stays on. There also is a sensor that needs to be…
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. The contact stated the vehicle rolled when parked on a hill although it was in the park position. The dealer had not been contacted as of yet. The contact was having medical issues related to stress due to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the…
When turning the car steering wheel turns pops and clicks without tires or steering collum turning like it's broke off of the collum as well the car come out of park and rolls off wile car is off and in park with keys out shifters also very loose as the steering goes it first happend going down the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2000 Ford Explorers have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 133 owner complaints about power train for the 2000 Ford Explorer (14% of the 952 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2000 Ford Explorer power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 77,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2000 Ford Explorer?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,650 (half paid between $1,550 and $3,800), from 12 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2000 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “automatic transmission”, in 8 of 133 complaints, followed by “valve body” (7).
Other 2000 Ford Explorer problems
See all 2000 Ford Explorer problems or power train problems across all Explorer years.