2004 Ford Explorer Structure Problems
Owners have filed 426 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the 2004 Ford Explorer, 33% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 72,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “rear window” (21% of reports).
- 426structure complaints
- 72,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 22mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $580typical repair cost reported by owners
- 52%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.
- Rear window: mentioned in 88 of 426 complaints (21%)
- Lift gate: mentioned in 65 of 426 complaints (15%)
- Panel below: mentioned in 42 of 426 complaints (10%)
- Noticed crack: mentioned in 22 of 426 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical structure repair on the 2004 Ford Explorer at $580, and half of them between $240 and $930.
Based on 29 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2007–2016), 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 structure problems happen?
Based on 355 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 426 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 22 an injury.
Ford Explorer structure complaints by model year
| Model year | Structure complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Explorer | 2 | 5% | — |
| 2025 Explorer | 7 | 7% | 1,600 |
| 2023 Explorer | 10 | 9% | 10,000 |
| 2022 Explorer | 11 | 4% | 39,000 |
| 2021 Explorer | 24 | 5% | 61,500 |
| 2020 Explorer | 45 | 4% | 40,302 |
| 2019 Explorer | 150 | 50% | 63,125 |
| 2018 Explorer | 288 | 39% | 60,950 |
| 2017 Explorer | 657 | 39% | 76,000 |
| 2016 Explorer | 591 | 24% | 82,750 |
| 2015 Explorer | 410 | 23% | 90,000 |
| 2014 Explorer | 276 | 16% | 92,500 |
| 2013 Explorer | 439 | 20% | 70,000 |
| 2012 Explorer | 144 | 17% | 96,500 |
| 2011 Explorer | 110 | 9% | 101,000 |
| 2010 Explorer | 1 | 1% | 6,900 |
| 2009 Explorer | 2 | 6% | 105,000 |
| 2008 Explorer | 1 | 1% | 7,000 |
| 2007 Explorer | 11 | 5% | 80,000 |
| 2006 Explorer | 11 | 2% | 19,695 |
| 2005 Explorer | 151 | 30% | 77,300 |
| 2004 Explorer | 426 | 33% | 72,000 |
| 2003 Explorer | 354 | 31% | 70,000 |
| 2002 Explorer | 486 | 15% | 66,400 |
| 2001 Explorer | 29 | 8% | 100,000 |
| 2000 Explorer | 29 | 3% | 93,310 |
| 1999 Explorer | 47 | 3% | 100,000 |
| 1998 Explorer | 48 | 2% | 112,000 |
| 1997 Explorer | 50 | 3% | 84,000 |
| 1996 Explorer | 63 | 4% | 123,743 |
| 1995 Explorer | 39 | 5% | 112,762 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists structure for the 2004 Ford Explorer. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Back windows fell off track and windows fell down, cannot roll them up. AC and Heater broke and won't work at all. Fuel system is too lean. Transmission is going out Timing Chain and tensioners making loud knocking noise. Burning oil.
Plastice parts are deteriorating, desolving in front inside drive sun visor-lighted visor broke off; centerl rear a/c and heat moon roof light console falls off-plastice clips desolved and will not fasten into roof assembly, causing blocked eyesight and at time on right turn hitting head or eyes…
I have cracks in the plastic on the outside of my lift gate . Each time i use the handle to lift the cracks become worse. There are several posts online asking about the same problem. Every one i see in a parking lot or on the road has the same problem. Ford reports that it affects 1997-2007…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2004 Ford Explorers have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 426 owner complaints about structure for the 2004 Ford Explorer (33% of the 1,304 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 2004 Ford Explorer structure?
No recall currently lists structure for this vehicle.
At what mileage do structure problems start?
The median reported mileage is 72,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix structure problems on the 2004 Ford Explorer?
Owners report a typical cost of $580 (half paid between $240 and $930), from 29 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about structure problems on the 2004 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “rear window”, in 88 of 426 complaints, followed by “lift gate” (65).
Other 2004 Ford Explorer problems
See all 2004 Ford Explorer problems or structure problems across all Explorer years.