2005 Ford Explorer Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 99 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2005 Ford Explorer, 20% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 75,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “park reverse” (6% of reports).
- 99power train complaints
- 75,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $3,600typical repair cost reported by owners
- 49%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.
- Park reverse: mentioned in 6 of 99 complaints (6%)
- Gear shifter: mentioned in 6 of 99 complaints (6%)
- Transmission failed: mentioned in 5 of 99 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 2005 Ford Explorer at $3,600, and half of them between $2,550 and $4,950.
Based on 16 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2005–2015), 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 91 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 99 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 2 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 (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 2005 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.
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that on several occasions while attempting to shift into reverse, the vehicle jerked backwards while the brake pedal was depressed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be…
I sitting on a incline put it in reverse and started backing up and the transmission just let loose and started rolling forward it's done this several times and sometimes it want back up at all even on level ground had it checked it was full of fluid but done a fluid and filter changed. And it…
From park, delay from 1 to 7 seconds for engagement for reverse (automatic trans), worse in warm weather. Serious safety issue, as you may press on gas thinking you're in reverse, and then accelerate!! Heard 1st hand from ford dealer this is well known, and sometimes severe. Something with solenoid…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2005 Ford Explorers have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 99 owner complaints about power train for the 2005 Ford Explorer (20% of the 497 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 2005 Ford Explorer power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 75,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2005 Ford Explorer?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,600 (half paid between $2,550 and $4,950), from 16 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2005 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “park reverse”, in 6 of 99 complaints, followed by “gear shifter” (6).
Other 2005 Ford Explorer problems
- Structure problems (151)
See all 2005 Ford Explorer problems or power train problems across all Explorer years.