2005 Ford Explorer Structure Problems
Owners have filed 151 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the 2005 Ford Explorer, 30% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 77,300 miles. The words owners use most often: “lift gate” (16% of reports).
- 151structure complaints
- 77,300median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Lift gate: mentioned in 24 of 151 complaints (16%)
- Rear window: mentioned in 23 of 151 complaints (15%)
- Panel below: mentioned in 12 of 151 complaints (8%)
- Vertical crack: mentioned in 8 of 151 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do structure problems happen?
Based on 137 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 151 complaints, 2 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 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 there was a crack on the top panel of the rear liftgate. The contact was concerned that the rear liftgate would fracture if she opened the liftgate. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The…
Rear wheel well shock tower mount is rusted out. There is no reason this should be happening. This is a major safety issue.
2005 ford explorer. Frame is rotting along the welds. Not up and down. Length wise running with the frame. Obviously a factory weld issue and a big issue at that as the issue could have the frame fail and entire hub/axle/wheel assembly rip right off the vehicle. This is also a very common issue…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2005 Ford Explorers have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 151 owner complaints about structure for the 2005 Ford Explorer (30% 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 structure?
No recall currently lists structure for this vehicle.
At what mileage do structure problems start?
The median reported mileage is 77,300 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about structure problems on the 2005 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “lift gate”, in 24 of 151 complaints, followed by “rear window” (23).
Other 2005 Ford Explorer problems
- Power Train problems (99)
See all 2005 Ford Explorer problems or structure problems across all Explorer years.