2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Ford › Explorer Sport Trac › 2005
These records cover every 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
1 recall names the 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. Newest first.
Certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above. some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
Remedy
Pro-a motors will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. the recall began on april 3, 2006. owners may contact pro-a motors at 323-838-2988.
Owner complaints
66 complaints5 involved a crash1 involved a fire6 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Electrical system
The dash cluster don't work cant see your rpms,speed,the fuel gauge gos up and down can't see milage or trip meter if you hit the dash it will work but go out going down the road and I researched it and its a common issue and I cant aford a new dash cluster I got a speeding ticket yesterday because I couldn't see my speed and there was no one in front of me to go off of i was going 15 over
- Electrical system · Unknown or other
As I was driving to work one morning suddenly my headlights and all interior lights, such as the dashboard, suddenly went out without any warning and nothing electrical would work such as the radio and the windows and all the gauges in the dash dropped to zero or the needle fell all the way to the…
As I was driving to work one morning suddenly my headlights and all interior lights, such as the dashboard, suddenly went out without any warning and nothing electrical would work such as the radio and the windows and all the gauges in the dash dropped to zero or the needle fell all the way to the left. This has become an ongoing problem and I never know when it's going to go out or come back on for that matter and sometimes when it's acting crazy My speedometer will just jump all over the place. I believe this is a safety issue not only for myself but for other drivers on the road as my lights may suddenly go out as I am driving to work at 4:00 a.m. when it is dark. It is also a safety issue because when this happens I have no idea what speed I am driving or how much gas I have left or if my vehicle is starting to get hot. I have not taken the vehicle to the dealer or anywhere else for fear of it costing an arm and a leg to fix the problem, as every single Ford that I have ever owned seems to have had some type of electrical issue. I do have video of my gauges going crazy as I am driving on the highway; however looking ahead in this form it looks as if I can only submit photos and not a video.
- Air bags
I got into an accident where I hit a semi head on and at 40 mph and the airbags never deployed. I got hurt and may seek a lawyer.
- Engine · Structure › Body
The fan blades had many big cracks in the plastic blades,the driver door the body IS cracked by top of door hing back door IS the same, the paint IS pealing and starting to rust on top.the plastic thermostat cracked.
- Steering
My truck's steering column IS tight. It feels like it could lock up or break off. The key IS hard to turn in the ignition; the gear shifter IS tight to switch from park to drive. This IS occurring when I start the truck, then it seems to be fine. I don't understand how ford hasn't been able to…
My truck's steering column IS tight. It feels like it could lock up or break off. The key IS hard to turn in the ignition; the gear shifter IS tight to switch from park to drive. This IS occurring when I start the truck, then it seems to be fine. I don't understand how ford hasn't been able to figure out the mechanisms to enable a smooth start. My truck has only 49,000 miles on it and has been serviced regularly. I worry that it could leave me stranded or the steering wheel could lock up. Have there been other complaints of this nature?
- Fuel/propulsion system
Ford inertia switch. While driving on the highway at 65 miles per hour the vehicle suddenly lost all power and propulsion, causing my power steering to go off as well as all instrumentation to turn off, while moving at 65 mph. The only thing I could do IS turn my hazard lights on find an exit and…
Ford inertia switch. While driving on the highway at 65 miles per hour the vehicle suddenly lost all power and propulsion, causing my power steering to go off as well as all instrumentation to turn off, while moving at 65 mph. The only thing I could do IS turn my hazard lights on find an exit and coast to the side of the road. This caused an extremely unsafe situation, and one that very well could have ended in death. The only issue IS that it occurs very sporadic and it's very hard to troubleshoot or recreate the fault.
- Electrical system · Seat belts · Seats
The driver seat back kept falling into the back seat while driving, now the seat back doesn't move. the passenger IS doing the same just not as bad. The heated seats come on whenever they want, but the heated driver's seat has stopped working all together. The seat belts randomly lock and barely retract.
- Structure › Body · Unknown or other · Wheels
The front, driver's side, tire came apart and caused considerable damage to my vehicle's body and possibly other damages not seen. I need to take the vehicle to a mechanic for an inspection to see if there are other damages. The tire IS a good year eagle rs-a. The dot # IS 4B08 dlwr 3701. Tire size…
The front, driver's side, tire came apart and caused considerable damage to my vehicle's body and possibly other damages not seen. I need to take the vehicle to a mechanic for an inspection to see if there are other damages. The tire IS a good year eagle rs-a. The dot # IS 4B08 dlwr 3701. Tire size p235/70r16. I was driving on interstate I-75 when the tire came apart. It was terribly scary. I did not realize what had happened and thought the vehicle was falling apart. I pulled onto the emergency lane and realized the tire had come apart. The rubber coming off the tire caused quite a bit of body damage. The visible damages include damages to the driver's side head light, rubber ripped out the driver's side blinker, molding under the driver's door was ripped out, paint damage, tire well damage and loosening of other molding on driver's side. A mechanic will have to inspect for unseen damages.
- Power train
I was driving friday afternoon after work was over got home an parked it went to leave to go to the store an it would not go into drive or reverse this IS the second time it happened the first time was the output speed sensor I replaced it an it drove perfectly fine I had it serviced for oil an…
I was driving friday afternoon after work was over got home an parked it went to leave to go to the store an it would not go into drive or reverse this IS the second time it happened the first time was the output speed sensor I replaced it an it drove perfectly fine I had it serviced for oil an transmission fluid flush after that it drove fine for about a week an as I described in the beginning it happened again same symptoms o/d flashing wouldn't go into drive or reverse so I replaced the sensor again this time it still did not go into drive or reverse I had to have it towed to the transmission shop an they told me that the transmission was shot it has 212000 on it an ford knows these go out an the transmission shop I go to said they replace 12 every moth cause this IS common with ford vehicles so why doe ford not cover this an why are there no recalls on this in my opinion this IS a complete joke on ford now I have to spend 2400 on replacing the entire transmission which I think ford should be replacing it for free knowing [xxx] well that the transmissions go out in them forcing the owner to pay the price for new one it's absolutely absurd ford needs to get there head out of there ass an replace these for free for the amount of money people actually spend on fixing there cars oil changes transmission fluid flushes and tires that we have to buy every year parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(B)(6).
- Electrical system
My 2005 explorer sport trac had a check engine light come on and when it does, my instrument cluster stops working. My tachometer, speedometer, temp, and fuel gauges stop working. Here lately, my radio and power windows have stopped working. My daughter was driving and reported to me that the…
My 2005 explorer sport trac had a check engine light come on and when it does, my instrument cluster stops working. My tachometer, speedometer, temp, and fuel gauges stop working. Here lately, my radio and power windows have stopped working. My daughter was driving and reported to me that the vehicle starts shaking and shuts off as well. Not really sure what IS going on with it, but when everything stops working, I sit there and hit the dash to get the lights and windows to start working again. I used to be able to hit the dash with my hand and get the check engine light to go off and the gauges start working. When I called my local ford store and talked to them in service, they quoted me like $400 for a part and just as much for labor, like they have been having these problems and they knew what it was to fix. I don't feel safe driving, but with the odometer not registering miles for the past 6 months, I now have a vehicle that IS considered salvage title because it IS unknown miles.
- Fuel/propulsion system · Service brakes · Vehicle speed control
Vehicle accelerated when the brake was deployed.
- Electrical system
Cluster going bad and cutting power to entire vehicle while going down the road , city enviroment
- Structure › Body · Suspension
Discovered underneath the body where the body and frame meet for the body mount bushings, they have nearly disintegrated on all four bushings located under the driver and passenger seats. these bushings were made of some inferior foam material whereas the rear bushings are rubber and still in very…
Discovered underneath the body where the body and frame meet for the body mount bushings, they have nearly disintegrated on all four bushings located under the driver and passenger seats. these bushings were made of some inferior foam material whereas the rear bushings are rubber and still in very good condition. the repair for this defect will cost around $600 to $1,300 and if not done will result in the cab falling directly onto the frame thus creating numerous safety problems including structural integrity failure of the truck. this problem affects all sport tracs made from 2001 to 2005. the included pics begin with the driver side (driver seat) front bushing, driver side (rear seat) bushing, passenger side (front seat) bushing, passenger side (rear seat) bushing and finally the passenger side rear and driver side rear bushings (both in excellent shape and made of entirely different material) disclaimer: this truck has never been exposed to any salt water (beach) environment nor winter weather environment (where salt was used), or mud riding of any time nor has been driven through flooded areas which could lead to the condition of the bushings. vehicle odometer reading IS 125,496.
- Air bags
Put kids in car seats. Got in driver's seat and closed door and side airbags deployed. Ford IS acting like this IS the first time it's ever happened but I see lots of complaints about it online. Nothing done, so far. Waiting to see if it IS covered on insurance. Local ford dealership believes vehicle IS totaled because they cannot put air bags back in and guarantee safety afterwards.
- Structure › Body
Peeling paint on my ford explorer sport trac. It IS peeling mostly on the top and hood of the truck. I talked with someone on the ford website but they said there are no recalls. I talked with a paint and body shop and they said it was a bad paint job. The roof on my vehicle IS now rusting and the…
Peeling paint on my ford explorer sport trac. It IS peeling mostly on the top and hood of the truck. I talked with someone on the ford website but they said there are no recalls. I talked with a paint and body shop and they said it was a bad paint job. The roof on my vehicle IS now rusting and the body shop guy said it will cost over 2000$ to get it repaired. This vehicle was purchased in oklahoma. We also bought a cover for the back which had a frame around the bed of the pickup and was held together by some plastic clips. The clips broke before it was even a year old and the dealer said there was nothing they could do and we would have to buy a whole new cover which cost over 300$.
- Electrical system
Instrument cluster failure. Caused all my lights (interior and exterior) to go out while I was driving in heavy traffic in the dark on an 8 lane interstate. Took the vehicle to an auto electric shop for diagnosis. Took to ford dealer for repair. Have been waiting for almost 2 months for the replacement part (instrument cluster). Ford says it IS on back order. Note: this IS a safety hazard!
- Electrical system
Instrument cluster cuts out and resarts then cuts out again causing no speedometer tach fuel gauge oil pressure temperature and voltage gauge to stop working. Electric windows won't work radio out odometer blank happens randomly in any condition idle driving every when not in the vehicle. You can hear the relay clicking from outside the vehicle.
- Fuel/propulsion system
TL* the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer sport trac. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shut off without warning. The contact mentioned that the failure occurred whenever there was a front passenger riding occupying the seat and the passenger leg touched the fuel…
TL* the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer sport trac. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shut off without warning. The contact mentioned that the failure occurred whenever there was a front passenger riding occupying the seat and the passenger leg touched the fuel relay switch. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
- Fuel/propulsion system · Unknown or other
This vehicle continuously just cuts off. we have tried several different costly repairs and the truck still does not run right, it IS still cutting off. this IS a safety issue because it can happen anytime anywhere, even driving down the road. I spoke with ford and all they did was open a case…
This vehicle continuously just cuts off. we have tried several different costly repairs and the truck still does not run right, it IS still cutting off. this IS a safety issue because it can happen anytime anywhere, even driving down the road. I spoke with ford and all they did was open a case file but told me there was nothing that could be done. we purchased this vehicle in december 2014 and was told the only thing wrong with it was that it needed the rotors turned on the brakes which we have done. then it started doing this. we have had it towed 6 times in about 2 months. 3 mechanics have tried to repair the truck with no luck. we are tapped out trying to fix this truck. I feel sure the guy who sold it to us knew the truck was doing this but opted not to tell us. also I blame ford for the problems we are having, even their technician doesn't know how to fix the problem.
- Air bags
TL* the contact owns a 2005 fort explorer sport trac. While driving 50 mph during a storm, the vehicle began to hydroplane and collided with a tree. The air bags did not deploy. The contact experienced minor pain in various areas of his body, but did not receive medical attention. The vehicle was…
TL* the contact owns a 2005 fort explorer sport trac. While driving 50 mph during a storm, the vehicle began to hydroplane and collided with a tree. The air bags did not deploy. The contact experienced minor pain in various areas of his body, but did not receive medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a wrecking yard. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was notified. The vin was unavailable. The failure mileage was 160,000.
- Visibility › Power window devices and controls
The window will go down but it wont go up on the driver side and on the passenger side it doesn't work at all. *tr
- Fuel/propulsion system
Fuel gauge on my 2005 ford sportrac does not register correctly. Needle stuck at 1/4 tank and sometimes will move, but can not be trusted. Even after filling up, it will not show full tank. Have to use trip meter to have any idea when to re-fuel. This IS very annoying and after researching on…
Fuel gauge on my 2005 ford sportrac does not register correctly. Needle stuck at 1/4 tank and sometimes will move, but can not be trusted. Even after filling up, it will not show full tank. Have to use trip meter to have any idea when to re-fuel. This IS very annoying and after researching on internet, we found this IS a very common problem with ford and has been a problem for a long time. This situation should be corrected by ford via recalls on their vehicles. It could certainly be a safety issue while driving. *tr
- Fuel/propulsion system
I was driving in town and it stalled out. It kept happening at least three times a week even when I was on the freeway. I had far too many close calls from wrecking or causing an accident. I went and had it looked at by a mechanic and he replaced the spring in the fuel reset switch. It IS currently…
I was driving in town and it stalled out. It kept happening at least three times a week even when I was on the freeway. I had far too many close calls from wrecking or causing an accident. I went and had it looked at by a mechanic and he replaced the spring in the fuel reset switch. It IS currently in the shop once more for the same problem. my check engine light IS also on again. Has been for the last year. It claims there IS something wrong with the fuel cap or the fuel lines. I've had a pressure test done and my gas cap changed and it still hasn't fixed the problem. also my driver side door handle IS starting to get stuck and my fuel gauge IS no longer registering the actual amount of gas I have. I have so many problems with this truck and I just want them to be fixed. This stuff IS dangerous and can cause legitimate accidents and safety issues. *tr
- Vehicle speed control
When I set the cruise control it will sometimes just turn off by itself without me touching the brake or anything. usually I can hear a noise and the gas pedal will quickly move up. once that happens then I can no longer set the cruise control. *tr
- Electrical system · Engine
TL* the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer sport trac. the contact stated while driving approximately 70 mph, the engine stalled without warning. the contact was unable to activate the hazard lights because the entire electrical system had failed. the contact managed to merge over to the…
TL* the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer sport trac. the contact stated while driving approximately 70 mph, the engine stalled without warning. the contact was unable to activate the hazard lights because the entire electrical system had failed. the contact managed to merge over to the emergency lane. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for a diagnosis. the technician was able to restart the vehicle but was unable to diagnose the problem. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer had not been notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Vehicle rollaway allegations
In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by the office of defects investigation (odi), ford stated consumer reports of higher than expected efforts when shifting into and out of park could be a result of a groove being worn into the swing arm ramp of the steering column. The swing arm IS a component…
In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by the office of defects investigation (odi), ford stated consumer reports of higher than expected efforts when shifting into and out of park could be a result of a groove being worn into the swing arm ramp of the steering column. The swing arm IS a component bolted to the steering column that assists in shifting through the transmission gears.an engineering evaluation conducted by ford of returned steering columns found the groove could be created over time if consumer shift more quickly from the drive or reverse to park than the brake shift interlock (bsi) solenoid pin retracts after the brake pedal IS applied. In november of 2004, ford released a redesigned bsi solenoid with a shorter pin retracting time as a serviceable component. Ford has noted the shorter retraction time significantly lessens the likelihood of bsi solenoid pin to swing arm contact even with rapid consumer shifts.ford also issued a technical service bulletin, tsb 04-22-12, to instruct service technicians on the proper diagnosis and vehicle repair. Reviewing complaints to odi and data submitted by ford, odi has identified 200 alleged incidents of unintended vehicle movement after consumers believe they have shifted the vehicle into park, resulting in 85 alleged crashes and 32 alleged injuries.in addition to the reports of alleged incidents of unintended vehicle movement, odi has also identified 883 reports of consumers alleging difficulty or the inability to shift the vehicle into park.this preliminary evaluation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea09-013) to further assess the scope, frequency and risk to motor vehicle safety of the alleged defect in the subject vehicles.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10019947Neutral tow capability - service kit requirements.
- 10018938Vibration diagnosis - tire/wheel runout.
- 10018934Neutral tow capability -- service kit requirements.
- 10018061Steering shudder during low speed maneuvers - 4.0L engine.
- 10017899No 3RD gear, dtc p0733 (3RD gear incorrect ratio) and flashing tcil - vehicles built prior to 9/23/2004.
- 10017891Front axle leaks fluid from vent tube - vehicles equipped with 4X4 or AWD.
- 10017860Malfunction indicator lamp coming on with diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0171, p0172, p0174 and/or p0175 (fuel system too rich or lean).
- 10016814Irregular tire wear.
- 10014310Weld bonding procedure.
- 10014263Moan/vibration during air conditioning operation.
Every Ford Explorer Sport Trac model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.