2005 Ford Explorer Problems, Recalls & Reliability
604 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2005 Ford Explorer, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 14/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Body & structure leads the reports, typically around 76,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2005 Ford Explorer has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2005 sits among all Explorer years
What owners report
“The rear lift window started cracking multiple times and the open button stopped activating.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Explorer
“Ford explorer 2005 transmission failure. Car would not leave first gear. Had i been on a highway could have caused an accident. This problem seems to rampant with all ford explorers--ford should have had a recall on them!!”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Explorer
“When trying to fill the gas tank it is slow and will not fill properly. Had 3 different mechanics try to fix the problem with no resolve.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Explorer
“The contact owns a 2005 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle independently jerked forward. Additionally, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Explorer
“I was backing up from my driveway and my car accelerated when put into reverse and it peeled out and had to hit the brakes really hard.sometimes the engine shakes when going forward for a few seconds then it goes away.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Explorer
“My gauges go haywire the needles shake while driving and when car is off no key in ignition. The lights flash as well. Car will stall in traffic at a stop, the rpm won't go above 2 even when hwy going 60 mph. Mechanic said it's electrical, the dealer took out top counsel as a work around for this…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Explorer
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 518 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 70,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 47,000 and 97,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
CERTAIN CURVED TEMPERED REPLACEMENT GLASS MANUFACTURED BY HANGZHOU SAFETY GLASS LTD AND SUPPLIED TO SAFELITE BY AUTO TEMP INC., IDENTIFIED AS DOT-430, AND SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN VEHICLES MAY NOT BREAK INTO SMALL PIECES AS EXPECTED OF…
Fix: SAFELITE WILL NOTIFY ITS RETAIL CUSTOMERS AND REPLACE THE GLASS FREE OF CHARGE. RETAIL CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT SAFELITE TOLL FREE AT 1-888-843-2906. SAFELITE WILL NOTIFY ITS WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS AND…
CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO…
Fix: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
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…
Fix: 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.
Federal defect investigations
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2005 Ford Explorer reliable?
The 2005 Ford Explorer drew 604 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 14/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).
What are the most common 2005 Ford Explorer problems?
The top reported problems for the 2005 Ford Explorer are body & structure (154 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (100), and fuel system (57).
At what mileage do 2005 Ford Explorer problems show up?
Owners most often report 2005 Ford Explorer problems around 70,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 47,000 and 97,000 miles.
Does the 2005 Ford Explorer have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2005 Ford Explorer. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.