2004 Ford Explorer Body Problems
- 208
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 208 stored complaint records:
- 2 indicate a crash
- 7 indicate injury
- 0 indicate fire
What owners report
- Hatchback/Liftgate · 2 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 60–100k mi | 71 |
| 30–60k mi | 50 |
| 100–150k mi | 31 |
| 1–30k mi | 12 |
| 150–400k mi | 12 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Body · Unknown Or Other
The car was parked in a grocery store lot. I used the remote to open the back latch to store my groceries. It did not open. I tried again. Suddenly the back window exploded and the back hatch came off it hinges. I am unable to drive the car until it is repaired. I found many stories online that said the same thing has happened to other 2004 explorers and ford has not done anything with the complaints. This episode…
ODI 10615460
Body
I went to open small window type rear gate and the left hinge broke. I caught the gate before it hit the ground and had to drive very slow to get car home safely.
ODI 10725459
Body
Rear glass lift gate: cracks appeared in the rear hatch on both sides of the rear ford logo.( i now notice many ford explorers with same cracks). Top right glass hinge twisted significantly and top left glass hinge twisted slightly. The fastening bolts for both glass hinges are rusted through. This resulted in the rear glass window shifting, apparently causing the cracks in the tail gate. I contacted sunshine ford's…
ODI 10587933
Body · Seat Belts
Rear lift gate plastic cracked through ford logo with no contact. Third row seatbelt stuck and hard to release.
ODI 10566287
Body
Crack in rear hatch below rear window. As i understand it, this is a known fault for which ford is not willing to take responsibility. Ford should fix problem at no cost. *tr
ODI 10564560
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that the rear liftgate was cracked. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for repairs. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 89,846.
ODI 10563706
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford ford explorer. The contact stated there was a crack underneath the window of the tailgate. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing or to be repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 8,627. ..updated 03/25/14 *bf
ODI 10561624
Body · Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
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 . This is unsafe and ford motor knows of complainst. Part are not availble. This is a highway safety issue. The model was…
ODI 11233554
Body · Hatchback/Liftgate · Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that the rear wheel wells and frame were rusted. And the rear hatch was fractured. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 100,000. Updated 09/30/14*lj the consumers stated the transmission jerks into gear. Updated 02/25/2015 *js
ODI 10599079
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that the rear lift gate was fractured directly on the logo where the lift gate lock was located. The defect could have caused the rear lift gate to open while driving. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 14,000 and the current mileage was 16,000. *tr
ODI 10567774
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact noticed a crack on the lift gate near the manufacturer's emblem. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 147,000.
ODI 10553984
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer xlt. The contact stated that upon inspection, the left hinge that held the trunk window snapped unexpectedly. The window was held by the contact while another person latched the window back into place. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 25,000.
ODI 10551918
Body
The rear liftgate panel cracked for no apparent reason. *tr
ODI 10553820
Body · Engine
The back hatch window doesn't seem to line up with the latch. The back hatch also cracked right near the ford logo. I have seen many of the explorers that this has happened to. Its time ford fixes this defect. Also while doing around 60-65 mph my timing chains broke, all 3 of them at the same time. I could understand 1 maybe but all 3 ? This to has to be a manufacturer defect. *tr
ODI 10605586
Body · Visibility/Wiper
I opened the lift gate window to load groceries when the right side of the window suddenly let go up near the hinge. This caused the right side of the window to drop and then the left hinge broke, causing the entire rear window to drop. I was able to catch it so it didn't break and eventually release the support struts so i could get it into the back of the vehicle. It appears that the fastener near the hinge was…
ODI 10515884
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that the rear hatch was defective and the plastic that covered the license plate area on the hatch became fractured. As a result, when the hatch was opened, the contact and two children sustained lacerations to the hands. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure…
3 injuries
ODI 10513229
Body
My daughter weighs 99 lbs she opened hatch at gas station and the window portion of the entire hatchback fell off also there is a crack in the plastic down the hatch which i see on every old explorer. *tr
ODI 10509755
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that the horizontal panel under the rear lift gate was fractured. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 85,000. *tr
ODI 10510150
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that there was an excessively long fracture in the rear liftgate near the manufacturing emblem below the rearview window. The vehicle was not inspected or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
ODI 10498284
Body
Liftgate has a crack and the hinge to the liftgate broke due to crack. It is hazardous to drive due to possible falling while driving or parked. *tr
ODI 10691360
Body
While the vehicle was parked for 2 or 3 days under the carport in the driveway, the back panel under the window cracked for absolutely no reason. *tr
ODI 10493317
Automatic Transmission · Body · Electrical System · Engine
On the body the tailgate panel keeps cracking this makes my truck look bad compared to the money i put into it. My engine or transmission acts as if something is wrong it is not shifting gear right. On the electrical tire pressure light keeps coming on and it also keeps leaking water from somewhere. Ford needs to go out of business for selling these pieces of junk. It makes no sense. *tt
ODI 10537794
Body · Visibility
The rear window hinge pin (passenger side) has corroded and broken allowing the window to fall off of the rear tail gate. I noticed the broken hinge before using the lift gate which has prevented it from falling off thus far. I have read that this is a very common problem on this vehicle and ford will not own up to the problem. *tr
ODI 10489450
Body
There is a crack to the left of the ford isignia on the rear lift tail gate. The crack runs from the bottom of the rear panel just below the rear window to the bottom of that panel. The panel is the top half of the lift gate where the gate opens to enter items without opening the entire tail gate. I understand from other ford explorer owners that this can cause the rear window to blow out because the panel is no…
ODI 10487748
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that after exiting the vehicle, she noticed that the rear hatchback window panel was fractured. The vehicle was not taken to a mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure and advised the contact that they were unaware of the issue. The failure and current mileages were approximately 92,000.
ODI 10487645