RoadVitals

2005 Ford Explorer Sport

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
5
Latest Jan 30, 2018
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Mar 23, 2006
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2005 Ford Explorer Sport, most frequently naming the body & structure, interior & seats and visibility categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 1 NHTSA investigation names it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Body & structure250.0%
  • Interior & seats125.0%
  • Visibility125.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
06E026000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Mar 23, 2006
61,944 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The risk: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
The 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.
PRO-A MOTORS, INC.View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE09020ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

VEHICLE ROLLAWAY ALLEGATIONS

Opened Apr 21, 2009
Closed Aug 19, 2009

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.

STEERING:COLUMN

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Filed Jan 30, 2018

PANT IS FLANKING OFF ROOF

NHTSA ID
11065965
Incident
Jan 16, 2018
Mileage
150,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Nov 25, 2012

THERE IS A VERTICAL CRACK ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE STARTING UNDERNEATH THE WINDOW. LENGTH OF ABOUT 2 TO 3 INCHES. JUST SEEMED TO APPEAR. WAS NOT THERE ONE DAY THEN THERE THE NEXT. *TR ## VIN FAILED

NHTSA ID
10485969
Incident
Nov 24, 2012
Mileage
94,408 mi
Visibility
Filed May 15, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT MANUALLY OPENED THE REAR LIFTGATE AND ONE OF THE WINDOW BRACKET BOLTS FRACTURED. THE UPPER PORTION OF THE WINDOW PARTIALLY DETACHED AND WAS TEMPORARILY BEING SECURED WITH A STRAP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THERE WAS NO RELATED RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,181.

NHTSA ID
10458514
Incident
May 14, 2012
Mileage
99,181 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Sep 6, 2009

MY 2005 FORD EXPLORER HAS 79,000 MILES ON IT. OVER THE LAST YEAR THE PADDING/CUSHIONING IN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT (THE DRIVER'S SEAT), AGAINST THE DOOR, HAS DETERIORATED TO A DANGEROUS LEVEL. THE METAL FRAME IS EASILY FELT, WITH THE DRIVER'S LEFT ARM, THROUGH THE SEAT COVER. IN ADDITION, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BOTTOM PADDING FEELS ONE OR TWO INCHES LOWER THAN THE RIGHT SIDE. THIS PRODUCES AN AWKWARD DRIVING POSTURE AND THE DRIVER MUST LEAN AGAINST THE DOOR TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LOSS OF CUSHIONING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10283027
Incident
Sep 6, 2009
Mileage
70,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Aug 10, 2009

I HAVE A 2005 FORD EXPLORER. THERE IS A BONDING ISSUE ON THE ROOF. THE PAINT IS SEPARATING AND LEAVING THE PRIMER ALONE ON THE VEHICLE. FORD HAS IGNORED MY REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE. I PURCHASED THE TRUCK 14 MONTHS AGO AS A CERTIFIED PREOWNED AND BROUGHT THIS TO THEIR ATTENTION 4 MONTHS INTO MY OWNERSHIP. AFTER THE CORPORATE OFFICE IGNORED MY ISSUE, I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO SAID "IT ISN'T OUR PROBLEM." *TR

NHTSA ID
10280039
Incident
Oct 15, 2008
Mileage
52,000 mi

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Ford Explorer Sport by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2005Viewing511—
2004181252.2
2003651248.2
20021335564.0
20011887261.7
2000711151.6
1999930144.0
19981210146.8
1997370147.8
1993500—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.