Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||||
| 041601 | 11/14/2005 | 05228 | 10018745 | Wds cop kit diagnostic tip - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - engine misfire or rough running. *tt | 01/12/2006 |
| 051016 | 06/07/2005 | 10017931 | No start/hard start on cold soak - 4.0l engine. *tt | 12/07/2005 | |
| 18573 | 04/01/2005 | 10017882 | No start/hard start on cold soak. *tt | 12/06/2005 | |
| 042112 | 11/01/2004 | 10013383 | Rough idle in drive. *eh | 04/18/2005 | |
| 04225 | 12/31/2004 | 042620 | 10013399 | Throttle pedal response on tip in vehicles built before 10/4/2004 equipped with a 4.0l engine. *eh | 04/18/2005 |
| 0539 | 02/21/2005 | 10012953 | Mil on and/ or runs rough/misfire dtcs p0300-p0308 p0316 and or p0171/p0174 4.6l engine. *eh | 04/05/2005 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| 07212 | 10/01/2007 | 10023943 | Some 1997-2008 vehicles equipped with a 4.6l 2v, 5.4l 2v, or 6.8l 2v engine--spark plug thread repair procedure--not covered under new vehicle limited warranty. *nj this includes f-53 motorhome chassis. updated 2/23/10. *pe | 02/20/2008 | |
| 0531 | 02/21/2005 | 10012947 | Maf diagnostic service tip - vehicles equipped with egr system module (esm). *tt | 04/05/2005 | |
| 031404 | 08/23/2004 | 04161 | 10011162 | Engine misfire or running - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - wds cop kit diagnostic tips. to include various 2005 models. * ar this article 04161 supersedes tsb 03-14-04. | 01/06/2005 |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 10/06/2010 | 1 | ||
| We purchased a brand new 2005 ford explorer and have kept the maintenance on it. when the temperature control is turned to the warm/hot (red) position or the a/c unit is turned on, we noticed a thumping noise over the years. within the last couple months, the thumping sound has become progressively stronger (as if someone was physically punching through my dashboard/glove compartment), causing my heating/cooling system to be inoperable. a recall needs to be issued to repair the heating/cooling system as a manufacturer defect and should not be the responsibility of the owner to fix. there have been several complaints that have been filed online along with complaints from other ford owners that we know. *tr | |||
| 01/09/2012 | 41000 | ||
| Vehicle drive belt falls off without notice due to crankshaft pulley separating from engine making vehicle inoperatable. | |||
| 11/18/2011 | 92318 | ||
| Started to feel a loss of power and hear knocking from under the hood of the vehicle so took it to the nearest garage to have it checked out and i was told us that it was the timing chain and that the timing chain on a lot of the new fords have been going bad. no warning, no warning. it is recommended by everyone to replace the engine. | |||
| 09/04/2011 | 105000 | ||
| I was driving home and the car died. aaa towed the car to my repair shop. my mechanic said that the timing chain or chains (there are 5 and the engine has to come out to replace the rear chain) broke and the pistons hit and bent the valves. (engine shot). i religiously change the oil with synthetic every 3-4000 miles. this is a defect that ford is hiding- there are complaints galore on the internet. i spoke to gary at ford consumer in mahwah, nj and got nowhere. please help, i cannot afford a new engine. | |||
| 07/12/2011 | 58084 | ||
| While driving, when i applied the brakes, the car lurched and made a noise. about 1 minute after that, a warning light that stated engine fail safe mode and a little wrench showed up on the left of the instrument panel. i was driving home, and the car started to speed up without my increasing the speed using the gas pedal. the car continued to lurch off and on until i got home. i researched this problem on the internet and it seemed to be the throttle body assembly that had failed. upon taking it to the mechanic, that is exactly what is was. the car was dangerous to drive, i could have been killed had the car's speed kept increasing. the repair was $1026.00. | |||
| 11/27/2010 | 80000 | ||
| I have a 2005 ford explorer and i had a factory spark plug blow out of my engine. it was the third one back on the right side. | |||
| 03/16/2010 | 100600 | ||
| I was driving my 2005 ford explorer in a residential zone (35 mph) when i blew a spark plug. i took it to the dealership 1.5 miles away, and they verified that is what happened. i have researched this problem and ford has had this problem for years. there really needs to be a recall on this. | |||
| 04/14/2008 | 44113 | 3 | 03/31/2006 |
| 2005 ford explorer, driving on a twisty coastal highway, about 35 mph, turned wheel to follow right hand turn in the road, there was no power to the steering wheel, or to the brakes. i had to wrench the wheel really hard to the right to keep from driving off of the road. i finally pulled to the side, turned on hazard lights, removed key from ignition. i reinserted key, car started and ran as if nothing ever happened. i drove for another 20 miles, about 40 minutes, without incident. then the engine cut out again-no warning, just all of a sudden i was unable to accelerate. service engine light came on, small wrench icon lit up, and digital display message engine failsafe mode appeared. there is nothing in the owner's manual about this warning message. i have taken the car to ford dealer service where it was purchased. they have told me a sensor on a belt was damaged when the belt slipped off its pulley, and that sensor was therefore unable to sense the crankshaft, and therefore the engine shut down. there was no indication of why this occurred in the first place, or what measures could be done to assure that it does not happen again. this engine shutoff had occurred twice before, but both times the road was uncrowded, and straight, and the car ran fine after starting back up, so i didn't really think about it. but the idea that i could have very easily driven off the road, off a cliff (!) and died, or had my family in the car and this same thing could have happened, this to me is terrifying, and unacceptable. i realize there is inherent risk in driving a car, but potentially lethal malfunction of the vehicle should not be among those risks. *tr | |||
| 03/21/2007 | 75000 | 10 | 08/19/2002 |
| Tl* - the contact has a 2002 ford explorer xlt. the contact stated that there is a rattle in her engine. the mechanic stated that the problem was with the timing chain. the rattling noise was loudest while driving over 40 mph, and he stated that the weather was not a factor. the contact stated that the noise occurs every day. the failure and current mileage were both 75,000 miles. | |||
| 07/05/2006 | 30500 | 6 | 02/27/2005 |
| Tl*- the contact stated that while driving the 2005 ford explorer with 30500 failure mileage on six different occasions at any rate of speed the vehicle stalled without any warning and had to be restarted in neutral. the vehicle was taken to the dealer on three separate occasions, and the problem could not be duplicated. *ak the cruise control would not engage. updated 04/05/07. *jb | |||
| 07/01/2006 | 28000 | 3 | 12/30/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle stalled on 3 occasions while the vehicle was in motion. the vehicle has not been to a service dealer and the contact was unsure of what caused the problem. | |||
| 08/11/2006 | 13000 | 4 | 06/10/2006 |
| Dt*: the contact stated the engine surged and the check engine light illuminated at speeds of 30 mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealership on four occasions and were unable to correct the problem. the ring pin gear was replaced the first time the vehicle was taken to the dealership. the dealership determined the third and fourth cylinder spark plugs needed to be replaced on the second visit. the cylinder spark plugs were replaced on the third and fourth visit. the rear axle was replaced due to a shutter coming from the rear of the vehicle. the right handle was loose. the lumbar seat switch was loose. updated 09/13/06. *jb | |||
| 03/01/2005 | 1 | 03/01/2005 | |
| Dt: the contact owns a 1997 ford explorer. the contact stated that the vehicle overheated. the contact checked all the fluids and everything was fine. the temperature gauge went up and down. the vehicle was not working right now. she went to the dealership on 09/13/2005, and they told her there were no recalls on the vehicle. the vehicle only has 89,000 miles. the dealership flushed all the fluids, done oil change, and kept up with all the maintenance. the vehicle was purchased in march 2005. the heater in the vehicle went up and down, even at the lowest setting the heater got too hot. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 03/14/2008 | 1 | ||
| March 08 i was driving my 2005 ford explorer when all of a sudden it started knocking and then came to a complete stop. i was never able to start the car again. i call ford and was told that my warranty had expired and there was nothing they could do to help me. i took the explorer to the shop and was told that a part in the motor had malfunction which cause damage to the motor. and my only option was to replace the motor. i then call ford again and was told they could not help me. i was stuck with a car that was not paid for and i still owed for. my only option was to replace the motor. i never had a problem with is truck until this happen. *tr | |||
| 11/26/2008 | 78000 | 1 | |
| On several occasions (about 6 times total) and without any warning, my 2005 ford explorer has lost all power. all incidents have occurred within the past 6 months with the most recent occurrence on november 26, 2008. each incident has occurred at speeds below 45 mph and while coasting on a slight downgrade. my concern is that i will lose power in a crucial situation and not be able to steer or stop effectively since these features function most effectively with full power. in all instances i moved the gear to neutral and restarted the engine without any trouble. i did catch it one time before it lost power, again while coasting i noticed the tachometer drop to almost 0. at seeing this i tapped the accelerator, the rpm went back to a normal range and i drove on as normal. *tr | |||
| 08/18/2008 | 40100 | 1 | |
| Car had died approx. 4 times before leading up to this event. on each prior occasion we were able to restart the car. when we contacted ford dealer in ok, they said they couldn't diagnose the problem without it happening while the vehicle was in their possession. we attributed it to bad fuel because dealer said there were no recalls with ford. then car died for no reason, could not restart, had to have it towed. ford repair shop thought it was the throttle body unit which they replaced then they still couldn't get it to start. after further research they discovered that the harmonic balancer had separated and damaged the crank shaft sensor and that was why it wouldn't start to a tune of $1100.0 which was not covered under warranty because it had 40,100 miles and the warranty expired @ 36,000 miles. *tr | |||
| 04/14/2008 | 44113 | 2 | 03/31/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer. while driving between 35-65 mph, the vehicle shut off. the vehicle was able to be restarted. the contact drove another 20 miles before it shut off again. after the second failure, it took the contact several attempts to restart the vehicle. all of the warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and is currently being diagnosed. the current and failure mileages were 44,113. | |||
| 01/10/2008 | 35747 | 6 | 06/14/2005 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer. while driving 35 mph, the engine stalled and the power steering failed. the low oil pressure warning indicator light illuminated. the gear was shifted into neutral and the vehicle restarted. the dealer was unable to duplicate or diagnose the failure. the current and failure mileages were 35,747. | |||
| 07/10/2007 | 68000 | 3 | 02/04/2005 |
| Following a increasingly loudening 'ticking' noise, the engine ejected a spark plug, destroying other components in the engine bay and rendering the entire engine useless. shrapnel from the exploded plug entered the cylinder causing extensive damage. force of plug ejection destroyed threads on cylinder head. *jb | |||
| 06/12/2006 | 3 | 06/21/2005 | |
| 2005 explorer with multiple problems with the engine and transmission. customer states the vehicle has been to the dealer on 3 separate occasions for shutting off and passing gears almost causing accidents. *kb there was a knocking noise coming from the engine area. the vehicle jerked into passing gear while the consumer was trying to accelerate. the transmission gasket was replaced. the cruise control would not engage. the left turn signal bulb was replaced. *jb | |||
| 02/22/2007 | 1 | ||
| My wife was driving our 2005 explorer and the engine died while coasting. power steering was lost. my wife was able to coast it to the side of the road since it was late at night and there was no other traffic on the road. to this point there has been nothing done about it. the dealer did not feel a error code was probably logged and to this point we have not been able to find what the problem is. *jb | |||
| 10/31/2006 | 39000 | 1 | 03/21/2006 |
| We started to hear knocking from under the hood of our vehicle, so we took it to a garage to have it checked out and the dealership told us that it was the timing chain and that the timing chain on a lot of the new fords has been going up. now our 2005 ford explorer xlt will not start and is sitting in our driveway. *jb | |||
| 06/22/2006 | 5000 | 8 | 01/28/2005 |
| I have a 2005 ford explorer eddie bauer which looses power steering control and braking ability at random. i have taken this vehicle into service at the dealership for repair but no satisfactory outcome is there. for the first problem of loosing the braking ability, the vehicle when started has no problems but after driving a short distance (few meters to up to a mile) the advance traction loss message is displayed in the message centre and the vehicle looses the ability to stop in the required stop distance. when applying the brakes, the pulsation is felt in the brake paddle and a screeching heard before the vehicle stops. then once the engine is turned off, and vehicle re-started, the message is reset and vehicle works fine. the second issue is that the vehicle while driving, at random gives the message in the display with an audio signal indicating oil pressure low, service engine soon and other lights in the display and rpm meter showing zero reading with loss of steering ability. there is no power assist to turn the steering whereas the engine is running and also vehicle accelerates if pedal is pushed. i have been into the dealership thrice but the problem is yet to be fixed from last 15 months. the control on the vehicle can be got back once the engine is switched off and restarted. i have resorted to putting the vehicle in neutral and let it roll and turn the engine off and then restart it and get the steering control back. i had left the vehicle at the dealership in oct 2005 for 10 days to diagnose and rectify but i was advised that problem has been reported to the authorities at ford but i am yet to hear back from the dealer or the oem. *nm | |||
| 01/06/2006 | 11900 | 4 | 05/07/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle stalled intermittently four times. there were no warning indicator lights before the stalling occurred. after each incident the vehicle restarted, drove, and operated normally. the vehicle is currently at the dealership; however , the dealer was unable to duplicate the problem. the dealership personnel recommended the contact to drive the vehicle with a representative present to evaluate it, and the contact declined. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
| 09/12/2005 | 5000 | 6 | 09/12/2005 |
| Dt: 2005 ford explorer. the contact states the vehicle has been in the repair shop four times with nine repairs since purchase, approximately a month ago. the rear axle assembly/wheel bearings had to be replaced. also, the rear window on the driver's side/the pulley in the motor, had to be replaced, and the computer chip had to be reset. the key was getting stuck in the ignition; the dealership could find what was wrong with ignition. there were other problems with the vehicle, but the contact did not have that information . the contact was asking ford to take the vehicle back at this time. a service advisor was suppose to speak with the contact.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||
| 06/22/2005 | 1 | 01/14/2005 | |
| The tailpipe on the 2005 ford explorer had burned the left side of the bumper. *jb the tailpipe was found to be too flexible. the dealerships final conclusion was that the problem was due to driver error. *sc *jb | |||