Is your car affected?
Check by VIN to confirm the exact model and see every recall for it.
Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (0)
No US recalls found for the 2004 Ford Explorer.
Owner complaints (1,304)
Owners filed 1,304 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Ford Explorer (58 crashes, 15 fires, 83 injuries reported). Among 44 model years of this model, it ranks #11 for the most complaints (median 630).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 460 | |
| Structure | 426 | |
| Visibility | 100 | |
| Vehicle speed control | 76 | |
| Engine and engine cooling | 71 | |
| Electrical system | 55 | |
| Engine | 44 | |
| Steering | 41 |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2004 Ford Explorer.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Ford Explorer 4-DR. | – | – | – | 3★ |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2004 Ford Explorer version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explorer 2WD 4.0 L Automatic 5-spd | 14 | 19 | 16 | $4,200 |
| Explorer 2WD 4.6 L Automatic 5-spd | 13 | 18 | 15 | $4,450 |
| Explorer 2WD FFV 4.0 L Automatic 5-spd | 14 | 20 | 16 | $4,200 |
| Explorer 4WD 4.0 L Automatic 5-spd | 14 | 19 | 16 | $4,200 |
| Explorer 4WD 4.6 L Automatic 5-spd | 13 | 18 | 15 | $4,450 |
| Explorer 4WD FFV 4.0 L Automatic 5-spd | 14 | 19 | 16 | $4,200 |
| Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV 4.0 L Automatic 5-spd | 14 | 20 | 16 | $4,200 |
| Explorer Sport Trac 4WD FFV 4.0 L Automatic 5-spd | 14 | 19 | 16 | $4,200 |
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada). Recalls updated 2026-10-30.