VehicleVerdict

2004 Ford Explorer engine problems

The 2004 Ford Explorer has 116 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 7% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

116

Engine complaints

7%

Share of year

2

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Explorer engine complaints by model year494 complaints1990: 2 complaints1991: 66 complaints1992: 84 complaints1993: 68 complaints1994: 89 complaints1995: 55 complaints1996: 96 complaints1997: 227 complaints1998: 212 complaints1999: 112 complaints2000: 102 complaints2001: 47 complaints2002: 214 complaints2003: 91 complaints2004: 116 complaints2005: 47 complaints2006: 227 complaints2007: 38 complaints2008: 25 complaints2009: 5 complaints2010: 17 complaints2011: 104 complaints2012: 93 complaints2013: 292 complaints2014: 263 complaints2015: 292 complaints2016: 494 complaints2017: 311 complaints2018: 120 complaints2019: 24 complaints2020: 131 complaints2021: 55 complaints2022: 26 complaints2023: 11 complaints2024: 1 complaints2025: 7 complaints2026: 4 complaints
Explorer engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“ON 1/17/12 DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND NOTICED A BURNING SMELL. IT WAS A STRONG SMELL. NOTICED A GLOW UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND PULLED INTO A EMPTY PARKING LOT. THE TRUCK WENT UP IN FLAMES. CALLED FORD AND THEY SAID PROVE WHAT HAPPENED. NOT SURE BUT THE VEHICLE WAS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION WITH NO PROBLEMS…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · January 17, 2011 · fire

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 2004 Ford Explorer have?

NHTSA has 116 complaints about the 2004 Ford Explorer engine — 7% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.