2005 Ford Explorer Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle independently jerked forward. Additionally, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 179,000.

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was making an abnormal clunking sound and shaking. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the timing chain was fractured, and a plastic piece had detached. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000. The VIN was not available.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

MY SON WAS DRIVING HOME AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AT 10:30 PM AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. HE WAS ABLE TO RE-START IT. THERE WERE NO MAINTENANCE LIGHTS ON. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY TEENAGE SON IN APRIL 2014 AND THIS IS THE 3RD TIME IT HAS HAPPENED TO HIM. A MECHANIC CHECKED IT OUT, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. NOT SURE WHAT TO DO NOW, AND MY SON IS LEAVING FOR COLLEGE IN AUGUST AND DRIVING HIS VEHICLE. *TR

THE ENGINE HAD BEEN BEHAVING STRANGE. THERE WAS A "TINKING" SOUND, LIKE WHEN YOU HIT METAL AGAINST METAL, AND THE ENGINE WOULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR WHEN UNDER SPEED CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN THE NIGHT BEFORE WITH NO PROBLEMS. THE NEXT MORNING IT TRIED TO TURN OVER BUT COULDN'T START. THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP SAYS THE SPROCKET JACK SHAFT BROKE, CONTROLS CAM BROKE, THERE WERE BENT VALVES, LIFTERS WERE HIT WITH THE JACK SHAFT AND CAMS WERE HIT TOO. THE ENGINE HYDRO-LOCKED, RUINING THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. I CALLED THE NATIONAL FORD COMPLAINT CENTER. FORD SAID IT WOULD NOT OFFER ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR PUTTING IN A NEW MOTOR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING COOLANT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING PIECE HAD MELTED AND CAUSED THE LEAK. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

VEHICLE DRIVE BELT FALLS OFF WITHOUT NOTICE DUE TO CRANKSHAFT PULLEY SEPARATING FROM ENGINE MAKING VEHICLE INOPERATABLE. *TR

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. *TR

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 [XXX] AT FORD CONSUMER IN MAHWAH, NJ AND GOT NOWHERE. PLEASE HELP, I CANNOT AFFORD A NEW ENGINE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B). *TR

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.

ON JULY 12, 2013, I TOOK MY 2005 FORD EXPLORER TO THE FORD DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED BECAUSE I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WHEN I PUT THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE. AT TIMES IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PUT INTO REVERSE AND WHEN I PUT IN REVERSE THE VEHICLE JERKS OR LUNGES INTO GEAR. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT 2 1/2 YEARS. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS OF COURSE MY TRANSMISSION. I CANT AFFORD TO HAVE MY VEHICLE REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $3946.20 AND I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY EXPLORER IN THIS CONDITION, BUT I HAVE NO CHOICE AT THIS POINT. I WENT ONLINE TO CARCOMPLAINTS.COM AND FOUND 94 COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME ISSUES ON THE 2005 FORD EXPLORERS. IN ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS SENT TO CARCOMPLAINTS.COM - A WOMAN WROTE THAT SHE SENT A COMPLAINT LETTER TO THE DEPT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS ABOUT THE ISSUES WITH THE 2005 FORD EXPLORES, THEY GET BACK TO HER TO TELL HER THAT THE FORD DEALER WILL PUT THE REPAIR UNDER SOME TYPE OF WARRANTY PROGRAM AND JUST CHARGE ME $100 BUCKS TO REPLACE THE SOLENOID. THIS SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE FORD EXPLORERS MADE IN 2005, SO WHY HAVE THE VEHICLES NOT BEEN RECALLED AND WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS?? *TR

GAS CAP LIGHT COMES ON TRIGGERING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. *KB

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. *TR

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

I JUST BOUGHT A 2005 FORD EXPLORER XLT 4.0L V-6 4X4 WITH 45,000 MILES, AND WITHIN ONE MONTH, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK IT TO ROB SIGHT FORD IN KANSAS CITY, MO AND THEY CHARGED ME $1,200 TO FIX THE VALVE CASING, BUT THE TRANSMISSION IS STILL SLIPPING. A WEEK LATER, THE DEFROSTER QUIT WORKING, AND NOW ONLY BLOWS OUT OF THE FRONT VENTS. I CHECKED WITH SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS AND THEY ALL SAID IT WOULD BE AT LEAST $1,100 TO FIX THE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR. SO NOW I HAVE A 5 YEAR OLD CAR WITH 45,000 MILES THAT HAS NO DEFROST CAPABILITIES AND NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION, BOTH OF WHICH ARE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS IF MALFUNCTIONING. *TR

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. *TR

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

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

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.

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