Problems with 2005 Ford Explorer POWER TRAIN

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 have a 2005 ford explorer, i bought the vehicle new in 2005. the vehicle's first major problem was in 2008 when the transmission "lost" 3rd gear. it was rebuilt by ford and has never been the same. yesterday 21 may 2010 the transmission did the same thing it did in 2008... slammed hard into reverse and now it won't shift out of 1st gear. this is twice i'm having to pay to have the transmission replaced in a 5 year old vehicle. *tr

The message screen on my 2005 ford explorer started displaying "check transmission" while driving. a few minutes later, the o/d light started blinking and the check engine light came up. i called the dealership and was told that it is a very common issue with explorers and specifically the 2005 model. the apparently are so backed up that it would take 2-3 weeks for my car to be fixed. after researching the problem, it seems that the design of the transmission was flawed. i'm no expert but it seems to happen around 60k miles to every one. too much of a coincidence. i barely made it home. it took less than 3 hrs for the car to stop going. *tr

The transmission started slipping and would not engage right away. engine would rev but vehicle wouldn't go. the vehicle then started smoking from underneath. the dealer stated that the transmission had a massive fluid leak inside the converter housing and fluid was dripping on the hot exhaust. the leak was caused by a defective pump seal in the transmission, with only 39,200 miles. the repair cost $1100.00. last year i spent $800.00 to replace the failed solenoids in the transmission body that were posted in a ford technical service bulletin. however, ford did not wish to cover the cost since i was outside of the warranty by one year although i only had 35,900 miles at the time. *tr

Brought the car to the dealer for the transmission lurching. my wife was parking her car and when she shifted in reverse to back into her parking spot, it lunged backwards and rammed the exhaust into bumper, literally crumpling the exhaust, into a concrete barricade, with no warning. this was at 75000 miles in march of 2009. anytime she put it in gear it would just jump, like something would make it hesitate, and then all of the sudden full power almost uncontrollably. brought to ford dealer and instead of replacing they had rebuilt it. the case for the transmission was cracked, the first sign it needed a new one. fast forward january 20th 2012. now the transmission failed on me, and with no warning with cars coming from behind me, it now has 40000 on the rebuild so now the car has 109000+ miles on it. now the transmission has aluminum filings inside of it from the parts inside coming loose and shredding the case on the inside. for will not take care of it and it should still have a warranty. it is a dangerous car, if she would have drove to work and it lost power on a busier interstate she would have been in a major wreck. i can't replace a loved one because ford will not remedy the problem. i am getting rid of it so that my wife and kids are safe. *tt

Ford explorer 2005 transmission failure. car would not leave first gear. had i been on a highway could have caused an accident. this problem seems to rampant with all ford explorers--ford should have had a recall on them!!

My letter to ford motor company is as follows: ford motor companymain topic: vehicleserviceissuesyour inquiry: my 2005 eddie bauer edition ford explorer is having problems with the transmission. it slams into reverse and slips going from 2nd to 3rd gears. i got on the internet to research what could be done about this and was appalled by the staggering number of owners having this same problem. (autobeef.com) many of them paying the money ($3,000) to have the problem fixed only to find it happens again in few thousand miles. when i saw all those people having the same exact problem that i was having, i thought surely ford would have done something about this by now. but after searching your website for a recall notice, i found nothing!! can this be right? how can you commercialism selling quality products with problems like this being ignored? if i have the problem fixed (by a authorized dealer), what assurances do i have from ford, that the problem will not return? i'm not a fan of class action lawsuits, but it seems this is the only way big corporations listen to the masses anymore. their response: i regret the circumstances that prompted you to write us. please be informed that ford and the national highway traffic and safety administration (nhtsa) work together to proactively identify areas of concern through investigation of consumer and dealership feedback. if a concern is noted, a recall is conducted to remedy a safety or emissions concern in the interest of customer satisfaction and environmental responsibility. however, due to our rigorous safety standards and constant testing, not all issues result in recall or customer satisfaction programs. i am truly sorry that currently, there are no safety or emissions recalls for your vehicle concern. if a program is announced on this specific component, ford will notify you by mail. on the other hand, please be advised that the projected life expectancy of our vehicle parts is obtained through etc. *tr

I have a 2005 ford explorer that has developed a transmission problem. while driving on the highway, the od light started blinking and there is a message that says check transmission. i called ford customer service and they said i need a new transmission at an estimate o $1800.00. *tr

I purchased my 2005 ford explorer new, i started having problems with the suv delaying or no shift from park to reverse or drive. it jerks into reverse or drive. it was doing it once twice a month, but it seems to be more frequently now. also my suv jumps into gear while my foot is on the brake and i believe this is causing the front tire to burn rubber and wear my tire out quickly. i have taking my car into the dealer for service, and made complaints about this issue, but always told that they could not duplicate the problems. i think this is a major safety issue and should be address asap! *tw

The 2005 ford explorer, when shifted into reverse, has a delay then slams into gear and the vehicle lurches rearward. also, the truck has a delay when shifting through some forward gears as well. the truck will delay or hesitate when shifting through the gears, then slam into the next gear. *tr

Shifting hard, reverse started missing then first gear missing. took to repair shop was told that the transmission is unfixable. *cn

I bought my 2005 explorer new. i have never been in a wreck. at 13000 miles my transmission started going out and was repaired under warranty. now at 64000 miles my transmission is jerking into reverse and dragging into 3rd just like before. what really scared me was i was trying to pass a car and when trying to accelerate my car jerked, revved up and then clunked into gear. thank goodness there wasn't a car coming or i would have been in trouble. i took it in and ford says they are unaware of any problems. they said i just needed my computer updated. well $200 later it is still not fixed. the car is still slipping and jerking. my car is not quite 5 years old and there is no reason why my transmission should be going out for the second time. thank you for looking into this matter. *tr

I own a 2005 ford explorer. this incident happened in november of 2009. the ford explorer had approximately 80,000 miles on it. i pulled into my sister's driveway which is a flat, gravel driveway. the ford explorer is an automatic transmission. i shifted the car into park and then exited the ford explorer. after exiting the ford explorer, it started moving backwards. the open door knocked me down and then the tire on the driver's side ran over my leg. my sister ran and stopped the car. the gear shift moved from park into reverse. *tr

Common transmission failures on 2002 to 2005 ford explorers. my 2005 ford explorer transmission failed without warning and almost caused my family to get rear ended on the highway and then almost into a rollover on the highway due to being in the passing lane and trying to get over to the break down lane. i had to have the whole transmission rebuilt at 46,000 miles which was not covered under warranty. *tr

Vehicle started skipping and lunging as it changed gears. took to ford dealer and said it needed to be replaced. costs up to 3,000. ford did all service on vehicle at all the right times. no recall can not believe it. finally took to transmedic had replaced for $2300. can't someone get ford to do anything. *js

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer. the driver stated the transmission in his vehicle is faulty. when the vehicle is in reverse it slips out of gear as you depress the brakes the vehicle continued to jerk back and forth. the vehicle was taken to a dealer and they stated certain valves within the transmission need to be replaced or the entire transmission. the manufactured was notified and the driver was told it is the responsibility of the vehicle owner to repair the transmission. the failure mileage was 96,000. bl

2005 ford explorer, delay or no shift from park to reverse or drive. when it finally does shift into the correct position it seems as if i had pushed the gas fast. it jerks into reverse or drive. it was doing it once twice a month, but it seems to be more frequently, like a couple times a week. i have almost hit pedestrians several times. the transmission has recently started to slip also. *tr

I own a 2005 ford exploer with 74k miles that continues to have transmission problems including shifting hard when placing in reverse, as well as lurching upon slowing down and stopping. i purchased the vehicle may 2005 and the problem started around 65k miles. i've been told that i need a solenoid valve body by the dealership that will cost $1100 with no diagnostic testing. i've taken the vehicle to a transmission body shop to be informed that my year vehicle has such problems and why ford doesn't do something about these problems. the transmission place did not find transmission code problems, but the problems still exist. they did receive get an engine code error and referred me to electrical specialist. i'm disturbed to find out on-line all the problems that other owners are having concerning transmission problems and the same issues that i am having. ford motor company needs to be help responsible for these issues and cover the problem since they already know the issue even without doing a diagnostic. *tr

Transmission lever did not want to shift out of park. eventually, it did release, but this has happened several times before. there are also times when shifting into reverse or drive it does not feel like the lever is fully "seated" into the correct position. *tr

My vehicle fails to shift from park to reverse when the brake is applied. there are several clicks and multiple attempts need to be made before the vehicle will shift from park to reverse. this occurs all almost everytime i attempt to place the vehicle in reverse. my vehicle only has 12k miles on it and this should not be happening. *tr

2007 ford explorer would not shift from park. had to call a tow truck. we tested it on the tow truck and it still would not shift out of park. after towing it to a repair shop, it finally shifted out of park. *tr

We purchased a 2005 ford explorer in may '08 w/38000 mi. on it carfax, at that time, indicated a new transmission was installed on 2/9/07 @ 27643 mi. lately the transmission has not been running good so we took it to our mechanic, who tells us it is a "ticking time bomb" and needs a new transmission asap. the car currently has 48953 mi on it. he encourages us to investigate recalls and warranty info. we called the dealership who installed the transmission in 2/07, they said it had not been replaced, but other parts (relating to the trans) were replaced. we requested a copy of the service order faxed to us. once rec'd, codes and wording are very confusing but we believe it to indicate that the transmission was replaced. also the service tech we spoke to told us the warranty was a 3 yr/36k mi so a replacement now would not be covered. we believe this transmission has a major defect if, in fact, it was replaced @ 27643 and the new one now has only 21000 mi on it. we called ford motor co service dept. based on their records from the vin #, they told us the transmission was replaced in 2/07. we were also told that the warranty was changed on the '05 explorer transmission to 3 yr/75k mi. (why wasn't the length of term changed also?). they also told us that the new transmission did not come with a new warranty of its own ' it fell under the old warranty. we've had this vehicle for 8 months; we've put 11k miles on it and it needs major repairs that were evident prior to our purchase. questions remain: did the dealership replace the transmission in '07 or not? if not, what was done to correct the problem and was ford motor co. billed for a new transmission? if it was replaced, why are these transmissions going bad after only 20-25k miles? and why won't ford stand behind their product? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph he heard a grinding noise in the rear of the vehicle. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer who informed him that the rear differential was fractured and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 35,000.

Complete transmission failure at 49,000 miles car 3 years old. *tr

Driving home after work all of the sudden transmission over heat alarm comes on, then white smoke out the back on my truck. 2005 ford exploder xl model i stopped waiting a while and then was able to get home. took in for service and yes the transmission is gone. at 140000 k. not the bad part is that this is the 2nd transmission i have put in this truck. the first one was at 75k just out of warranty, my dealer at the time of the first one said point black" take it to a 3rd party transmission place as we would charge you too much, so there you have it 2005 truck and i am on my 3rd tranny. can not sell as will only get 60 % of what i owe! now i only drive around home not to work so much for built ford tough, driving my new kia to work just sad! *tr

2 days ago the transmission on my 2005 explorer began to hesitate between 2nd and 3rd gear. the next morning while on my way to a service station, it slipped out of 2nd and never found 3rd... the engine just revved up. i could shift on the column so i did that to get the vehicle to the dealership. after running some tests, the dealer told me that 3rd gear was "gone" and that i needed a new transmission. this is a 3 year old vehicle and i've spent 1.5 years of those three in the desert... there is no reason that the transmission should blow after 3 years regardless of the fact that for 1.5 years of it, it wasn't driven regularly. ford needs to own up to this and take care of it's customers. this will be my last ford. *tr

2005 ford explorer xlt 4.0l v6 28,000 miles purchased new on july 7, 2005 we started having problems with the fuel system in the end of june 2008 (intermittent loss of fuel gauge and service engine soon dash light) called the ford dealer on or about july 1, 2008. we were driving and the truck engine died, no warning no steering no brakes, (the wrench light and engine failed test mode light came on) she managed to get it to the side of the road where it started up as if everything was ok, moments later it happened again, this time she put it in neutral and it started again while moving. she drove it to my house and took my car home. *tr

I bought one of the sharpest suv's i ever saw - a 2005 ford explorer xlt 4x4 6 cylinder. it started randomly dying on me like the others i have read about (70+ on the interstate was the most interesting!) this vehicle doesn't have a cable from the gas pedal to the throttle; the computer takes the request from the pedal and then the computer opens the throttle. so, if the computer can't "see" what the throttle is actually doing, that could be a bad thing, and for safety reasons, shuts everything down (ford's so called fmem "limp home mode"). well, i replaced the tps, and it started again. i took it to the dealer, and in return for 90 dollars, they plugged a box into my suv, pushed a button and then told me the pcm was bad. the pcm (powertrain control module) is the main brain for the car. everything is either directly controlled by it, or by a submodule (srs, 4wd, abs, eatc, instrument cluster, tpms, and vcm) that it directly controls. here is the rub: consider people that lose a limb, but continue to feel its' presence. that's' because even in the absence of real time data from the limb, the brain has a problem and 'thinks' it sees the limb. in case the analogy isn't clear, if the pcm begins to fail, it might say *any* sensor is failing. but the sensor is fine ' the brain is 'broken'. if it is broken due to a heat or vibration issue, it can work perfectly for however long, then just go nuts for a little while. that's what scares me the most ' this pcm controls everything, right? what happens if it commands the throttle to wide open, commands the transmission to shift to 1st, then fires the airbags? can you prove it couldn't? my problem in a nutshell is that an emissions control item like the pcm shouldn't fail in three years. ford should just fix it instead of charging a grand plus labor. all of these others having intermittent surging, stalling failsafe mode and throttle issues i am betting is the same problem. *tr

5 speed automatic transmission in 2005 ford explorer 4x4 eddie bauer, slips/fails to change gears usually either at highway speeds (passing slower vehicles, uphill downshifting) and also has a severe delay in engaging in reverse (3-5 seconds) i am concerned that these two issues could result in a severe or deadly accident. this problem is wide spread according to my research, usually resulting in ford dealer not repairing the problem under warranty. i have children in the vehicle often and feel that when the transmission "can't find the gear" , another vehicle could strike mine. vehicle has less than 35,000 miles . *tr

I purchased a new ford explorer xlt with just under 6,000 miles from my local ford dealer. it was considered "new" because it had under 6,500 miles (it was their demo car.) 5000 into my new purchase, at approximately 11,000 miles, i began experiencing transmission problems. the vehicle drifted back while in gear and would not shift into gear smoothly. i took it in for repair as a transmission complaint. 8,000 miles later (at approximately 19,000 miles), i was having more difficulty with a slipping transmission and took it to the ford dealer in my area. they found a leak within the transmission and found other transmission issues. at approximately 49,000 miles (current mileage), i was again experiencing transmission slips and a loud noise coming from the rear. i took it to my local ford dealer who said the rear needed replacement and basically the entire back end was falling apart. i could feel this was also related to the transmission. i, again, took it in for the 3rd time as a transmission complaint. the dealer called me and told me my car was repaired, but apparently, they only fixed what was wrong with the rear. i paid $1500 to fix the rear. i picked up my vehicle and i noticed the car was not shifting properly and it was more obvious than before. i live only 6 blocks away. i drove it home and parked the car. that morning, i could barely get my car to go into gear. it would not even go into reverse. it wouldn't move. i eventually got it to go into drive and was just barely able to return it to the dealer, which, fortunately, was just a few blocks away from my house. the car clearly had a bad transmission from the start. now, the dealer tells me i need a new transmission which will cost me $3500. i have always changed the oil every 3,000-5,000 miles. i treat the car like my baby - it was well taken care of. i have never been hard on this vehicle. i believe the back end trouble is related to the transmission, as well. *tr

While i was towing a trailer that was well under the weight limit for the vehicle, the transmission began leaking fluid. due to the design of the exhaust system, the fluid leaked directly onto the hot exhaust pipe under the vehicle, which caused large amounts of smoke to come from under the vehicle. i was stranded on the side of a busy freeway with the vehicle smoking profusely. the transmission was covered under the warranty, and the dealer repaired the transmission on site. it took almost four weeks to get our vehicle back from the dealer. i fear that a large transmission fluid leak on one of these faulty designed vehicle could start a fire or cause a serious accident in the future. *tr

The car rpms increased while stepping on brake, car has surged forward on at least 3 occasions and one time it surged backwards when in reverse and hit a pole, even though foot was on the brake. car has died on several occasions while attempting to accelerate. driver side window has failed several times, despite having the master switch replaced. *nm

Rear differential whine is very bad/loud ! this is a known issue by ford motor company. this is a very bad defect. *tr

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

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

Severe vibration in rear end of vehicle between 65 and 70 mph tire rebalancing and rotation did not improve situation at all seems worse after approx. 20 minutes of highway driving. not sure if its a tire or differential problem but it 'feels' like it is about once per rev. of the axle. vehicle has original ford rsc and goodrich 17" tires. *nm

I have had nothing but problems out of my 2005 ford explorer. it has been into the dealership 4 times now. i have a grinding noise when i first begin to drive, my transmission has a delay when it shifts and you can press down the gas pedal and it almost feels like it goes into what my dad calls a passing gear before it goes. and this is usually directly after slowing down or from a dead stop. i also have a popping noise in my front end when driving down the road. my vehicle has auto 4 wheel drive and it has engaged for no apparent reason on a dry day as i was pulling into my driveway. at times when i put my vehicle into gear a few seconds later it pops down into gear like it wasn't fully in gear. it has been tippy when turning or taking curves and you have to steer hard to make tight turns. the dealership has reprogrammed my 4x4 module and my abs module but the problem is never fixed. when i take it to them they say that they don't hear or feel any problems so they cannot fix what they don't feel is wrong. i've called ford customer service to only be told that if i cannot duplicate the problem it cannot be fixed. i want to be rid of the thing it is nothing but problems only i owe too much to trade it in. i only have 7000 miles on it i shouldn't be having these many problems out of it. and i hate that they are never fixed when i have children riding it my vehicle and i don't know what is wrong with it. i regret the purchase of this car and would get rid of it in a heartbeat if i could. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle was placed in park while running and the emergency brake applied. as the contact was standing outside the vehicle and releasing the parking brake, the vehicle engaged into reverse, and caught the contact in the side. the vehicle proceeded to drag the contact into a 4 lane highway then ran over the contact and pinned the contact's leg. the contact was ran over by the driver's side front tire and trapped. a bystander watched the accident take place and to release the contact from underneath the vehicle, the bystander was required to drive back over the leg to save the life of the contact. major injuries were sustained to the leg and side. the police were contacted to investigate the incident and provided a written report. the vehicle has remained parked and has not been taken to the dealership.

I brought this car on january 23, 2006. when i brought the car the dealership told me that my first payment would be on march 22,2006. however i received a payment request two weeks after i brought the explorer. the salesperson completely lied to me. he didn't explain anything i wanted him to. and for worse the explorer transmission does not function properly. when i put the explorer in reverse the transmission make a terrible sound. i contact the dealership and they told me it wasn't their problem. i want to cancel the purchased of this car it is just giving me problems. *nm

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

2005 ford explorer xlt-3 weeks old now have had to: replace rear axle-howling noise-still noise in rear and have to take back tomorrow. have heard of several problems w/ rear axles being reported. would not buy this vehicle again. 3 weeks old and we are disappointed with this purchase. shocked that they sold this vehicle knowing these kinds of issues w/ 2005 explorers is predominate. they are all under warranty so no recalls. 3 in shop when we were there. been without our new vehicle 4 days thus far. no rental provided. *jb

I have a 2002 ford explorer with a leaking rear differential that is making a moaning noise when the throttle is depressed. the vehicle only has 44,00 miles on it. i have discovered through extensive research that this is a chronic problem with this vehicle and that ford is "investigating" the problem. meanwhile, my dealer tells me my only recourse is a $1700 rebuild of the rear end. it is time for ford to admit that the light aluminum rear end was a poor design and recall for replacement!!! *nm

2005 ford explorer. consumer writes in regards to vehicle rear axle leaking. *smd the consumer stated the rear axles were replaced at 59,752. a year later after listening to the noise in the rear end for quite some time, the problem returned. six months later, they were replaced again. also, the rear panel beneath the window was rusted and the throttle needs to be replaced, as it is causing vehicle hesitation.*jb

The rear differential of my 2002 ford explorer xls is leaking at 41,000 miles. noticed the liquid on the garage floor. after i brought it to a local dealer to look at it they tell me it is the axel seals and is 450.00 to fix.now i look at 2002 explorer rear problems on the internet and they are epidemic in perportion.

On slight incline, vehicle will roll while in gear or it hesitates to engage in gear when shifting from park. vehicle has been to the dealer for this same complaint many times. factory rep. says nothing wrong all models do the same. i have never owned a vehicle, unless equipped with standard transmission that would perform this way. what can i do? *jb

This a safety concern. while cruising on the highway at 50 mph i intended to pass slower-moving vehicles by accelerating. however, it took the automatic transmission 4-5 seconds to kick-in, and for the explorer to attain enough speed to safely pass other vehicles, even if the pedal wasfloored. the time interval was too long (other vehicle made with a/t tool only 2-3 seconds), and could cause an accident. i have referred the problem to the dealer and to ford group philis. inc. 4 months ago yet but they have not yet found a solution.*ak

Transmission problem . *ak