2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Problems
- Complaints
- 66filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 68,000miles, 51 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —overall rating starts with 2011 models
- EPA fuel economy
- 15 mpgcombined, 4.0L 6-cyl · flex-fuel RWD · 13 city / 19 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
What owners report
Owners of this model year most often describe stalling or a sudden loss of power, instrument cluster failures, fuel gauge and fuel-fill problems, and paint or body issues. Reports span a wide mileage range, from trucks with a few thousand miles to ones past 150,000, and many complaints describe problems that appear intermittently rather than after a single event.
- Fuel system
Engine stalls or cuts off while driving
- 10 complaints (15%)
- median 60,000 mi at 7.0 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2006–2019
Owners describe the engine shutting off without warning, at low speed in town as well as on the highway, sometimes repeatedly. Several attribute it to the inertia fuel shutoff switch on the passenger side, which they say trips on its own or is bumped by a passenger's leg; others report fuel pump or fuel filter work. According to the complaints, dealers and mechanics had mixed results, replacing the fuel pump, the shutoff switch spring, or the filter, and in some cases the stalling returned. Reported from under 30,000 miles up past 150,000 miles, at both low and highway speeds.
What to check: Ask whether the inertia fuel shutoff switch or fuel pump has been replaced, and test drive at both low and highway speeds. A service bulletin covers lean/rich fuel-system codes (P0171, P0172, P0174, P0175), so ask if those codes have been addressed.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I was driving in town and it stalled out. It kept happening at least three times a week even when I was on the freeway. I had far too many close calls from wrecking or causing an accident. I went and had it looked at by a mechanic and he replaced the spring in the fuel reset switch. It is currently in the shop once more for the same problem. My check engine light is also on again. Has been for the last year. It claims there is something wrong with the fuel cap or the fuel lines. …”
NHTSA complaint #10701833, filed 2015-03, 80,000 miles“I have a 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac - the fuel delivery system switch seems to shut down all by itself. Once about 6 months ago when I was at a stand still in the left hand turn lane of a busy intersection and again last night while driving on the very busy 405 fwy. The truck just shuts off no gas, no nothing. I had one passenger injured as we were pulled over, a car went buy at a high rate of speed and knocked my friend into the side of the truck. This is a very dangerous situation. …”
NHTSA complaint #10164845, filed 2006-08, 29,111 miles - Electrical system
Instrument cluster and gauge failures
- 7 complaints (11%)
- median 144,000 mi at 11.5 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
- filed 2011–2026
Owners report the instrument cluster cutting out, taking the speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge and other gauges with it, and sometimes the interior lights, radio and power windows as well. Some say hitting the dashboard brings it back temporarily; others describe the speedometer needle jumping or sticking. Complaints mention diagnosis at dealers and independent shops, with replacement clusters sometimes on back order. Mostly reported between roughly 85,000 and 165,000 miles, appearing intermittently while driving or at idle.
What to check: With the engine running, confirm every gauge reads correctly and check that the radio and windows work; ask whether the cluster has been replaced or repaired.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The speedometer gets stuck at different speed and the RPM gauge does the same. This is very dangerous, you could be driving faster than you think. The engine check light also comes on. I can sometime reset using the trip counter reset button. This problem seem to be getting worst. My speedometer seem to be getting stuck more often now and it seem to be getting harder to reset.”
NHTSA complaint #10615785, filed 2014-07, 144,000 miles“Instrument cluster failure. Caused all my lights (interior and exterior) to go out while I was driving in heavy traffic in the dark on an 8 lane interstate. Took the vehicle to an auto electric shop for diagnosis. Took to Ford dealer for repair. Have been waiting for almost 2 months for the replacement part (instrument cluster). Ford says it is on back order. Note: this is a safety hazard!”
NHTSA complaint #10863307, filed 2016-05, 126,260 miles - Body and structure
Paint peeling, bubbling and rust on body panels
- 6 complaints (9%)
- median 40,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
- filed 2010–2020
Owners describe paint blistering, flaking or peeling from the hood, roof, roof rails and running boards, with rust appearing underneath in some cases. Several say body shops attributed it to the original paint job, and complaints describe the manufacturer declining to cover it. A few mention corrosion on the roof or cracked body panels near the door hinges. Reported across a wide mileage range, from around 10,000 to 150,000 miles.
What to check: Inspect the hood, roof, roof rails and running boards closely for bubbling, peeling or rust, especially in sun-exposed states.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“For the past 6 years I've been complaining about how the paint pealing off the body after washing it, for no reason what so ever, I take very good care of my vehicles, and this has been an ongoing fight with the Ford motor company that they will assume any responsibility that it was a bad paint job. And they will not stand by there warranty.”
NHTSA complaint #10535540, filed 2013-08, 45,000 miles“My 2005 Ford explorer sporttrac has paint issues. The paint on the hood has bubbled and is now flaking off. The running boards have extensive rust spots. I am now worried what else might go wrong. =-(”
NHTSA complaint #10352034, filed 2010-08, 51,000 miles - Fuel system
Fuel gauge reads wrong or fuel backs up when filling
- 8 complaints (12%)
- median 72,903 mi at 7.5 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
- filed 2009–2015
Owners report the fuel gauge sticking, reading below empty or staying on full, so they rely on the trip meter to judge fuel. Others describe fuel spraying or backing out of the fill tube when refueling, sometimes after only a small amount goes in, and a check-fuel-cap light that comes and goes. Complaints mention fuel sending unit, fuel pump and fill-tube concerns. Reported from around 15,000 miles up to about 110,000 miles, when refueling or while driving.
What to check: Fill the tank during the test drive and watch the gauge respond and whether fuel backs up at the nozzle; ask whether the sending unit has been replaced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Every time gas is pumped into the vehicle, even when tank is empty, after a few seconds the gas backs up end spews out of the gas fill tube. It is almost impossible to pump gas so that the gas doesn't eject back out of the fill tube. I can only assume its a huge fire/safety issue as it normally amounts to a huge puddle of gas on the ground, all over my paint, and most of the time on my clothes and shoes, especially on a windy day. …”
NHTSA complaint #10553579, filed 2013-11, 15,000 miles“The fuel gauge in my 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac stopped working. It reads below empty at all times. I researched the problem online and it is apparently a known problem in Ford explorers, mountaineers and ranger having a faulty fuel sending unit and fuel pumps in this model year. This is a hazardous condition and should be recalled. Not knowing when or where a vehicle will run out of gas is a serious issue and not knowing if the fuel pump will fail is also a serious safety issue. …”
NHTSA complaint #10446298, filed 2012-02, 64,000 miles - Air bags
Side curtain airbags deploying without a crash
- 7 complaints (11%)
- median 46,000 mi at 4.8 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
- 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2008–2023
Owners describe the side curtain airbags deploying with no impact, for example when closing a door or while driving at moderate speed, sometimes leaving the seat belts inoperable afterward. Complaints also describe airbags not deploying in a collision. According to the complaints, dealers either attributed deployment to a detected crash or could not explain it. Reported from around 35,000 to 85,000 miles, often with no impact involved.
What to check: Ask whether the airbags or seat belts have been serviced or replaced, check for an airbag warning light, and have a mechanic inspect the airbag system before purchase.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Put kids in car seats. Got in driver's seat and closed door and side airbags deployed. Ford is acting like this is the first time it's ever happened but I see lots of complaints about it online. Nothing done, so far. Waiting to see if it is covered on insurance. Local Ford dealership believes vehicle is totaled because they cannot put air bags back in and guarantee safety afterwards.”
NHTSA complaint #10892610, filed 2016-08, 83,000 miles“The contact owns a 2005 fort Explorer Sport Trac. While driving 50 MPH during a storm, the vehicle began to hydroplane and collided with a tree. The air bags did not deploy. The contact experienced minor pain in various areas of his body, but did not receive medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a wrecking yard. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was notified. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was 160,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10715390, filed 2015-05, 160,000 miles
Buying note. Have a mechanic check the fuel system and inertia shutoff switch, verify the instrument cluster and all gauges work, and look closely at paint and body panels for peeling or rust. Confirm any related service bulletins have been applied and ask for maintenance records.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 66 consumer complaints for the 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. 51 of the complaints include a mileage, and 35% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 68,000 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 6 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 10 technical service bulletins for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Fuel system16 24%
- Electrical system11 17%
- Body and structure11 17%
- Air bags7 11%
- Engine4 6.1%
- Steering4 6.1%
- Vehicle speed control4 6.1%
- Brakes3 4.5%
- Engine cooling3 4.5%
- Other or unknown3 4.5%
Also reported: Tires (3), Transmission and drivetrain (3), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (3), Equipment (2), Suspension (2), Wheels (2), Seat belts (1), Seats (1).
Example complaints
Fuel system: “Fuel gauge on my 2005 Ford sportrac does not register correctly. Needle stuck at 1/4 tank and sometimes will move, but can not be trusted. Even after filling up, it will not show full tank. Have to use trip meter to have any idea when to re-fuel. This is very annoying and after researching on internet, we found this is a very common problem with Ford and has been a problem for a long time. This situation should be corrected by Ford via recalls on their vehicles. It could certainly be a safety issue while driving.”
NHTSA complaint #10706025, filed 2015-04, 108,000 milesElectrical system: “My 2005 Explorer Sport Trac had a check engine light come on and when it does, my instrument cluster stops working. My tachometer, speedometer, temp, and fuel gauges stop working. Here lately, my radio and power windows have stopped working. My daughter was driving and reported to me that the vehicle starts shaking and shuts off as well. Not really sure what is going on with it, but when everything stops working, I sit there and hit the dash to get the lights and windows to start working again. …”
NHTSA complaint #11123241, filed 2018-08, 149,325 milesBody and structure: “The front windshield glass was crack for no reason, just because the temperature was 90s. We have other cars and all are fine. I believe is the metal where the rear mirror is mounted. Based on my forensic class, cars have a least 3 coats of paint, primer, the color and the clear coat, this car only has two coats of paint.”
NHTSA complaint #10515145, filed 2013-06, 140,000 milesAir bags: “The contact owns a 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The contact was driving 35 MPH when the front side curtain air bags independently deployed followed by a loud, unusual noise. The front driver and passenger seat belts became inoperable after the air bags deployment. The dealer advised that the air bags deployed because the vehicle detected a crash. The contact was not involved in a crash and there was no external damage to the vehicle to indicate that the air bags should have deployed. The dealer was unable to provide a reason as to why the air bags deployed. …”
NHTSA complaint #10350719, filed 2010-08, 57,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
35% of the 51 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 35,000 and 126,260 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explorer Sport Trac · sedan | not rated | — | — | — | 3 · 27.9% risk |
Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV | 4.0L 6-cyl · flex-fuel | 5-speed automatic | 13 | 19 | 15 | $4,450 |
| Explorer Sport Trac 4WD FFV | 4.0L 6-cyl · flex-fuel | 5-speed automatic | 13 | 18 | 15 | $4,450 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 10 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 10019947Jan 1, 2006Transmission and drivetrain. Neutral tow capability - service kit requirements.
- 10018934Jan 1, 2006Other or unknown. Neutral tow capability -- service kit requirements.
- 10016814Oct 11, 2005Tires. Irregular tire wear.
- 10018061Oct 7, 2005Steering. Steering shudder during low speed maneuvers - 4.0l engine.
- 10017860Jul 1, 2005Fuel system, Other or unknown. Malfunction indicator lamp coming on with diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0171, p0172, p0174 and/or p0175 (fuel system too rich or lean).
- 10017899Apr 1, 2005Transmission and drivetrain. No 3rd gear, dtc p0733 (3rd gear incorrect ratio) and flashing tcil - vehicles built prior to 9/23/2004.
- 10017891Apr 1, 2005Transmission and drivetrain. Front axle leaks fluid from vent tube - vehicles equipped with 4x4 or awd.
- 10018938Jan 1, 2005Wheels, Tires. Vibration diagnosis - tire/wheel runout.
- 10014310Dec 31, 2004Body and structure. Weld bonding procedure.
- 10014263Dec 27, 2004Equipment. Moan/vibration during air conditioning operation.
Other model years of the Ford Explorer Sport Trac
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 31 | 30,000 | 1 | — | 17 | Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years) | Falling |
| 2009 | 6 | 20,000 | 0 | — | 17 | — | Not enough data |
| 2008 | 23 | 65,265 | 1 | — | 16 | — | Rising |
| 2007 | 100 | 39,275 | 1 | — | 16 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2006 | 5 | 74,000 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2005 | 66 | 68,000 | 0 | — | 15 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2004 | 86 | 43,768 | 0 | — | 16 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2003 | 78 | 58,500 | 0 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 144 | 48,104 | 2 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2001 | 167 | 71,760 | 4 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1998 | 5 | 51,700 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1997 | 6 | 107,500 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All Ford Explorer Sport Trac model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac?
Owners of this model year most often describe stalling or a sudden loss of power, instrument cluster failures, fuel gauge and fuel-fill problems, and paint or body issues. The issues reported most often: Engine stalls or cuts off while driving; Instrument cluster and gauge failures; Paint peeling, bubbling and rust on body panels.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac have?
NHTSA recorded 66 consumer complaints for the 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac is reported most often?
Fuel system is named most often, in 16 complaints (24% of the total), followed by electrical system with 11.
Has the 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac get?
The EPA rates the 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac (Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV, 4.0L 6-cyl · flex-fuel) at 15 mpg combined, 13 city and 19 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,450 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac reported?
Among the 51 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 68,000 miles and the middle half falls between 35,000 and 126,260 miles; 35% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.