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Air bagsPart report

2004 Ford Explorer Air bags Problems

Complaints
39about this part
Share
3%of 1,304 total for the year
Median mileage
109,000miles
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 39 complaints about the air bags of the 2004 Ford Explorer, 3% of the 1,304 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 109,000 miles. 21 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Takata recall I was driving about 5 miles per hour when the side air bags deploy on there own making a big blast without been involving in accident I don't know watt cause the air bags to deploy this could been a big accident if I was driving on the main highway at normal speed resulting in possible death”

NHTSA complaint #11112065, filed 2018-07, 274,000 miles

“I've had two (2) accidents (rear-ended and front accident), in which the air bags did not deploy. I didn't think of it at the time, but both accidents sustained extensive damage to my vehicle, yet the air bags didn't deploy. I hit the wheel hard and went to the hospital for x-ray, but it wasn't an injury that required anything further. My concern is that the air bags don't work. What should I do? I'm the original owner.”

NHTSA complaint #10746607, filed 2015-08, 67,000 miles

“This past weekend I was driving an 04 Ford Explorer when both side airbags spontaneously deployed. I was not in an accident. I was driving down a two-lane road at less than 35 miles per hour when the airbags deployed. I was able to pull over but not before sustaining an injury to my ear and not before the passenger sustained an injury to her right arm. I reported this to Ford, which advised to carry the vehicle to a dealership. Took it to the dealership, where the service manager was unconcerned with the fact that the airbags spontaneously deployed. …”

NHTSA complaint #11337948, filed 2020-07, 62,000 miles

“Takata recall I had an accident on hwy 701, I went off the road and hit a cement culvert going 45mph and my driver side airbag didn't deploy I suffered 2 spinal fractures.”

NHTSA complaint #11081189, filed 2018-03, 200,000 miles

“On friday, august 7th at 1:00 pm I was going north on highway 52 out of rochester when the side airbags in my 2004 Ford Explorer spontaneously deployed. It sounded like a bomb went off in my vehicle and the driver side airbag struck the side of my face. After realizing what happened I could not see out the passenger windows of my truck (safety hazard as the airbags are now blocking vision of the highway), so I was forced to pull off on the left side of the highway (very dangerous). …”

NHTSA complaint #10750234, filed 2015-08, 195,000 miles

Air bags: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202612%
202555%
2024210%
202344%
202273%
202161%
202060%
201921%
2018112%
2017342%
2016994%
2015845%
2014473%
2013181%
2012273%
2011444%
201065%
200926%
200843%
2007126%
200681%
2005153%
2004393%
2003504%
20021625%
2001287%
2000627%
1999977%
1998402%
1997272%
1996413%
1995273%
1994111%
199351%
199210%
199130%

Other parts of the 2004 Ford Explorer

Transmission and drivetrain
460 complaints
Body and structure
426 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
112 complaints
Vehicle speed control
76 complaints
Engine cooling
71 complaints
Electrical system
55 complaints
Brakes
53 complaints
Engine
44 complaints
Steering
41 complaints
Wheels
41 complaints
Other or unknown
37 complaints
Suspension
37 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2004 Ford Explorer

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology