2005 Ford Explorer.

The 2005 Ford Explorer is better than average by owner complaints: 100 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 53, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 3 recalls, and it gets 14 to 16 mpg combined. The best Ford Explorer year is 2008.

53Lemon Index · 100 = average car

Better than average. 1.9× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2008 · Worst year 2016

Photo shows a 2011 Ford Explorer. Vauxford, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Most common problemTransmission & drivetrain20% of owner complaints Recalls3Free fix at any dealer Better year to buy20083.4× fewer complaints than average Repair notes from Ford54Ask a seller if they were done

Owner complaints100first 3 years

Fuel economy14–16 mpgcombined, EPA

Front crash★★★★☆NHTSA, driver

How serious. Out of 497 owner complaints, owners reported:

22crashes

13injuries

6fires

2tows

54 repair notes from Ford

Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

transmission & drivetrain20%

engine18%

speed control17%

fuel system, gasoline11%

electrical11%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Ford Explorer year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 70K

0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 47K to 96K miles on the car (430 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

body structure complaints mostly came at 60K–100K miles
transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 48K–96K miles
speed control complaints mostly came at 25K–84K miles

Recalls 3

visibility 2007
CERTAIN CURVED TEMPERED REPLACEMENT GLASS MANUFACTURED BY HANGZHOU SAFETY GLASS LTD AND SUPPLIED TO SAFELITE BY AUTO TEMP INC., IDENTIFIED AS DOT-430, AND SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN VEHICLES MAY NOT BRE…
lights 2006
CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE.
lights 2006
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems Ford told dealers about

Ford sent dealers 54 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

Axle seal leaks
5r55s transmission fluid leaks from converter housing area
Limited slip axle chatter, shudder, binding sensation, or vibration during low speed turning…

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Government investigations

ClosedVehicle rollaway allegations2009–2013
ClosedVehicle rollaway allegations2009

NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.

Safety

Stability controlStandard

Collision warningNot offered

Lane departure warningNot offered

Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★☆ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★☆☆

NHTSA front crash test of the 2005 Ford Explorer — Front crash test · NHTSA

Fuel cost and engines

About $4000–4600 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 4.0L 6-cyl, 4.6L 8-cyl.

In owners' words

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.
2005 Ford Explorer owner · NHTSA complaint 10202676

More owner reports

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle stalled on 3 occasions while the vehicle was in motion. The vehicle has not been to a service dealer and the contact was unsure of what caused the problem.
NHTSA complaint 10167180

The tailpipe on the 2005 Ford Explorer had burned the left side of the bumper.
NHTSA complaint 10127965

Quick answers

Is the 2005 Ford Explorer reliable?

Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.9× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 53; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Ford Explorer year by this measure since 2010 is 2024.

What are the most common 2005 Ford Explorer problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (20%), engine (18%) and speed control (17%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2005 Ford Explorer have?

3 safety recalls (latest: visibility). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2005 Ford Explorer get?

14 to 16 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

At what mileage do 2005 Ford Explorer problems start?

Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 47,800 and 96,000 miles. The middle report was at 70,000 miles, from 430 complaints.

Does the 2005 Ford Explorer have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 20% of its owner complaints.

How much does the 2005 Ford Explorer cost in fuel a year?

About $4000 to $4600 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2005 Ford Explorer have?

4.0L 6-cyl, 4.6L 8-cyl.

What Ford Explorer year is better than the 2005?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2019, 2018 and 2010.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works