Used 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Consumer Reviews
Used Explorer Sport Trac for sale
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Design Flaw?
spar07, 02/11/2011
2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac XLS Rwd 4dr Crew Cab (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
15 of 18 people found this review helpful
My wife bought her truck about 4 years ago. A little less than 4 months later, the front passenger wheel literally broke off at a speed of approximately 60 mph. The reason for the problem was due to the wheel bearing freezing up. The dealer where she bought the truck was surprised that the vehicle did not roll and do some serious damage to life and property. This winter, just short of 4 years later, the bearing froze up again and was on the brink of breaking once again. The only conclusion is that there has to be some kind of design or material flaw in the materials used for this model. The truck has been inspected in attempt to find the problem. Owners beware!!
best vehicle ever owned.
Charles Dyak, 02/15/2018
updated 02/26/2019
2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac XLT 4WD 4dr Crew Cab (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
bought this new in 2004 and had very few to no problems, 166k miles on it. Update: I now have 177k miles and still running strong. I did the timing chains on it at 135k and it was well worth the expense.
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my 2004 Sport Trac Adrenalin
Scott89racin, 04/19/2009
2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Adrenalin 4WD 4dr Crew Cab (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I have had very few problems with my Sport Trac. Ball joints were replaced at 12k and the transfercase was rebuilt at 29k due to a problem with hanging up in low or not shifting into 4wd at all. Drivers window reg was replaced at 29k and they fixed an evap problem at 35k under warranty.For having such a small engine it still pulls and I have more than once exceeded the 3500 lb towing capacity by 100%(I towed combined 7000 once) The trans cooler is a definete plus for towing. My friends Silverado trans went out going over the divide in Colorado with less miles towing about the same loads as me.(a Jeep) My fluid was cool to the touch while he had smoke comming out of his fill tube!
Versatile for family activities & hauling chores
Craig Neubecker, 12/21/2016
updated 01/09/2023
2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac XLT Rwd 4dr Crew Cab (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
I purchased this Sport Trac used to replace a 2013 Silverado which I had bought new. Unlike the Silverado, it fits well in a garage, while still being good for hauling a family of four or materials for home improvement. The cab is larger than the 4 door S-10's of the era, so the have more room inside and are more comfortable for rear seat passengers. The bed is shorter however, so it is not as good for hauling construction materials, so that is the compromise. But with the tailgate down and the swing out cargo gate, it will still haul basic building and home improvement supplies. It handles well and is very maneuverable in parking lots and other tight spaces but the gas mileage is a little worse than advertised. Update: At 97,000 miles, the transmission failed and had to be rebuilt. Also, half the body mounts have disintegrated, resulting in a constant creaking sound as the body flexes up and down. It turns out that both of these are common Sport Trac problem areas. I am disappointed at how quickly this vehicle has begun to wear out, with easy use, and mostly highway miles. I now feel compelled to drive this for a while longer to recoupe the cost of rebuilding the transmission, and hope I don't have any more large repairs. In a year or so, I will be going back to GM products as I have always gotten much more use out of them, with far fewer repairs, and the repair costs have been substantially lower as well. Final update: I traded in the Sport Trac at 137,000 miles. Since the last update, I also had to replace the alternator, and the EGR valve, as well as replace the brakes. Overall I would give an average score to the ownership of the Sport Trac. It fit our needs at the time, but the reliability and gas mileage were worse than expected. The Sport Trac has been replaced with a new 2021 Chevrolet Colorado.
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- Reliability
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Great Truck
buck, 04/13/2006
2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Adrenalin 4WD 4dr Crew Cab (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
12 of 15 people found this review helpful
This is the second Sport Trac that I have owned; they both have been great trucks.
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