Used 2004 Ford Explorer Limited 4WD 4dr SUV (4.6L 8cyl 5A) Consumer Reviews

Ten years of owning

Had more issues than I should have had my mileage is now 115,000. 4 wheel repaired twice, rear wheel bearing replaced and not an easy fix due to their design and cost $600. hinges on lift gate glass broke, lift gate plastic cover piece cracked (it covers 25% of the lift gate), controls in the steering wheel quit working, some of the interior controls no longer illuminate, in cold weather the left side of the sound system does not function, the front piece of the passenger side step rail broke off in the winter (it's made of cheap plastic), the engine belt tensioner bearing went bad, the backup sensor quit working, and the 12 volt power socket broke and shorted out. Far too many issues.

Explorer keeps getting better

Got the 2004 4WD Limited V8. Previous car was the 95 Limited 4WD V6, which I really liked. The 2004 has kept the best of the Explorer and added many improvements. The ride is much better, although it is still truck-like. The 17" rims really stand out and make the truck look great. DVD and CD changer are great options. The wife is a big fan of the dual climate control and the seat heaters. Didn't think I would want the 3rd row seat but it is really useful. Automatic 4WD provides extra sense of safety on the slippery roads.

Transmissions & Rear Differentials

I purchased my 2004 Explorer Limited V8 new and have had it back at the dealer more often for repairs than any vehicle I have ever owned. It needed a new rear differential at 32,000 miles, a new transmission at 58,000 miles, and now another new rear differential at 68,000 miles. 68k miles in 7 years isn't exactly hard driving and I haven't ever towed anything. Ford covered the first rear rebuild but the other repair payments came from my ever shrinking wallet. The dealer's service guys are like "oh, yea, those things break all the time". Well, they shouldn't. When will Ford honor its commitment to its customers - "At Ford Quality is Job 1" was their slogan, wasn't it?

so far i have 3500 miles with no problems other than the rear hatch rattling and rough shifting between the drive gears and park

Remorseful

Features, style and price is impressive with other comparable vehicles however the GAS MILEAGE IS HORRIBLE. We will be trading this in very very soon. I had Jeep Gr Cherokee for years and I got tremendously better mpg.