2005 Ford Explorer Electrical Problems

Your headlights, interior lights, dashboard gauges, radio, and windows suddenly stop working without warning, and all your gauges drop to zero. This happens randomly and unpredictably, sometimes causing your speedometer to jump around while driving. This is a serious safety issue because you lose visibility at night and can't see your speed, fuel level, or engine temperature while on the road.

While driving at high speeds, all electrical power cuts out suddenly as if the ignition key were turned off, leaving you without power steering and causing the car to slow quickly—a hazardous situation that has happened multiple times over two years. This loss of electrical power makes steering extremely difficult and creates a serious safety risk. The underlying electrical failure needs to be diagnosed and repaired, likely involving inspection of the alternator, battery, and main electrical connections.

Your driver's seat back has collapsed into the back seat while driving and is now stuck in that position, while your passenger seat is showing similar but less severe issues. Your heated seats turn on unpredictably on their own, though the driver's heated seat no longer works at all. Your seat belts randomly lock up and have trouble retracting normally. These issues likely involve replacing or repairing the seat back mechanism, heating element controls, and seat belt retractor assembly.

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. I USED TO BE ABLE TO HIT THE DASH WITH MY HAND AND GET THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO GO OFF AND THE GAUGES START WORKING. WHEN I CALLED MY LOCAL FORD STORE AND TALKED TO THEM IN SERVICE, THEY QUOTED ME LIKE $400 FOR A PART AND JUST AS MUCH FOR LABOR, LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING THESE PROBLEMS AND THEY KNEW WHAT IT WAS TO FIX. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING, BUT WITH THE ODOMETER NOT REGISTERING MILES FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS, I NOW HAVE A VEHICLE THAT IS CONSIDERED SALVAGE TITLE BECAUSE IT IS UNKNOWN MILES.

ABS LIGHT AND ADVANCE TRACKING LIGHT AND 4X4 LIGHT AND CAR WITH TRACKING LIGHT ALL COMES ON AND THE BRAKING JERK WHEN STOPPING. ALSO LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT COMES ON EVEN AFTER OIL CHANGE

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT NIGHT MY VEHICLES DASHBOARD BEGAN TO ACT ERRATIC. THEN THE BATTERY GAUGE RAPIDLY DROPPED INTO THE RED ZONE. WITHIN ABOUT 3 MILES I LOST MY INTERIOR POWER, HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS, AND SIGNALS INCLUDING MY HAZARD LIGHTS. WHEN LIMPING OFF THE INTERSTATE MY TRUCK HAD LOST ENOUGH POWER TO WHERE IT DIED OUT. ONCE AT THE DEALERSHIP IT WAS FOUND THAT THE ALTERNATOR FRIED OUT CAUSING A SURGE THAT WIPED OUT THE PCM AND UTILITY CLUSTER ALL WITHOUT WARNING.

MY GAUGES GO HAYWIRE THE NEEDLES SHAKE WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN CAR IS OFF NO KEY IN IGNITION. THE LIGHTS FLASH AS WELL. CAR WILL STALL IN TRAFFIC AT A STOP, THE RPM WON'T GO ABOVE 2 EVEN WHEN HWY GOING 60 MPH. MECHANIC SAID IT'S ELECTRICAL, THE DEALER TOOK OUT TOP COUNSEL AS A WORK AROUND FOR THIS ELECTRICAL ISSUE CLAIMING IT WAS NOT A RECALL.

CLUSTER GOING BAD AND CUTTING POWER TO ENTIRE VEHICLE WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD , CITY ENVIROMENT

WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, WE FOUND THAT THE BACK WINDOW OF THE HATCH WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN AND THE BODY IN THE BACK WAS LIFTED OFF THE CAR. IT LOOKS AS IF THE HYDRAULIC ARM MALFUNCTIONED OVERNIGHT.

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!

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CUTS OUT AND RESARTS THEN CUTS OUT AGAIN CAUSING NO SPEEDOMETER TACH FUEL GAUGE OIL PRESSURE TEMPERATURE AND VOLTAGE GAUGE TO STOP WORKING. ELECTRIC WINDOWS WON'T WORK RADIO OUT ODOMETER BLANK HAPPENS RANDOMLY IN ANY CONDITION IDLE DRIVING EVERY WHEN NOT IN THE VEHICLE. YOU CAN HEAR THE RELAY CLICKING FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE.

DEFECTIVE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLIES AND SENSORS. RANDOMLY ENGINE GOES INTO FAIL SAFE MODE AND HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING, AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS, AND DURING TURNS. INSTRUMENT PANEL IS NOW GOING HAYWIRE. MESSAGE CENTER REPORTS LOW OIL PRESSURE, CHECK CHARGING SYSTEMS, TIRE SENSOR FAILURE FAULT, CHANGE OIL SOON, AND OIL IS FINE. BATTERY HAS BEEN CHECKED. TIRE SENSORS, ALTERNATOR...ALL FINE. IT'S ALL I HAVE AND I MUST DRIVE IT TO WORK EACH DAY! BOUGHT USED IN NOVEMBER 2013. HAD 69K MILES AT PURCHASE. NOW HAS 103K MILES. IT DOESN'T FEEL SAFE :O( PLEASE HELP!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO ACTIVATE THE HAZARD LIGHTS BECAUSE THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD FAILED. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO MERGE OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

MISFIRES, COILS KEEP FAILING. *TR

CONSUMER WRITES TO REQUEST AN INVESTIGATION CONCERNING THE BUSINESS PRACTICES OF A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR CENTER. *TGW THE CONSUMER DID NOT THINK, THE REPAIR FACILITY WAS ACTUALLY PERFORMING THE SERVICES ON HIS VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION, DUE TO LOW TIRE TREAD. HE STATED HE WAS JUST IN THE REPAIR FACILITY ONE MONTH PRIOR, AND NO MENTIONED TO HIM, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES. ALSO, THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, IT WAS DETERMINED THE NEW ALTERNATOR WAS DEFECTIVE. *JB

ELECTRIC WINDOWS WON'T WORK. ALL FUSES ARE WORKING. SOME WIRES THAT GO FROM THE VEHICLE FRAME TO THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR ARE SEVERED AND MELTED. THE WIRES ARE IN A PROTECTIVE RUBBER BOOT THAT IS BETWEEN VEHICLE FRAME AND DOOR. *TR

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. *TR

BODY ISSUES: I HAVE A 2005 FORD EXPLORER AND HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT. MY TAILGATE SOMEHOW DEVELOP A CRACK THAT GOES THROUGH WHERE THE FORD LOGO IS. NOTHING HAPPENED TO THE SUV TO CAUSE THE CRACK. IT JUST SOMEHOW HAPPENED ON IT'S OWN. I BELIEVE THE VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE OR AT LEAST THE MATERIALS USED TO MAKE THE VEHICLE. ELECTRICAL ISSUES: ANOTHER ISSUE I HAVE IS WITH THE ELECTRICAL. MY TURN SIGNALS (MOST TIMES) DO NOT WORK. I HAVE TO MANUALLY MOVE IT UP AND DOWN WHEN TURNING. WHEN IT DOES WORK, IT GOES REALLY FAST. MY REVERSE NOTIFICATION NO LONGER WORKS FOR SOME STRANGE REASON. ALSO, MY RADIO GOES LOUDER WHEN I TURN IT DOWN. I HAVE TO TURN IT OFF FOR A LITTLE WHILE, TURN IT BACK ON THEN TRY TO LOWER THE VOLUME. *TR

HAD FUELED (FULL) 2 HOURS BEFORE. GAS GAUGE DROPPED TO EMPTY. MILES TO EMPTY SHOWS DASHES. SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT IS ON. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE EVENTUALLY DIED WITHOUT BEING EXTINGUISHED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT YET DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

TRAVELING ON 459 NORTH, AROUND THE GRANTS MILL ROAD EXIT, I ENCOUNTERED THE POORLY PAVED ROAD/POT HOLES AND MY STEREO/CD SYSTEM NO LONGER WORKS. THIS PROBLEM HAD NEVER OCCURRED UNTIL DRIVING ON THE POORLY MAINTAINED ROADS IN THIS STATE. PLEASE CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN REGARDS TO HANDLING THIS PROBLEM. *TR

WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT I SWITCHED ON MY TURN SIGNAL TO INDICATE A RIGHT TURN AND NOTICED THE NORMAL CLICK OF THE TURN SIGNAL WAS NOT OCCURRING. I LOOKED DOWN AT MY INSTRUMENT PANEL AND SAW THE RIGHT TURN LIGHT WAS LIT BUT NOT FLASHING. THE REST OF THE TRIP I HAD TO CONTINUALLY TURN ON AND TURN OFF THE TURN SIGNAL TO LET OTHERS NOW MY INTENTIONS SINCE THE SIGNALS WOULD NO LONGER FLASH. FINALLY I RAPIDLY WORKED THE SWITCH UP AND DOWN AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE TURN SIGNALS TO OPERATE CORRECTLY AGAIN. ALSO ON OTHER OCCASIONS THE SIGNAL WOULD CLICK VERY FAST WHICH AND THE ACTUAL SIGNAL LIGHT WOULD NOT FLASH OR LIGHT BUT WOULD EVENTUALLY START WORKING AGAIN. I ASSUMED IT WAS A BURNED-OUT BULB BUT WHEN IT CAME BACK ON AGAIN I KNEW THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. I SAW A RECALL RECENTLY FOR THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH ON RANGER PICKUPS AND EXCURSION SUVS IN THE AGE RANGE OF MY VEHICLE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH MY EXPLORER.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE AND REFERRED HER TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,000.

DASHBOARD - WARNING LIGHT FOR OIL CHANGE REQUIRED WILL NOT GO OFF - HAD OIL CHANGE 500 MILES AGO - NOT DUE FOR 2 MORE MONTHS - WILL NOT RESET. DEALER SAID IT WAS A BAD OIL GAUGE SENSOR. *TR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM , BODY STRUCTURE , GAS PEDAL. *TR

JUST DRIVING ALONG TAKING A MILD CORNER AND MY 2005 FORD EXPLORER JUST DIED AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. TOOK TO THE LOCAL AUTO REPAIR AND THEY GOT TWO CODES P2104 AND P2112. WHICH HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE THROTTLE ACTUATOR. AFTER SPEAKING WITH FORD LOCALLY THE PART(S) FOR THIS PROBLEM HAVE BEEN ON BACK ORDER SINCE AT LEAST AUGUST AND THEY ARE SAYING THEY MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL JAN. 2010 OR LATER. *TR

2005 FORD EXPLORER FUEL GAUGE MALFUNCTION: STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO. WAS INTERMITTENT AT FIRST, BUT IS NOW CONSTANT. FUEL GAUGE REGISTERS EMPTY UNTIL TANK IS ABOUT HALF FULL, AFTER WHICH THE GAUGE WORKS PROPERLY. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. A SCAN OF THE INTERNET INDICATES THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND FORD HAS NO PROGRAM IN PLACE TO FIX IT. SINCE THE GAUGE IS CAUSING THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT TO STAY ON, THAT LIGHT CANNOT ALERT ME TO OTHER POTENTIAL FAILURES. COST TO REPAIR IS APPROXIMATELY $500+. *TR

ON THREE OCCASIONS WITHIN THE PAST THREE WEEKS, MY CAR HAS LOST ALL POWER. ON TWO OF THESE OCCASIONS, I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN IN THE ROAD AND ON THE THIRD TIME, I WAS DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT-AWAY. EACH TIME I WAS DOING LESS THAN 40 MPH. ONLY ONE TIME WAS ANYONE ELSE IN THE VEHICLE BUT IT WAS STILL VERY SCARY AND VERY UPSETTING, CONSIDERING I HAVE ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 8 MONTHS. I AM JUST AFRAID THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN I AM GOING FASTER OR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. SO FAR, I HAVE BEEN LUCKY AND HAVE NOT BEEN IN ANY TRAFFIC WHEN THIS HAS OCCURRED. *TR

05 FORD EXPLORER HAS REPEATED (ENGINE THROTTLE CONTROL) LIGHT WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE, WHILE MOVING, LOSES POWER AND THEN STALLS. I SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF, THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO RESET AND THE VEHICLE THEN RUNS FINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON (2) OCCASIONS AND NOW FEEL THE VEHICLE MAY NOT BE SAFE. *TR

AFTER HAVING THIS VEHICLE FOR ONLY 2 YEARS, THE HEATER/ DEFROSTER DOES NOT WORK. IT SEEMS TO BE THE SWITCH THAT SELECTS HEAT AND COLD IS BROKEN AND ONLY MAKES A CLICKING SOUND, AND WILL NOT PULL IN HEAT TO DEFROST THE WINDOWS AND WARM UP THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THIS REPAIR COSTS QUITE A BIT OF MONEY. THIS IS ALSO A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS AND THE NEED TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL OTHERS COMPLAIN OF THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

VEHICLE HAD A DEAD BATTERY ROUGHLY 6 MONTHS AGO. DEALER REPLACED BATTERY UNDER WARRANTY, BUT DID NO OTHER DIAGNOSTICS ON THE VEHICLE. IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEN EVERY DAY, THE BATTERY DRAINS DOWN, AND NOW THE BATTERY WILL NOT CHARGE AT ALL. NOW MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY COVERAGE, AND THE DEALER WILL NOT DIAGNOSE THE CHARGING SYSTEM PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY UNRELIABLE, AND THE CHARGING SYSTEM FAILURE IS JUST ONE OF MY MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. *TR

A FIRE STARTED IN MY 2005 FORD EXPLORER IN THE CONSOLE AREA ON THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE SELF EXTINGUISHED AS THE OXYGEN WAS REDUCED. THE FIRE CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE CONSOLE AREA UP THROUGH THE CENTER CONTROLS TO THE CEILING CONTROLS. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN BUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BELIEVES IT IS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION IN THE CONSOLE AREA. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE, CHANGE OIL IMMEDIATELY AND CHECK TIRE PRESSURE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON A REOCCURRING BASIS WITHOUT CAUSE. THE ONBOARD COMPUTER WAS RESET BY THE SERVICE DEALER EACH TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS MY 2005 FORD EXPLORER XLT HAS COMPLETELY DIED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. BOTH INSTANCES HAPPENED AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 45 MPH. THE VEHICLE GOES DEAD, AS IF THE KEY HAS BEEN TURNED FROM "RUN" TO THE NEXT POSITION BACK. THERE ARE NO SYMPTOMS PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE SHUTTING OFF. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER, ALL GAUGES GO DEAD AND ALL DASH WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATE, SO I KNOW THAT THE VEHICLE STILL HAS ELECTRICAL POWER. SOMETHING IS CAUSING THE ENGINE TO TURN OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THE 13TH OF MAY AND AGAIN ON THE 2ND OF JUNE. ON BOTH OCCASIONS I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO GARRY SMITH FORD, IN FT WALTON BEACH FL FOR SERVICE, AND ON BOTH OCCASIONS I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAULT AND THAT THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A FAULT IN THE VEHICLE SYSTEM. I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH THEIR ANSWER. THEY HAVE REPLACED NO PARTS ON MY VEHICLE AND RECOMMENDED THAT I SIMPLY KEEP DRIVING IT, UNTIL I CAN GET IT TO DIE, THEN CALL THEM ON THE PHONE. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR TWO HOURS A IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY, NO REPORTS HAVE BEEN FILED . THE CAUSE OF FIRE WAS UNKNOWN, AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK