Electrical complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The contact stated that while driving 15 MPH on the sand in a beach area that there was a failure of which a strong burning odor started, excess heat was felt by the driver, front passenger and 3 rear passengers. The vehicle was pulled over as they exited the vehicle. Upon inspecting the vehicle, it was noticed that there was a small fire near the transmission area, fluid had leaked onto the catalytic converter as the fire progressed to destroying the vehicle with the fire becoming extensive which had erupted all the way to the fuel system to the fuel tank. The fire department had arrived and extinguished the remaining flames. The insurance company had not rendered any assistance to inspect the cause of the fire. A dealer had not diagnosed the cause of the fire yet. …
Driving the car it began to lose power, then get power, then it shut off. Restarted the car, started driving and it surged unexpectedly then began to lose power again, then it shut off. This scared my wife because she didn't know if it was going to surge or lose power. Took it to a mechanic and finally after a lot of diagnostics they determined it was the ECM or electronic power control module. I have researched this and a lot of people have had this problem.. Ford knows of the problem but will not replace the module. Others have written of this same problem. Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucusqj3-evk I just wish someone would look into this do something about it.
Tire pressure monitoring system will incorrectly display tire sensor fault after driving over 55mph for approximately 15 miles After repeated repair attempts, Ford dealer has not been able to fix it and the TPMS is in constant alert with message Tire Monitor Fault. Dealer states that Ford no longer supports this government mandated safety feature.
Tl contact owns a 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. On March 7, 2007, the contact discovered the vehicle engulfed in flames. He noticed the flames originating from the hood of the vehicle. The fire department diagnosed the cause of failure to be electrical. The dealer declined to retrieve the vehicle and stated that the contact was responsible for having it towed. National grange mutual insurance company retrieved the vehicle and is currently conducting an investigation. The contact was given case # 1591851007 and possesses pictures and slides of the vehicle. The current mileage is unknown and failure mileage was 7,800.
As I was driving to work one morning suddenly my headlights and all interior lights, such as the dashboard, suddenly went out without any warning and nothing electrical would work such as the radio and the windows and all the gauges in the dash dropped to zero or the needle fell all the way to the left. This has become an ongoing problem and I never know when it's going to go out or come back on for that matter and sometimes when it's acting crazy My speedometer will just jump all over the place. I believe this is a safety issue not only for myself but for other drivers on the road as my lights may suddenly go out as I am driving to work at 4:00 a.m. when it is dark. It is also a safety issue because when this happens I have no idea what speed I am driving or how much gas I have left or if my vehicle is starting to get hot. …
The dash cluster don't work cant see your rpms,speed,the fuel gauge gos up and down can't see milage or trip meter if you hit the dash it will work but go out going down the road and I researched it and its a common issue and I cant aford a new dash cluster I got a speeding ticket yesterday because I couldn't see my speed and there was no one in front of me to go off of i was going 15 over
Instrument panel cluster gauges and odometer drop to zero at times while driving, and I don't know my speed and well as RPM's. Afraid the engine might slow down or stop creating a possible freeway accident. On line there are several complaint about this problem.
My gas gauge needle started going beyond full then intermittently would be on e when I just filled it. Each time I would start the truck the gas gauge would show different needle readings. After a month or so it the gas needle quit moving or reading at all. I assumed it was in the fuel tank. I took it in to shop and after taking off the fuel tank there was no problem found. I had to replace the entire cluster panel. Cost almost $1000. There are quite a few comments on the gas gauge not working correctly.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Explorer Sport Trac years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2002 (21), 2001 (14), 2007 (14), 2003 (11) and 2005 (11) model years. Electrical complaints make up 15% of all complaints for the 2002.
Is there a recall for Ford Explorer Sport Trac electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for any Ford Explorer Sport Trac model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Ford Explorer Sport Trac electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 79,000 miles; 38% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the wiring (8 mentions), followed by the wiring › interior/under dash (4).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.